Thank you for visiting our website

Featuring breaking political news and commentary on local, state, and national issues.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Charter: More points to consider

My op-ed in Frederick News Post on November 6 ballot question on proposed change to charter government in Frederick County, Maryland.

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/opinion/display_lte.htm?StoryID=141380

Saturday, September 29, 2012

One Man’s Town, Another’s Shangri-la

George Wenschhof

What a twelve weeks it has been and it went by ever so quickly. Many thanks go to my good friend Frank and his wife Deb for being such excellent hosts.

They helped me secure lodging, were generous with help toward expenses and were visitor guides as well, even though both have full lives. It was remarkable to watch a youthful looking Frank and Deb, seemingly effortlessly, always be there for their four daughters, participate in community activities and manage their professional lives.

Frank, as a physical therapist who started up his own business; Encore Physical Therapy within the last few years and Deb, as a often on-call registered nurse, never missed a daughter’s softball or soccer game and were always there for advise or a shoulder and ear, whatever was needed.

Corvallis, Oregon, Willamette Valley along with the youthful appearance of Frank and Deb remind me of two of my favorite movies. One is entitled Lost Horizon which was based on a book by James Hilton and the other; Brigadoon, based on the Musical of the same name.

Shangri-la is an imaginary mystical place depicted in the movie Lost Horizon as a harmonious valley, a permanently happy land, where people live long past a normal lifespan and only slowly age in appearance.  Brigadoon was the magical Irish town, where the actor Gene Kelly stumbled upon a town not on the map, where people also never age and fell in love with actress Cyd Charisse.  

It has been a full and rich experience for me; as Mary, a woman who befriended me said, “You are soaking up everything”, and she was right.

Of course, I could not help but notice the form of government in place and the delivery of public services to the community, but that discussion will come another day and in a more appropriate time and place.

I will briefly say Corvallis has been deliberately preserved in a small town manner, free of Malls and Box stores with bicyclists and pedestrians given right-of-way and respect as you travel throughout the community.

Parking is a major issue downtown which is exacerbated by the absence of parking decks and the lack of a reasonable plan to address non-metered spaces.

The fast food franchises are present, but more prevalent are independently owned stores of every description.

The weather was spectacular the entire time during my visit; warm days with cool nights amid generous sunshine and little rain. However, as Angelina, the delightful woman who cut my hair at the So Fly Hair Salon while I was in town told me, “the Oregon weather is bipolar”.  Meaning, in addition to the wide ranging daily temperature changes which require one to wear a light jacket when the sun goes down, the rainy season was about to set in and last for the next eight months.

The adventure never stopped from the day I got off the plane in Portland and attended a jazz festival on the river. Many craft fairs were taken in throughout the valley, all of which seemed to have music and food.

Surprisingly, it also seemed everywhere we went, from the craft fairs to even a small town on the coast, a person who was a patient of Frank’s would walk up to us to say hello and talk about how wonderful he was.

Speaking of food, the restaurants in downtown Corvallis are numerous in number and variety, equally offering up scrumptious cuisine. Several micro-breweries exist as well, which combined with good food, led to a weight gain that I plan to lose before my next doctor visit.

Not much of a natural foods person, my bachelor days leading me to a lazy microwave dinner routine, I also witnessed the allure of the downtown Saturday morning “Farmer’s Market”.

It actually was a community meeting place where people looked forward to seeing each other as they chose the vegetables they would be taking home with them.

As, the Willamette Valley is wine country, wine tasting opportunities were aplenty, but on late Saturday mornings, the place to stop by after visiting the Farmers Market, is Jerry Larson’s Wine Shoppe; Wineopolis. A friendly man, quick to share his knowledge of wines, he always provided a palate pleasing choice, full of flavor and most important to me, affordable.

Perhaps, the doubling of the size of Corvallis by the annual arrival of 25,000 students to attend Oregon State University for nine months adds to the youthful appearance of the residents.

But, in the early mornings and evenings, as I watched the dew rising like clouds above the fields with the mountains in the background, I could not help thinking of the movie Brigadoon and what a special place this is for many.

It was gratifying to see Frank and Deb have found their Shangri-la.  I plan a return visit.

Wheels up to Oakland, then Sonoma County, California as my journey continues.

