2012 - Page 149 of 171

Of Republicans say they have a great deal of interest in following the Republican presidential race, compared with 48% in December, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll. Key findings: Only 23% are strongly satisfied with the field and 40% said they are dissatisfied with the candidates running.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s lawyers are pretty astute —
Noting that whether he paid for sex or not is moot.
They allege when at an orgy
One is excited and engorgy,
And it’s impossible to tell a naked woman from a naked prostitute.

Name GOPers Starting to Back Santorum

February 22, 2012 Buck Banks

All along I have felt that Mitt Romney would probably be the strongest general election challenger to the president. I’m not sure that’s true any longer. I think Rick Santorum may emerge as the stronger general election candidate.

— Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D), quoted by the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Gingrich: Obama a Danger to United States

February 21, 2012 Buck Banks

Defeating Barack Obama becomes, in fact, a duty of national security. Because the fact is, he is incapable of defending the United States.

— Newt Gingrich, quoted by NBC News, adding the country is at risk “someday in your lifetime of losing an American city” from a terrorist attack.

Most GOPers Don’t Want Brokered Convention

February 21, 2012 Buck Banks

66% to 29%

Margin by which Republicans say it would be better if one of the four candidates now running managed to secure enough delegates to clinch the nomination rather than head to a brokered or deadlocked convention. In addition, 57% say the volatile nomination battle isn’t hurting the party.

Like an Army, a Campaign Travels on Its Stomach

February 21, 2012 Buck Banks

What do we learn? Sometimes there are data dumps that confound our expectations about candidates, and sometimes, we get material that confirms them. Here we learn that the Paul campaign, holding no debt, tracks the most minute expenditures at average joe fast food places, that the Romney campaign eats well or eats in airports, and that the other two guys are too strapped and too busy to care about this stuff.

— David Weigel, writing in Slate, interpreting the food-related expenses of the four Republican presidential campaigns.

Adelson Might Spend $100k on Election

February 21, 2012 Buck Banks

I’m against very wealthy people attempting to or influencing elections. But as long as it’s doable I’m going to do it. Because I know that guys like Soros have been doing it for years, if not decades.

— Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, in an interview with Forbes, suggesting he might spend up to $100 million on the presidential election.

Obama Has Significant Cash-In-Hand Advantage Over GOPers

February 21, 2012 Buck Banks

$76 million

Amount Obama’s campaign had in cash on hand at the end of the month; the four GOP candidates had less than $13 million combined.

Illegal Immigrants Paid $11.2 Billion in Taxes in 2010

February 20, 2012 Jon Ponder

$11.2 Billion

Amount paid in state and local taxes in 2010 by undocumented residents and their families. That included $1.2 billion in personal income taxes, $1.6 billion in property taxes and $8.4 billion in sales taxes.

Breitbart, the Boil

February 20, 2012 Buck Banks

All of us liberals hate Andrew Breitbart, of course,
But some of us, more than others, hate him worse.
Especially Alec Baldwin,
Who came out and called him
“A festering boil on the anus of public discourse.”

40%

All along I have felt that Mitt Romney would probably be the strongest general election challenger to the president. I’m not sure that’s true any longer. I think Rick Santorum may emerge as the stronger general election candidate.

— Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D), quoted by the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Defeating Barack Obama becomes, in fact, a duty of national security. Because the fact is, he is incapable of defending the United States.

— Newt Gingrich, quoted by NBC News, adding the country is at risk “someday in your lifetime of losing an American city” from a terrorist attack.

66% to 29%

Margin by which Republicans say it would be better if one of the four candidates now running managed to secure enough delegates to clinch the nomination rather than head to a brokered or deadlocked convention. In addition, 57% say the volatile nomination battle isn’t hurting the party.

— David Weigel, writing in Slate, interpreting the food-related expenses of the four Republican presidential campaigns.

I’m against very wealthy ­people attempting to or influencing elections. But as long as it’s doable I’m going to do it. Because I know that guys like Soros have been doing it for years, if not decades.

— Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, in an interview with Forbes, suggesting he might spend up to $100 million on the presidential election.

$76 million

Amount Obama’s campaign had in cash on hand at the end of the month; the four GOP candidates had less than $13 million combined.

$11.2 Billion

Amount paid in state and local taxes in 2010 by undocumented residents and their families. That included $1.2 billion in personal income taxes, $1.6 billion in property taxes and $8.4 billion in sales taxes.

Poetic Justice

Verbatim

“The man is afraid of the voice of the people and that the people understand and know what he’s doing. He’s trying to stifle the ability of journalists to let the people of America know what’s really going on with their government.”

— “Kamala Harris called President Donald Trump’s ban of CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House ‘absolutely abhorrent,’” The Wrap reports.

“Not one of them is trained in technical skills. Not one research PhD, as opposed to China, where half the cabinet is science and technology PhDs. We’re led by grifters and fools.”

— Columbia professor Jeffrey Sachs, on X, on President Trump’s 35-person cabinet.

“Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far… The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today.”

— Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), breaking with President Trump in a direct-to-camera video.

Numerati

1,000

10%

“The unprecedented spate of mid-decade redistricting for the U.S. House has changed the congressional districts for one-tenth of Americans and significantly altered the makeup of at least one-fifth of districts, according to a new study,” the Associated Press reports.

71%

$9.5 billion

“The Trump administration last year spent $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave for federal workers as part of its plan to shrink the government and save taxpayers money, according to a new estimate by a congressional watchdog,” CNN reports.

470

Reuters has documented at least 470 targets of retribution under Trump’s leadership – from federal employees and prosecutors to universities and media outlets. The list illuminates the sweeping effort by the president and his administration to punish dissent and reshape the government.

I’m against very wealthy people attempting to or influencing elections. But as long as it’s doable I’m going to do it. Because I know that guys like Soros have been doing it for years, if not decades.