Politics

Obama Throws Campaign Rhetoric Into Overdrive

WOONSOCKET, R.I. – President Barack Obama attacked Republicans with gusto Monday as he plunged into a final week of midterm election campaigning, but his party’s prognosis remained darkened by the feeble economy and his itinerary was designed largely to minimize losses.Obama Throws Campaign Rhetoric Into Overdrive

Nor was his greeting totally friendly in Rhode Island where Obama has pointedly declined to endorse his party’s candidate for governor.

Obama can “take his endorsement and shove it,” declared Democrat Frank Caprio, battling Republican-turned-independent Lincoln Chafee in a gubernatorial race rated tight in the polls. Chafee endorsed Obama during the 2008 campaign for the White House.

In a little more than five hours in the state, Obama was booked for a factory tour and for a pair of fundraisers that party officials said would bring in $500,000.

He said Republicans had driven the economy into a ditch and then stood by and criticized while Democrats pulled it out. Now that progress has been made, he said, “we can’t have special interests sitting shotgun. We gotta have middle class families up in front. We don’t mind the Republicans joining us. They can come for the ride, but they gotta sit in back.”

Democrats relied on more than the president’s time to boost their chances in the final days of the campaign. There was the matter of federal funds, too, in the form of hundreds of millions in grants announced during the day to provide high speed rail service in California, between Chicago and Iowa, and elsewhere. Administration officials left it to Democratic lawmakers to make the announcements, and they did, stressing the job-creating potential of the expansions.

Eight days before the election, the principal uncertainty concerned the size and scope of anticipated Democratic losses in the House, the Senate, governor’s races and state legislatures.

An Associated Press-GfK Poll showed that perhaps one-third of all voters have yet to firmly settle on their choices. But that wasn’t encouraging for the Democrats, either. Some 45 percent of them prefer the Republican candidate for the House, and 38 percent like the Democrat.

The president arrived as official figures showed more than 6.5 million ballots already have been cast in the 25 states where early voting is permitted or where absentees have been counted, underscoring the importance of get-out-the-vote programs that now begin long before Election Day.

Democrats have invested heavily in such efforts and are counting on them to help tip close races their way in states like Nevada, where Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid faces tea party-backed challenger Sharron Angle. Republicans are counting on campaign enthusiasm — polls agree their voters are more eager to cast ballots than Democrats — as well as their own get-out-the-vote efforts.

Obama Throws Campaign Rhetoric Into OverdriveEven Democrats concede Republicans are poised for significant gains in Congress, and GOP officials are particularly optimistic about their chances for taking control of the House.

Based on opinion polls and the private assessments of strategists in both parties, it appears Republicans have effectively secured about two dozen of the 40 seats they need to win control of the House.

That leaves dozens of seats where races are competitive in the House and a half-dozen or so in the Senate. Republicans also look for statehouse gains.

Obama’s choice of Rhode Island for his one-day trip was partially to raise money for Democratic House candidates elsewhere in the country. Officials said the $500,000 would be split between Providence Mayor David Cicilline, who is running for the House, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

The state has two House seats, one held by Democratic Rep. James Langevin, an incumbent in no apparent difficulty; the other being vacated by Democratic Rep. Patrick Kennedy. There, Cicilline is running against Republican John Loughlin in a heavily Democratic state.

The state’s unemployment is measured at 11.5 percent, the fourth highest in the country. In his first stop, the president visited a company that makes buckles and straps for outdoor and travel gear, saying he and the Democrats in Congress have cut small business taxes 16 times in 20 months. Republicans “talk a good game” when it comes to tax cuts, he said, but in fact they opposed several bills he labored to get passed.

“It’s not enough to just play politics,” he said. “You can’t focus on the next election. You’ve got to focus on the next generation.”

Caprio called Obama’s rebuff “Washington insider politics at its worst.” Rhode Island‘s congressional delegation expressed disapproval about Caprio’s remarks, but the executive director of the Democratic Governors Association said the president’s decision was disappointing.

“Frank Caprio has spent his career fighting for the values of the Democratic Party. He deserves the full support of our party and its leaders,” said executive director Nathan Daschle.

If anything, the White House made it clearer that Caprio will not get Obama’s endorsement. “Out of respect for his friend Lincoln Chafee, the president decided not to get involved in this race,” said White House spokesman Bill Burton. It was the first time the White House had cited Chafee as the reason for Obama’s non-endorsement of a Democrat.