---

To receive “Daily Email Updates” from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on “Subscribe to this feed” below.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama Opens Up Lead in New Hampshire, Edges Ahead in Nevada and North Carolina - in more bad news for the Romney campaign, they now are behind in North Carolina to President Obama 48% - 46% in the new NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll of likely voters.

It is also close in Nevada, where Obama leads Romney 49%-47%.  But, in New Hampshire, Obama has widened his lead over Romney 51%-44%.  You can read more here.

---

Obama 49%, Romney 42% - in latest nationwide poll conducted by Reuters/Ipsos.  It shows President Obama holding the bump he received following the Democratic Convention.  You can read more here.

---

President Clinton To Campaign in New Hampshire for Obama - as polls show President Obama widening his lead over Mitt Romney in the state, Clinton will attend a campaign event next Wednesday in New Hampshire, the day of the first presidential debate.  You can read more here.

---

Democrat Donnelly Leads Indiana Senate Race - and the bad news continues for Republicans hopeful of gaining a majority in the U.S. Senate.  Recent polling shows Rep. Joe Donnelly (D) led state Treasurer Richard Mourdock (R) by 2 points; 40 percent to 38 percent in the Howey/DePauw University Indiana Battleground Poll.

You can read more here.

---

France Reduces Deficit by Raising Taxes on Rich and Companies - President Francois Hollande’s first annual budget raised taxes on the rich and big companies and included a minimum of spending cuts to reduce the deficit.  You can read more here.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof



Obama Campaign Releases New Ad in Swing States - it is two minutes long and details his economic plan.  Creating a million new manufacturing jobs by giving tax breaks to companies that invest in the United States. Reducing oil imports in half. Hiring 100,000 new science and math teachers. And cutting the deficit in a “balanced” way by raising taxes on the wealthiest.

Obama concludes in the TV ad, “It’s time for a new economic patriotism, rooted in the belief that growing our economy begins with a strong, thriving middle class. Read my plan. Compare it to Gov. Romney’s and decide for yourself.”

---

Unemployment Applications Drop To Two Month Low - The Labor Department reported job seekers applications had declined by 26,000 last week.  You can read more here.

---

Gallup: Obama Aprroval and Vote Support hit 50% - President Obama leads Mitt Romney 50% - 44% among registered voters.  On job approval, Obama has hit 51%.  Gallup.com has more here.

---

More Americans Favor Obama Over Romney on Middle East - by a wide margin, in the Bloomberg poll, Americans favored President Obama 49% over Mitt Romney 38% to handle unforseen events in the Middle East.  You can read more here.

---

Pressure on Romney at First Presidential Debate - a ho-hum Republican Convention, followed by a release of a video where Mitt Romney denigrates 47% of Americans and delivers a gaffe on the tragedy in Libya, has Mitt Romney on the ropes with a little over five weeks to go until Election Day.  With polls showing President Obama widening leads in important swing states, the pressure is on Romney to deliver during next Wednesday's debate.  Politico.com has a good read here.

---

Majority of Voters Prefer Obama Over Romney To Handle Medicare - The Washington Post/Kaiser Family Foundation survey found Obama with a large lead over romney on this issue in the swing states of Virginia, Florida and Ohio.

Florida: Obama 53% Romney 41%
Virginia: Obama 53% Romney 42%
Ohio: Obama 56% Romney 40%

You can read more here.

---

Pennsylvania Voter ID Law Ruling Expected Today - Judge Robert Simpson has until October 2 to render a decision after the state Supreme Court ordered him to reconsider his decision to uphold the state Voter ID law.  You can read more here.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof



Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) Campaign Launces New Ad - with Representative Todd Akin (R), staying in the race, the hard hitting ad includes Akin's previous remarks "that legitimate rape rarely causes prenancy".

---

Obama Widens Lead in Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania - the latest Quinnipiac/CBS News/NY Times poll shows President Obama leading by a large margin in all of these states. Florida: Obama 53%, Romney 44% Ohio: Obama 53%, Romney 43% Pennsylvania: Obama 54% Romney 42%

Romney can not win the presidency is he loses Florida and if he loses Ohio as well, the loss will be huge.  You can read more here.

