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President Barack Obama leaned on the power of incumbency in his first campaign event after Hurricane Sandy, striking a unifying tone at a late-morning rally in Wisconsin while ridiculing GOP nominee Mitt Romney's effort to seize the mantle of "change."
"After four years as president, you know me by now," said Obama, who jogged down the stairs of Air Force One to the waiting crowd in Green Bay.
President Obama will be going to Ohio every day before the election – a state where he is currently polling ahead of Mitt Romney. GOP contender Romney will be stopping only twice in Ohio and then twice in New Hampshire where he appears to be in the lead. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.
"Let me tell you, Wisconsin: we know what change looks like," the bomber jacket-clad president said at another point in the speech. "And what the governor is offering sure ain’t change."
The president and Romney each turned to their closing arguments for voters, just five days before Election Day and in the wake of a hurricane-induced campaign pause.
Speaking Thursday morning in Virginia, where he hadn't appeared in 15 days, Romney appealed to themes that have dominated his campaign for months. The former Massachusetts governor argued that the nation's economy couldn't withstand another four years of a Democrat in the White House.
A day after he toured storm-stricken New Jersey, President Obama resumed his campaign with an event in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
And Romney revived his experience in the private sector as his chief qualification versus Obama, seizing on a throwaway line from the president during a weekend interview on MSNBC about naming a "secretary of business."
"He’s got to find something to suggest it’s going to better over the next four years. And so he came up with an idea last week which his he’s going to create the department of business," Romney told a crowd of 3,000 in Roanoke. "I don’t think adding a new chair in his cabinet will help add millions of jobs on Main Street."
He added: "We don’t need a secretary of business to understand business we need a president who understands business, and I do."
GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney hits the campaign trail in Roanoke, Virginia criticizing President Obama's economic and energy policies.
The campaign resumed its aggressive tenor on Thursday after a more subdued tone in the wake of this week's hurricane. Romney and Obama's aides did battle in the press over the question of which candidate has momentum on his side entering the home stretch.
A series of NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist polls released early Thursday suggested the president has an advantage in Iowa, but faces tighter contests with Romney in New Hampshire and Wisconsin (a reliably blue state which Republicans have sought to put in play this cycle).
In his bid to overtake the president, Romney revived his assertion that he was the candidate of "change" -- taking direct aim at the sentiment that propelled Obama's 2008 election.
Jewel Samad / AFP - Getty Images
President Barack Obama waves at supporters during a campaign rally at Austin Straubel International Airport in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on November 1, 2012.
"We need real change. For real change we’re going to have to take a different course," Romney said. "And I think that’s what Americans are going to do on Nov. 6."
That assertion earned Romney a rebuke from Obama, who accused his Republican opponent of masquerading familiar Republican proposals as new and fresh.
"In the closing weeks of this campaign, Gov. Romney has been using all his talents as a salesman to dress up these very same policies that failed our country so badly, the very same policies we've been cleaning up after for the past four years," Obama said.
David Goldman / AP
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney waves as he takes the stage for a campaign event at a window and door factory, Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, in Roanoke, Va.
The president launched into an almost wistful look back at his first term in arguing his case for a second. He acknowledged that not all Americans agreed with his positions, but, "You know what I believe, you know where I stand."
Obama's event also allowed the president, in many ways, the opportunity to remind voters that is the acting commander in chief, including his more upbeat opening in Wisconsin talking about the hurricane.
"We've also been inspired these past few days -- because when disaster strikes, we see America at its best. All the petty differences that consume us in normal times, all seem to melt away," he said. "There are no Democrats or Republicans during a storm -- they're just fellow Americans."
Reuters, Getty Images
In the final push in the 2012 presidential election, candidates Mitt Romney and Barack Obama make their last appeals to voters.
The storm continued to cast a pall over the campaign, though the sharp rhetoric returned to normal. But Ann Romney reached a moment of levity in Ohio when asking voters to donate to the Red Cross via text message, using a number that became associated with one of her husband's Republican primary foes.
