November 1, 2012

Did Chris Christie "sudden love-in" with Obama hurt Mitt Romney?

"Sudden love-in" is the Washington Post's terminology.
There is no professed motivation for Christie’s newfound feelings for the president, other than that the two men are now partners in a massive effort to rebuild his state. Asked about the election on “Fox & Friends,” Christie said, “I have no idea, nor am I the least bit concerned or interested,” adding: “If you think right now I give a damn about presidential politics, then you don’t know me.”
I want to say Chris Christie is saying and doing the right thing, not only morally and in his own political interest, but in the interest of Mitt Romney and the GOP. Saying it's not political and acting like politics are suspended, the best approach morally, happens also to be the best approach politically.

It's good politically because it's a vivid demonstration of devotion to public service and the capacity to rise about partisanship and do the things that need to be done.

Compare the Christie's interaction with Obama to the way Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco interacted with President Bush after Hurricane Katrina. Here's how Bush described some of it in his book "Decision Points" (at page 308-309):
The initial plan had been for me to land at the New Orleans airport, pick up Governor Blanco and Mayor Nagin, and survey the damage on an aerial tour. But on the Marine One flight from Mississippi, we received word that the governor, mayor, and a Louisiana congressional delegation were demanding a private meeting on Air Force One first.

The tone started out tense and got worse. The governor and mayor bickered. Everyone blasted the Federal Emergency Management Agency for failing to meet their needs. Congressman Bobby Jindal pointed out that FEMA had asked people to email their requests, despite the lack of electricity in the city. I shook my head. “We’ll fix it,” I said, looking at FEMA Director Mike Brown. Senator Mary Landrieu interrupted with unproductive emotional outbursts. “Would you please be quiet?” I had to say to her at one point.


I asked to speak to Governor Blanco privately. We walked out of the conference room, through a narrow passageway, and into the small cabin at the front tip of Air Force One. I told her it was clear the state and local response forces had been overwhelmed. “Governor,” I pressed, “you need to authorize the federal government to take charge of the response.”

She told me she needed twenty-four hours to think it over.

“We don’t have twenty-four hours,” I snapped. “We’ve waited too long already.”

The governor refused to give an answer.

Next I asked to meet privately with Mayor Nagin. He had spent four days since Katrina holed up in a downtown hotel. He hadn’t bathed or eaten a hot meal until he used my shower and ate breakfast on Air Force One. In a radio interview the previous evening, he had vented his frustrations with the federal government. “Get off your asses and do something,” he said, “and let’s fix the biggest goddamn crisis in the history of this country.” Then he broke down in tears. When I met him on the plane, Ray whispered an apology for his outburst and explained that he was exhausted.

I asked the mayor what he thought about federalizing the response. He supported it. “Nobody’s in charge,” he said. “We need a clear chain of command.” But only the governor could request that the federal government assume control of the emergency.
Maybe it makes you Mitt Romney supporters nervous to see Chris Christie working smoothly with President Obama. You need to visualize the alternative. Governor Christie is doing exactly the right thing.

Mitt Romney likes to portray himself as a Republican who can work "across the aisle," and Chris Christie is modeling that very behavior. Message: That's what Republicans do. That's a good message, speaking to the very moderates who might drift over to Obama if the Republicans created friction and rancor in the wake of the hurricane.

251 comments:

1 – 200 of 251   Newer›   Newest»
Matt Sablan said...

Yeah. This isn't like how Obama completely botched the BP Oil Spill. He's actually handling Sandy competently. He -can- learn. Give the president kudos where he does well.

AF said...

No way this is good for Romney. Not easy to make a closing argument that the Obama administration is a failure and that government is the problem not the solution, when one of the most popular Republicans in the country is all over TV saying how great Obama is handling this crisis and how much NJ needs and appreciates the federal government's help.

It's good for Chris Christie though, because he appears independent and above politics.

I see it as a schtick. Certainly leaving partisan politics aside, being cooperative, and even thanking the president are appropriate and worthy of praise. But Christie's effusive praise for the president has gone way beyond the call of duty. It's clear that this is political theater -- not for the benefit of Mitt Romney, but for the benefit of Chris Christie.

As an Obama supporter, I'll take it :)

Anonymous said...

I think it hurts Christie more than Romney

wyo sis said...

We'll see.
I haven't seen Obama look all that presidential, but after all he is the president, so if he looks presidential that's no more than he should be expected to be.

Clyde said...

Gov. Christie is doing the job he was elected to do. He is behaving like an adult, which often involves working with people you disagree with in order to get things done.

In any case, there is nothing that President Obama could possibly do to cause me to vote for him. In fact, I cast my early vote against him this morning.

Matt Sablan said...

"That government is the problem not the solution, "

-- That's, again, a misunderstanding of Romney's position. There's a proper role for government, and providing aid in disasters is one of them. The problem is that many of Romney's detractors create a strawman that try and turn this into a false choice between an omni-present, all-doing government with a no-man's land of anarchist barbarians.

Much like in Bush's example Althouse cited: Government needs to work fluidly in a disaster, so it is nice that -- for once -- Obama is. As opposed to his mishandling of the wildfires, droughts and the BP oil spill. It's good that, a week before the election, he finally realized he should work with Republicans when citizens are in danger. Let's hope that, if he is re-elected, he remembers this lesson.

lemondog said...

Love-in my ass.

Christie is a NJ boy and pol and he needs/wants federal $$$ to rebuild.

He is smart.... much smarter than that other pol.

rhhardin said...

The tour is disruptive and unnecessary, an Obama photo-op.

An actual big backward step right off the bat for Obama management, though women voters will love it, which is why it's there.

Some actual competence would be nice.

J.P. said...

I don't think it matters very much if at all. The jobs report comes out on Friday. People with short memories will be thinking about that come Election Day. Those with long memories are not likely to be swayed by Christie - they already have plenty of reasons that are far more significant than the Sandy response.

Nathan Alexander said...

So apparently it is okay to politicize a disaster, as long as the politicization benefits a Democrat, eh, AF?

Tim said...

Anyone who doesn't know who they are going to vote for now, or is persuaded by one event in the closing days of an election campaign, while dismissing the previous four years of observed and experienced failures, is a moron.

Romney wrote off the moron vote months ago, so no this will not hurt him.

At worst, it only gives morons license to do what they were going to do anyway: vote Obama.

Shanna said...

I think this a whole lotta nothing, as far as presidential politics is concerned.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Matt Sablan said...

I don't hold with this theory, but someone suggested it to me, so let me float it like a trial balloon. Part of the love-in may be Christie's cold calculating realistic evaluation of Obama. He saw how Jindal got treated and other Republican governors who had states suffer while Obama dawdled and realized that being tough on Obama would make his people suffer, so he decided to suck up to get what his people need.

I don't think that's likely (it doesn't fit Christie's character); it also doesn't fit the fact that Obama -has- been learning how to handle things on the job, so I think the simpler answer is that Obama's learned to work with people better and that, in a post-Katrina world, Bush's reforms and efforts have helped to make hurricane response more structured. So, yet again, Obama benefits from the trials of previous presidents (which is not a dig, but a statement of how these things work. Bush benefited from lessons learned from Clinton, etc.)