---

61% Americans Hold Unfavorable View of Romney - the ABC News/Washington Post poll shows only 35% view the Mitt Romney campaign in a positive manner.

President Obama's campaign is viewed in a positive manner by 54% and 43% unfavorable.  You can read more here.

---

Obama 49%, Romney 43% in Bloomberg Poll - the Bloomberg poll also reflects half of Americans have an unfavorable view of Mitt Romney.  You can read more here.

---

One Week To First Presidential Debate - On October 3, from 9:00 - 10:30 PM ET, Mitt Romney will face President Obama at the University of Denver, Colorado.  PBS Jim Lehrer will be the moderator.  This first of three debates will focus on domestic issues and will be aired on all major television networks.  You can read more here.

---

Marland Congressman Bartlett Receives No Ad Buys From National Republican Congressional Committee - a sign the end is near for the ten term Congressman.  Representatives Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) and Frank Guinta (R-N.H.) were two others the NRCC did not reserve airtime for and all three seats are now considered a loss.  You can read more here.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama Delivers Strong Speech To United Nations - In a wide ranging speech, President Obama said the recent death of U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens was not just an attack on the U.S., but an attack on the ideals of the United Nations. 

He promised the U.S. will not shrink from it's responsibilities globally and will be relentless in hunting Steven's killers.

In addition, Obama said the U.S. will do what we must to keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons, but said there was still time for diplomatic solutions.

You can read the full text of speech here.

---

Consumer Confidence Reaches Highest Level Since February - the Consumer Confidence index is now at 70.3, a rise from 61.3 in August and the highest point since February.  You can read more here.

---

Washington Post Poll Shows Obama Ahead in Florida, Ohio - two states, Mitt Romney can not lose and win the presidency.  In Ohio, it is Obama 52% and Romney 44%.  In Florida, it is Obama 51% and Romney 47%.  You can read more here.

---

Voters Prefer Obama Over Romney on Economy - the CNBC poll shows 43% of voters believe President is better for the economy.  Only 34% believed Mitt Romney would be better for the economy.  You can read more here.

---

Romney's Refusal To Provide Details of Tax Plan, a Red Flag Says Clinton - "His proposal for dealing with the debt is first to make it bigger by adopting another round of tax cuts that with the interest associated it would be about $5 trillion more over a decade, and we know how he says he wants to eliminate that, not by raising taxes, but by eliminating preferences in the tax code," Clinton said during an interview with CBS News. "But he says he can do that without raising taxes on the middle class. I'm not sure that's possible. But he wants to defer, until after the election, saying what the specifics are. I think that ought to be a little bit of a red flag." 

You can read more here.

---

Attack Ads Begin in Massachusetts Senate Race - with polls showing a dead heat between Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren and Republican Scott Brown, both campaigns have produced ads with a harsher tone.

Brown today launched an attack ad against Elizabeth Warren, his Democratic opponent, about her claims of Cherokee heritage.  

Warren released an ad today, also airing statewide, defending herself. “Let me be clear,” she says directly to the camera. “I never asked for, never got any benefit because of my heritage. The people who hired me have all said they didn’t even know about it. I’m Elizabeth Warren. I approve this message. Scott Brown can continue attacking my family, but I’m going to keep fighting for yours.”

You can read more and watch the ads here.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.  

Monday, September 24, 2012

Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof



New Obama Campaign Ad Highlights Romney's Tax Return, 47% Comments

---

Obama 50% - Romney 47% in Latest Poll - the George Washington University/ Politico poll of likely voters shows a continued tight race, but Obama with the lead. You can read more here.

---

Obama Extends Lead in Florida and Colorado - two pivotal swing states.  The pollings conducted by PPP shows Florida: Obama 50%, Romney 46% and Colorado: Obama 51%, Romney 45%.  You can read more here.

---

Voters Prefer Obama On Issues Related To Medicare - in a new Gallup/USA Today poll, 51% of voters nationwide prefer President Obama to handle issues related to Medicare.  Only 43% preferred Mitt Romney.  You can read more here. 

---

Romney's Support Among Seniors Crumbles - over the last few weeks since the announcement of Rep. Paul Ryan (Wis.) as Mitt Romney's running mate and the Democratic Convention.  The support among seniors aged 60 or over has dropped 20 points to where Romney now has a slim 4 point lead over President Obama.  You can read more here.

