Washington (CNN) – The Gingrich campaign reached back to 2008 in its latest ad attacking Mitt Romney, accusing the former Massachusetts governor of using the same “desperate” and “dishonest” attacks he used when he ran for president in 2008. The ad, titled “Desperate,” starts with a narrator stating, “Why is Mitt Romney attacking Newt Gingrich?” Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Political Ticker Discovery Date : 19/01/2012 05:35 Number of articles : 2
Results estimates show top three GOP presidential candidates, including Ron Paul, each winning seven delegates in crucial first primary. By Gil Kaufman, with reporting by Andrew Jenks Mitt Romney Photo: Jewel Samad/ Getty Images DES MOINES, Iowa — Everybody loves a winner, but sometimes not losing is the best you can hope for. After finishing in a near dead heat in the crucial first primary in the nation, Tuesday night’s Iowa caucus , supporters of Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum were both feeling very good about their candidates’ finishes. With Romney coming out on top by a grand total of eight votes, his camp couldn’t exactly shout from the rooftops, but, well, a win is a win in the closest race in Iowa caucus history. After overseeing the caucus meeting at Drake University earlier in the night, student Sam Pritchard said at the Romney results party at the hotel Fort Des Moines late Tuesday that the evening belonged to the longtime GOP presidential frontrunner. “It’s been a good win for Romney … and it’s going to provide him with the momentum he needs to win the rest of these primaries,” Pritchard said of the candidate who had not spent much time in Iowa until a few weeks before the caucus. “If he did this in two weeks, what can he do for the rest of the year? … It’s exhilarating.” Though CNN reported that the bulk of Romney’s votes came from caucusers 65 and older, Pritchard said that like third-place finisher Ron Paul’s pull with young voters, the former Massachusetts governor could do the same. “If you look at the Ron Paul campaign and why a lot of the youth voters like him, some of it applies to Romney as well,” he said. “He’s a Washington outsider, and he’s coming at it as somebody who wants to reform the system. By appealing to the moderates and independents, he can really capture the youth vote .” As a college student who is going to need a job when he graduates, Pritchard said he’s counting on Romney’s private-sector experience turning around companies to help him find employment when he leaves college. Santorum spoke to his faithful at a celebratory gathering well before the final vote tally was announced. Santorum staffer Ryan Rutt, 26, called the night “very exciting.” “Either way, it’s been a huge success,” Rutt said. “One way or the other, definitely a success for the Santorum campaign. Obviously, would love a big win, but this evening has been really exciting for all of us.” Also reveling in the unexpectedly come-from-nowhere near-win for Santorum was fellow staffer Jonathan Gehman, 29, who said he’s cast his lot with the classic-conservative family-values candidate because of Santorum’s conviction, positive campaigning and emphasis on faith and family. “This could completely change the climate of the election right now, especially because you look at the top three and you have three very different people,” added Joel Charles, 27, speaking of Santorum, Romney and libertarian third-place finisher Ron Paul . While MTV News’ PowerOf12.org correspondent Andrew Jenks told the Santorum team that he’d been getting blasted all Tuesday night by his young Twitter followers about the former senator’s hardline stances against abortion and gay marriage, Gehman said he agreed “100 percent” with Santorum on those social issues. “I think there’s a lot of young people in America with the same convictions,” he said. “I don’t think it’s as exciting to speak out that way … but I think there’s a minority that is silent, and if they’d speak up, we would be the majority.” By Wednesday morning (January 4), CNN estimated that, of the 25 pledged delegates at stake in Iowa, Romney, Santorum and Paul each won seven, further muddling the bragging rights coming out of the nation’s first presidential primary. All three candidates will now turn their attention to New Hampshire, where the fight will start all over again in the headlong rush to next Tuesday’s primary. MTV is on the scene in Iowa! Head to Iowa.MTV.com for all our Iowa caucus coverage , and stick with PowerOf12.org throughout the presidential election season to follow Andrew Jenks on the campaign trail. Related Videos Barnstorming The Iowa Caucus With Andrew Jenks
