This and That...

[Warph]

January 14, 2015

Romney tops Jeb in new Iowa poll

By Rick Moran

With Mitt Romney an all but announced candidate for president, a new Iowa poll shows him ahead of one of his main rivals, Jeb Bush, by 21-14%. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker finished 3rd with 10%, just ahead of Mike Huckabee's 9%.

The poll, conducted by conservative publication Townhall and Gravis Marketing, and has a sampling error of 3%.

Former Massachusetts governor W. Mitt Romney has never left the hearts and minds of Republican voters and he will hold the dominant position in the race for the 2016 presidential nomination until the other candidates spin up their own campaigns, said Doug Kaplan, the managing partner of Gravis Marketing, a Florida-based pollster and call center that executed the poll. The poll carries an error rate of 3 percent.

"Romney's name recognition and the loyalty Republicans have for their last nominee give him a opportunity that no one else has," Kaplan said. "The question is whether he will use or let the chance pass to others."

After two years of dampening expectations, Romney—spooked by Bush's momentum—is now working to the phones in order to put the band together for one more national tour.

While Romney decides what to do, the GOP race revolves around former Florida governor John E. "Jeb" Bush, the choice of 14 percent, and Wisconsin Gov. Scott K. Walker, polling at 10 percent.

Bush, the son of President George H. W. Bush and a younger brother of President George W. Bush, went from a stealth candidate over Thanksgiving to today's full-blown exploratory candidate.

Although he is portrayed as a white bread patrician in the press, Bush ran Florida for eight years as a red-meat-movement-conservative cutting taxes, holding teachers accountable and expanding gun rights. A Catholic convert, Bush is married to the daughter of a Mexican migrant worker and speaks Spanish without the effort his brother W. exerted.

Of course, the defining moment of Bush's tenure was his extreme effort in the losing battle to save the life of Terry Schiavo.

Walker, the governor of Iowa's northeast border, signaled his intention to run with the New Year announcements of his presidential campaign team: Rick Wiley, campaign manager; Nicole Tieman, press secretary; Colleen Coyle, finance director, as well as, other staffers: Stephan Thompson, Jonathan Wetzel and Keith Gilkes.

Walker, Bush, and Romney together are at 46%. None are what you might call "Ted Cruz conservatives." But Romney's entrance in the race may be a godsend for Cruz, Rand Paul, and any other conservative that the base favors.

In the past, conservative primary voters have split their votes among 3 or 4 candidates. This time around, it will be the moderates splitting their votes as well. That means if a moderate emerges as a front runner, he will be getting fewer delegates in every primary, allowing a conservative candidate to maintain contact. When the field winnows down, a more conservative candidate will still have a shot at the nomination, unlike the last two election cycles where McCain and Romney had huge leads after the March primaries.

It's a scenario that probably worries Reince Priebus but should give heart to the conservative base. The point is, Romney's entrance in the race means that it will be a wide open contest probably well into the primary season.

With Mitt Romney an all but announced candidate for president, a new Iowa poll shows him ahead of one of his main rivals, Jeb Bush, by 21-14%. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker finished 3rd with 10%, just ahead of Mike Huckabee's 9%.

The poll, conducted by conservative publication Townhall and Gravis Marketing, and has a sampling error of 3%.

Former Massachusetts governor W. Mitt Romney has never left the hearts and minds of Republican voters and he will hold the dominant position in the race for the 2016 presidential nomination until the other candidates spin up their own campaigns, said Doug Kaplan, the managing partner of Gravis Marketing, a Florida-based pollster and call center that executed the poll. The poll carries an error rate of 3 percent.

"Romney's name recognition and the loyalty Republicans have for their last nominee give him a opportunity that no one else has," Kaplan said. "The question is whether he will use or let the chance pass to others."

After two years of dampening expectations, Romney—spooked by Bush's momentum—is now working to the phones in order to put the band together for one more national tour.

While Romney decides what to do, the GOP race revolves around former Florida governor John E. "Jeb" Bush, the choice of 14 percent, and Wisconsin Gov. Scott K. Walker, polling at 10 percent.

Bush, the son of President George H. W. Bush and a younger brother of President George W. Bush, went from a stealth candidate over Thanksgiving to today's full-blown exploratory candidate.

Although he is portrayed as a white bread patrician in the press, Bush ran Florida for eight years as a red-meat-movement-conservative cutting taxes, holding teachers accountable and expanding gun rights. A Catholic convert, Bush is married to the daughter of a Mexican migrant worker and speaks Spanish without the effort his brother W. exerted.

Of course, the defining moment of Bush's tenure was his extreme effort in the losing battle to save the life of Terry Schiavo.

