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The Press Conference That Never Happened

If a dozen or so black liberals held a press conference, screaming about Tea Party racism for a couple hours, the media would be showing clips for days. Have a group of black conservatives hold a press conference against liberal racebaiters falsely accusing the Tea Party and you have a media laughing afterward with not a clip to be seen anywhere (except online).

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The Press Conference That Never Happened

Ex-Dem Aide Stephanopoulos and Ex-Dem Congressman Discuss Impact NY Mosque Will Have on Democrats

Rather than focus on the rightness of building a mosque near Ground Zero, or investigating the potential funding of the construction, Good Morning America’s George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday spent an entire interview with Harold Ford Jr. focusing on how it could damage the Democratic Party. Stephanopoulos began the segment by asserting, “They really hope this goes away at the White House. ” Talking to the former Democratic Congressman, the GMA co-host highlighted Barack Obama’s comments on the issue and speculated, “But, is this something that’s going to linger through November or go away with- once everyone’s back from Labor Day break?” Stephanopoulos zeroed in on the political ramifications, wondering, “And, Harold, I know you think that the President did the right thing on this issue, has the right position. But did he do it in the right way?” Highlighting the mosque and other potential problems for the Democrats, Stephanopoulos closed by quizzing, “Put the campaign hat back on. How do you run as a Democrat in this environment?” To recap, Stephanopoulos, a former Democratic operative, interviewed a former Democratic Congressman about the impact this issue could have on the Democratic Party. A transcript of the August 17 segment, which aired at 7:07am EDT, follows: GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: They really hope this goes away at the White House . Thank you, John. For more on this, we’re joined by former Congressman Harold Ford, now chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council and the author of a new book, More Davids Than Goliaths: A Political Education. Excellent title. Thanks for joining us this morning. HAROLD FORD JR.: Thanks for having me. STEPHANOPOULOS: And, Harold, I know you think that the President did the right thing on this issue, has the right position. But did he do it in the right way? FORD: He probably could have spoke more artfully the first day and more clearly. STEPHANOPOULOS: How so? FORD: I think that- Well, if he believed that there’s a right to build, but perhaps it should not build in that location, he probably should have just said that. I think the follow-up has created some confusion. And probably will create some consternation in political circles within the party. Harry Reid announcing his opposition to building the cultural center- it’s interesting. The terms of the debate has been defined by the other side- It’s not a mosque, but a cultural center that’s going to be built- has now said that he’s opposed to building it there. What looks like could happen, George, is a consensus could build around maybe building it a few blocks away- moving the construction of the cultural center or the locating of the locating of the center, a few blocks from where they have planned it now. It might be- STEPHANOPOULOS: You know, there was a rumor yesterday, that that came up. That the leaders of the Senate were thinking about that. It was first reported in Israeli press, but they came out and said no way. Would that take the issue off the table for Democrats now? FORD: Well, it might. If you take Reid at the core of what he’s saying. He saying, “I support it, but just not there.” So, you might be able to find some agreement around it. I think Mayor Bloomberg will obviously play a lead role in brokering this. He’s been such a staunch- and I think had the right position on this. Not only for New York, and for the country. If you can’t build this in Manhattan and New York City, if we can’t foster a center, build a center that fosters conversation about tolerance and understanding, here, where else can you do it? What better place to do it? But, it may be that the politics have gotten so intense, that you may have to consider moving this, just a few blocks away. Perhaps you can find Democrat, Republican, liberal support for this. STEPHANOPOULOS: How big a deal do you think this issue is? I mean, obviously, you saw the President’s opponents pounce hard over the weekend, which is part of the reason he seemed to backtrack on Saturday. You see Reid breaking away from it. But, is this something that’s going to linger through November or go away with- once everyone’s back from Labor Day break? FORD: Well, jobs and the economy are foremost in people’s minds. This is, in lot of ways, a distraction. Not that it’s not an important issue. But it’s a distraction in that regard. But, as you and I know in politics, these kind of distractions can define campaigns in the last eight weeks. New York City, we are approaching the anniversary of 9/11. Obviously, from what I hear, Newt Gingrich and others plan to speak that day at the sight, where the cultural center is planned to be built or plan to be located. It certainly will- Politics will certainly be around this until election day. I think Reid’s comments yesterday opened the door for all Senate candidates to be asked about this- STEPHANOPOULOS: And break with the President most likely. FORD: Exactly. Reid has given his colleagues and those running for office covert in saying that we sport the right to build. But this may not be the place to build. STEPHANOPOULOS: Put your old campaign hat back on. You ran for Senate back 2006 and write about it in More Davids Than Goliaths. This is a tough, tough environment for Democrats right now. You’ve got this job situation, high unemployment. You’ve got ethics problems. You’ve got the former chairman of the Ways and Means committee, Charlie Rangel, Maxine Waters facing trial in the House. Now you’ve got this issue. Put the campaign hat back on. How do you run as a Democrat in this environment? FORD: I think Democrats, when they return in the fall, and I talk about this in the book, when I ran for leader in 2002, about how the message has got to lead. I think the tax cuts should be extended. Make the middle-class ones permanent. Phase in the top level. I think, two, I think you- STEPHANOPOULOS: So, break with the President on that? FORD: Well, the President’s given some wiggle room there. He has indicated that he’d like to make these middle-class rates permanent. But, I do- I have some different opinions about some of the other rates, particularly the business rates.  I don’t think you out to add more uncertainty to the marketplace now, particularly for any size business. Two, take some of the unused stimulus and apply it to deficit reduction, to apply projects, infrastructure projects that are read to be moved on. And, finally, I think you have got to come out with some of the deficit reductions of that commission right away. If raising the retirement age is on the table, if there’s consensus with Simpson Bowles, you got to be willing to do that for people under 45, including myself STEPHANOPOULOS: So, get spending- Okay, Harold Ford. Thanks very much.

