Video blog 4

Showdown for the Swing State Senators

With the election nine days away each candidates needs the majority of the swing states to win the election. Four senators of those eight toss-up states debated what needs to happen in this election and which candidate has it right, on “Fox News Sunday.” Sen. Mark Udall, Sen. Mark Warner , Sen. Ron Johnson and Sen. Rob Portman all joined the show from across the country. Talks began with how each campaign is working to get voters to the polls. Many states are already open for early voting, so it all comes down to which party can get the most people out early, or on November 6th. Sen. Udall stressed the importance of early voting, especially in his state of Colorado where he says that about 80% of ballots will be cast before election day. The conversation between the four senators moved to the economy, where Sen. Warner said to, “look at where we are and where we’ve come from,” and that compared to the rest of the world, “we are the shining spot,” said Sen. Warner. Chris discussed whether or not women’s issues would play a role in the election, however, Sen. Johnson did not think it would, at least for his state.The discussion continued between the senators and Chris until they got to the Benghazi issue and the handling of the attack. 

Saturday Night Live - Cold Opening: Vice Presidential Debate

Saturday Night Live - Cold Opening: Vice Presidential Debate

 Saturday Night Live cold open was about the first  Vice Presidential Debate at Centre College.Kate McKinnon as Martha Raddatz began by making  fun of the Debate’s struggle for relevance ., “Before we begin, a reminder that your performance tonight is extremely unlikely to affect the outcome of the election. So just have fun with it.” Taran Killam as Congressman Ryan barely got out a thanks to Centre College for hosting the Debate before Jason Sudeikis as Biden launched into “here we go"  Because Biden frequently interrupted Ryan during the actual debate.The sketch broadly hit the obvious things that people noticed  Paul Ryan’s habit of drinking water continuously during the Debate, a Catholic-off on the topic of abortion; and moderator Martha Raddatz’s refusal to give the candidates more time like the previous moderator in the first Presidential Debate . Biden had an uphill battle coming off more over the top than the vice president himself, announcing “There’s gym-strong, and there’s old-man strong.”On economic policy, McKinnon as Raddataz presses,”Can you please be more specific?”  Killam as Ryan responds, “No, but let me say it again, with hand gestures.” This debate in my opinion was the most humorous out of all the debates and even though it was a bit exaggerated a  they did a good reenactment of the Vice Presidential debate.

Video blog 2

Mitt Romney - Meet the Press (Full Interview) 09/09/12

Barack Obama was  interviewed by Diana Sawyer. In the interview he explains that he will become president again. President Obama states that Mitt Romney's reasoning for not having abortion on his agenda his to try to change Obama's viewpoint on the touchy subject. Obama says he had a "bad night" in last week's debate with Romney but says the fundamentals of the election did not change.Obama offered his critique of Romney and his reassurance about the election in an interview with ABC News.Romney told The Des Moines Register that he would not pursue abortion-related legislation if elected president Obama says Romney's answer was an example of Romney, in Obama's words, "hiding positions he's been campaigning on for a year and a half."
The president adds that Romney believes it is appropriate for politicians to inject themselves into women's health care decisions.

Video 1

Libya: Issa on Face the Nation

On October 14, 2012 on an episode of face the nation Representative Issa confirmed there was a terrorist attack on Libya. The House Oversight Committee convened on October 10, 2012 for a hearing in Washington on the security failures that preceded the deadly Benghazi attack which left several dead including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens.He talked about the security in the Middle East are at risk if no one is listening to them and give them the money that is needed to protect soldiers in Benghazi. However, he and other republicans allegedly cut budgets of over 1 billion dollars making it impossible for the U.S. embassy to do so. He wants to go around country to country in the middle east to figure out what they need in order to be secure and if reason are legit congress will give them sufficient money they need. 

Nov 2 Article 16

Mitt Romney is criticized by gay-rights groups for blocking routine birth certificate approvals for same-sex parents

By: Murray Waas

Thursday, October 25, 2012

The president of the nation’s largest gay-rights advocacy group criticized Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney Thursday after the Globe reported how, as governor of Massachusetts, he blocked routine recording of births to same-sex parents.