Walker, the governor of Iowa's northeast border, signaled his intention to run with the New Year announcements of his presidential campaign team: Rick Wiley, campaign manager; Nicole Tieman, press secretary; Colleen Coyle, finance director, as well as, other staffers: Stephan Thompson, Jonathan Wetzel and Keith Gilkes.

Walker, Bush, and Romney together are at 46%. None are what you might call "Ted Cruz conservatives." But Romney's entrance in the race may be a godsend for Cruz, Rand Paul, and any other conservative that the base favors.

In the past, conservative primary voters have split their votes among 3 or 4 candidates. This time around, it will be the moderates splitting their votes as well. That means if a moderate emerges as a front runner, he will be getting fewer delegates in every primary, allowing a conservative candidate to maintain contact. When the field winnows down, a more conservative candidate will still have a shot at the nomination, unlike the last two election cycles where McCain and Romney had huge leads after the March primaries.

It's a scenario that probably worries Reince Priebus but should give heart to the conservative base. The point is, Romney's entrance in the race means that it will be a wide open contest probably well into the primary season.

Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2015/01/romney_tops_jeb_in_new_iowa_poll.html#ixzz3OrqyBABN
Follow us: @AmericanThinker on Twitter | AmericanThinker on Facebook

[Ross]

Compounding that are Labor Participation Rates at the lowest levels since 1977.

Although this shocked economists and pundits, it more accurately reflects the reality of the man in the street who's closer to the action.

http://viral.buzz/video-why-president-obamas-assertions-of-a-resurgent-economy-falls-on-disbelieving-ears/

[Ross]

FEATURED STORIESNEWS

Breaking:
Major News Feed Appears To Have Been Hacked
With Breathtaking, Apocalyptic Posts

New York Post probably hacked as well.

It was a nerve-wracking few minutes for people who saw and may have believed the earth-shattering tweets from the respected news gathering and reporting organization United Press International (UPI).

Fresh on the heels of hackers hijacking the social media accounts of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and the widespread concern produced over the vulnerability of U.S. cyberspace, it appears another major hack attack has happened. And it has compromised the feed of a mainstream media entity whose credibility could be called into question in the future.

The twitter account of UPI appears to have been taken over by someone or some group interested in sending shock waves across the Internet.

As of this posting, no other news organization and no government entity is corroborating the content of the twitter messages in the UPI feed — messages dealing with a supposed Chinese attack on the U.S. aircraft carrier George Washington, as well as what was claimed to be an extraordinary move by the Federal Reserve.

You can see screen grabs of the suspect tweets below. Again, please keep in mind that there is no real-world evidence to suggest that these are accurate or that they actually come from UPI itself.

It is also being reported that the twitter feed of the New York Post newspaper was hijacked and similar fake news posted.

We will update this story as developments warrant.


Read more at http://www.westernjournalism.com/breaking-major-news-feed-appears-hacked-breathtaking-apocalyptic-posts/#q18qkQTZYyESkhPY.99

[Warph]

Sheriff Joe Scores Big Victory In Effort To Stop Øb☭ma's Amnesty

The appeals court ruling came less than a month after a federal judge dismissed the suit.

(Give'em hell, Joe)

Via Western Journalism:

As Western Journalism reported last November, Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio responded to Barack Obama's executive action on immigration by filing a lawsuit to determine if such a unilateral order is legal.

"We have to understand whether this is constitutional or not, whether he is going around Congress is legal," he said at the time. "I'm going to send a message that we're not going to give up, that this does affect the streets of Maricopa County."

The following month, a federal judge dismissed Arpaio's suit; however, Freedom Watch Founder Larry Klayman announced this week that the D.C. Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has delivered a more favorable verdict. Klayman is serving as Arpaio's attorney in this case and issued a statement indicating the court ordered an accelerated hearing for the suit.

He described the ruling as "a big victory to Sheriff Arpaio and indeed the American people," reiterating his argument that an expedited hearing is needed if there is any hope of stopping Obama's executive order from being enacted in full this spring.

"There are constitutional issues of great magnitude at stake," Klayman's statement continued, "and we are confident that the D.C. Circuit will put a legal stop to this illegal activity, which seeks to end-run congressional authority."

He went on to express appreciation for Arpaio's "courage in pursuing this very necessary legal action."

The appeals court ordered Arpaio's brief be submitted by Jan. 29, with Obama's deadline set for March 2.

"Due to the expedited nature of this case," the order states, "the court will not entertain dispositive motions. The parties should therefore address in their briefs any arguments otherwise properly raised in such motions."

A U.S. House funding bill containing an amendment that would overturn Obama's executive action passed the same day as the appeals court ruling, though the initiative is unlikely to gain enough support in the Senate to progress through that chamber.