---

Romney Unclear on Tax Plan - Mitt Romney received criticism from Obama campaign manager David Axelrod and adviser Robert Gibbs yesterday on the morning talk shows for his lack of clarity for his tax plan for Americans.

“The bigger issue isn’t that he isn’t being straight about his own taxes,” Obama campaign senior adviser David Axelrod said on ABC’s “This Week With George Stephanopoulos.” “The bigger issue is that he isn’t being straight about what he’s going to do to everyone else’s taxes.”  You can read more here.

---

Obama-Romney Appear Separately on CBS "Sixty Minutes" - yesterday, President Obama said “I’m the first one to confess that the spirit that I brought to Washington, that I wanted to see instituted, where we weren’t constantly in a political slugfest but were focused more on problem-solving that, you know, I haven’t fully accomplished that. Haven’t even come close in some cases....”.  You can watch excerpts from both interviews here.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Cheat Sheet

George Wenschhof

With six weeks to go until the General Election, the discussion will be all about the status of the presidential election and whether Republicans can gain control of the Senate and Democrats can win a majority in the House.

Former President Bill Clinton is the must see when he appears on CBS "Face the Nation" and CNN "Fareed Zakaria GPS".  His speech at the Democratic convention in Charlotte, North Carolina may have single handedly defined the presidential race better than either of the candidates had to date.  As a result, President Obama has surged in front of Mitt Romney in the national points by as many as 7 points and is leading in all of the swing states except for North Carolina.

Romney did not help himself following the Democratic convention with ill advised statements in regard to the tregic deaths of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya and three other Americans.  Further damaging Romney's image was the release of the video where Mitt Romney made a critical statement concerning 47% of Americans being dependent on government and that they would be the ones voting for President Obama.

For Mitt Romney, time is running out to define himself and the three presidential debates in October loom large for him.  If, Romney is unable to score well during the three debates and minus some unforseen international or domestic incident taking place in the next six weeks which could influence voters, President Obama could win big.

NBC "Meet The Press" - Gov. Deval Patrick (D-Mass.) and Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.)

Roundtable with Bay Buchanan, Joe Scarborough, David Brooks, Dee Dee Meyers and Kasim Reed.

CBS "Face The Nation" - Bill Clinton

Roundtable with David Corn, Peggy Noonan, David Gergen, Rick Stengel and John Dickerson.

ABC "This Week" - Obama campaign manager David Axelrod and Romney campaign manager Reince Priebus

Roundtable with Nicolle Wallace, Meloday Barnes, Ann Coulter, Jorge Ramos and Robert Reich.

CNN "State of The Union" - Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.)

Fox News Sunday - Senior Obama campaign adviser Robert Gibbs and Wis. Governor Scott Walker (R).

CNN "Fareed Zakaria GPS" - Bill Clinton and Salman Rushdie.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Obama Weekly Address

George Wenschhof



President Obama blasts Republicans in Congress for failing to act on bills to create jobs and jumpstart the economy.  Instead, he said they went home and will not return to work until after the election in November.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Republican Weekly Address

George Wenschhof



Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) continued the Republican refrain that Democrats have failed to rein in spending.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama Extends National Lead to 7 Points - in two new polls released today.  The National journal poll showed Obama with 50% and Romney 43%.  The Reason-Rupe poll has it, Obama 52% and Romney 45%.  You can read more here. 



---

Obama Leads in Iowa, Wisconsin and Colorado - hitting 50% in all three swing states. In Colorado and Wisconsin, it is Obama 50% and Romney 45%.  In Iowa, Obama leads by 8 points; 50% to Romney 42%.  You can read more here.

---

Obama Campaign Outraises Romney Campaign in August - finance figures released show the Obama campaign raised $88.8 million in August and the Romney campaign raised $50.4 million.  You can read more here.

---

Warren-Brown Debate as Polls Show Close Race - Republican Senator Scott Brown faced Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren in the first fo four debates last night.  Brown repeatedly pointed out Warren's use of her ethnicity as a native American and he desire to raise taxes and Warren pointed to Brown's voting record reflecting he favored the wealthy and business.  You can read more here.

