Hurricane Sandy swallows presidential campaign
An Obama campaign sign rises above the floodwaters as rain continues to fall in a neighborhood in Norfolk, VA., Monday, Oct. 29, 2012. / AP
With the presidential election just over a week away, the candidates would normally be campaigning in the swing states in an effort to gain a last-minute edge in what is expected to be a razor-thin race.
But with Hurricane Sandy bearing down on the eastern seaboard, the men at the top of the ticket are putting their campaigns on hold. And both sides are scrambling to figure out what impact the storm will have on who emerges victorious next Tuesday.
Obama shuts down campaign for Hurricane Sandy
President Obama cancelled a Monday campaign stop in Florida and Tuesday stops in Wisconsin and Colorado to monitor the storm in Washington. After briefing reporters about storm preparations Monday afternoon and urging Americans to listen to local and state officials, he was asked about the impact it will have on the campaign. The president said he is "not worried at this point on the impact on the election."
"The election will take care of itself next week, right now our number one priority is to make sure we are saving lives," he added.
Mitt Romney, meanwhile, cancelled events in New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Virginia, though he did hold a campaign event in Ohio on Monday morning and plans to hold an afternoon event in Iowa. Like Mr. Obama and Vice President Biden, Romney and running mate Paul Ryan will be off the trail on Tuesday.
Romney campaign: Hurricane Sandy to freeze race in place
"Governor Romney believes this is a time for the nation and its leaders to come together to focus on those Americans who are in harms way," said Romney communications director Gail Gitcho. Romney is asking supporters in affected states to bring yard signs inside and for Americans to stay out of harms way; at his stop in Ohio Monday, he tacked a political appeal onto a call for Americans to donate to charity for storm relief.
"I know the people of the Atlantic coast are counting on Ohio and the rest of our states, but I also think the people of the entire nation are counting on Ohio," he said, "because my guess is, my guess is, if Ohio votes me in as president, I'll be the next president of the United States."
There has been no shortage of speculation over what impact the storm will have on the election. One thing that's clear is that it has thrown a wrench in both sides' carefully-calibrated plans for the final week of the campaign. With the storm dominating news coverage, the campaigns have been deprived of the nation's attention at a time when they would otherwise be making their closing argument to the public. That could mean the race is effectively frozen in place - a dynamic which would seem to favor the president, who polls show holds a narrow lead in enough swing states to get the 270 votes he needs to win reelection.
But the storm is also making it more difficult for Americans to get to the polls for early voting - something that David Axelrod, a top adviser to the president's campaign, said Sunday has him concerned.
"Obviously, we want unfettered access to the polls, because we believe that the more people come out, the better we're going to do," he told CNN. "And so, to the extent that it makes it harder, that's a source of concern." In addition to voters' ability to get to polling stations during the storm, there could also be problems related to early votes by mail getting to election officials in a timely manner.
Asked Sunday about the potential impact on voting, the president said, "We don't anticipate that at this point but we're obviously going to have to take a look." The problem could be less significant than it seems at first glance: Almost none of the swing states affected by the storm have early voting, and unless the storm is devastating, they should have their polling places up and running by next Tuesday. (Virginia does allow absentee voting in person before Election Day, but only for select residents.)
The president does not want to be seen as playing politics at a time of national crisis, and he is not expected to attack Romney on the stump until the worst of the storm has passed. It seems possible that the storm will ultimately help the president, since it provides him the opportunity to provide a steady hand during a crisis while looking, well, presidential. The potential downside: If the response to the storm is seen as botched, the blame will land at least to some extent at the president's feet. (Exhibit A: The beating President Bush took in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.)
On Monday afternoon, Mr. Obama sent an email to his campaign fundraising list encouraging supporters to visit ready.gov, listen to state and local officials and donate to the Red Cross. "Michelle and I are keeping everyone in the affected areas in our thoughts and prayers. Be safe," it read. The email was signed "Barack."
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He was right because of that fact.
Have you no integrity or shame you shrill and petty hack?
Here we so again.
The Obama sign is symbolic of his sinking campaign in the polls and in popularity just like his failed presidency.
An ominous sign for the novelty on trick pony Marxists presidency of Barack Barry Obama.
It was not useful, insightful, or even witty.
I hope it gets deleted again.
What about when your bunch of hypocrites politicize Katrina against GW Bush.
I hope it stays on all day for all intelligent voters to see.
• April 2008 - Obama spoke disrespectfully of Christians, saying they "cling to guns or religion" and have an "antipathy to people who aren't like them."
