Usa Thread

[Steve]

Wow, this is a real shocker!

 

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-romney-nascar-poll-140401668--politics.html

the Republican nominee appears to be trailing President Barack Obama among a traditionally conservative constituency: NASCAR fans.

Obama leads Romney 49 to 42 percent among NASCAR enthusiasts, according to a new Zogby poll by JZ Analytics.

[unit731]

Wow, this is a real shocker!

 

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-romney-nascar-poll-140401668--politics.html

the Republican nominee appears to be trailing President Barack Obama among a traditionally conservative constituency: NASCAR fans.

Obama leads Romney 49 to 42 percent among NASCAR enthusiasts, according to a new Zogby poll by JZ Analytics.

 

 

"The online poll of 860 likely voters conducted on Sept. 21 and 22 also found that Obama leads Romney 54 to 40 percent among military families."

[Flashermac]

Obama makes room for ‘The View’

 

 

As heads of government arrived in New York on Monday to attend the opening of the United Nations General Assembly, President Obama also made his way to Manhattan but to see a different group of world leaders: Barbara, Elisabeth, Joy, Sherri and Whoopi.

 

It bordered on scandalous that Obama, joined by the first lady, would make time to sit down with the women of “The View†even as he declined foreign leaders’ requests to meet with him one on one in New York this week. (He left that menial task to his secretary of state.) But Mitt Romney isn’t in an ideal position to press Obama on his priorities.

 

This is because the Republican presidential nominee and his wife, Ann, just spent some quality time on the set of “Live! With Kelly and Michael,†where they discussed, among other things, Snooki, peanut butter and chocolate milk, their toothpaste-squeezing techniques, Romney’s singing of western tunes while on horseback and what the candidate wears to bed. Then there’s Ann Romney’s scheduled appearance on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno†on Tuesday — the same day Obama’s appearance on “The View†airs.

 

The candidates tell you that this campaign is about big issues. If you believe that, you’re being snookied.

 

Romney doesn’t dabble in messy things such as what precisely he would do in Afghanistan or with the tax code. But he has made time to do interviews with Leno, David Letterman and People magazine in addition to Kelly and Michael. Obama hasn’t held a formal news conference in the White House in more than six months, but he has found places on his calendar for Leno, Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, People, “Entertainment Tonight†and, of course, “The View.â€

 

In this “Jersey Shore†culture, it’s perhaps inevitable that candidates would try to reach voters by chatting about the banal and the prurient. But this doesn’t make it any less depressing.

 

This summer, Obama chatted with New Mexico radio hosts about which superpower he’d like to have (“to be able to speak any languageâ€), his favorite workout song (Beyonce’s “Crazy in Loveâ€) and his favorite chile (“the classic redâ€). This wasn’t long after Michelle Obama volunteered to People the couple’s bedtime ritual: “He’s like, ‘Ready to be tucked?’ I’m like, ‘Yes I am.’ â€

 

There’s apparently no use in taking the high road. In his secretly recorded speech to donors, Romney explained that he wouldn’t appear on “Saturday Night Live†because it’s “not presidential†or “The View†because most of the hosts “are sharp-tongued and not conservative,†or Letterman because he “hates me because I’ve been on Leno more than him.â€

 

But after the “View†ladies complained on air, Romney’s campaign sent word that he would appear on the show in October.

 

Whatever happens there, it probably couldn’t be less presidential than the Romneys’ experience with Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan. Romney, misunderstanding a question, at first suggested that he would like Gene Hackman to play his wife in a movie. He then praised Hackman’s performance in “The Birdcage†— a movie about drag queens that is probably not a favorite of his conservative supporters.

 

Ann Romney spoke about walking in on George W. Bush in the White House while he was having a massage. When the Romneys were asked, “What does Mitt wear to bed?†the candidate replied: “I think the best answer is as little as possible.â€

 

Romney did demonstrate some pop-culture literacy when he noted that reality-TV star Snooki had lost weight. Obama had confessed on “The View†two years ago that he didn’t know who Snooki was.