"Mitt Romney has stood before the American people multiple times and said he does not support discrimination against LGBT people – and that is an outright lie,” said Chad Griffin, the president of Human Rights Campaign, a civil-rights group headquartered in Washington." Griffin goes on to explain that Romney has denied birth certificates of those a part of the LGBT.  It has also been said that Romney's own Department of Public Health has rewritten statutes regarding birth certificates of individuals who have same-sex parents as "  ''father’’ and write in ''second parent’’ on birth certificates, in pen." The Department wanted to label the document as "father or second parent" but Romney refused this change. 

"The Family Equality Council, another national rights group, also condemned Romney’s actions. “We don’t advocate for candidates. We advocate for families, and we’ve long known of the difficulties that parents who are LGBT had under Governor Romney’s leadership,” said the group’s executive director." 

Romney is not favored by the LGBT community because of his oppoition toward the organization. This can and will potentially effect him because he is losing votes from a popular community because of his strong views. 

http://www.boston.com/politicalintelligence/2012/10/25/mitt-romney-criticized-gay-rights-groups-for-blocking-routine-birth-certificate-approvals-for-same-sex-parents/7IR2ZTptBmEDVN6CZ7EUJK/story.html

Article 15 Nov 2

Romney highlights bipartisanship in closing appeal to voters

By Seema Mehta

November 1, 2012

Brief Summary : Mitt Romney turned to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor on Thursday and asked when he had last sat down with President Obama to discuss jobs, the economy or the budget. When the Virginia congressman replied that it had been nearly a year, Romney seized upon the point to argue how he would govern differently if elected president.

Romney has been campaigning as the election is quickly approaches. He has been addressing bipartisan collaboration. He says this will steer toward a more balanced budget and efficient government. Romney highlighted that a fault in Obama's presidency is that he hasn't taken time to meet wit Republicans which is why Washington is dysfunctional. Romney expresses however, that he will speak with good democrats when (if) he takes office. "Mr. President, take your campaign of division and anger and hate back to Chicago, and let us get about rebuilding and reuniting America," Romney said in Chillicothe, Ohio, in August."

Romney and his campaign keep stating their plan of what Romney will get accomplished on Day 1 of his presidency. But what I dont think he realizes is that "Rome was not built in  a day." Romney thinks everything is so easy and he gives Obama no credit on what he's achieved in his first term of presidency. Yet he thinks that he'll be able to achieve so much in one day. Based on Romney's previous statements, biases, and uncertain positions on certain topics I do not believe he is capable of becoming president. How can we trust someone who does not seem to trust in himself? It is not fair for Americans to be left unsure whether or not their leader will help or hurt the nation.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-romney-bipartisanship-virginia-campaign-cantor-

10/26/12 article 14

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

Saturday, September 22, 2012
By Nedra Pickler & Mark S. Smith
PG. A3

Topic: Obama, at rally in VA., hits Romney remarks

Brief Summary: Obama explains at a rally in VA that "you can't change Washington from the inside." Referring to a video released this past week of Romney who spoke of the 47% of American citizens who do not pay taxes on their income. a quote from Romney in the video was "my job is not to worry about those people."

  A major issue that is addressed in the article is the topic of Medicare and how Paul Ryan advised a group of senior citizens at an AARP convention that he and Mitt Romney were planning to repeal Obama's Healthcare Program.This will dramatically effect American citizens who wish to receive Medicare because they will be unable to affords it as it is said that health costs' will increase $6,400 a year. And Obama responded to that by saying "... only the healthiest would benefit from buying private insurance.

 As Obama put it , Romney & Ryan would turn Medicare into a voucher program which would increase the cost of healthcare . This information is useful because when referring to health, which is an essential aspect to every American's life, there should not be an outrageous price for caring for one's self. In perspective it could significantly change one's view of the candidate because it directly affects them or someone they may know.

  The position taken by the author seems to be one who is on Obama's side because the article reflects upon the negative changes that will be made to society if Romney & Ryan are elected. As well as the blatancy of the fact that Romney made such a nonsensical statement referencing the 47% of Americans who don't pay income taxes.This article impacts the political campaign today for both parties because many Americans believe heathcare and health insurance should be affordable