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Ex-Dem Aide Stephanopoulos and Ex-Dem Congressman Discuss Impact NY Mosque Will Have on Democrats

Joe Scarborough Bashes Newt Gingrich’s Position on Ground Zero Mosque

Joe Scarborough on Monday bashed former House Speaker Newt Gingrich for saying the building of the Ground Zero mosque would be like putting a Nazi sign next to the Holocaust Museum. Scarborough was responding to the following from Sunday’s New York Times: Mr. Gingrich said the proposed mosque would be a symbol of Muslim “triumphalism” and that building the mosque near the site of the Sept. 11 attacks “would be like putting a Nazi sign next to the Holocaust Museum.” The next day on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Scarborough let Gingrich have it: JOE SCARBOROUGH, HOST: When I was in Congress in 1994, when I got elected in ’94, I was considered to be one of the more conservative guys up there. I was a right-wing nut job and crazy this and crazy that. So far right and yet despite the fact 14 years later, 16 years later, I still have the same views on taxes. I still have the same views on small government. I still have the same views on military. I still have the same views everywhere. I am feeling further and further distant from the people who are running my party and never more distant than this morning when I wake up to read what Newt Gingrich, a guy who’s leading in a lot of presidential preference polls across the country said this to say, had this to say about the First Amendment. “There’s nothing surprising in the President’s continued pandering to radical Islam. What he said last night is untrue and accurate.” And then he went on to say “this would be like putting a Nazi sign next to the Holocaust Museum.” Mark, I don’t know where to begin. To suggest that someone trying to build a, a tolerance center for moderate Muslims in New York is the equivalent of killing six million Jews is stunning to me. To begin with, where does Scarborough get off claiming this is a “tolerance center for moderate Muslims?” The Imam behind the mosque, Feisal Abdul Rauf, is anything but moderate .   Beyond this, the Times piece included edited snippets from remarks made by Gingrich without letting readers know where and when the comments were made. What came before and after this excerpted sentence that Scarborough found so offensive? In a post-Shirley Sherrod world, shouldn’t commentators be careful about expressing an opinion about excerpted comments? Isn’t this especially true for a so-called conservative reading excerpts printed in the New York Times? For instance, Gingrich said the following on “Fox & Friends” this Monday morning providing a little more context to these twelve words: GINGRICH: This happens all the time in America. Nazis don’t have the right to put up a sign next to the Holocaust Museum in Washington. We would never accept the Japanese putting up a site next to Pearl Harbor. There’s no reason for us to accept a mosque next to the World Trade Center.  Much less offensive in that context, correct? After all, Gingrich’s point Monday – and what the majority of Americans are expressing in polls about this subject – is that Ground Zero represents hallowed ground where thousands of our citizens were killed by radical Islamists. As such, allowing a radical Islamic Imam to build a mosque near Ground Zero in Gingrich’s view would be akin to us allowing the Japanese to put up a site near Pearl Harbor or Nazis putting up a sign near the Holocaust Museum. In that context, what Gingrich said is by no means as offensive as what Scarborough claimed, and he should know better than to assume the twelve words cited by the Times stood by themselves without anything before or after that could result in them being far less caustic.  When so-called conservatives begin bashing members of their own Party because of something written in the New York Times, their judgment is going to be questioned – and with good reason.  