Anonymous said...

What Christie is doing appears to set up the argument that we indeed do need a strong and vigorous federal government.

And the left are calling Christie and Romney hypocrites for accepting or acknowledging federal government help.

But I agree with the need for and use of the federal government in these cases. This is one of the few proper uses of the federal government - geographically cross insuring loss.

But it is a logical error to say that this proves that the federal government needs to be involved in everything in the same way.

That would be like saying that because the neighbors got together to build someone a barn, that means that the neighbors have to also eat every meal together, and hold all farm land in common, and sleep together in one big bed.

It just isn’t a logical conclusion.

holdfast said...

We'll see how happy people are with Obama-Bloomberg big government in a few days when lower Manhattan looks like a Snake Pleskin movie.

Rusty said...

I can't see how this is bad for Romney. Christie is doing what he has to to get federal help.
Obama has a history of helping those that kiss his ass and ignoring those that he doesn't like.

lemondog said...

The tour is disruptive and unnecessary, an Obama photo-op.

I understand that when he wanted to do a NY photo-op, Bloomberg to his credit told him to bugger-off.

Anyone who has seen Christie press conferences knows he has a deep love for NJ and its people.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, holdfast.

There should be ample room and opportunity for occupy wall street right now.

They could probably take over a few blocks with no complaint or pushback.

Are they swarming down there?

rhhardin said...

On the economics of disaster relief, in part:

In the event of floods should we feel sorry for those who are flooded? those who are nearby but not flooded? If you expect floods in the flood plain, you expect the value of property to be suppressed. The price differential should approximate the difference in losses when floods come. If the differential is too low people will continue to buy the hillside houses. If you have a flood that is not as serious as expected, the people in the flood plain got a benefit and those on the hillside paid too much. So, who you feel sorry for depends on what was anticipated. Suppose we start taxing the people on the hillside and use it to relieve those in the flood plain. Depreciates value of hillside property, more people will want to live in flood plain and will build bigger houses there and stocking them with better furniture; likely to have more newsworthy floods. Often people know that a flood is coming; if they know their damages will be covered by those on the hillside they have less incentive to pack up their belongings. John Stossel report on buying a house on NJ coast and puzzled to be covered against hurricanes by Federal subsidy even though hurricanes are known to come around. Law of unintended consequences. Benefits of these programs get capitalized and end up helping nobody. Can end up with no gains to the property owners. Anticipated flow of benefits of $20,000 by government would get captured in the value of the properties.

Curious George said...

The election is next Tuesday, but Obama will be POTUS regardless of outcome until January. All the $$$ decisions are going to come before that. Christie realizes what a petulant brittle little fuck Choom is.

As far as the election...the hard hit states are all DNC locks. And Choom is off campaigning now, so people will balance that against this photo op. No effect.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

[U]nproductive emotional outbursts

Heh.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Christie is doing the right thing.
The media and Obama - they are using this enormous tragedy as a photo op. Smile for the camera, Barack.

AF said...

"So apparently it is okay to politicize a disaster, as long as the politicization benefits a Democrat, eh, AF?"

Spare me the sanctimony and read more carefully.

Anonymous said...

In my opinion,, the complaining about the storm effecting the election is annoying and that is going to turn people off more than Christy and Obama just getting down to business and solving problems. Would people rather have Obama fumbling this ball and people losing their lives? The only important thing is that problems get solved.

With that said, I would still crawl backwards, uphill, across broken glass in a blizzard to vote for Romney. Obama's last hour behavior does not negate all of his other failures.

carrie said...

It's a big deal only because the left and MSM can't ever imagine a democrat working with a republican even if it is part of their job and necessary to do so for the good of their constituents. Republicans are tolerant and get along, democrats don't. A case in point is Biddy Martin working with Governor Walker. Walker was the governor, Martin was the chancellor, so of course they needed to work together. When the liberal professors on campus looked at Walker, they didn't see a Governor, they saw a republican and that was the end of that.

chickelit said...

Wouldn't it be awesome if Bruce Springsteen could rise above petty partisanship in this instance and acknowledge the good public works of his ardent admirer, Chris Christie?

Bryan C said...

The Governor of New Jersey's first obligation is to the citizens who gave him that job. If that requires being nice to the President after a terrible disaster, then that's the right thing to do.

Especially since Christie himself is dealing with the foolish backbiting Mayor Langford of Atlantic City, who seems upset that AC isn't being treated as the New Orleans of 2012.

The Republican angst about this is misplaced. We've all been infected by pervasive pettiness of the left.

carrie said...

It's a big deal only because the left and MSM can't ever imagine a democrat working with a republican even if it is part of their job and necessary to do so for the good of their constituents. Republicans are tolerant and get along, democrats don't. A case in point is Biddy Martin working with Governor Walker. Walker was the governor, Martin was the chancellor, so of course they needed to work together. When the liberal professors on campus looked at Walker, they didn't see a Governor, they saw a republican and that was the end of that.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

When a disaster strikes during a Republican administration - it's a disaster.
When a disaster strikes during a democrat administration - it's good for the economy.
...Even though it isn't.

jrberg3 said...

So it's Christie doing the love-in, not Obama. According to the Post it would appear that their beloved Obama is just doing his job, while Christie first has to let go of paritsanship before he can do his??

I think Obama might get a small bounce due to this, especially in the Philly suburbs (a majority of which all vacation down at the shore) and it could change some votes there that may have gone Romney's way. But the fact remains that the Libya thing hasn't been forgotten and it still may force itself to be covered by the media and the jobs report could take the wind out of any Obama sail tomorrow.

Roger J. said...

The cynic in me thinks this is just space filler until the jobs report comes out tomorrow and the final polling data the first of next week. The folks in the Northeast--esp NYC area will go for obama irrespective. There is no net gain for Mr Obama--

Conserve Liberty said...

Tell this to Nashville.

Media Ignores Nashville Flood

Roger J. said...

Conserve Liberty: tell it west texans when Gov Perry asked for a declaration of emergency and was turned down. FEMA disaster relief money is fundamentally a slush fund to further the sitting administration.

machine said...

I see this place is still Fantasyland...

Everything is good for Romney, right?

Q: Why did Romney only reach out to Republican Governors of affected states?

Maybe to set up another "relief" event....

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I find it rather disgusting that while millions of people are truly suffering from the ravages of this storm, the left are giddy about what it does for Obama.

Gross.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

Given that the Mormons are quicker with disaster relief than the federal government, those volunteers with the white LDS pails may be changing some minds on the ground.

ESM said...

"He's actually handling Sandy competently. He -can- learn. Give the president kudos where he does well."

What exactly is the President or the federal government doing well? Obama expedited declaring NJ a federal disaster area? Big whoop. That's simply authorization of future spending.