"What does that remind you of? Herman Cain's 9-9-9!" she said to laughter. "You can remember that."
Leave a Comment:
@elliot-3020456
Come on..What Photo Op? The President was doing what he was supposed to be doing..SO SAYS CHRIS CHRISTIE...RomneyBot 4.0 spent 5 grand for food for the Red Cross that doesn't even want the stuff..all to try and make himself look human. It seems you just can't stand it when Romney has to take the back seat. The President came out shinning this week even though it was about bipartisanship. Romney and Ryan spent the week tripling and quadrupling down on their Jeep Outsourcing LIE. You know the LIE...The one where Jeep and GM had to come out multiple times to clear up the constant lying Romney told.....You want to know who's going to win this race? I know you do. You won't know by listening to Fox or reading the polls at Rasmussen. Here's the truth....
Between Mitts phony food handling skills and Ryans "fake" dishwashing talent, when they lose maybe they can open a pretend restaurant......
very funny :) I like
The scary part Mr. Romney is you know business all too well...the ugly underbelly of business where you cull profits for your investors, while sending jobs to China to pad your pockets and kill American jobs and left the workers for those companies devastated with no insurance and no job...but if they get sick they can go to the ER.....that will be just fine with you I know, but not for the rest of us.... ha, you are the bad side of business in America, not the good side.
El mayor El bloombergo has endorseo'd el Presidante Obama....mucho grassy as el mayoro......
Some republicans have gone beserk!! Huckabee has gone into biblical times to scare people about voting for Obama is against christain faith - what a jerk!!
yep, reverend huckleberry says that if you don't vote for Mitty than you go straight to hell....I would like to be a fly on the wall at God's final evaluation of reverend huckleberry......I would wear white Hucky....its better in the heat.........FYI...God is DEFINITELY a liberal !!!!!
I saw that, this election is a mockery.
I saw that, this election is a mockery, mockery, mockery, mockery...
@elliot....
And don't worry. Bloomberg may not have wanted the president in NYC with his security team tying up traffic you can bet your azzz...he ain't gonna turn down any of that Federal Help and Money the POTUS is sending his way....You know what I'm talking about...The same FEMA that Bush slacked on and the same FEMA that Romney said he would like to see privatized....The same FEMA he was ducking questions on this week...The same FEMA he took 48 hours to come out and said he would support if he's president. What a lying azz slacker.....He only said cause he wan't a vote...!!!
@ Undre Drawn
Wonder if poor little elliot know that Bloomburg is so against the POTUS that he ENDORSED HIM FOR FOUR MORE YEARS TODAY.
Probably not,I doubt Rush and Hannity have talked about it so in that fantasy world existing between poor little elliot's ears it didn't happen.
True, Obama himself was never troubled by his lack of achievements,
Lack of achievenments except
Preventing a depression by careful managmeent of the TARP program - restoring banks and businesses to record profits by 2010. (Senator Dodd put in a restriction on executive bonuses so they quickly paid back with interest and the USG got back almost all the money).
Passage of historic health care reform
Deporting record of illegal criminals while letting immigrant kids in school who grew up here stay.
Killing Bin Laden by risky invasion of Pakistan on uncertain information (Pakistan was furious and would like liked to stop us from killing their guy if they could).
Preventing a bloodbath in Benghazi on the request of the Arab League and the UN without loss of any soldiers.
Saving a million jobs in the auto industry when Romney told them to seek private financing (in the middle of financial panic when no private financing was available without government guarantees). GM and Chrysler returned to profitability and Chrylers continues to add jobs in the US in spite of Romney's lies.
Offering a reasonable compromise deal to address the debt - double the 15 percent capital gains income tax on the rich and cut spending 2.5 dollars for every dollar of extra tax on the rich.
Romney refused, but it remains the solution to sequestration and our debt crisis. Romney's budget expert on CNN last Friday admitted that Romney will add to the debt for 7 years, hoping the balance the budget in his 8th year.