White House aides also arranged for Obama to tour a factory as part of a campaign-long effort to showcase efforts by his administration and the Democratic-controlled Congress to assist small businesses. In a conference call to reporters on Sunday night, they said American Cord & Webbing had been able to hire back all of the employees laid off last year and was planning on hiring more. They said the company won approval from the Small Business Administration last month for a loan to make possible an expansion of the facility.

Coast to coast, the multimillion-dollar ad war continued unabated.Obama Throws Campaign Rhetoric Into Overdrive

The Republican Senate campaign committee announced it would put $3 million into a final-week fleet of ads designed to help Carly Fiorina defeat Sen. Barbara Boxer in a California race that is close in the polls.

Democrats hastened to Reid’s side in Nevada. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., became the latest lawmaker to send out an urgent e-mail fundraising appeal for the top Democrat.

It said the same wealthy Texans who attacked his Vietnam War record during the 2004 presidential campaign were now aiming at Reid. “These guys will say anything and spend anything to get what they want,” Kerry wrote.

Obama was returning to the White House for a few days before resuming campaigning at week’s end. His itinerary then will include Bridgeport, Conn., where party officials are hoping he can mobilize African-Americans whose votes are needed in races for the Senate and governor, as well as a re-election bid by Democratic Rep. Jim Himes.

Obama also will campaign in Pennsylvania, where polls show Rep. Joe Sestak in a close race with Republican Pat Toomey — for a Senate seat that Democrats currently hold. Similarly, there are numerous Democratic-held House seats in the state that Obama is working to hold.

Later stops are in Ohio, where Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland is struggling to win a new term against Republican challenger John Kasich, and the president’s home state of Illinois, where polls show both a Senate seat and the governor’s office are in danger of falling to the Republicans.

Comments (86)

1 2 3
  • kedward
    Posted on October 26, 2010 at 12:00am

    ‘66,’67,’68 fighting commies in nam. now they are here. Is it time for more?

    Report Post »  
  • Ashrak
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 11:42pm

    Obama had better get plenty of ink for those VETO pens.
    Oh, and he had better get ready to show that Long Form as well.

    Time for the truth to come out, Soetoro.

    Report Post » Ashrak  
  • KimNTennessee
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 11:41pm

    He forgot to mention the slurpees.

    Report Post »  
  • AnotherAmericanVoice
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 11:32pm

    Mr. Obombu………ooops strike that President Obamam keeps saying in all hiw speechs how the REPUBLICANS stopped this and, how they didn’t get behind that. they they haven‘t ever given him a plan that they only critizie they don’t contribute. Can he count ? Does he know what a majority is, or what it means to have a majority ?

    Yoiu are all familiar with the story about the “KIng’s new colthes” the one about the king that paraded about naked believng he was wearing the finest of clothing. Obama isn’t priding about naked he is the one that made the non-exsistane clothing that he is trying to force America into wearing. But with his stitching of the nations unemployment numbers and, the fine cloth of a sky rocketing deficite the American people are looking in the mirror at the Nothingness he has produced we turn to him and say “We are naked” obama quickly grabs a handful of empty lies and misleading statement and sets to work trying to convince us that we are not naked and telling us that if you are naked it is the falut of the republicans because they are holding up the production of the cloth he needs.

    Report Post »  
  • krjones
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 11:29pm

    it’s getting closer folks… They are about to lose it.

    Report Post »  
  • OBAMAWORSHIOER
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 11:07pm

    I rarely agree with you, but he seems to have moved up the takeover. I‘m lost because I’m not any info. I must be out of the loop for some reason. I had really thought our plans for declaring a National Emergency were out. I will await further orders.

    Report Post »  
  • AquaBuddha
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 11:01pm

    He’s such a total POS!

    Report Post »  
  • AnOregonian
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:56pm

    I love Ohio, John Kasich, FTW!

    Report Post » AnOregonian  
  • MrButcher
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:53pm

    we shall overcome

    we shall overcome

    someday

    SOMEDAY
    (next week)

    Report Post » MrButcher  
  • Okpulot Taha
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:52pm

    “They can come for the ride, but they gotta sit in back”

    Back of the bus with Rosa?