I'm originally from central NJ, and the stories I'm hearing from relatively wealthy areas far from the coast give me the impression that life is deteriorating fast. No power means no hot water, no heat (while temperatures are in the 30s at night), no potable water, no food, and no gasoline, and no phone service as cell phone batteries are difficult to keep charged as their cars and generators run out of fuel. And no sign of the government either.

rhhardin said...

Christie has anti-gouging laws which probably will do the most of anything to make things miserable.

No reason to take gasoline to the affected area.

Bob_R said...

Yes, any time Obama can look presidential and nonpartisan it is bad for Romney. But a blatantly partisan snub of Obama would be worse for Romney and deadly for Christie (who needs to get votes in New Jersey more than he needs to get them in the rest of the country.)

As we will see next week, sometimes you have to choose the lesser of two evils.

Drago said...

AF: "Spare me the sanctimony and read more carefully."

LOL

Says the guy who wrote simplistically: "...and that government is the problem not the solution,...."

Once again, the "rules" (like "civility") are a one way street for those on the left.

Nathan Alexander said...

@AF,

I read carefully.

You need to have your nose rubbed in your hypocrisy often.

Maybe it will wake you up to how biased and partisan your so-called principles are.

Probably not, but maybe someone else will see it and learn to not be such a crass liberal hypocrite as you have become.

Pettifogger said...

Lefties seize on the need for a federal response to a disaster such as Sandy or Katrina as justification for the entire leviathan to which we are subject. Even Tea Partiers such as I acknowledge there is a place for government. It's just that government has become so overbearing and omnipresent that we sometimes take rhetoric too far.

Yes, there is a need for a federal response to large natural disasters. But that does not justify the clerisy's entire agenda for us.

Hagar said...

Christie needs Federal money for New Jersey; Obama needs a good photo-op.

Mission accomplished!

Scott said...

I agree with Ann. Christie did absolutely the right thing.

And if PSE&G can get the power back on in my house by sometime this weekend, I'll be happy.

Scott said...

If everything is political, then partisan bias is NBFD. Which explains AF and his ilk.

John said...

And how would Obama be handling things if it were not days before an election? Who thinks he would be doing the same as he is now?

Brennan said...

I support Romney for President, but what Governor Christie is doing is exactly what a leader should be doing. I have no qualms with Christie and Obama appearing together to do the jobs they were elected to do.

The partisan bickering is a joke.

Shouting Thomas said...

No much political meat to gnaw on today, if this is the best controversy Althouse can find.

Waiting it out in Panera while the electric boys do their job!

Dan in Philly said...

Obama hacks are saying this helps Obama.
Romney hacks are saying this helps Romney.
Christie hacks are saying this helps Christie.

Nothing to see here.

dreams said...

The difference between the Dem governors and the Republican governors is competence. Look at how well Haley Barbour performed in Mississippi compared to the Dems in Louisiana during and after Hurricane Katrina. Notice also the difference in the media coverage of the presidents.

campy said...

So apparently it is okay to politicize a disaster, as long as the politicization benefits a Democrat, eh, AF?

A disaster, a war, whatever; politicize anything to help a democrat.

Dante said...

That's a good message, speaking to the very moderates who might drift over to Obama if the Republicans created friction and rancor in the wake of the hurricane.

Not this again. Provide some evidence the small # of "undecided" middle of the roaders are more important than get out the vote, are cost effective, etc.

Is there any evidence in the ads? Or are you merely shouting at a raging waterfall, drowned out and immaterial.

dreams said...

The best thing about this hurricane is it is probably too close to the election to hurt Obama.

Colonel Angus said...

No power means no hot water, no heat (while temperatures are in the 30s at night), no potable water, no food, and no gasoline, and no phone service as cell phone batteries are difficult to keep charged as their cars and generators run out of fuel.

But look on the bright side. No power means less Co2 emmissions which cause the superstorm in the first place. That is if you believe the hysterical shrieking of Al Gore and his ilk.

Bryan C said...

"All the $$$ decisions are going to come before that. Christie realizes what a petulant brittle little fuck Choom is."

Christie knows that already. It's another reason to be nice to Obama, so he doesn't go all stompy-foot on your state.

Otherwise you might wake up and find that the EPA has suddenly found gambling to be dangerous to nearby fish, and that El Presidente has forgotten to write you a waiver.

dreams said...

The Dems are lucky this time in having a competent NY Mayor and a competent Governor which is actually unusual.

rhhardin said...

Armstrong and Getty, "They're calling them the new Abbott and Costello"

Christopher said...

Christie has to work with the President on behalf of his state. However, he also believes it is good politics for himself. If you think right now he doesn't give a damn about presidential politics after 2012, then you don't know him.

roesch/voltaire said...

This morning I met a neighbor who was taking down his Romney sign from the front yard. I asked what he was doing, and he responded that Romney's flip on Fema and the Jeep exaggeration was too much for him to continue to support Romeny, even though he is worried about the economy. I think the Sandy storm exposed the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate and may swing a few votes towards Obama.

William said...

Bad enough people actually have to live in Hoboken, but now they have to live there without power, transporation, and, in some areas, under three feet of water. Chrystie has been blunt, direct, and caring. You get the sense that he's in charge and, moreover, you want him to be in charge. Obama spoke in his clipped cadences and his words and responses seemed to be more rehearsed and for effect. But that just might be my political bias coming into play.....At any rate this is clearly a problem that transcends politics. Both men appear to good advantage here, but on those issues that do not transcend politics, I see no reason to vote for Obama.

Colonel Angus said...

Perhaps Obama is getting a lesson in the proper role of the Federal government by Christie, such as providing disaster relief, not providing free birth control or calorie mandates for school lunches.

dreams said...

"Maybe it makes you Mitt Romney supporters nervous to see Chris Christie working smoothly with President Obama."


Stop your effing liberal projection, we Romney supporters expect our leaders to lead and to be competent. Stop your effing projection and try to remember that Republicans aren't sissy liberals. We know he has to work with Obama because Obama writes the check though some have wondered why he has been so effusive in his praise.

Liberal projection makes me want to puke.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Christie did absolutely the right thing... which coincided with nipping in the bud a potential political rivals biggest weapon against him... that he is a hard headed partisan who wont work across party lines.

Who knew? Doing the right thing is also politically advantageous... just ask the Wisconsin governor.

dreams said...

The difference this time is the competence of the Governors and the NY mayor compared to Louisiana.

Shouting Thomas said...

Talk about a slow news day!

Roger J. said...

R/V--it is possible you are generalizing from one small bit of anecdotal evidence--that usually doesnt work a solid analytical technique. To wit: Romney/Ryan signs are proliferating in my neighborood--should I therefore infer that Romney will win?

jrberg3 said...

"This morning I met a neighbor who was taking down his Romney sign from the front yard. I asked what he was doing, and he responded that Romney's flip on Fema and the Jeep exaggeration was too much for him to continue to support Romeny, even though he is worried about the economy. I think the Sandy storm exposed the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate and may swing a few votes towards Obama"

Not buying it!