---

With Less Than 7 Weeks to Go, Romney Still Looking For a Spark - never pressed by an underwhelming group of Republican candidates in the primary, Mitt Romney has never emerged as a serious contender.  Now, with the electoral map working against him, Romney has to bank on a good showing in three October debates with President Obama.  You can read more here.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Democratic Enthusiasm Up in Swing States, Nationwide - in a Gallup poll released today of twelve swing states, 73% of Democratic voters were enthusiastic about the November election, compared to 53% in June.

Republican enthisiasm has grown from 55% to 64% in the same time frame.

Nationwide, 68% of Democrats are enthisiastic about the election compared to 49% in June.  For Republicans nationwide, the enthusiasm level grew from 52% to 62% over the same time period.

This is important, especially in swing states, as voter turnout will have a critical impact on the outcome of the election.  You can read more here.

---

First Couple To Appear on ABC "The View" - on Monday, September 24, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will appear together for an interview.  The program will air one day next week.  You can read more here.

---

Women Vote Key To Virginia - a pivotal state in the presidential election.  polling shows President Obama leading Mitt Romney among women 68% to 49%.  Among men, Romney is ahead Romney is ahead 50% to 44%.  Also, hurting Romney's chances in this state is women turn out to vote in higher numbers than men. You can read more here.

---

Justice Department Report Clears Holder - the 18 month investigation cleared attorney General Eric Holder of any wrong doing in regard to the failed "Fast and Furious" program. Republican leaders in Congress had been trying to make this a political issue and to have this impact the November election.

To which Holder responded with “It is unfortunate that some were so quick to make baseless accusations before they possessed the facts about these operations — accusations that turned out to be without foundation and that have caused a great deal of unnecessary harm and confusion, I hope today’s report acts as a reminder of the dangers of adopting as fact unsubstantiated conclusions before an investigation of the circumstances is completed.”

You can read more here.

---

Romney's "47% Remarks" Hurt His Image With Voters - a Reuters/Ipsos poll shows 59 percent said they felt Romney unfairly dismissed almost half of Americans as victims in his remarks made to donors in May at a private event at a luxury home in Florida.
"This isn't great for Romney," said Ipsos pollster Julia Clark, who called the video an image problem for the Republican.  You can read more here.
---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof



President Obama on "Late Show with David Letterman" - in response to a question about Mitt Romney's statement on 47% dependt on government, "if you want to be president, you have to work for everyone, not just some."

---

Obama 50% - Romney 45% in New Wall Street Journal/NBC News Poll - President Obama continues to gain ground following the Democratic convention.  You can read more here.

---

Obama Takes Lead in Wisconsin and Virginia, Colorado Tied - the Quinnipiac/CBS News/NY Times poll results show Virginia: Obama 50%, Romney 46%, Wisconsin: Obama 51%, Romney 45%, and Colorado: Obama 48%, Romney 47%. 

This polling shows the tough road ahead for Romney to reach 270 electoral votes as these are three of nine swing states who will determine the outcome in November.  You can read more here.

---

Chicago Teacher Strike Ends, Schools Open Today - Teachers ended a seven day strike after voting last night to suspend the strike pending a vote by teachers on a proposed contract over the next few weeks.  You can read more here.

---

Home Resales at Two Year High - home sales rose 7.8% in August said the National Association of Realtors.  Nationwide, the average price for a resale rose 9.5% from one year ago to $187,400.  You can read more here.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof



Romney Fundraiser Video - 47% of voters dependent on government and will vote for the President no matter what.

---

Romney Dismisses Israel-Palestine Two-State Solution - The search for a two-state solution has long been official U.S. policy for both Democratic and Republican administrations.

But, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney accused Palestinians of being “committed to the destruction and elimination” of Israel and dismissed the likelihood of a two-state solution during a recent fundraiser.  You can read more here.

---

Obama Leads Romney 48% - 43% - the latest Reuters/Ipsos Poll among likely voters was conducted september 12-17, which would include any impact to voters from the violence in the Middle East and the death of U.S. Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens.  You can read more here.

---

Obama In New York City to Attend Fundraisers - the President will arive this afternoon to attend a series of fundraisers and return to the White House at the end of the day.