    Okpulot Taha
    Choctaw Nation

    Report Post »  
  • WISEPENNY
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:50pm

    The way he drives on the left side of the road, constantly, we’ll ride with someone else, thanks. I am looking for Obama to go through a nervous breakdown when he sees what’s left of the Democrats after the head on collision coming in 1 week!

    Report Post »  
  • cheezwhiz
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:50pm

    They can come for the ride, but they gotta sit in back.”
    ————————-
    When first time I saw Hussain reference
    “ slurpee sippin” repubs ( complete with his gesture of fanning himself while flicking his pencilneck)
    I knew he was hinting at ” ice-tea sippin white slave owners” , but I thought he wouldn’t go any furthur than that . Now he comes up with “ sit in the back of the bus” , this guy has some real plans for those he considers his enemies.
    He is inciting revenge .

    Report Post » cheezwhiz  
  • Miami
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:49pm

    The circle is now complete Darth Bama

    Report Post » Miami  
  • stopprintn
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:48pm

    “Useful Idiots” are expendable !

    Report Post »  
  • NHABE64
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:47pm

    For Barack Hussein Obama its just too late. He started out like a lion but after all his rhetoric and lies, America has now seen the true side of Obama. A flim flam man who has shucked and jived his way through America making promises he knew he could never keep. He has basically failed at everything he has put his hand print on and he has most definitely brought us to the brink of complete bankruptcy. Was this intention on his road to Socialis ? Did this liberal socialist really think America would stand by idly and allow him to destroy what we have fought and sometimes died for to make great ? NFW Obama. There is just no way that you and your liberal progressive communits are going to do this to us. We know the Clintons are tied in to the same socialist party but even with their money and dirty little deal around the world, WE the American people are not going to let you people get away with such a dastardly scheme. No way. We are not made that way, and we like our Christianity as well as our GUNS. Even if Hillary Clinton thinks our guns can be removed I say TRY IT. We know we have been asleep but once awoken and we are awoken we will give you all you can handle and then some. We are America, the exceptional country who stands for all good things in the world. God bless this Christian nation and start packing your bags Barack Obama!

    Report Post »  
    • WISEPENNY
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 11:17pm

      Take your meds, bro.

      Report Post »  
    • QuietRiot
      Posted on October 26, 2010 at 4:27am

      To WISEPENNY

      Your not to brite are you…… probably the kind that looksdowna railroad crossing at night and thinks the light is a shooting star or something coming at u …. Wake up !!

      Report Post »  
    • ltb
      Posted on October 26, 2010 at 11:27am

      NHABE64, I understand your frustration and anger. Just know that there are tens of millions of Americans who are tired of having their sensibilities assaulted by a small group of lying thieves and that things are going to change.

      Report Post » ltb  
    • Lela
      Posted on October 26, 2010 at 10:19pm

      Great essay! I hope millions of Americans agree!

      Report Post »  
  • poverty.sucks
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:42pm

    Rich white folk always sit in the back.

    Report Post » poverty.sucks  
  • Randyrocker
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:41pm

    He feels the chains and is running scared, he knows he will no longer free to run his agenda of destruction on a wide awake public, who can now, and will on November 2 finally achieve their own transparency and get to see and watch and control his every move from that day on. America didn’t need Obama to give them their transparency, they just needed themselves to take it and give it on back to themselves.

    Report Post »  
  • eteme
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:41pm

    Run that one wheel Bus into the ground.. You gotta “Dig deeper” Barry Dig that hole get it. We want to hear some really salty language Biden, You, and Rahm are so known for. It smells like roses down at the bottom of that hole…I promise ;^)

    Yes you can, just do it! Get irate on the podium, stark mad pick up the podium and just throw it or kick it..

    What a putts…

    Report Post »  
  • 82dAirborne
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:40pm

    You gotta love this! The more they talk – so much the better. And to think: It only took the worst US President in history to wake people up and force them to think.

    If being (and acting) stupid were a crime they would all be doing life.

    Report Post » 82dAirborne  
    • snowleopard3200
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 11:01pm

      I never thought in my life I would or could actually say this, we now have a President who does make Mr Carter, and Mr Dan Quail actually appear as good President and Vice President respectively.

      Who would have anticipated this occuring?

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • untameable-kate
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 11:24pm

      I don’t know if anything would make them look good but maybe not as deadly bad.