Levi Starks said...

People are way too wrapped up in politics.
This isn't about Christie, and Obama, it's about The governor of NJ, and the president of the US.

Roger J. said...

Re the "Sandy Experience" Lets see what the situation is on the ground in a week before jumping to conclusions.

dreams said...

Althouse and all the other flaming liberals should think about these facts, pictures were released showing Obama in the situation room during and after the Bin laden raid and pictures were release showing Obama in the situation room during Hurricane Sandy. Where are the pictures showing Obama in the situation room during the Benghazi attack? Think about that you flaming liberals.

MayBee said...

It is just crazy weird to hear all this talk about a love-in and a bromance. They are two professionals working together, but of course Obama has to be over praised for being able to be nice to another person.

Chris Christie works with Cory Booker all the time. They get along well. This is nothing new for Chris Christie. It is something new for a certain someone else.

Matt Sablan said...

Note: Romney's jeep ad is entirely, factually correct. The WaPo admits this in their analysis, but scored it four Pinochios because they disliked that it made Obama look bad.

sakredkow said...

Where are the pictures showing Obama in the situation room during the Benghazi attack? Think about that you flaming liberals.

FOIL it.

Wince said...

A slightly different take from the Hollywood central casting southern hick diner.

"Look like a bunch of refugees from a gorilla love-in."

dreams said...

Everyone is feeling the love right now but after a few days or weeks without power, people are going to be angry and that is why I say Obama is lucky that it is probably too close to the election to hurt him.

Brennan said...

EPA suspends the stupid fuel blend regulations in order to ensure fuel can be delivered to NJ.

Suspend these idiotic regulations for good. They make gasoline more expensive by tightening the supply chain.

Roger J. said...

I am sorry that the good professor didnt go a bit further in the Bush Memoirs. The Stafford Act and the Insurrection Act determine the ability of the Feds to intervene in State affairs--that Federalism thing is a bitch. The President in his memoirs indicated he had considered invoking the insurrection act to permit the Feds to take over. He rejected that, and for, IMO, good reason. The insurrection act is the Feds nuclear response to state failures.
Governor Blanco and Mayor Nagin were totally irresponsible and again, IMO, should have been tried for negligent homicide. The voters of NOLA and LA threw both their sorry asses out in the next election.

Methadras said...

I wonder why the post hasn't taken to task Mayor Doucheberg telling the president he wasn't interested in meeting him.

Methadras said...

In the end it means nothing. Jersey got hit harder than NYC, so it makes sense that Urkel would use it as his backup since doucheberg said no to a meeting and tour. Christi is the governor of that state, he's practically obligated to interact with the president on disaster relief like this. It's not a love-in, but then again, leftards always think people love them. idiots.

Roger J. said...

Dreams makes a good point about power outage--the Feds have absolutely zero ability to restore power--the power grid is controlled by agencies called NERCs--the actual men and women who restore power are the employees of private firms--and the private firms are very good at responding to such events--it takes time to restore power as streets have to be cleared and looters controlled. The private public power organizations are what make restoration of power work. And the do a great job under trying circumstances.

Roger J. said...

It is remarkable to me that otherwise educated people have no fucking idea how our response system works--and note I said response and not recovery. Another failing of our educated people to understand the difference.

Colonel Angus said...

I asked what he was doing, and he responded that Romney's flip on Fema and the Jeep exaggeration was too much for him to continue to support Romeny, even though he is worried about the economy.

I'm undecided as to whether you invented that story or if your neighbor is simply an idiot.

garage mahal said...

This morning I met a neighbor who was taking down his Romney sign from the front yard.

Think about that you flaming conservatives.

Scott said...

I think all right thinking people are sick and tired of being told that ordinary decent people in this country are fed up with being sick and tired. Well, I'm certainly not. And I'm sick and tired of being told that I am.

--M. Python

edutcher said...

Christie is doing only what civility requires, but the theory goes Christie is trying to position himself in some way that, if Barry wins, he'll be able to reach out to Demos if he runs for POTUS in '16.

If so, the theory continues, he'll be seen as a traitor.

YMMV

PS Karl Rove predicts a substantial Romney victory.

MayBee said...

This is Romney's Lehman Brothers moment!

alan markus said...

New York state asks Washington to cover all storm costs

Governor Andrew Cuomo said he is asking fellow Democrat, President Barack Obama, to pay 100 percent of the estimated $6 billion bill, at a time that state and local government budgets remain constrained by a weak economic recovery

"While we understand the federal share is typically 75 percent of these total costs, the unprecedented and extraordinary extent of damage Hurricane Sandy has caused to our state merits an adjustment to this cost-share to 90 to 100 percent federal coverage," the two senators said.

"The president has the discretion to go higher. Seventy-five percent is a floor not a ceiling," said Matt Mayer, a former senior official at the Department of Homeland Security.

If Obama accepts covering all the costs, this would be announced by Federal Emergency management Agency, Mayer said.

Former President George W. Bush allowed 100 percent reimbursement of costs in some states after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, Mayer, who worked at DHS during Bush's presidency, told Reuters.


This might explain the knee pads seen peeking out of Christy's back pockets.

jrberg3 said...

"Think about that you flaming conservatives. "

Already did, and I don't think it's true. I highly doubt that someone who would go through the trouble of placing a Romney sign on their lawn would also fall for the blatant twisted propoganda about Romney's beliefs on FEMA and the factually correct Jeep AD.

Roger J. said...

Even were the Feds to subsidize storm recovery at 100 percent it will take months for that money to get into the hands of the people that need it. FEMA has to establish Joint Field Offices and people have to apply for assistance-FEMA is a pass thru agency and not a particularly fast one.

X said...

Think about that you flaming conservatives.

about what? that rv spouts untrue bullshit regularly? I already knew that.

Matt Sablan said...

Just remember, the money we could be spending on hurricane relief is instead being spent on Big Bird and over-staffed federal agencies. This is why spending priorities are important.

Comanche Voter said...

You do what you have to do to do your job. Christie's job is to be Governor of New Jersey and do what is best for his state. He's demonstrating that now.

Maybe some of that attitude will rub off on The One. If, perish the thought, he sidesteps what is properly coming to him on Election Day, let's hope that he's absorbed a bit of a lesson from Christie.

OTOH, Romney has always figured out what his job is, and what it requires. He'll apply that knowledge to the Presidency if he wins. If not he'll go home and apply the same knowledge to whatever he does next.

But as for me, I'm hoping that our current "Light Worker" will get a message to go home and sulk in the sun in Hawaii in the house that Penny Pritzker bought for him--for some $35 million.

Anonymous said...

Flame war!

Anonymous said...

Flaming queens!

Anonymous said...

Lac du flambeau!

Anonymous said...

Obama's hurricane response isn't a result of learning how to deal with one, or a desire to anything but get reelected.

Chris Christie is being smart. his state needs help and he figures his job is to advocate for his state. NJ will be Obama's anyway.

Obama's sudden transformation to competency will fool a few, but I don't think it will matter.