 

Romney and his running mate, Paul Ryan, gained further small-talk cred when they confided to People that they liked the George Clooney movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou?†The pair also discussed Ryan’s purchase of a new chain saw and his hobby of “noodling†— trying to catch catfish with bare hands.

 

The banality circuit has its perils, though. When Michelle Obama tried last month to make a joke about Leno’s dietary habits, it came across as if she were scolding her fellow guest, Olympian Gabby Douglas, for eating McDonald’s. The president went out to set the record straight — in a radio interview with Iowa’s “Big Ken and Colleen.†He also used that forum to talk about back-to-school shopping, his girls’ summer camp, and his boyhood desires to be an architect or a professional basketball player.

 

Little could he have imagined back then that he would instead grow up to reach an even higher station in life: regular guest on “The View.â€

 

My link

 

 

[Flashermac]

"The online poll of 860 likely voters conducted on Sept. 21 and 22 also found that Obama leads Romney 54 to 40 percent among military families."

 

Pick the poll you want to believe.

 

 

 

Veterans retreating from President Obama

 

 

President Barack Obama is trying hard to win veterans, but it looks like they’d prefer a new commander in chief.

 

The Obama campaign had been hoping that veterans and their families — especially among the post-Sept. 11 generation that served in Iraq and Afghanistan — would be part of their path to victory: They’re a high turn-out demographic and concentrated in battleground states, with nearly 1 million each in North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia, and 1.6 million in Florida.

 

But recent polls make clear that the president’s campaign is losing the battle. Even as Obama leads in Colorado, Florida, Ohio and Virginia, Mitt Romney is up by double digits among veterans in those states. Nationwide, he’s got a commanding 20-percentage-point lead over Obama and has even overtaken the president with younger veterans.

 

But recent polls make clear that the president’s campaign is losing the battle. Even as Obama leads in Colorado, Florida, Ohio and Virginia, Mitt Romney is up by double digits among veterans in those states. Nationwide, he’s got a commanding 20-percentage-point lead over Obama and has even overtaken the president with younger veterans.

 

“It’s no contest,†said Maurice Tamman, a Reuters data news editor who has polled on veterans and the presidential campaign.

 

Obama’s campaign has been trying to improve on a historical Democratic disadvantage on national security and among veterans by touting the killing of Osama bin Laden, ending Iraq combat operations and winding down the war in Afghanistan. They’ve also been talking up the administration’s attention to veterans’ benefits and efforts spearheaded by first lady Michelle Obama, hoping to appeal not just to the troops but to the spouses and other military family members who have coped with long separations and multiple deployments.

 

Instead, even as Obama has been gaining in the overall polls, several NBC/Wall Street Journal/Marist polls conducted from Sept. 9-11 had Romney well ahead of Obama among veterans in Florida, Ohio and Virginia. And in Colorado, a poll released Sept. 16 by SurveyUSA and the Denver Post found both veterans and military families supporting Romney over Obama 53 percent to 39 percent in a survey that included third-party candidates.

 

Back in May, Obama had the lead among Afghanistan and Iraq veterans. But a Reuters/Ipsos poll from September says that’s evaporated, with Romney now up 48 percent to 34 percent.

 

Obama campaign aides said the slip in the polls needs to be considered alongside recent surveys showing the president ahead of Romney on questions regarding foreign policy, leadership and keeping the country safe from terrorist attacks. In the campaign’s final weeks, Obama will try to close the gap among veterans by pressing Romney over several foreign policy stumbles as well as a lack of specifics on his plans for troops.

 

Ryan Williams, a Romney campaign spokesman, said the Republican’s lead among veterans comes from their resistance to the looming potential defense cuts under the budget sequester, problems with Obama’s foreign policy positions and the backdrop of the stagnant economy that’s left the post-Sept. 11 generation of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with a difficult time finding work when they return home.