      Report Post » Untameable-kate  
  • BetterDays
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:40pm

    I have spent many hours pondering Obama’s actions during this campaign season. It appeares that he is “pushing hard from the bully pulpit”, but appearences are decieving I think. He seems lackluster, his retorick is as always un-presidential and when I‘ve had the oppertunity to see bits and pieces of his barnstorming tour the peopledon’t seem as “on fire” as they were. Obama is a master manipulator, he does NO THING without carefull thought and intent. But one flaw all manipulators have is a lack of “zeal” for things they don’t truely believe in, and because of this I venture that this whirlwind tour de fource is window dressing at best. At worst it is stage propping for more sinister events to come.
    Pray in ernest for the next three months my friends, I think were in for stormy weather.

    Report Post »  
  • Pelosis_Nemesis
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:40pm

    Does anyone have the details of the “sit in the back” speech ? I can’t find a video or transcript. I would like to hear (read) the context of the statement before completing my thoughts on this…..

    Report Post » Pelosis_Nemesis  
    • AnOregonian
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 11:06pm

      I remembered hearing the story live as he stumped here recently, I guess he’s told it other times, I can’t find it on video yet, I ‘m sure someone has it.

      Wednesday evening the president appeared at a rally for Democrats at the Portland Convention Center in Oregon. And he told the ditch story, but this time without the Slurpees.

      Oregon, imagine the Republicans driving a car into the ditch. And it’s a deep ditch. And so we decided, well, we got to go get that car out of the ditch. And so me and Wyden and Merkley and Wu and Blumenauer and the Democrats, we went down there, we put on our boots. It was muddy down there. It’s hot. There are bugs everywhere. But we knew we had to get that car out of the ditch. So we start pushing on that car. We start pushing and pushing. And every once in a while we look and the Republicans are up there, just standing there. Not lifting a finger. And we — and we tell them, why don’t you come down and help because you all got the car into the ditch? They say, no, that’s all right, but you need to push harder. You’re not pushing the right way. So we just kept on pushing. And finally we get this car up on level ground. Finally, it’s pointing in the right direction. It’s a little — it’s a little banged up. It needs to go to the body shop. It needs a tune-up. But we’re pointed in the right direction. And suddenly, we get this tap on our shoulder, and we look back and who is it? It’s the Republicans. And they’re saying to us, Oregon, we want the keys back. And we got to tell them, you can’t have the keys back because you don’t know how to drive. You don’t know! They can come with us, but they have to ride in the back!

      Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Obama-stump-speech-Car-still-in-ditch-no-Slurpees-105422403.html#ixzz13QjJaymy

      Report Post » AnOregonian  
    • Pelosis_Nemesis
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 11:29pm

      Thank you ANOREGONIAN

      Report Post » Pelosis_Nemesis  
  • BoilitDown
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:38pm

    Have you ever seen a president act less presidential? I am just stunned at the monumental arrogance of this man. Apparently he has no concept of the damage he’s done, nor any concern for the people of this country. It’s all about his agenda and his party and his this and his that. He is an extreme narcissist with an extremely thin skin.

    By the way, is the DNC footing the bill for all of Obama’s campaign expenses? If not, there is some actionable misappropriation to be investigated.

    Report Post »  
  • alcarfl
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:37pm

    Is that a reverse race card, Mr. president?

    Report Post »  
    • cheezwhiz
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 11:15pm

      Can we expect Jack@$$on and Sharpton and NAACP and other “ social justice” types of race pimps to come out against this kind of hateful rhetoric by their fellow ( half) black thug ?

      Report Post » cheezwhiz  
  • TruthTalker
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:31pm

    Despiration is showing…

    Report Post »  
    • jkhypilot
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:46pm

      Desperate means call for desperate measures….Progressives are the ultimate example of that.

      Report Post » jkhypilot  
    • untameable-kate
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:53pm

      When he says he needs to focus on the next generation, I fear for my son and any chance he might have had to live free.

      Report Post » Untameable-kate  
  • roberja
    Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:29pm

    Burning his bridges is he? It’s going to awfully lonely in the white house after his party loses all their power.

    Report Post »  
    • FreedomOfSpeech
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:34pm

      Dude is a tyrant, plain and simple.

      Obama is a tyrant who burns books like the Nazis did.

      Report Post » FreedomOfSpeech  
    • FreedomOfSpeech
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:35pm

      People used to say the same stuff about black people. It’s funny how he thinks rhetoric like that is OK against one group and not another.