I do know one thing, if Obama is reelected he will POUR money at Sandy, hand over fist, there will be an unbelievable amount of waste, much worse than Katrina or the stimulus, and it will benefit the unions, cronies and Dems. While I believe FEMA is necessary, they are wasteful.

Anonymous said...

Flambé !

Cedarford said...

Markus -
"This might explain the knee pads seen peeking out of Christy's back pockets."

Naaw! Another explaination for Christie's "I don't get on my knees for unions or hysterical women emoting at town meetings or Obama" demeanor

Is that if Christie ever got on his knees for anyone, he isn't getting up without physical assistance from people.
(Or a really sturdy pew bench in church to haul himself up by)



Cedarford said...

Markus -
"This might explain the knee pads seen peeking out of Christy's back pockets."

Naaw! Another explaination for Christie's "I don't get on my knees for unions or hysterical women emoting at town meetings or Obama" demeanor

Is that if Christie ever got on his knees for anyone, he isn't getting up without physical assistance from people.
(Or a really sturdy pew bench in church to haul himself up by)



Anonymous said...

Flamethrower!

Anonymous said...

Flamenco!

Anonymous said...

Inflammation!

OK, I'm done.

Colonel Angus said...

Obama's sudden transformation to competency will fool a few, but I don't think it will matter.

I'm not fooled as I havent seen any such transformation.

alan markus said...

Is that if Christie ever got on his knees for anyone, he isn't getting up without physical assistance from people. (Or a really sturdy pew bench in church to haul himself up by)


When I heard the day before that they were going to appear together, I thought maybe Christie's strategy was an attempt to make Obama look "small" in the face of a huge disaster.

Texan99 said...

"The difference this time is the competence of the Governors and the NY mayor compared to Louisiana."

Yep. Also what Matthew Sablan said.

dreams said...

Everyone knows including the liberal Dems, the Republicans and the liberal media that Obama is milking the Sandy Hurricane teat for all its worth but compare the treatment he is receiving to that which Romney is subjected to. See the quote below from Betsy's page.

"I just don't get the liberals slamming Romney for asking for donations for hurricane victims. MSNBC spent a day criticizing Romney collecting canned food and donations from people who came out to see him on Tuesday. And now we get this."

http://betsyspage.blogspot.com/

Drago said...

R/V: "This morning I met a neighbor who was taking down his Romney sign from the front yard."

garage: "Think about that you flaming conservatives."

LOL

Sounds authoritative and just reeks of "authenticity"....

Thanks again for your "concern"......


Cedarford said...

Garbage Mahal -

"
"Think about that you flaming conservatives. "


Funny, I read that after visiting Drudge and seeing the great ObamaCar spontaneous conflagration.

In a New Jersey port, sixteen 100,000+ imported Fiskers made with Norweigan workers with Obama stimulus money were hit with 3 feet of storm surge.
As the surge receeded, all sixteen suddenly burst into flames, most burning down to the tire rims.

That would have made for an interesting Obama-Christie tour stop!




Drago said...

Get ready for a last minute slew of "I'm a life long Republican and it's just darn unfortunate that I just can't bring myself to vote for Mitt Romney....based on my "conservative" principles...."

LOL

Cedarford said...

Apparantly several other green cars spontaneously self-combusted elsewhere in the hurricane.
More Fiskers and some Chevy Volts, but no Nissan Leafs.
Photo of a Chevy Volt burning on a sidestreet was in the papers on Wednesday. Owner said it was smoking for a half hour as he waited on a 911 response he didn't get, then the fire started.

The Japanese engineers have apparantly made a green hybrid that doesn't have that design problem.

wyo sis said...

Today I saw my neighbor taking down her Obama sign. (gasp)
Deal with that garage.

dreams said...

Rubbed the wrong way, to become inflamed. I'm reading that the Romney voters are more fired up than Obama supporters so therefore more likely to vote.

Drago said...

wyo sis: "Today I saw my neighbor taking down her Obama sign. (gasp)"


Today I noticed again that my neighborhood in Denver which was 80% for obama in 2008 now only has 1 obama sign up and about 30 romney signs.


MayBee said...

I'm taking down my Romney sign because I hear he let some poor woman die of cancer.

Brennan said...

The left attacking Romney for collecting canned food for relief is hilarious.

The short short version of their crying antics is "Support the Red Cross. BRING MONEY!"

Revenant said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Drago said...

Brennan: "The left attacking Romney for collecting canned food for relief is hilarious."

My church just completed another of it's many food drives for this year in anticipation of the holidays. Canned goods and non-perishables are always welcome.

Romney, being as charitible and giving as he is seems to be quite familiar with this.

In addition to the goods donated, of course money is also donated via a number of worthy organizations (which Romney also solicited).

So what does Romney get for taking the time during his campaigning to solicit and gather financial and goods support for the relief effort?

He gets a whackoff like machine who comments: "Maybe to set up another "relief" event...."

Note the scare quotes around "relief".

This is a tired and all too predictable lefty technique of attempting to undermine that which is the strongest character trait of a conservative and/or republican.

Yawn.

But hey, I hear rumors of "life long" republicans pulling Romney signs down by the gajillions because Romney wore jeans or something.

Revenant said...

It probably did help Obama, but I don't respect Christie any less for it. He's a good governor. The people of New Jersey are lucky to have him.

He's welcome to come run California for a bit if he has some spare time.

alan markus said...

pictures were release showing Obama in the situation room during Hurricane Sandy

Obama In Situation Room Hurricane Sandy

Can anyone else look at this picture and identify the "prop" that was inserted?

alan markus said...

"The left attacking Romney for collecting canned food for relief is hilarious."

Staten Island Borough President: Don’t Give Money to the Red Cross

Rusty said...

dreams said...
The best thing about this hurricane is it is probably too close to the election to hurt Obama.

That depends. There are some areas that haven't seen any relief workers at all. Public or private. The longer that situation exists the worse it is for Obama.

Colonel Angus said...

Can anyone else look at this picture and identify the "prop" that was inserted?

Obama.

furious_a said...

The tour is disruptive and unnecessary, an Obama photo-op.

So is any Presidential visit to any disaster site. The President still needs to make an appearance, do a flyover, say comforting words, cut some red tape, to provide reassurance...however symbolic and disruptive.

Gov. Christie is doing what is right to help the people of New Jersey. He's also facing re-election in 2013, in a deep-blue state, where his likely Dem opponent is the popular Newark Mayor Cory Booker.

Stiffing Pres. Obama (as Mayor Bloomberg and Gov. Cuomo did) would have cost him dearly. The New York pols can take their job security for granted, Gov. Christie can't.

Chip S. said...

And on the 57th day since he put up a Romney sign in his yard, someone in WI finally grew tired enough of his annoying neighbor's daily anti-Romney rants that he took the sign down.

Being a polite sort, the man told his neighbor some bizarre story about FEMA and Jeep, which were the first things he could think of. He was later embarrassed at the absurdity of his story, but took comfort in the fact that his neighbor would finally shut the hell up.

furious_a said...