The closest Iowa caucus results in history produced a near draw, with Mitt Romney winning by just eight votes over Rick Santorum and Ron Paul a close third. Romney, considered the favorite in the Republican presidential race quest, did not notch a commanding win that could have ended the primary process early. However, a win’s a win, and after a year in which one candidate after another sought to be the conservative alternative to him, a pretty impressive one at that. Even more remarkable was the finish of Rick Santorum, whose candidacy was so moribund just weeks ago that many wondered why he was still in the race. The former Pennsylvania Senator was neck-and-neck with Romney, the one-time Governor of Massachusetts, for all of Tuesday night and into this morning. Romney being declared the winner by a mere eight ballots early Wednesday. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas was a close third with 21 percent of the caucus votes. “We will go on,” he said in an upbeat speech. “There is nothing to be ashamed of.” The race was so close, Romney couldn’t even claim victory in his speech. With 99 percent of the vote counted, he and Santorum each had 24.6 percent. ‘‘We also feel it’s been a great victory for us here,’’ Romney said early today, before the final votes were tallied. “Onto New Hampshire, we’ve got work to do.” ‘‘Thank you so much Iowa,’’ said Santorum, who is also off to N.H. ‘‘You, by standing up and not compromising ….. have taken the first step of taking back this country.’’ The GOP nominating process continues with the New Hampshire primary next Tuesday, followed by the South Carolina primary Saturday, January 19. The former favors Romney heavily, the latter not so much. Santorum and Newt Gingrich, who placed fourth last night in Iowa, will be contesting it hard. And Ron Paul … you can never count out Ron Paul. You may soon count out Texas Gov. Rick Perry, though. After finishing fifth in Iowa, he announced that he was returning to Texas to assess his candidacy. Last night’s Iowa caucus results: Mitt Romney: 24.6%
The closest Iowa caucus results in history produced a near draw, with Mitt Romney winning by just eight votes over Rick Santorum and Ron Paul a close third. Romney, considered the favorite in the Republican presidential race quest, did not notch a commanding win that could have ended the primary process early. However, a win’s a win, and after a year in which one candidate after another sought to be the conservative alternative to him, a pretty impressive one at that. Even more remarkable was the finish of Rick Santorum, whose candidacy was so moribund just weeks ago that many wondered why he was still in the race. The former Pennsylvania Senator was neck-and-neck with Romney, the one-time Governor of Massachusetts, for all of Tuesday night and into this morning. Romney being declared the winner by a mere eight ballots early Wednesday. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas was a close third with 21 percent of the caucus votes. “We will go on,” he said in an upbeat speech. “There is nothing to be ashamed of.” The race was so close, Romney couldn’t even claim victory in his speech. With 99 percent of the vote counted, he and Santorum each had 24.6 percent. ‘‘We also feel it’s been a great victory for us here,’’ Romney said early today, before the final votes were tallied. “Onto New Hampshire, we’ve got work to do.” ‘‘Thank you so much Iowa,’’ said Santorum, who is also off to N.H. ‘‘You, by standing up and not compromising ….. have taken the first step of taking back this country.’’ The GOP nominating process continues with the New Hampshire primary next Tuesday, followed by the South Carolina primary Saturday, January 19. The former favors Romney heavily, the latter not so much. Santorum and Newt Gingrich, who placed fourth last night in Iowa, will be contesting it hard. And Ron Paul … you can never count out Ron Paul. You may soon count out Texas Gov. Rick Perry, though. After finishing fifth in Iowa, he announced that he was returning to Texas to assess his candidacy. Last night’s Iowa caucus results: Mitt Romney: 24.6%
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul dealt a blow to rival Mitt Romney Tuesday, launching a radio attack ad against his fellow frontrunner just hours before the Iowa caucus. The ad calls out Romney for supporting government bailouts and health care mandates, and attacks the former Massachusetts governor’s electability. “Romney’s record is liberal and putting him up against Obama is a recipe for… Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : The Huffington Post Discovery Date : 03/01/2012 12:46 Number of articles : 2