Obama gave Israel 200 million dollars for Iron Dome which proved successful in shooting down short range missiles from Gaza and changed Hamas from a big nuisance to a little nuisance.
He resisted Netanyahu's desire to start a war for the US to fight with Iran, instead building a worldwide colaition to impose very hurtful sanctions on Iran (changing their incomes to fraction of what they had a few months ago). Romney changed his position last week to support Obama's policy on an attack on Iran (only as a last resort after all else fails) and on the pulluout from Afghanistan in 2014
Romney retains his desire to put missiles on Russia's border and restart the cold war.
Before the bailout of General Motors, it was well understood that the world's largest automaker was losing huge amounts of money in the US and was staying afloat thanks to stronger performance in overseas markets. Since the bailout, however, that dynamic has been turned on its head. Thanks to a leaner manufacturing footprint, debt eliminations and steadily recovering sales, GM's US operations have generated the lion's share of the company's profit since the bailout. And now, as the rest of the world economy slows, GM is spending more and more of its taxpayer-enhanced cash pile to shore up its faltering foreign divisions. In fact, according to an analysis of GM's SEC filings, the company is likely to incur over $6.5 billion in losses and expenditures overseas in the 2011-2014 period, not counting over $1.6b in foreign potential legal liabilities or several other incalculable expenses that could add up to billions more. Not only are these expenses a challenge to GM's overall financial health at a time when it also faces billion-dollar expenditures on pensions in the US, it shows the basic problem with national bailouts of global companies. Taxpayers who were told they were saving an American company are now seeing their tax dollars flowing overseas by the billions.
A full calculation of GM's overseas expenditures since the bailout would be a daunting task indeed. Simply by scouring GM's latest SEC filings, one finds no shortage of losses and one-time expenditures abroad. In fact, nearly every division of GM's global empire has required some kind of assistance over the last year or so. These expenditures come in many forms, from tax assessments to investments, from bailouts to severance deals, and due to the complex nature of GM's global finances they cannot be fully accounted with precision. But they all emphasize the reality that, after years of living off foreign operations, GM's bailed-out North American division is now bailing out the rest of the world.
Europe: Black Hole Opel, Unions, PSA
GM's European losses currently get the most attention from analysts, and are nothing new for The General, which has reportedly lost over $14b in Europe over the last decade. Those losses and expenditures continue to add up. In the two full years since GM decided to cancel a planned sale of its European division Opel, GM Europe's losses have added up to $2.74 billion, with another $617m lost in the first half of 2012 (EBIT). Additional goodwill adjustments of $590m in the first half of 2012 and $621m in 2011 further added to the losses. Additionally, GM has spent some $313m on voluntary severance for European workers, and expects to spend another $100m on the same program through the end of next year. Finally, GM has an undisclosed agreement with European labor unions to spend as much as $265m per year between 2011 and 2014. The company has pledged some $406m in inventory as collateral for that agreement. Not counting the spending agreement with European unions, this puts GM's losses and outlays on Opel and GME in the last two and a half years at more than $4.25 billion.
GM's losses in Europe aren't likely to end there. This year, GM spent $400 million on a 7% stake in Peugeot-Citroen PSA, an investment that GM admits has already lost value. GM says it plans to hold onto that stake for the long term, and has chosen not to write down that loss… yet. Just today, rumors surfaced that GM could spend even more money on its Peugeot tie-up, possibly providing capital for an Opel-PSA joint venture. Meanwhile, the worst-case scenario for Opel involves an estimated $13b outlay to shut down plants and prepare Opel for a sale, according to Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas. In this scenario, GM could spend as much as half of its cash pile extricating itself from its money-losing European operations.