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Joe Scarborough Bashes Newt Gingrich’s Position on Ground Zero Mosque

Nelly Set To Drop 5.0 In November

St. Louis star rolling out singles ‘Tippin’ In Da Club,’ ‘Just a Dream’ in advance of his November 16 LP. By Jayson Rodriguez Nelly Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images It’s not a roll-out for another double album, but Nelly is gearing up for the release of his next project via two separate singles: One is the party-friendly “Tippin’ In Da Club” and the other, a more laid-back number, is titled “Just a Dream.” Both songs were recently serviced to radio and will appear on the St. Louis rapper’s forthcoming LP, 5.0, due to arrive November 16. Dropping dual singles is similar to the way Nelly introduced one of his past projects, 2004’s Sweat and Suit. The two albums were released on the same day, but with different themes — one aimed at the club and the other targeted toward the ladies. Of course, 5.0 is just one album, the rapper’s 5th overall and his first since 2008’s Brass Knuckles. Late last year, Nelly told MTV News that he was eager to prove himself after the lukewarm reception to Brass Knuckles. “The thing is, I work best with two strikes, two outs,” Nelly explained in November. “I really think I do. As an artist, you want to wake up every day and feel like you’re doing something people don’t think you can do. Now I feel like I’ve been put in that position again, where it’s more doubt than expectancy. The doubt is what fuels me, so to speak. I’ve been real fortunate where I have great people around me. Everybody wants to freakin’ work with me — not that everybody didn’t [before], but it’s different because I didn’t work with a lot of people. Coming into this situation, it’s beautiful.” Producers Jim Jonsin and Rico Love worked on “Just A Dream,” while Dutch helmed “Tippin In Da Club.” Some of the collaborators slated for 5.0 include Play-N-Skillz, Sean Paul, Plies and Akon. Are you excited to hear a new Nelly album? Let us know in the comments below! Related Artists Nelly

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Nelly Set To Drop 5.0 In November