‘I want somebody who can do more than just speak the rhetoric,’ Iowan tells MTV News, as poll finds 41 percent still selecting a candidate. By Gil Kaufman, with reporting by Andrew Jenks Andrew Jenks speaks with Sara, an undecided voter, in Iowa Photo: MTV News URBANDALE, IOWA — You’ve heard a lot about the 99 percent, but not nearly as much about the 41 percent. That’s the amount of voters Monday’s (January 2) final polling found had still not made up their minds about who they are going to vote for in the Iowa caucus on Tuesday night. “Iowans uniquely have a chance to go out and meet the candidates, and listen to them talk. … Each candidate has had a chance to be at the top of the polls, but none of the polls represent the 100,000 or so Iowans that will vote tomorrow night,” Jeremy Danilson said about the multiple opportunities voters in his state have to get face time with candidates in the first-in-the-nation primary. “I think everyone’s taking their time, wants to make the best choice that they can.” Danilson, 28, has lived in Iowa most of his life, but is participating in his first caucus Tuesday after becoming more engaged in politics during his final two years in law school. Like a lot of young voters in Iowa, he’s taking the plunge after being inspired by real-life issues that are affecting his life now that he’s out of school. “I’m personally leaning towards Newt Gingrich right now,” said Danilson, who has attended two debates in Iowa and met a number of candidates face-to-face more than once, including Rep. Michele Bachmann, former Senator Rick Santorum, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Rep. Ron Paul , Texas Governor Rick Perry, as well as Gingrich, with whom he’s had two intimate, sit-down meetings in a small student group. “I feel like he actually understands where we are historically and where we need to go and uniquely has the ability to implement the change he’s talking about.” Danilson’s wife, Sara, 23, a waitress at the suburban OverTime sports bar, just finished her undergraduate degree and is actively looking for a full-time job as well. She said she got wrapped up in caucus fever because of Jeremy, but unlike her husband, with just over 24 hours to go, she had not yet decided which candidate is getting her vote. “This is probably the first time I’ve really paid attention to what’s going on as far as politics,” she said of why the 2012 caucus has grabbed her attention. “I’m purely basing my decision off of the caucuses. I don’t have a set candidate. There’s nobody I’m really impressed with at this time. “I’m excited to hear what people are going to say,” she continued. “It’s not going to be people working for the campaign. It’s going to be real people, real Iowans, expressing how they feel about the candidates.” For Sara, who graduated in April with a B.A. in business administration, issue #1 is jobs. Specifically, what the GOP candidates will do to help her find one. “I’ve been applying to about everything,” she said. “At first, I was kind of picky, and then I was just, ‘Click, apply, click, apply,’ because I can’t find anything.” The couple both have student loans to start paying back soon, and they’re looking for a candidate who will address the job situation and give them hope for paying off a mountain of debt that could easily overwhelm them if they can’t find employment soon. “Jobs is huge,” said Jeremy, who is studying for his bar exam and working hard to find a job before he must start making loan payments in April. “I initially thought an undergrad degree would guarantee me a job. That’s not the case, as Sara’s struggling with that. Law school doesn’t guarantee you a job either.” The time for stump speeches is over as far as Sara is concerned, and her night-of decision at a local high school auditorium will come down to the closing arguments from her friends and neighbors about the candidate they think can lead the country. “The other thing is: I want somebody who can do more than just speak the rhetoric,” Jeremy added about the nasty rhetoric that has filled the air, along with copious attack ads, in Iowa. “I need to believe that the candidate can actually accomplish what they’re talking about.” Sara said she liked the tax plans for both Gingrich and Romney after doing research on the candidates’ websites, while Jeremy said balancing the federal budget was another huge issue for him. “Sara and I, we can only spend the money that we make,” he said. “Why doesn’t the [federal] government have to do that also? When I do get a job, I don’t want to pay half my income in taxes.” MTV is on the scene in Iowa! Head to Iowa.MTV.com for all our Iowa caucus coverage , and stick with PowerOf12.org throughout the presidential election season to follow Andrew Jenks on the campaign trail. Related Videos Barnstorming The Iowa Caucus With Andrew Jenks