Earlier, President Obama will appear on the "Late Show with David Letterman" to be shown tonight.  You can read more here.

---

Keep An Eye on Indiana Senate Race - Prior, to Senator Dick Lugar (R) being defeated in the primary by tea party backed state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, the seat was considered a safe Republican seat.  Now, Democratic candidate Rep. Joe Donnelly is making it a close race and a possible pick up for Democrats.  You can read more here.

---

Second Poll Shows Warren Ahead in Massachusetts Senate Race - the poll conducted for NBC affiliate WHDH shows Democratic candidate Elizabeth Warren with 48% and Republican Senator Scott Brown with 44%.  You can read more here.

---

Michelle Obama Fires Up College Students in Florida - speaking at Florida State University in Tallahassee, she reminded college students how important their vote is and the importance of the state of Florida in the election.  You can read more here.

---

To receive "Daoly Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama Makes Two Stops in Ohio Today - the President will be in Columbus and Cinncinnati.  Expect Obama to continue to tout the success of the auto bail out in saving jobs in Ohio.  The most recent Ohio poll shows Obama with a 7 point lead over Mitt Romney 50% - 43%.  You can read more here.



---

Obama Administration Files Trade Suit Against China - the suit at the World trade Organization says China has provided auto and auto parts companies with at least $1 billion in illegal export subsidies. You can read more here.

---

Tax Cuts For The Wealthy Does Not Spur Growth - the nonpartisan Congressional Research Center concluded “There is not conclusive evidence, however, to substantiate a clear relationship between the 65-year steady reduction in the top tax rates and economic growth,” and “Analysis of such data suggests the reduction in the top tax rates have had little association with saving, investment, or productivity growth.”  You can read more here.

---

With Seven Weeks to Go, Debates Loom Large - the three presidential debates and one vice president debate which will all take place in October, will be the last opportunity for the candidates to make a impression on voters prior to Election Day on November 6.  You can read more here.

---

Obama Leads Romney By 5 Points in Virginia - the PPP poll has it Obama 51% and Romney 46% in this pivotal swing state.  You can read more here.

---

Romney To Pledge To Fix Immigration System - today, in a speech to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.  You can read more here.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Cheat Sheet

George Wenschhof

United States foreign policy will dominate the discussion Sunday morning following the death of U.S. Ambassador to Libya and three others Americans.

With anti-American demonstrations taking place around the world, the handling of the Arab Spring by the Obama administration will be surely debated.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations susan rice will appear on four of the morning political tak shows.

In addition, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ratcheted up the rhetoric on the need to set a definite time table to a peaceful resolution to the end of Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program will appear on several of the morning shows.

With recent polling indicating President Obama pulling away from Mitt Romney in swing states as well as nationally following the Democratic Convention, look to see the Romney campaign surrogates try to use the tragic deaths of Americans in Libya as a way to attack the Obama administration as being weak on foreign policy.

The scheduled guests follow below.

NBC "Meet The Press" - Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Roundtable with Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Mn.), Rep. Peter King (R-NY), Bob Woodward, Andrea Mitchell and Jeffrey Goldberg

ABC "This Week" - U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice

Roundtable with George Will, Liz Cheney, Wesley Clark, Gwen Infill and Johnathan Karl

CBS "Face The Nation" - U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice, Libyan Interim-President el-Megarif and Sen. John McCain (R-Az.)

Roundtable with David Sanger, Bobby Ghosh, Margaret Brennan and John Dickerson

CNN "State of the Union" - U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calf.)

Fox News Sunday - U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI) 

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Obama Weekly Address

George Wenschhof



President Obama praised the work of the four Americans killed in Libya this week and vowed the U.S. would do everything in it's power to find and punish their killers.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Republican Weekly Address

George Wenschhof



Representative Allen West (Fla.) called for President Obama to work with Congress to avoid sequestration and resulting cuts to the military.  Allen called the looming defense cuts a "dark cloud which hangs over our military".

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama Pulls Ahead in Florida, Ohio and Virginia - the NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist polls show Obama extending his lead in all three pivotal swing states; Florida: Obama 49% Romney 44%, Ohio: Obama 50% Romney 43%, Virginia: Obama 49% Romney 44%.  You can read more here.