AP Writers Package Months-Old Polling Data As Currently Relevant News

Memo to Alan Fram and Trevor Tompson of the Associated Press and two other writers who contributed to this report (“AP-GfK polls show Obama losing independents”): You should have taken the weekend off. When I saw a shorter, earlier version of the referenced AP report this morning, it didn’t mention when AP’s polling arm AP-GfK Roper had done their work. When I went to the polling home page and found that the most recent entries were from June 9-14, I figured I’d come back later and give the group time to post fresh underlying details. Little did I know that AP’s gaggle of writers were treating the June 9-14 “Poll Politics Topline” as fresh. It gets worse. It turns out that Fram, Tompson et al wasted about 875 words on a report based on polling data that gave equal weights to results from mid-June, mid-May, and mid-April. Considering the primary topic of discussion, independents’ take on the Obama presidency and performance of Congress, this AP report is laughably irrelevant — unless its primary purpose, especially given that earlier versions of the story didn’t identify when the polling took place, was to present data designed to make readers and listeners think that things are better than they really are right now for Democrats heading into the midterm elections. Here are selected paragraph from the bylined AP pair’s non-punctual piece : Independents who embraced President Barack Obama’s call for change in 2008 are ready for a shift again, and that’s worrisome news for Democrats. Only 32 percent of those citing no allegiance to either major party say they want Democrats to keep control of Congress in this November’s elections, according to combined results of recent Associated Press-GfK polls. That’s way down from the 52 percent of independents who backed Obama over Republican Sen. John McCain two years ago, and the 49 percent to 41 percent edge by which they preferred Democratic candidates for the House in that election, according to exit polls of voters. Independents voice especially strong concerns about the economy, with 9 in 10 calling it a top problem and no other issue coming close, the analysis of the AP-GfK polls shows. While Democrats and Republicans rank the economy the No. 1 problem in similar numbers, they are nearly as worried about their No. 2 issues, health care for Democrats and terrorism for Republicans. Ominously for Democrats, independents trust Republicans more on the economy by a modest but telling 42 percent to 36 percent. That’s bad news for the party that controls the White House and Congress at a time of near 10 percent unemployment and the slow economic recovery. … Both parties court independents for obvious reasons. Besides their sheer number – 4 in 10 describe themselves as independents in combined AP-GfK polling for April, May and June – they are a crucial swing group. To try winning them over, Republicans say they will contrast Obama’s campaign promises of change with the huge spending programs he’s approved. Democrats say they will warn independents that a GOP victory will revive that party’s efforts to cut taxes for the rich and transform Social Security into risky private investment accounts. … Independents trust Republicans far more than Democrats for handling national security, but give Democrats a 42 percent to 36 percent edge for dealing with health care – a potential sign that distrust over Obama’s signature issue is receding. Hope is not lost for Democrats. The AP-GfK polls show a narrow 44 percent to 41 percent overall preference for a Democratic Congress. The party is holding its 2008 edge among women and urban residents, and still splitting the vote of pivotal suburbanites and people earning $50,000 to $100,000. Let’s look at just a few relatively current data points from elsewhere relating to the Fram’s and Tompson’s topics: Trust on health care — The antiquated AP-GfK report cites a 49-39 average Democratic edge among all voters across April, May and June (at Page 26 of detailed report; not in AP’s story). A Rasmussen report based on late June polling data shows Republicans with a 51-40 edge. Even that was six weeks ago. Since then we have learned that Team Obama is arguing in court that ObamaCare’s health insurance purchase mandate is a tax after telling the country for months before the legislation’s passage that it wasn’t. There have also been instances where abortion coverage was found in high-risk pool plans in several states, which were only eliminated when the Department of Health and Human Services issued regulations doing so. This exercise proved, as if proof was really needed, that the pro-life Executive Order that supposedly won over the Stupak Stooges — er, the Stupak Six — was nothing but a charade. Trust on the economy — AP-GfK shows a 45-42 average Democratic advantage (again at Page 26 of detailed report). The same Rasmussen report noted previously is 48-39, advantage GOP . Given the wave of weak economic news in the past six weeks, it would notbe surprising to see that the Republican advantage here has increased since then. Preference in who controls Congress — AP-GfK cites a 44-41 Democratic edge. This question has been a virtual dead heat in a Wall Street Journal/NBC poll all year . The latest result based on August 5-9 polling showing a one-point Democratic lead. No AP poll would be complete without a bit of cooking. In this instance, the AP-GfK poll’s average Democratic ingredient outweighed the GOP’s by 44. Gallup’s most recent poll on the topic, admittedly a reversal from most of its results during the past several months, shows the GOP with a 2% edge in party affiliation, including “leaners.” It appears that AP-GfK polls on the topics presented every month. It would thus be reasonable to assume that it has data for July, and that in a few days it will have data for August. Thus, it’s odd that the wire service wouldn’t have simply waited a few days to give us fresher information. Or maybe someone has seen that info, and would prefer not to have to report it at all. Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com .

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AP Writers Package Months-Old Polling Data As Currently Relevant News

Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato Play ‘Camp Rock 2’ Songs On ‘Good Morning America’

‘It’s going really well. We’re having a great time,’ Joe said of joint tour. By Jocelyn Vena Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato perform on “Good Morning America” Photo: Jamie McCarthy/ WireImage The Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato and the entire “Camp Rock 2” cast took over the “Good Morning America” summer stage in Central Park on Friday (August 13) to belt out some of the tunes from the film, out September 3. And while the group has been playing shows for a week on their big tour, fans seemed genuinely excited to see them up there for their second “GMA” appearance this summer. “It’s going really well. We’re having a great time,” Joe said of the tour thus far. The conversation quickly turned to Joe’s big 21st birthday this Sunday. “Besides a dog, I don’t know,” he said when asked about his plans. “That’s all I kind of wanted. I don’t know [what we’re going to do to celebrate]. These guys are not telling me what they’re doing.” The performance was split up evenly between Lovato and the JoBros during the televised three songs. Demi and the film’s cast started the party off with their “Camp Rock 2” track “It’s On.” Then the JoBros hit the stage and sang their own soundtrack song “Heart and Soul,” telling the crowd, “Let’s do this thing. You guys can be louder than that! Come on now!” The set came to an end with the Demi and Joe breakup ballad “Wouldn’t Change a Thing.” The morning wasn’t just about “Camp Rock 2” songs. The brothers and Lovato also revealed which superpowers they wished they had. Demi said, “My ideal superpower? I wish I could teleport, just snap my fingers and be in a room.” Nick’s? “I think flying would be good,” he said. Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Jonas Brothers And Demi Lovato Related Artists Jonas Brothers Demi Lovato