• April 2009 - When speaking at Georgetown University, Obama ordered that a monogram symbolizing Jesus' name be covered when he is making his speech.
• May 2009 - Obama declined to host services for the National Prayer Day (a day established by federal law) at the White House
• April 2 November 2011 - Obama opposed inclusion of President Franklin Roosevelt's famous D-Day Prayer in the WWII Memorial.
• At the same time, Obama marks every Muslim holiday with a speech
Obama is a confused Communist and Muslim leaning.
An Odd combination since Commies are usually atheists.
His jewelry also disappears on these Muslin holy days notably his wedding ring as is the Muslim custom.
I'll take the Mormon over the Muslim Marxist Moron anytime!
Romney/Ryan2012
A) This nation was found on liberal's ideals of individual liberty, reasoning, and separation powers through checks and balances. These ideals are enshrined in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
The Establishment Clause and the FREE EXERCISE CLAUSE of the First Amendment clearly expresses our Founding Fathers' desire to keep United States SECULAR by explicitly prohibit the government from endorsing any religion.
And yet idiotic conservatives wants to make U.S. theocracy like Iran by letting religion intruding into government decision making and operation.
The presidential oath is to uphold the Constitution and that is exactly what Obama doing.
B) Conservatives must have reading comprehension skill of a goat. In the speech, then candidate Obama was talking about bringing people together, that progress made if people work together.
He told his supporters with humility and open mind, they will find people with all kind of background including blue collar conservatives who "cling to guns or religion" and have an "antipathy to people who aren't like them." share the same aspirations and concerns for their loved ones as his supporters do. Get it?
"acting" is right because as a true concerned leader he is a fraud.
You also need to stop pretending you are a patriot and more like the Communist "comrade" that you are.
You and Barry O. aren't fooling anyone.
We know you are worried.
We can all smell your Red fear!
LOL!
FOX NEWS Monday Oct 29, 2012 - with Hurricane Sandy bearing down on the eastern seaboard, President Obama said he is not too concern about the impact of the hurricane over the election. Obama said his number one priority is the safety of Americans living in the storm's path, election can take care of itself.
In an email sent to Americans living in affected area, President Obama urged them to take protective measures to protect themselves and their loved one. Mr. Obama ended his email with "Michelle and I are keeping everyone in the affected areas in our thoughts and prayers. Be safe."
Trying to strike a delicate balance of sensitivity about the impending hurricane with stumping for votes - At a rally in Avon Lake, Ohio, Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney told thousands of his supporters to donate to the American Red Cross or another relief agency to help the people along Atlantic Coast.
Mr. Romney appealed Ohioans and storm victims in the hurricane area: "Please keep me and Ann in your thoughts and prayers. Go out and vote. Don't let this raging hurricane prevents you from doing your duty. Because if all of you vote for me, if Ohio votes me in as president, my guess is, I'll be the next president of the United States."
Karl Rove and his Crossroads PAC is running freaking ads in Pa. (which is under water BTW) right now bashing the President to get some votes! Are you tea baggers insane? Unreal...
The problem is that the numbers does NOT add up. Just in case you don't know, George Bush won the popular vote by about 118,000 votes. In order for him to do that, he won BIG in ALL red states. Romney is "performing" just over 33% of what Bush did in Red States. Examples:
NORTH CAROLINA: Romney +3.0 Bush +12.4 Bush +12.8 (2004 2000)
MONTANA: Romney +9.3 Bush +20.5 Bush +25.0....etc
It is not only that Romney is doing VERY badly vs Bush, it is also that Obama is leading in some of the States that Bush won to reach 286 and the popular vote of about 118,000.
Mathematically speaking: Romney has a 28% chance of winning the Presidency. Why? Because at this late in the game, he only have 2 states with a better chance of winning than Obama (I mean battleground states), and that is FL and NC. He has 65% chance of winning FL and 81% chance of winning NC; But only 27% chance to win OH. 14% for WI, 42% for VA, 30% for NH, 20% for NV, 29% for IA, 45% chance of winning CO... etc. With such numbers, it becomes difficult to say "It's over for Obama".
If you are lazy to mathematically reason, just try to look at the differences between the Gallup polls and other polls.
But if you are a Romney supporter and want to make yourself "momentarily" feel good, Gallup is the way to go. The election is NOT close. The media made it close. They created a "mirage".
The world stopped getting warmer almost 16 years ago, according to new data released last week.
The figures, which have triggered debate among climate scientists, reveal that from the beginning of 1997 until August 2012, there was no discernible rise in aggregate global temperatures.