---

Four Arrested in Connection with Libyan Attack - Libyan authorities have arrested four thought to have been involved in the attacks on the American Embassy that killed four.  The F.B.I. is also in Libya conducting an investigation.  You can read more here.

---

Anti-Terrorist Support Team on Ground in Yemen - known as the FAST platoon, it has been deployed as a precationary measure.  Also, being reported is large cloud of black smoke rising from the U.S. Embassy in Tunis.  You can read more here.

---

Federal Reserve Announces New Mortgage Bond Buying Plan - Ben Bernanke discussed the details of the plans to stimulate the economy and reduce unemployment.  The Federal Reserve chair also promised to keep interest rates low for years to come.  You can read more here.

---

Democratic U.S. Senator Bill Nelson Surges in Florida - the latest poll shows Nelson leading Republican candidate Connie Mack IV by 15 points 51% - 37%.  You can read more here.

---



Warren Comes Out Strong in New Campaign Video - Democratic Massachusetts Senate candidate Eliazabeth Warren, locked in a close contest with Republican Scott Brown attacks him for his support of tax cuts for millionaires. 

---

Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown Widens Lead in Ohio, Virginia Senate Race Tied - the latest poll shows him with a 7 point lead over Republican candidate Josh Mandel 49% to 42%.  You can read more here.

In Virginia, the race between Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican George Allen is tied at 46% in the latest poll.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Protests Erupt at U.S. Embassy in Yemen - continuing the reaction to the airing of the movie "Innocence of Muslims".  Two U.S. Navy destroyers have been ordered to the Libyan coast.   You can read more here.

---

Romney Unraveling? - after a disappointing Republican Convention in Tampa, a back and forth on his position on the Affordable Health Care Act while appearing on NBC "Meet The Press", and now with his gaffe in regard to the tragedy in Libya, Republican strategists are wondering if Romney is up to the last eight weeks in the presidential campaign.  You can read more here.

President Obama was quick to respond to the insensitive comments from Romney on Libya by saying Romney "seems to have the tendency to shoot first and aim later".

---

Obama Widens Lead in Michigan - Oresident Obama now has a ten point lead over Mitt Romney in Michigan 47%-37%. The Detroit Free Press/WXYZ TV poll shows Obama now has a commanding lead in the state. Political Analysts are now removing Michigan as one of the swing states, leaving nine states in that pivotal category. You can read more here.

---

Obama Campaign Buys Big in Florida - realizing that if President Obama wins Florida, Mitt Romney has an almost impossible road to the presidency, the Obama campaign has made a massive ad buy in the state. A total of ten media markets were targeted.  You can read more here.

---

Resolution To Chicago Teacher Strike Nears - after a meeting Wednesday evening, both teacher union and public school officials were hopeful to a quick end to the strike which has lasted four days.  You can read more here.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama Condemns Libyan Attack - Promises Justice

President Obama says the U.S. is working to secure diplomats and bring those who killed U.S. ambassador John Christopher Stevens and three Americans to justice.

Meanwhile, Mitt Romney displyed his foreign policy ineptness as he choose to criticize President Obama after violence broke out at American embassies in Cairo and Benghazi resulting in the death of four American diplomats, Mitt Romney criticized the response by the Obama administration.

Desparate for traction in a campaign that is losing steam, Mitt Romney reiterated on Wednesday his claim that President Obama’s “first response” to an attack on a diplomatic compound in Libya that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens was to “sympathize” with Stevens’s attackers.

The Obama campaign criticized Romney for his response.

"We are shocked that, at a time when the United States of America is confronting the tragic death of one of our diplomatic officers in Libya, Governor Romney would choose to launch a political attack," said Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also issued a statement saying, "Some have sought to justify this vicious behavior as a response to inflammatory material posted on the Internet. The United States deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others. But let me be clear: There is never any justification for violent acts of this kind."

You can read more here.

---

Netanyahu  Rachets Up Rhetoric on Iran - Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, trying to take advantage of a perceived close race for president of the U.S., lashed out at the Obama administration for not establishing a deadline for Iran to cease pusuit of their alleged nuclear weapons program.  You can read more here.