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Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato Play ‘Camp Rock 2’ Songs On ‘Good Morning America’

New Attempt at Civil Discourse From the Left: ‘F*ck Tea’

A “progressive” political activism campaign has launched a new project apparently aimed at engaging opponents in civil discourse about important issues of the day. Their motto: “F*ck Tea.” Setting its sights on the Tea Party movement, the Agenda Project has launched an online store to sell shirts and mugs with the slogan and inform visitors of some statistics about the Tea Parties – none of which are sourced. On its own website , the Agenda Project claims its goal is “to build a powerful, intelligent, well-connected political movement capable of identifying and advancing rational, effective ideas in the public debate and in so doing ensure our country’s enduring success.” “Our goal is to return normal Americans to the center of the policy debate by cultivating an understanding of public policy, facilitating common action, and connecting the best ideas and the strongest leaders with engaged citizens, elected officials, the media, political insiders, and experts through a variety of in-person and on-line platforms,” the group says. Apparently that didn’t fit on a t-shirt. Politico reports that the Agenda Project was founded by Erica Payne, who also helped establish the Democracy Alliance and the Center for American Progress, a left-wing think tank.

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New Attempt at Civil Discourse From the Left: ‘F*ck Tea’

Daily Kos Holocaust Denial: 9/11 Attacks ‘Were More About Optics Than Actual Harm’

While the Ground Zero Mosque controversy strikes the media as an opportunity for “healing” that’s being denied by stubborn conservatives, the leftists at the Daily Kos see it as an opportunity for Holocaust Denial. The blogger known as “Something the Dog Said” dropped this jaw-dropping paragraph Thursday morning about fear of Muslims: Given that they are such a small minority in this nation, it is odd that so many of our fellow citizens see them as such a threat. Yes, the 9/11 attacks were horrific, but they were more about optics than actual harm. The economy was already taking a hit before the Twin Towers fell.  The reaction of the nation to seeing two major buildings in New York fall on T.V. has boosted the attack out of proportion. While the loss of even a single life is to be condemned and the devastation these deaths caused the families of those killed, more than this number of teens are killed every year in car crashes . These are also tragic losses but we do not make the kind of high profile issue of it that the 9/11 attacks are. This blogger obviously can’t tell the difference in political meaning between a collection of teen car accidents and an intentional, ideological mass murder. This is the same blogger who just wrote on July 30 that Republicans are much scarier than jihadists: Find an issue and whip up hysteria, without consideration of the long term affects or what might be lost by the tactic.  It is just another of the legion of reasons why the modern Republican Party can not be trusted with the government of the United States or any single state for that matter. The radicalization they claim will come from mosques is just a pale reflection of the radicalization that has occurred in the ranks of their Party . If there is a group to fear, it is Radical Republicans, which is basically to say the most of the Republican Party at this point. “Optics” is a word better used for how it looks for Michelle Obama to go on a ritzy Spanish vacation, not to suggest 9/11 was really an insignificant crime. [Hat tip: Mal Adjusted]

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Daily Kos Holocaust Denial: 9/11 Attacks ‘Were More About Optics Than Actual Harm’

NBC’s Todd Proclaims If GOP Wins in November It’s Still ‘A Bad Election Night For All of Washington’