 

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More

[kamui]

Pick the poll you want to believe.

 

Veterans retreating from President Obama

 

 

I only follow the meta polls. Those single polls concentrating on small group of voters don't have much value IMHO. They just show how desperate the news and politics websites are for information. Like they compared the number of twitter tweet per minute during the conventions. It's pseudo information without much.

Next poll: waiters at McDonalds versus waiters at Burger King versus Pizza Hut.

[Coss]

I'm not following this thread and I post here simply 'cause its to do with 'merica.

 

I watched on CNN some interesting stuff today and as a disinterested Kiwi in Laos I thought I'd share...

 

1st

 

Piers Morgan interviewing Jesse Ventura.

 

Vertura is an engaging character. And a dullard

 

2nd

 

 

Piers Morgan interviewing Ahmadinejad.

 

I give Mr I'madinnerjacket his due credit, whilst I think he's a nutter, he held his ground and gave his point of view, can't ask for much more than that.

 

3rd

 

Obama's speech at the UN today.

 

Stirring stuff, said all the right things, and then went on to lay the ground for some serious aggression in Syria and Iran amongst other things.

 

I don't favor any political group in the US, but my feeling is that Obama will win the next presidency.

 

YMMV

 

Piers Morgan rules, what happened to Jon Stewart?

 

Coss

[unit731]

"SAN FRANCISCO — The tiny apartments are touted as "affordable by design."

 

New York City has launched a pilot project to test them out. Boston is doing it too. But here in San Francisco, where a growing number of residents are being priced out of the housing market by a revived tech economy, city leaders are considering the smallest micro-units of all.

 

At a minimum 150 square feet of living space — 220 when you add the bathroom, kitchen and closet — the proposed residences are being hailed as a pivotal option for singles. Opponents fear that a wave of "shoe box homes" would further marginalize families of modest means who are desperate for larger accommodations."

 

LINK

[kamui]

"SAN FRANCISCO — The tiny apartments are touted as "affordable by design."

 

New York City has launched a pilot project to test them out. Boston is doing it too. But here in San Francisco, where a growing number of residents are being priced out of the housing market by a revived tech economy, city leaders are considering the smallest micro-units of all.

 

At a minimum 150 square feet of living space — 220 when you add the bathroom, kitchen and closet — the proposed residences are being hailed as a pivotal option for singles. Opponents fear that a wave of "shoe box homes" would further marginalize families of modest means who are desperate for larger accommodations."

 

LINK

 

I had a 260 square feet/ 24 square meter apartment in Tokyo. It was the biggest in the apartment house. In this size you'll need a real intelligent design. My bathroom for example looked like being formed out of one piece of plastic (in included even a japanese style bathtub for to sit in). It was very easy to clean with the shower head.

The apartment also had build in closets where I put my Futon during the day and all the other stuff.

[Flashermac]

Noo Yawk apartments

 

 

p.s. "Obama's speech at the UN today."

 

Written by professional speechwriters, as political speeches almost always are.

 

I expect Obie to win, but things could change by election day - especially if Ahmedgingerbread launches some missiles at Israel or vice versa. The Republicans would grit their teeth and accept the results if Romney fails, but I wonder if their would be riots if Obama loses.

[Coss]

Speaking as someone who's always observed, as against, participated in the American experience, I fully expect America to be boots 'n all in the Middle East until the oil runs out. I don't see any difference if it's Obama or Romney or Ventura.

 

I'madinnerjehad has all the wrong ideas in my view, but his point about interfering in another sovereign country's affairs is valid. Until a country (say NZ) actively does something to some one else, let them alone.

 

Conversely there is the wisdom of preventing a nuclear weapon existing in the Middle East, imagine all the Middle East nations clustering around the protective umbrella of a nuclear armed Iran. Mind you it doesn't seem to have worked well for Pakistan.