GM losses and outlays in Europe, 2010-June 2012: $4.5b+
Asia: Korea Debt, Murky Hong Kong Dealings
GM's Asian operations are consolidated as GM International Operations (GMIO), a division that includes Korea, China, Australia, India and other Asian markets. Prior to the bailout, GM's Chinese operations were widely considered to be a major profit center for the company, while Korea has become increasingly important as a development center and India has potential for future growth. However, GMIO's profitability has been weak in comparison to the revitalized North American division, generating just $400m in consolidated adjusted EBIT in the first half of 2012. And since 2011, GM has had several expenses associated with its Asian operations.
In 2011, GM spent $100m for 7% of its GM Korea subsidiary, increasing its holding to 77%. This year, GM has recorded a $27m Goodwill impairment related to its Korean operations, and has paid $22m to Korean workers as part of its severance program there. GM Korea also carries significant amounts of short-term and long-term debt to Korean creditors that GM will have to pay down.
More puzzling is GM's strange Indian joint venture with its Chinese partner SAIC. In late 2009, GM rolled its Indian operations into a 50-50 joint venture with SAIC, known as the Hong Kong Joint Venture, or HKJV. By the first quarter of 2011, that venture had lost enough value for GM to record an impairment of $39m and "other charges totaling $67m." From there things get strange. According to GM's 10-Q:
"We were informed of SAIC-HK's intent to exercise its right to not participate in future capital injections in HKJV. If this occurs we plan to settle the promissory note in the three months ending September 30, 2012 and provide an additional equity investment of $125 million into HKJV. As a result SAIC-HK's interest in HKJV would be diluted from 50% to 9%. We also anticipate that the shareholders agreement would be amended such that we obtain control of and consolidate HKJV."
It would seem that GM is buying its partner out of the Indian arrangement at a cost of $125m, however, GM has had several convoluted transactions with SAIC in the past, most notably in the sale of its "Golden Share" in the Shanghai-GM joint venture, which was offset by a Chinese bank loan and was eventually rolled back. It's too early to say for sure whether GM will purchase the controlling stake in HKJV, and thereby regain full control of its India business. It is unlikely that SAIC will relinquish its grip on India, just because it suddenly can't service the capital requirements of the HKJV. Possibly, more information will become available when GM files its Q3 paperwork, or possibly later. With some 30% of GM's global sales in China, GM shareholders deserve more visibility into this byzantine part of GM's world.
GM Outlays on GMIO, 2011-2012: ~$380m
South America: Tax Assessments
GM's South American unit dipped into the red in the second quarter of this year, and its $64m net EBIT through the first half of 2012 is just $7m better than its Q1 2011 performance alone. But even if GMSA's performance improves this year, it has paid out around $100m this year between the purchase of GMAC's Venezuelan financing operation and a worker severance program in Brazil. $700m was also spent in 2011 to retire debt facilities at GMSA. Furthermore, GM has run into several tax assessments in South America, including a $292m assessment for the years 2002-2004 by the Mexican government and a $180m assessment for 2007 by the Brazilian government. GM says it has "adequate reserves" to meet these obligations, but notes:
"Certain South American income and indirect tax-related administrative proceedings may require that we deposit funds in escrow or make payments which may range up to $0.9 billion."
GM Outlays in South America, 2011-2012: ~$1.7b
Legal Liabilities
Due to the unpredictable nature of legal disputes, the amount of overseas legal liability carried by GM may not result in actual expenditures. That said, the following legal liabilities are noted in GM's SEC filings:
Settlement of class action suits regarding Canadian pricing policy: $21m
GM Canada "Lock up agreement" lawsuit: potential liability $918m
Korean labor law suit: $152m in accrual, $556m in further potential liability.
Potential overseas legal liability: ~$1.65b
Without including potential liability costs or the more inevitable costs associated with Opel's restructuring, GM has spent or lost in excess of $6.5b overseas in the last 30 months or so. With more losses and expenses coming, taxpayers can expect to see their investment in GM's North American operations continue to support a steady flow of cash to GM's overseas operations. Perhaps taxpayers should have been told that they weren't simply bailing out an American automaker, but a variety of overseas operations as well.