On Thursday’s Today show, NBC’s chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd started building the narrative for the liberal media to spout in case the Republicans win majorities in the House and Senate in the upcoming midterms – that the voters are just cranky about everyone and everything. Todd even went on to absurdly state that if the GOP has a big win it will still be seen as a “A bad election night for all of Washington.” All of Washington? Even for the party that is victorious? Todd, on with Today co-anchor Ann Curry, came up with that conclusion after reciting results from a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll that showed “Everybody is angry at all things Washington” as Todd noted “Democrats hit an all-new high in their negative rating. Republicans have even a higher negative rating. The Tea Party, which had enjoyed a positive rating for awhile, now they have a negative rating.” Todd, then, went on to prematurely throw cold water on any sort of GOP win as he claimed: “If the Republicans get the majorities, it’s because people have decided to go into the ballot box and hold their nose, they’re not happy with anybody.” The following is the full transcript of the segment as it was aired on the August 12 Today show: ANN CURRY: What do Americans think about the economy and about the politicians in charge during these tough times? We’re getting some answers this morning from a newly released NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. We’ve got NBC’s political director and chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd here in the studio this morning to fill us in. Hey Chuck, thanks for being here. CHUCK TODD: Good morning. [On screen headline: “Unhappy America, NBC News/WSJ Poll On Economy, Obama & Congress”] CURRY: So even though Jim Cramer sounds very positive, there’s a lot of pessimism, as we’ve seen in the markets, but also on Wall Street, but also on Main Street according to this new poll. TODD: Americans are feeling doom and gloom. He may not be seeing doom and gloom but look at those numbers about where people feel like we’re still in a recession. Sixty-four percent say we have yet to hit bottom. It’s an unbelievable number. Nine months ago in January, only 53 percent had that. So here we were the Obama administration told us that this was going to be recovery summer. We’ve had the administration arguing that the recovery is on their way. Jim Cramer was telling us that the financial numbers say that. The American people don’t feel it. CURRY: And they don’t feel like the country is heading in the right direction, which is even more and they’re, they’re really concerned about where it’s going. TODD: That’s right, that’s right. And they say 58 percent say we’re heading in the wrong direction. Of course this is taking a huge political toll on President Obama. Right now, his highest yet negative rating on handling the economy – 52 percent. Even people who approve of his job overall, are disapproving of the way he’s handling the economy. CURRY: And, and they’re disapproving him, I mean we’re getting into the nubbins- TODD: Sure. CURRY: -in terms of what specifically they’re disapproving him, about, in terms of what he’s done. TODD: That’s right. They don’t, they’re not, they don’t feel the recovery. And I think part of this may be a disconnect. He’s out there every day saying it’s coming. It’s getting better. And he goes to these places that are hiring 500 people here and 1,000 people there, and they’re trying to say, “Look, it’s gonna get better. It’s gonna get better.” People aren’t feeling it. And now they’re getting more pessimistic and you do wonder if they’ve stopped listening to Washington because they’re sitting there saying, “Hey, Washington’s saying it’s getting better. I’m not feeling like it’s getting better.” And then that leads to this crankiness, right now, that they feel about all politicians. CURRY: They’re feeling crankiness about both political parties. TODD: That’s right. CURRY: Republicans a bit more, but even the Tea Party gets a hit in this poll. TODD: It does. Everybody is angry at all things Washington. Democrats hit an all-new high in their negative rating. Republicans have even a higher negative rating. The Tea Party, which had enjoyed a positive rating for awhile, now they have a negative rating. Look, what this is leading to is in November, Democrats are still in big trouble. They could lose both of their majorities. But if the Republicans get the majorities, it’s because people have decided to go into the ballot box and hold their nose, they’re not happy with anybody. CURRY: So the bottom line is Americans are unhappy and this could, the midterm elections could be a- TODD: It’s going to be, it’s going to be a bad election night for all of Washington. Democrats are in big trouble. Even if they hold their majorities the public is saying, “You’re not doing your job right and we don’t like it.” CURRY: I was gonna try to bust you because what you said, privately, is that it’s gonna be a hold your nose election. Alright. TODD: It is! It’s a hold your nose election. They’re gonna walk into that ballot box and whoever they pick, they’re not happy about it. CURRY: Chuck Todd, not good news. But it tells us something. TODD: It does. CURRY: Thank you so much this morning. TODD: You got it, Ann.

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NBC’s Todd Proclaims If GOP Wins in November It’s Still ‘A Bad Election Night For All of Washington’