"Support the Red Cross. BRING MONEY!"

The $1M salary of the American Red Cross President fer shur ain't paid in canned goods or used clothing.

Geoff Matthews said...

Obama doesn't need to be bad at everything in order to be replaced. It makes Christie look reasonable. I've no problem with his response.

Blanco looks bad, as does Landrieu

ricpic said...

Five More Days!

We flush The Turd in Five More Days!

furious_a said...

Blanco looks bad, as does Landrieu...

Mary Landrieu, who got the school buses rolling for her Senate campaign in 1996 but not for Katrina evacuations nine years later.

Like a security detail for Valerie Jarrett but none for Ambassador Stevens -- priorities.

Brennan said...

The $1M salary of the American Red Cross President fer shur ain't paid in canned goods or used clothing.

Yep. It's why I write checks to the Salvation Army and won't volunteer or donate to the Red Cross or United Way. They spend way too much money on overhead.

wyo sis said...

Prop?
If you mean that coffee cup that's about to fall off the edge of the table, the mom in me just longs to slide it to a more secure place. Didn't anyone ever tell him not to put his cup on the edge of the table.

Sammy said...

Ann's argument doesn't hold up, this is all about Christie and his 2013 re-election and his 2016 ambitions

Bloomberg, told Obama to kiss off, but a Romney co- chair doesn't stop praising Obama and spends a day giving Obama million dollar worth of photo ops a week before a close election.

And this argument it's about the fed money, as if Obama would mess around with New Jersey a week before a election, or anytime, New York is already demanding the Feds pay 100% of the damage from Sandy.

Obama didn't care about floods in Kentucky , that killed 150 people, or the last 4 years of floods, hurricanes , tornados, oil spills that have all hit red states, you couldn't find Obama in those disasters hugging citizens even if you had tracking device..

What's the one thing Chritie could do to get on the good side of the NY, NJ media market , that's controlled by liberals,,, stab Romney in the back while kissing Obama ass's one week before a tied national election.

MSNBC , John Stewart, NYT' s , network news...... All praising the fat Jersy boy , his handling of the crisis, his above the party politics, to do what's right for his state.

Now that was the first days, the next weeks and months when it all goes to shit, it's already starting, and no one knows how to complain like Jersy people , the same liberals and media praising fat boy are going to look like idiots blaming him...... Which they would of happily of done to knock him off his ass before he played them.


And with his re-elections coming up 2013, fat boy isn't taking any chances, also he doesn't want Romney to win, he has ambitions 2016.... another 4 years of Obama, the American people will begging to elect a republican President even a obese one.

Christie is about Christie, his convention speech already made that obvious.

But conservatives will remember when he needs funds to go up against his well financed liberal opponent , from unions and from the same democrats praising Chritie now , wo all will happily give money to see Christie get voted out.

roesch/voltaire said...

Another neighbor speaks up: As Mayor Koch says, "I'm confident President Obama will continue his unambiguous commitment to the Jewish state in his second term, building on his record of leadership by preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and funding the Iron Dome missile defense system that is saving Israeli lives."

garage mahal said...

Five More Days!

The Unskwewedpolls map is out. And it does not disappoint!

Of particular LOLworthiness, Oregon goes red. "Major surprise"

garage mahal said...

Unskewed*

Nichevo said...

Comanche, Obama can't learn, because he already knows everything. A true descendant of that Caliph who burned all the books at the Library of Alexandria because either they contradict the Koran or they were redundant to the Koran.

Colonel, RV is lying. Anything for the cause.

RV, I'm not a huge Voltaire fan, but why you sully the poor bastard's name by combining it with that of a concentration camp guard is beyond my reckoning. I forget my Shirer - was Roesch the Butcher of Lithuania or was he the one that helped that woman at Buchenwald with the human skin lamp shades?

Nichevo said...

Oh, and my dear bewigged Nazi, if true which is always doubtful with you, this will be the third or fourth zigzag for poor Ed Koch, who has finally reached alte kocker status. And I say that with love. He's very sick, you know.

furious_a said...

stab Romney in the back while kissing Obama ass...

Oh, please...the Big Guy's greatest hits have come at Romney rallies stomping OFA hecklers.

dreams said...

"Five More Days!"

Five more days to avoid four more years, so said Mrs Rob Portman.

Toad Trend said...

Christie did what any good CEO would do to help his state. That often means dealing with personally reprehensible characters in the name of business.

Happens all the time.

Chip S. said...

Another of R/V's neighbors said, "Barack Obama is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life."

I'm beginning to think he may live next to a psychiatric hospital.

Anonymous said...

In the future, I will be donating to Samariantan's Purse or other faith based relief organizations. I find it petty that the Red Cross would complain that other people/organizations get involved in the relief effort. Demanding cash is like a homeless person complaining because you gave them a can of soup instead of cash. I am sure someone will find a way to distribute the donated goods to people in need, even if the Red Cross can't do it. More help is better than less. I am sure the people suffering from the storm would be thankful for the help whether it comes from the Red Cross, the government, or a faith based organization. They aren't going to stand there complaining and asking why you didn't donate cash.

Matt Sablan said...

I didn't think it was the Red Cross doing the complaining so much as liberal partisans complaining on behalf of the Red Cross.

Toad Trend said...

Nichevo

Thanks for prompting me to spit my Tim Hortons coffee out while reading your critique of the ever-insipid RV and his overly played handle.

Good stuff.

sakredkow said...

Obama can't learn, because he already knows everything. A true descendant of that Caliph who burned all the books at the Library of Alexandria because either they contradict the Koran or they were redundant to the Koran.

When this is the lede you just know what follows is going to be a keeper.

chickelit said...

garage mahal said...
This morning I met a neighbor who was taking down his Romney sign from the front yard.


One just popped up last night out here. First one I've seen.

Chip S. said...

One just popped up last night out here.

Support for Romney is mushrooming.

Michael said...

On my morning jog I passed five neighbors who were removing their Obama/Biden signs. Each had pretty much the same thing to say: the president was grandstanding and again making promises they knew he could not and would not keep. Five.

sakredkow said...

We had over 25 residents in my neighborhood remove their Romney signs and throw them into a big bonfire. Obama they said, really has brought us together.

You can't argue with that. Try as you might.

Seeing Red said...

--Another neighbor speaks up: As Mayor Koch says, "I'm confident President Obama will continue his unambiguous commitment to the Jewish state in his second term, building on his record of leadership by preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and funding the Iron Dome missile defense system that is saving Israeli lives." ----


So they didn't read the Chicago Jewish paper's endorsement of Romney then?

They must not have a computer.

Big Mike said...

"We are not going to tolerate red tape, we are not going to tolerate bureaucracy."

So I infer from this that Bush's mistake after Katrina was following the applicable laws and regulations in waiting for Blanco and Nagin to Landrieu to ask for help the way they were supposed to. Obama doesn't care what the regulations say; he's going to ignore them they way he ignored the War Powers Act when he joined European nations in intervening in Libya.