---

Hassen to Face Lamontgne in N.H. Governor race - Democrat Maggie hassan will face Republican Ovide Lamontagne after winning primaries yesterday.  You can read more here.

---

Obama Heads to Nevada Today- as polls show a close contest with Mitt Romney expected to benefit from the 7% Mormon voters in the state and President Obama expected to win a majority of the 16% Hispanic voters in the state.  You can read more here.

---

Clinton Campaigns For Obama in Florida - in another pivotal state in the presidential campaign, former President Bill Clinton is reaching out to students and older voters. You can read more here.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

 President Obama Speaks at Pentgon on 9/11 Anniversary - “Instead of changing who we are, the attacks have brought out the best in the American people,” he said. “Instead of turning on each other, we’ve resisted the temptation to give in to mistrust and suspicion.” You can read more here.

---

Obama 50% - Romney 44% - in a Washington Post/ABC News Poll released today.  On trust to lead the economy, President Obama now leads Romney 47% - 45%.  You can read more here.

---

Continuing Resolution Vote Set for Thursday - the latest stop gap budget agreement to keep funding government agencies for six months.  The federal fiscal year begins October 1.  You can read more here.

---

What is Romney's Position on Health Care? - seems the Republican presidential; candidate doesn't know himself.  He has gone from supporting coverage for pre-existing conditions and parent's coverage of children to the age of 26 to saying he would not leave parts of the Affordable Care Act in place.  You can read more here.

---

Democrats look To Maintain Contol of Senate - many of the races remain fluid which Democratic candidate Joe Donnelly gaining in Indiana and Republican Linda McMahon surging in Conneticut. Comments made by Republican Todd Akin on "legitimate rape" have hurt his chances in Missouri.  So, the net gain of 4 needed by Republicans to gain a majority in the Senate continues to be too close to call.  You can read more here.

---

New Hampshire Primary Today - voters will be deciding their candidates for Governor and Congress. The leading candidates on the Democratic side for Governor are Maggie Hassan, an Exeter-based lawyer, and Jackie Cilley, a professor who lives in Barrington. The two Republicans with the best shot of securing the nomination are Ovide Lamontagne, a businessman in Manchester, and Kevin Smith, a consultant from Litchfield.  You can read more here.

---

SEC Drags Feet In Implementing Dodd-Frank Measures - holding investment advisers and brokers to the same standard of fiducoary responsibility to their clients would seem like a simple measure to implement.  However, the Security Exchange Commission, under the leadership of Mary Schapiro has not written the rules and implemented the provision for two years and it is not expected to be enacted prior to the November election.  You can read more here.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama Widens Lead - the three day average from Gallup shows Obama with a 5 point nationwide lead over Romney 49% - 44%.  This is polling from three full days following the Democratic Convention.  You can read more here.

---

61% View Presidential Race as a Choice Election - in more good news for the Obama campaign, only 34% likely voters considered the election to be a judgement on Obama's performance in the White House.  You can read more here.

---

First Presidential Debate October 3 - barring a major domestic or international event, the three presidential debates and the one vice presidential debates scheduled in October offer the candidates the last opportunity to have such a large impact on likely voters prior to the November 6 election.

Mitt Romney is prcaticing against Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio), who is playing Obama and the President is practicing against Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), who is playing Romney.

The first debate will be held in Denver, Colorado.  You can read more here.

---

Obama Campaign Raises $114 Million in August - compared to the $111.6 Million raised by the Romney campaign in August.  You can read more here.

Campaign finance reform, anyone?

---

Politico's Nine States Critical to Presidential Election - they have a good read here. My recent column on "Why Romney Won't Win" included Michigan for a total of ten pivotal states.

---

Obama To Visit Nevada and Colorado - two pivotal swing states President Obama will visit beginning September 12.  Obama will be in Vegas on Wednesday and in the Denver area on Thursday.  Next week, the president will return to Colorado, his eight visit to the state this year.  You can read more here.

---

September 25 Deadline for Akin Nears - that is the final deadline for Republican Representative Todd Akin to petition to remove himself from the ballot in the Missouri U.S. Senate race.  Incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill has benefited from Akin's rape remarks in what was expected to be a seat Republicans could pick up in their drive to win a plus 4 seats to regain a majority in the Senate.  You can read more here.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.