Jon Stewart Vulgarly Attacks GOP Concerns for Rising Taxes and Deficits

Comedian Jon Stewart on Wednesday joined the growing liberal chorus attacking Republicans for their concerns about rising taxes and exploding budget deficits. The only thing different about the “Daily Show” host’s approach was that he needed vulgarity to make his point. Potentially even worse, Stewart in his opening segment Wednesday actually used CNN’s Fareed Zakaria to support his view that letting the Bush tax cuts expire would be a good thing for the nation. Ironically, that was the only thing remotely funny about this sketch (video follows with partial transcript and commentary, extreme vulgarity warning, see BMI’s coverage as well ): The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c Deductible Me www.thedailyshow.com Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party “Let’s begin tonight in D.C.,” Stewart said. “It’s our nation’s capital. For the last 18 or so months Barack Obama’s been the President and Democrats have controlled both houses of Congress. Purely by coincidence, that’s the exact same amount of time that Republicans have expressed a newfound concern for our nation’s financial stability.” To set-up this “Republicans are hypocrites skit,” Stewart played clips of Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio and former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich warning against the budget deficit. At that point, Stewart said, “The deficit wants to skullf–k your mother. It wants to eat your children after it shows your wife a level of physical passion you’ve never been able to provide.” But here was the real punchline: Stewart played a clip from the August 1 installment of CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS” when the host of that show told his viewers that letting the Bush tax cuts expire would instantly shrink our nation’s deficit by 30 percent. After the clip ended, Stewart said Zakaria was right. That would have elicited uproarious laughter from a well-informed audience, for as NewsBusters reported shortly after Zakaria made this pathetic claim, nothing could be further from the truth. Supporting our view, the Heritage Foundation’s Brian Riedl has research that indicates these tax cuts were just a drop in the bucket of the overall federal budget deficit, and the real culprit is the explosion in spending – not the trotted out liberal misnomer that these tax cuts are responsible. Riedl explains the budget surplus forecasted at the end of the Clinton presidency was set to shift to a $6.1 trillion deficit and that the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts were responsible for a mere 14 percent of this shift. The true culprit: the liberal sacred cow of entitlement spending. “Instead of closing the long-term deficit by splitting the difference between tax hikes and spending cuts, lawmakers should address the source-rising entitlement costs,” Riedl wrote. Indeed. In fact, even if the tax cuts were extended, revenues are projected to rise above the historical average by 2017. Contrary to Zakaria and Stewart’s view, this leaves surging spending responsible for the entire increase in long-term deficits. Business & Media Institute adviser and Cato Institute fellow Daniel Mitchell agrees, and refuted Zakaria’s claim on his Aug. 4 podcast . “Our real problem isn’t that deficits are large,” he said. “It is that the government is far, far too big. That’s what we should focus on, so he’s looking at a symptom rather than the underlying disease and then if we have to look at the issue of federal spending and federal revenue – even under the Obama budget projections – while low now because of the economic downturn – are going to climb to their historical post-World War average. We do not have, in other words, a shortage of revenue in the United States or in Washington, D.C. We have too much government spending.” On top of this, as NewsBusters reported a few hours before Stewart made his foolish comments, a new study published by the liberal Brookings Institution found the savings associated with just letting the Bush tax cuts expire on upper-income wage earners – what President Obama is advocating – to be minimal when compared to the current deficit totals. But facts weren’t getting in the way of Stewart’s populist rant as he next asked a truly absurd question: “How exactly can you be for deficit reduction and extending tax cuts? How do those two diametrically opposed thoughts exist in the same Party platform?” Well, Jon, here’s how: the last time Republicans cut taxes while controlling spending in the mid-1990s, the nation produced budget surpluses for four straight years while adding 12 million jobs to non-farm payrolls. Alas, this is an inconvenient truth Stewart and his ilk have chosen to ignore for over ten years, and Wednesday was no exception as the “Daily Show” host then played a clip of Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) saying the following on “Meet the Press” Sunday: REP. MIKE PENCE (R-INDIANA): They talk about tax cuts the same way they talk about spending increases as though the government owned all of the money. They say, “Are they paid for?” Well, I think, I think deciding on a government spending increase is very different on whether or not we allow the American people to keep more of their hard-earned tax dollars. Makes sense, right? After all, it is OUR money! Obviously not according to Stewart, for he not only seemed totally perplexed by Pence’s logic, he mocked it by asking, “So, you’re saying money the government gets is different than money the government spends?” Well YEAH, Jon! When the government is spending $1.5 trillion MORE than what it takes in, there is a difference! A HUGE difference! Clearly missing this indisputable fact, Stewart said the deficit’s opinion on this matter can be summed up with a clip from the movie “Goodfellas”: ACTOR RAY LIOTTA: Business is bad? F–k you, pay me! Oh, you had a fire? F–k you, pay me! Place got hit by lightning, huh? F–k you, pay me!” In reality, although he clearly didn’t know it, Stewart was making the conservative point about the current administration and Party in power: regardless of how the economy and the American citizens are doing financially, today’s government acts like a Mafioso thug demanding to be paid. Thank you, Jon – we couldn’t have said it any better.

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Jon Stewart Vulgarly Attacks GOP Concerns for Rising Taxes and Deficits