Read more at http://www.westernjournalism.com/sheriff-joe-scores-big-victory-effort-stop-obamas-amnesty/#TqBODLoPfsQZjt4t.99

[Warph]

Trey Gowdy Votes To Stop Executive Overreach And Hits Out At Øb☭ma In The Process

Will the House ever find the courage to stand up for itself?

(A TRUE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE! 
Trey Gowdy for President in 2016...)

Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) took to the floor of the House of Representatives Wednesday morning to block President Obama's executive action overreach on immigration. Gowdy voted for H.R. 240 to fund the Department of Homeland Security through September 2015. Gowdy said that millions of immigrants will receive benefits under the president's plan.

"President Obama announced one of the largest extra-constitutional power-grabs ever by a chief executive. He declared unilaterally that almost five million undocumented aliens will receive deferred action under some new-fangled definition of prosecutorial discretion, Madam Speaker. Not only that, not only escaping consequences, he has decided to bestow benefits such as work authorization and immigration benefits."

Gowdy reminded the House of Representatives that President Obama's position may have changed since he was a Senator, but the text of the constitution has not.


"This, Madam Speaker, despite the fact that the very same president, over twenty different times, said he lacked the power to do what he just did. And he repeatedly said he is not a king. Now, Madam Speaker, his position may have changed, after the election I hasten to add, but the Constitution has not. That document is clear, time-tested, and true. And it says that this body passes laws and it is the responsibility of the chief executive, Madam Speaker, to make sure that those laws are faithfully enforced."

Gowdy said that Obama's executive action will set a precedent for future presidents, and the House must exert its power to stop him.


"If this president's unilateral extra-constitutional acts are not stopped, Madam Speaker, future presidents will no doubt expand that power of the executive branch and threaten the constitutional equilibrium. But Madam Speaker, this is not a fight between Republicans and Democrats. It's not even a fight over immigration reform. This is a fight over whether this branch of government will ever find the courage to stand up for itself. The same document that this and all presidents swears to defend gives this body certain tools, tools like the power of the purse. And it's about d–n time we used that tool. So I would ask you to oppose this motion to recommit, support the underlying bill and I will yield back my time."

The bill passed 236-191, with 5 not voting.

Read more at http://www.westernjournalism.com/trey-gowdy-votes-stop-executive-overreach/#8CAQ6uK3yfMqrZ6D.99

[Warph]

Jim Clancy "Leaves" CNN, Week After Abusive Anti-Israel Twitter Exchange

He sent a short note to his colleagues announcing that he was leaving the network without giving a reason for his departure

.

He sent a short note to his colleagues announcing that he was leaving the network without giving a reason for his departure.

Last Friday, 34-year CNN International veteran Jim Clancy went on a bizarre anti-Israel twitter rant which ended with him using the politically incorrect term "cripple." One week later he sent a short note to his colleagues announcing that he was leaving the network without giving a reason for his departure.

The note was originally posted on Mediaite:

"After nearly 34 years with Cable News Network, the time has come to say Farewell!

It has been my honor to work alongside all of you for all of these years. This is one of the greatest news organizations in the world. It has truly revolutionized information delivery while driving technological advances in how we gather the news.

Through it all, CNN has been a family to my own family. That means something.

As I reflect on all of the great adventures and achievements of the past, I wish you great success in the future.

Jim Clancy

As TruthRevolt reported at the time of the Clancy meltdown:

"The matter started last week when Clancy tweeted about the deadly terrorist attack by radical Islamists on a magazine in Paris, known for publishing satirical cartoons sometimes offensive to Muslims.

"The cartoons NEVER mocked the Prophet [Muhammed]," Clancy tweeted at the time. "They mocked how the COWARDS [who] tried to distort his word. Pay attention."

Some of Clancy's followers challenged his point, which suggested that the terrorists were motivated not by Islam (which teaches followers not to mock its prophet) but by something else.

Clancy responded to several of the replies he received, but eventually tweeted this at one person: "Get a grip, junior. It's my Friday night. You and the Hasbara team need to pick on some cripple on the edge of the herd."

Hasbara is a reference to the Israeli government's public relations effort to spread positive information about Israel. It is also used in some circles as a reference to the anti-Semitic falsehood that Jews control the media.

Clancy deleted his entire twitter account before he announced his departure.

http://www.truthrevolt.org/news/jim-clancy-leaves-cnn-week-after-abusive-anti-israel-twitter-exange

[Warph]

#BlackLivesKilledByBlackPeopleDon'tMatter:
Seven Homicides In St. Louis In 24 Hours

(Local leaders in the St. Louis area cite "the Ferguson effect" for the rise in crime and the decline in arrests. But no protesters are out protesting these deaths.  Number 1 cause of black male (ages 15-34) deaths is other black males (ages 15-34).   Culling the herd from within, which is how it should be...)

(What a fine looking group of black thugs...)