They "change" Mittens the Insipid is proposing would have meant that Chris Christie would have been touring the damage yesterday with Halliburton CEO David Lesar instead of the POTUS.
Note - it was big busineses that were restored to health and record profits by 2010 amassing a trillion dollars of excess cash.
The housing bubble took longer to deflate. Demand for housing has just now caught up wtih supply (two of my relatives sold houses in the last week for good prices).
Moody's said that the economy will creatte 12 million jobs in the next four years under either President.
You will never convince a Republican that a black man did more good things in 4 years than a white man did in 8.... even if the white man destroyed the country. This is what scares Republicans to death.....losing power to what they consider inferior humans. They would have the same unfounded hatred if Obama was a woman or a Latino...or anyone else who was not a pure white male.
Why is NBC not demanding answers from obama about the cover up of the terror attack on our embassy in Libya? There is not an ounce of credibility in this adminisration or NBC news.
Probably nothing was covered up the Libya attack you moron.! Quit watching Fox News!
Come November 7, After MY OWN in-depth research, MY calculations: Electoral College votes, Romney, 321, Obama, 217 - Seats: Senate: Republicans 53, Democrats 47. House: Republicans 253, Democrats 182. States: Governor: Republicans 34, Democrats 16.
Maybe with Tagg Romney's help!
you must have shaken the heck out of your magic 8 ball to get those numbers......."will andy get a date soon" shake shake shake.....the magic 8 ball says.....not likely........
I can't figure out why taggart the 42 year old man is not in jail.
Anyone else that said that would be. Different rules for the Silver spoon family
It's just a different magic 8 ball that all the other pollsters are using.
Could a voting machine company with deep financial ties to the Romney family help Republicans steal the presidential election in Ohio?
Technically no.....but we threw "technically" out the window in 2004........
But the rigged voting machines are putting Obama in whenever the voter tries to vote for Romney. How is that supposed to help Romney win the election?
Remove the machines
Conflict of Interest
If Obama had a son that owned that business the Republicans would be screaming like a stuck pig.
@ZMan2012
How would preventing the press help. It would probably stir up more controversy...you know.."Freedom of the press and all"....There was no press allowed on the helicopter but the press had every right to cover the story on the ground and relay it back to the American people.....just sayin'
@barnyfife
Why is no one demnding answers from George Bush about his failure to address the issues of 9/11...back in August when he was warned Osama Bin Lading and Al Qeda were planing an attack on America....????
You get back at us when we got George W. Bush on the witness stand..until then you have nothing.
Unfortunately we can't go back in time and bring Bush to trial. What we can do is make sure Republicans and their very wreckless policies don't destroy our nation for a 2nd time!
President Obama has show excellent leadership with the tragedy of Hurricane Sandy. No one can prevent a natural tragedy. Romney was busy buying canned goods at Walmart, passing them out to the crowd, and then using a photo op of people handing the cans back to him as if they were donating them. I'm voting for Obama.
He also used 5,000 dollars at that campaign for the photo op, spreading 5,000 dollars of campaign can goods around for the picture.
Dick Morris and Mike Reagan are having a insiders briefing on November 2 at 3pm.
I guess it will involve what other tactics they will use against Obama.
Seriously, they have already hired attorneys to contest any state that is tight, and as a back up plan they have a DC law firm looking at the RECALL process.........
No more attorneys than Obama. Stoopid comments, both.
No one wants to hear about this anymore. The election is dead. Two worthless candidates running against Us for money and all the superficial bloggers rooting for their "teams" with banners and pizza parties. The Ghouls versus the Vampires.
Sandy victims (yes, victims, Mitt) need help now. And its not Capitalistic help its help based on a Socialist system. Its good. it works, it HELPS. I am not political. I don't know all the ins and outs of political Words but I do know right now we need a Socialist type job to get these people out of harm! I am not afraid of a word. I want to see the action. HELP People.