Has Libya been in the news lately? How'd our intervention work out for us?

Seeing Red said...

When Nixon was under attack for Watergate he came to Chicago, King Richard I was there at the airport with his hand outstretched in welcome.

He got the money.

When Ronnie came, Harold Washington was a no-show.

No money.

Seeing Red said...

After 9/11 - not 1 cent to the American Red Cross, they were gonna take 30% as expenses and overhead to upgrade their system.

And some of the WWII stories I read about them? No way.

furious_a said...

We had over 25 residents in my neighborhood remove their Romney signs and throw them into a big bonfire.

In my neighborhood over 50 Barack Obama signs removed themselves and set themselves alight because they couldn't keep living the lie anymore.

Nichevo said...

What, phx, you never heard of that? I didn't make it up. Read a fucking book.

garage mahal said...

I saw a Romney sign go up yesterday and the guy told me after hearing Romney compare hurricane Sandy to some litter on football field that pretty much cinched it for him.

SHIT JUST GOT REAL

Drago said...

phx: "We had over 25 residents in my neighborhood remove their Romney signs and throw them into a big bonfire. Obama they said, really has brought us together."

They they stripped down, painted their butts blue and pranced around a 1950's black and white TV while shouting "pass the sweet and sour sauce!!!"

Amartel said...

I doubt anyone thinks that Christie approves of Obama's presidency or is somehow implicitly endorsing its continuation. He's been quite fiery in denouncing Obama.

It's funny watching Obama suck up to Christie, even though you know he hates him. Obama needs Christie, in order to look presidential, more than Christie needs Obama. But Christie'll use him for what he's worth.

Chip S. said...

A meme is born!

In my neighborhood, 3 Romney signs attacked a group of African-American schoolchildren walking down the street eating Skittles.

#Romneysigns

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

furious_a said...
We had over 25 residents in my neighborhood remove their Romney signs and throw them into a big bonfire.

In my neighborhood over 50 Barack Obama signs removed themselves and set themselves alight because they couldn't keep living the lie anymore.


In my neighborhood 100 Romney signs said they couldn't live the lie anymore and came out as gay supporters of universal health care.

Drago said...

Politics. Strange bedfellows. etc

Drago said...

resonable: "In my neighborhood 100 Romney signs said they couldn't live the lie anymore and came out as gay supporters of universal health care."

When the signs start talking to you then you better hope you're Steve Martin in "LA Story" or you might just have some real issues.

Amartel said...

Political Sign Removal Story Contest.

Winner will be set on fire in the spirit of Community and Patriotism.

Chip S. said...

One of my neighbors told me that a Romney sign had blocked her access to birth control.

Unknown said...

You're over-estimating Chris Christie's appeal. He is popular among democrats - for now - because he's not particularly religious and not socially conservative. So he's the type of republican they like. He would never get nominated for anything, because he's not they type REPUBLICANS like. Akin to Rudy Guilliani, in that sense. The moment he starts is next campaign for re-election, you will see just how "popular" he is among democrats.

Anyway, its irrelvant. The people have made up their minds. Dont believe what people who want attention tell gullible media polsters about being "undecided." No one is undecided. The American electorate can be dumb, but not THAT dumb. To think that there are still significant numbers of people so stupid so as to be susceptible to changing their vote in the last two minutes of an election because of something so silly as Christie campaigning - is a pretty strong affront to voters.

alan markus said...

@ Wyo Sis:

Prop?
If you mean that coffee cup that's about to fall off the edge of the table, the mom in me just longs to slide it to a more secure place. Didn't anyone ever tell him not to put his cup on the edge of the table.


You got it - everyone else has cardboard cups & it looks like Obama also has a plastic bottle of water at hand. Looks like the gold trimmed coffee cup ("Official Coffee Cup of the President"?) was inserted to lend a certain Presidential "gravitas" to the scene.

Toad Trend said...

A neighbor ordered a Romney sign from our nearest GOP HQ and received 10...another neighbor ordered an O'Biden sign, never received one and had his garbage stolen and his dog is pregnant.

X said...

The cat lady next door has an Obama sign. So does the unemployable lady a few doors down. The other 100 neighbors who had signs in 2008 must have moved or something.

chickelit said...

An angry lefty in my neighborhhood tried to chop a Romney sign in half with a hatchet. It split into muliplets like the broomlets in "Sorceror's Apprentice."

furious_a said...

The Obama sign next door says Lena Dunham puts out like a stamp machine.

alan markus said...

Being a polite sort, the man told his neighbor some bizarre story about FEMA and Jeep, which were the first things he could think of. He was later embarrassed at the absurdity of his story, but took comfort in the fact that his neighbor would finally shut the hell up.

Maybe he hopes that Weds AM his liberal neighbor forgets that there was a Romney sign in his yard or at most remembers that he switched at the last minute, as the MoveOn.org-incited liberal neighbor looks for "motherf***ing" houses to burn down because Romney won.

Saint Croix said...

Rush just did a hilarious montage of MSM reporters saying Obama "looked Presidential."

No word from the MSM on whether Christie "looked like a governor."

Obama's been President for 4 years! And it's news that he looks like a President.

I just wish the MSM would stop treating Obama like he's a 6th grader playing Lincoln in the school play.

garage mahal said...

Another neighbor put out a Romney sign and his reason why was he likes his politicians like he likes his signs - stiff, wooden, and full of empty slogans.

Thank you, I'll be here all weekend

dreams said...

"After 9/11 - not 1 cent to the American Red Cross, they were gonna take 30% as expenses and overhead to upgrade their system."

A lot of donated blood after 911 had to be destroyed because they let it spoil.

Charities are a lot like government which means they are inefficient and like government they over pay their employees. And why not, its other people's money, being generous with other people's money is what they're all about anyway. Which is why I guess liberals prefer to work for government or a non profit.

I don't think they have to work as hard as those in the private sector either. Two hour lunches at nice restaurants must be nice, plus the good feeling liberals get from doing so much good with other people's money, that good feeling must be nice too.

sakredkow said...

Romney's mother just pulled out the Romney sign that was on her lawn.

I heard it on NPR.

Chip S. said...

full of empty slogans

Forward!

garage mahal said...

"Repeal ObamaCare"

:-)

Toad Trend said...

"Rush just did a hilarious montage of MSM reporters saying Obama "looked Presidential."

If he LOOKS presidential, then, he MUST be the president...right???

That's why the rocket scientists design rockets. 'Urinalists' aren't exactly the sharpest pencils.

chickelit said...

The same neighbor I mentioned above put up an Obama sign. "Why?" I asked him. "Aren't you worried about your house getting trashed next week?" came the reply. "This is like insurance."

Anonymous said...

1000 Romney/Ryan signs in Waukesha County spontaneously combusted, mysteriously leaving behind 1000 ashholes.

Amartel said...