Just to show how useless his three-tier position is in terms of inoculating him on the issue, last night Rick Santorum slammed Mittens. Romney’s defense of what happened in Massachusetts? He was just obeying the court’s orders. Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Firedoglake Discovery Date : 16/12/2011 04:46 Number of articles : 2
Michelle Parker and Dale Smith, a formerly engaged couple, appeared on the People’s Court earlier this month. After the show, Parker mysteriously vanished. Now Smith is in the wind as well, having just been named the primary suspect in her disappearance, according to Orlando, Fla., Police Chief Paul Rooney. Officials confirm Smith, who appeared with Michelle Parker on the show, arguing over the engagement ring he have her, is the target of the investigation. Chief Rooney says Smith refused to take a polygraph test in the case. Michelle Parker Disappearance Parker’s mother, Yvonne Stewart, made a plea during a Monday news conference: “If you could have avoided this Dale, if you had cooperated with the police and if you took a polygraph test when they asked you, you could have avoided a lot of stress.” “We’re not going to stop until we find out who did this,” she adds. According to public records, the pair was involved in a domestic violence case involving children in 2009. Parker and Smith have 3-year-old
Barney Frank – a 16-term Congressman from Massachusetts and one of the more outspoken politicians of his time – announced yesterday that he will not seek reelection in 2012. Citing a new redistricting map that will include many people he has never represented, along with a desire to do other things in life, the 71-year old surprised many at a press conference in Newton, MA on Monday, saying at one point: “I think I would have won but it would have been a tough campaign. I hate raising money.” Barney Frank Jabs at Gingrich, Romney One of the more polarizing figures in Washington, Frank became the first openly gay man to serve in Congress. He’s been at the center of support and controversy recently, due to his Dodd-Frank law and his pre-crisis support for government housing agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. “The anger in the country… is such that the kind of inside work I felt best at is not going to be productive in the foreseeable future,” Frank said yesterday, referring to a “substantially deteriorated” political climate. “The House of Representatives will not be the same without him,” President Obama said upon learning the news, while Republicans are excited about an open seat in 2012. “It’s not an encouraging sign for House Democrats when a senior member sees little chance of becoming a committee chairman,” said Paul Lindsay, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.
MTV is looking for millennials to talk about the upcoming presidential election. By Gil Kaufman President Barack Obama Photo: MTV News Whether you’ve tuned in to all the Republican debates so far or are cooling it on the sidelines until the action really heats up next summer, MTV News wants to talk to you about the upcoming 2012 presidential election. We’re filming a documentary about the 2012 race and are looking for young people to take part in a show chronicling how millennials are feeling about the race between President Obama and his eventual Republican rival. The program will shoot between November 28 and December 11 nationwide, and anyone 18 and older interested in taking part should e-mail election12@mtvnmix.com and put “Election 2012” in the subject heading. Prospective participants should also include the following information: name, 18+ (yes or no), gender, phone number and hometown, as well as whether or not you are in school; if so, what school do you attend, and if you are currently working, what is your job? We would also like to know which issues, if any, you are passionate about (jobs, health care, education, immigration, etc.) and how you would describe your views on the 2012 election in one sentence. Producers also ask that you include a picture of yourself. The questions are intended to ensure that participants represent a diversity of interests and political views. In the midst of ongoing financial difficulties, President Obama is gearing up to launch his re-election campaign against a field of Republican contenders. Though the lead has changed a number of times over the past few months, at press time the leading contenders on the GOP side include former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, ex-House leader Newt Gingrich, former Godfather’s Pizza boss Herman Cain and fading Texas Governor Rick Perry.