      Report Post » FreedomOfSpeech  
    • Miami
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:47pm

      Castro, Chavez and Obama, what is the common character flaw? …..Demagogues

      Report Post » Miami  
    • pscully17
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:48pm

      eight days till elections.. let me guess we will see more than a few polling stations on fire by the end of election night once the east coast tallies start rolling in, and the writing is on the wall for dems, their lunitic thugs will be out in force in luny-ville california causing total chaos!!

      Report Post »  
    • snowleopard3200
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:49pm

      Originally I was going to comment on Mr Obama saying of ‘special interest groups riding shotgun’ and of the various election-eve federal grants going to california and areas. Instead though, it is apperant that Mr Obamas strategy is still one used by many Progressives to tear down any opposition they face – large and small.

      Divide the opposition against itself by playing one group off against another, apperantly along the lines of racial, cultural, political, morals, ethical, ideals, religion, and such. If they cannot be able to spin one group off against another, then it is made out to be weak, ineffective and such. Anyone who does this, regardless of the party affiliation or non-affiliation, should be disregarded and checked into as what the FACTS of the matters really are.

      Let the people of America make up their own minds, for anyone who looks for themselves based on their honest ideals (the candidates), will be able to tell if they live the ideals they speak of; then let the votes be cast this november.

      http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm (mix art)

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • LUDWIKA BRONISLAWA
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:51pm

      What kind of racist is he?! Sit in the back?!?! jk lol but like totally if it were like a tea-partier saying it. Aren’t we all just a little OVER THAT STUPID CAR THING?! To Mr. Obama I say, SHOVE IT! Everything you have done, shove it! Now, in just 1 week, we will shove that car back into R, back the hell away from that cliff, and park it until he stops having his radical leftist tantrum! It can’t stop there though, for we will forever after keep a fire stoked to hold feet to if any of ‘em step outta line again! They’re OUR keys, it’s OUR car, and you sir, are GROUNDED!

      Report Post » LUDWIKA BRONISLAWA  
    • thesixfour
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 10:52pm

      treasonous tyrant

      Report Post » thesixfour  
    • 5
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 11:06pm

      I have never not had a President until today. I have no more fellings for this Man.
      I don’t hate Him, but He clearly hates Me and My Family and Friends.
      My Friends are turning on Him Left and Right so I say,
      “Keep it up Obama more Conservatives everyday.”

      Report Post »  
    • staythecourse
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 11:15pm

      And who is paying for the president and all the president’s men to do all of this traveling????? Somehow I don’t think the Democrat party is picking up the tab of airport shutdowns, pre visit assement visits by staff, secret service, local police and security…etc…etc…etc. I did not authorize my tax dollars to be wasted in this way.

      Report Post »  
    • A1955Rosie
      Posted on October 25, 2010 at 11:26pm

      They are doing something else besides burning bridges. Do you wonder why it’s the same ol rhetoric? Do you notice how everything is pretty much choreographed like hand picked audicances, questions and the almighty teleprompter? Why so much is not spoken about? Why the T party is criticized as being all the vile when clearly it is not so? THEY ARE USING SELECTED PHRASING THAT IS CONSTANTLY REPEATED FOR PROPAGANDA OF FUTURE HISTORY BOOKS. Read the headlines that cover them…that’s the written future. DON’T LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT….KEEP RECORDING YOUR OWN FOR POSTERITY.

      Report Post » A1955Rosie  
    • *************************
      Posted on October 26, 2010 at 1:05am

      Obama: “We don’t mind the Republicans joining us. They can come for the ride, but they gotta sit in back.”

      “******” reference from a half-white! Rascist! Bigot! Oh, the offended! Stop the Presses! Get the Liberal media! Call for his resignation!

      [the crowd draw their guns at the new sheriff]
      Rev. JOHNSON: “Gentlemen, gentlemen! Allow not hatred to rule the day. [holds up Bible] As your spiritual leader, I implore you to pay heed to this good book and what it has to say!”
      [shot rings out & Bible blows apart]
      Rev. JOHNSON [to sheriff BART]: “Son, you’re on your own.”
      -Blazing Saddles

      Report Post » WeDontNeedNoStinkinBadges  
    • squeaker
      Posted on October 26, 2010 at 1:12am

      I refer to the whitehouse as the OutHouse as long as obama is there

      Report Post »  
1 2 3

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love