"Tell this to Nashville.
Media Ignores Nashville Flood"

The media doesn't live in Nashville. This hurricane was never not going to be publicized. However, it seems that people in the devastated areas are already getting royally pissed off. They're not used to natural disasters and the attendant inconvenience. That sort of shit is what happens in fly-over country. Same thing happened here in California after the 1989 earthquake. Quiet for a day then, WHAT!? No bridge? No bus or rail service? No power or hot water for a week? WTF? Makes you start to think about why this sort of thing was not anticipated, why the infrastructure improvements that politicians are always on about were never actually made. Hmmmm.

Reading that excerpt reminded me of how the Katrina coverage was so utterly abysmally dishonest. Watching the Sandy coverage only reinforces that. Political propaganda is the number one priority of the mainstream media.

sakredkow said...

I called my 98-year-old next door neighbor and told her I was with the police department and she would have to remove her ROMNEY sign from her lawn, or potentially be arrested and lose everything she owns. I told her Publishers Clearinghouse wouldn't have anything do with her anymore either.

Poor thing was in tears but we got that sign down after all.

Obama, as the true descendant of the great Caliph who burned the Library of Alexandria, told me to do it.

Drago said...

garage: "Thank you, I'll be here all weekend."......


and all alone.....

Drago said...

garage, instead of trying to play along you'd be better served to just read phx's missives as they at least work and are amusing.

You know, in the same way that when you try to play "political consultant" or "purveyor of critically hot hot HOT political info" you fail.

Just leave it to those who are better equipped and go back to your voice actuated automaton mode.

Cedarford said...

Unknown said...
You're over-estimating Chris Christie's appeal. He is popular among democrats - for now - because he's not particularly religious and not socially conservative. So he's the type of republican they like. He would never get nominated for anything, because he's not they type REPUBLICANS like.
==================
Believe it or not, there are Republicans that live outside the Fundie gooberlands that don't chew tobacco and brag about the possum hunt.
I mean, it is great that socially conservative Democrats with lots of KKK members in the family tree broke from the McGovernite liberals and progressive Jews running the Democrat Party in the mid-50s.....
But that doesn't make their values and their evolution-denying, Christian Zionist ways the Official Republican platform.

Demographics are shifting. States on the Southwest are moving Democrat on the idea of more goodies and entitlements.
To be viable, vs. a rump Party of reincarnated and embittered Dixiecrats - Republicans need to become competitive again outside Gooberland.

Saint Croix said...

oh no, the Christian Zionists!

Nichevo said...

phx, if I was not sufficiently clear, Obama likes to say things like I'm a better X than my X experts, a better Y than my Y guys and so forth. Please don't play dumb and make me fish up the quote for you, because I can.

So obviously he could never learn from those people. Because he's too full of himself, or whatever he's full of, to accept his limitations. Which is more advice from Clint Eastwood that Obama obviously would never be able to process.

Saint Croix said...

I think you mean Christianist Zionist.

Drago said...

phx: "Obama, as the true descendant of the great Caliph who burned the Library of Alexandria, told me to do it."

Speaking of funny ahistorical "stuff", I highly recommend reading "Not Out of Africa" by Mary Lefkowitz.

It's a bit dated but is coming back to the fore with a resurgent "afro-american" studies push.

btw, Mary was another standard lefty professor until she realized that her refusal to simply accept hilariously stupid utterings by the morons populating ethic studies departments made her another right wing nazi.

A tale all too common I fear...

http://www.amazon.com/Not-Out-Of-Africa-Afrocentrism/dp/046509838X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351795022&sr=8-1&keywords=not+out+of+africa

Roger J. said...

The prop in the situation room picture was actually Mr Obama ordinarily there would be an empty chair.

Sammy said...

@furious said
stab Romney in the back while kissing Obama ass...

Oh, please...the Big Guy's greatest hits have come at Romney rallies stomping OFA hecklers.



How many people have seen those hits, a couple hundred thousand on conservative blogs, the hundreds who saw it live... And it's speaking to the conservative base....

How many people have seen fat boy praise Obama , have seen him stand behind Obama or walk side by side..... Millions .... Hundred million.

garage mahal said...

Just leave it to those who are better equipped and go back to your voice actuated automaton mode.

Appreciate the advice, but I'm going to have to pass on it.

Drago said...

Nichevo: "phx, if I was not sufficiently clear, Obama likes to say things like I'm a better X than my X experts, a better Y than my Y guys and so forth. Please don't play dumb and make me fish up the quote for you, because I can."

It's from Jodi Kantors piece in the lefty bible, the NYT.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/03/us/politics/obama-plays-to-win-in-politics-and-everything-else.html?pagewanted=2&_r=3&hp&adxnnlx=1346688036-MzgJyIUa3P4Rdy/Cgzx/ew

Snip: "For another, he may not always be as good at everything as he thinks, including politics. While Mr. Obama has given himself high grades for his tenure in the White House — including a “solid B-plus” for his first year — many voters don’t agree, citing everything from his handling of the economy to his unfulfilled pledge that he would be able to unite Washington to his claim that he would achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Those were not the only times Mr. Obama may have overestimated himself: he has also had a habit of warning new hires that he would be able to do their jobs better than they could.

“I think that I’m a better speechwriter than my speechwriters,” Mr. Obama told Patrick Gaspard, his political director, at the start of the 2008 campaign, according to The New Yorker. “I know more about policies on any particular issue than my policy directors. And I’ll tell you right now that I’m going to think I’m a better political director than my political director.”

Though he never ran a large organization before becoming president, he initially dismissed internal concerns about management and ended up with a factionalized White House and a fuzzier decision-making process than many top aides wanted."



Drago said...

garage: "Appreciate the advice, but I'm going to have to pass on it."

LOL

That's just it.

You don't have the capacity to "pass" on it.

sakredkow said...

Nichevo, please don't google up anything on my account, I'll take your word for it.

In case *I* wasn't clear, I meant to imply that I thought your characterization was over the top, not that you had your facts wrong about the sad fate of the Library at Alexandria.

sakredkow said...

Oh yeah, and I heard about that quote from Obama. He made it during an interview with some campaign manager or something. So nobody has to fish that up for me. I mean unless you want to, but of course it doesn't really mean the same to me as it does to a lot of you guys.

You know that.

Drago said...

phx: "In case *I* wasn't clear, I meant to imply that I thought your characterization was over the top, not that you had your facts wrong about the sad fate of the Library at Alexandria."

What was so sad about it? I doubt Ceasar lost a single moment of sleep. /sarc off

Drago said...

argh.

Caesar

Roger J. said...

Some really good yard sign jokes here--I liked Inga because I am devotee of a good pun.

C4--I take umbrage at you suggestion that crackers hunt possums--Nothing is finer than a good racoon hunt--Outside of Florence Alabama you can visit the official coon dog cemetary--truly a moving experience.

Roger J. said...

Some really good yard sign jokes here--I liked Inga because I am devotee of a good pun.

C4--I take umbrage at you suggestion that crackers hunt possums--Nothing is finer than a good racoon hunt--Outside of Florence Alabama you can visit the official coon dog cemetary--truly a moving experience.

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