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV.com) – A manager at the Drury Inn & Suites shot and killed during a robbery attempt was just one of six victims of gun violence in a 12-hour span since Wednesday night and while police continue to search for his murderer, charges have been filed in three of the other homicides.

In a news conference Thursday, St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson and Mayor Francis Slay discussed the sudden crime spree, announcing that three people have been taken into custody and will likely be charged Friday.
http://www.kmov.com/news/crime/Three-early-morning-homicides-in-the-city-of-St-Louis-288653361.html

[Warph]

Øb☭ma Scheduled To Be Interviewed After State Of The Union
By Guy Who Created "14 Fart Facts" Video

(How many times have I said that Øb☭ma is NUTS!!!  This proves it.  While you all will be watching Øb☭ma's State of the Union, I'll be listening to the "Battle of Thunderblow Farting Contest."  My money is on Boomer: )

Via CNS News:
http://cnsnews.com/blog/eric-scheiner/president-obama-be-interviewed-14-fart-facts-creator

Obama is set to sit down with the YouTube creator of "14 Fart Facts for my Flatulent Friends" after the State of the Union address on Tuesday.

In a blog posting at WhiteHouse.gov, officials claim the president will be interviewed by three YouTube personalities as an example of "efforts by the president and his administration to speak directly to the American people online."

Hank Green, whose most recent YouTube video at the time of this publication is "14 Fart Facts for my Flatulent Friends", will be among those questioning the president.

See Video:

Glozell Green and Bethany Mota are the other two interviewers. Recent YouTube posts from them include "Becca Frucht and GloZell Make a Green Smoothie," and "Throw a DIY Party! Quick Treats, Party favors + Outfits!"

The other two videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_3395982023&feature=iv&src_vid=c8d-NCgzGJI&v=gJBKzoiGGLY

The White House denies that the interviews are part of a larger strategy to elbow out the traditional press corps.

[Warph]

Vatican Attempts To Clarify Pope Francis' Comments On Paris Terror Attack

The Vatican is in full damage control following the pope's latest controversial remarks.
On Thursday Pope Francis defended the Charlie Hebdo Islamic killers, saying,
"If my good friend says a curse word against my mother, he can expect a punch."

(Not quite sure about this new Pope...)

CBS Local reported:
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/01/15/vatican-attempts-to-clarify-pope-francis-comments-on-paris-terror-attack/

The Vatican is trying to clarify some controversial comments by Pope Francis.

Some say his statement seemed to condone last week's terror attack at a French newspaper, CBS2's Tony Aiello reported Thursday.

On a flight to the Philippines, the pope took questions, and raised eyebrows.

A French reporter asked about the attack at Charlie Hebdo, which was carried out by Muslims outraged over the paper's mocking of the prophet Muhammad.

Francis condemned those who kill in the name of religion, but then said, "If (my good friend) says a curse word against my mother, he can expect a punch. It's normal."

"You cannot provoke; you cannot insult the faith of others," the pontiff added.

Father James Martin, the editor at large of the Jesuit magazine "America," said Pope Francis was trying to make a point about respect for other religions.

[Warph]

Russian Zoo Names Baby Monkey After President Putin

MOSCOW - A peculiar bald monkey, born at the Moscow Zoo during the successful annexation of Crimea and invasion into Ukraine, has been named after Russia's enormously popular president, Vladimir Putin. The baby baboon that some believe brought luck to the Kremlin, will now be known simply as "Pootie-Poo."

Since the monkey was born, Putin's approval rating has remained at 86% without any signs of decline, according to zoo officials. "There's not a politician on earth who can maintain 86% support indefinitely - except our Russian president," says Zoo spokeswoman, Luyda Yedova.

Pootie-Poo monkeyYedova believes it is due to the luck brought by the bald monkey that the Russian consumers still aren't holding Putin responsible for any of the negative consequences of his Ukraine policy. On the contrary - in spite of the falling ruble and the catastrophic depletion of the country's budget, Putin has become even more politically powerful now than at any other time in the past decade and a half.

Zoo officials say naming the monkey after Putin was "an overwhelming favorite" among many zoo patrons who were sending in name suggestions through the zoo's Facebook and Twitter pages.

The Pootie-Poo exhibit grew popular in the weeks leading up to the West-imposed sanctions, after the zoo installed the Russian Federation's official emblem over the monkey cage.

A zoo visitor we spoke to said he found the name very appropriate.

"Putin accuses the U.S. State Department of setting up a puppet regime in Ukraine, and then he turns around and sets up several puppet regimes inside Ukrainian territory. Monkey see, monkey do," he added with what sounded like Ukrainian accent.

The zoo is now hoping the real president Putin will visit the zoo for a naming ceremony for the little monkey in the coming weeks.