You don't have to be a socialist to help disaster "victims" or any other victims. Socialism is not good --ask Greece and all the other social countries that are in deep financial trouble or headed into it.
Socialist systems don't generate enough spare capitol to help when disasters arise--capitalist systems do.
Capitalist systems provide the jobs that result in the massive taxes needed to run the socialist programs.
If you want government control of and to run all businesses--then call yourself what you are--a communist and we know how well that works too.
What we have is not working.
A couple of questions for all you anti-business liberals? Where do you think the money for all your government handouts come from? Where are you going to get your handouts when businesses move to other countries?
Romney/Ryan 2012.
Sounds like your in the 1% and not the 99%!
In the last debate I thought Nitmit was running for China, he was so excited and seemed to forget he was running for US president. He was saying those poor Chinese people when they leave their house they need a job to go to, they need food on their table.
How embarrassing for him, his dementia moment
There does not seem to be much reporting on this yet. I wonder why.
If you believe
the polls, then the only way Romney can win Ohio is voter fraud. This is a real worry. We know the Republican have been “nicely”
collecting registration forms for voters then throwing the Democrat’s
away. How often has this happened? Who can tell?
Please all Democratic voters (especially in Ohio), make sure you’re registered and vote for Obama as soon as possible. Remember, Welfare for the rich -
Romney’s tax cuts - Paid for by YOU.
Obama helped save the auto-Industry, Romney would have let it fail.
Which facts are you analyzing?
The facts support the election belongs to Romney.
Actually the voter fraud that is going on is coming from the libs. A vote for Romney and magically it votes for Obama. And bussing illegals in to vote. Your party (Liberal) knows no shame! Get a life twinkie.
Listen to Republican Colen Powell supporting President Obama. Listen to Republican Mayor Bloomberg supporting President Obama. Listen to yourselves, the Republican Leaders, Limbaugh and Fox News during the GOP race:"I HATE ROMNEY!! ANYONE BUT ROMNEY!!" Drop this party line voting with this phony Romney.
The writting is on the wall. This Flip-Flopper Romney is a phony, bought by a few multi-billionaires.The only reason your choice didn't get in was these muti-billianaires loaded up with Romney with your man running out of money.
President Obama--2012
Deb, I'm sorry that you will have to endure eight years of Romney and the GOP. But I'm looking forward to it. Obama is not good for America.
Romney/Ryan (Tuesday)
Sooo, Romney is "On The Attack" and Obama is "Campaigning." MSNBC you are embarrassing.
Romney/Ryan (Tuesday)
How forgetful the republican party faithful are...do you not recall how republicans felt about Romney? They called him a flip-flopping liar. They even made jokes about it. You know what is funnier, those same repugs want you to know vote for Romney!Don't take my word for it Google it. Google
What Top Republicans say about Mitt Romney
You do remember what was said by all the lib shills regarding pre election Obama, don't you? What a stoopid post. You must have Obamnesia.
You sound like Mitt on the last debate, using Obama's words.......
cognito ego none....you sound angry....is something not going your way honey ???? Did Sandy pee in your corn flakes ? If it makes you feel any better...Barack said that Christie is a "real good kisser"...
Now cowboy, actually Mitt Romney will win the election. You talk about Sandy as if it's a good thing. You are glad it happened so Obama can politicize it for his personal gain? Maybe get a couple extra votes? And you called me honey. That seems weird. Anybody else think that seems weird?
No way will Romney win,
Joke
I bet Christie hopes he don't win, because with our huge disaster on the east coast, Romney says its like cleaning up after a football game...
Pathetic
Maybe if Mitt would stop lying about everything he would have a chance to win the Presidency, Mitt has no core He refuses to respond about his comments about FEMA during the primaries and chances are he won't respond because if he did it would only be another LIE......
the only way mitt will quit lying is if he loses his voice box....and then he will MIME lie.......
You two bed fellows do realize you are supporting Obama, right? The king of lies Obama, just making sure. Yes?