Category Archives: News

Fallon replaces Leno in 2014? Talk about bad political timing!

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Jay Leno is No. 1 in ratings for late night comedy among the networks for his time slot and in the key 18-49 demographic.

NBC apparently perceives a threat to its late night ratings from Jimmy Kimmel, the younger 45 year old comedian who does late night comedy on ABC in the 11:35 p.m. slot. Leno is 62.

So in the Spring of 2014, Jimmy Fallon, 38, moves from his 12:35 a.m. perch on “Late Night” to take over “The Tonight Show” from Leno.

Presumably, NBC feels that it will hold the No. 1 ratings for late night comedy with Fallon.

Maybe yes; but, maybe no!

2014 is the year for mid-term elections.

There will be a firefight in this nation by Democrats and Republicans in the elections for members of Congress to control the Senate and the House.

Voter turnout could be unusually high because of the hundreds of millions in campaign advertising dollars flooding the airwaves, and what can expected to be increased competition for Senate and House seats by women, blacks, Hispanics and other minorities, groups neglected by the GOP in 2012.

Indeed, should Democrats take control of the Senate and House in 2014, it is almost a certainty that Hilary Clinton will run as the Democratic candidate for President in 2016. A Clinton candidacy will spike political activism and turnout especially among women.

Jay Leno has been one of the leading late night comics for every Presidential and mid-term election since he took over “The Tonight Show” from Johnny Carson in 1992. And to the extent that comedians have influenced voters and the outcome of elections, Leno has been at the top.

But, on the brink of the 2014 mid-term elections, one of the most important elections in history, NBC decides to replace time tested and proven Leno with the new face of Fallon?

Talk about bad political timing!

Suppose the FOX Network decides to pick up Leno for an 11:35 p.m. comedy show?

If Leno holds on to much of his viewership, he could tank both Fallon and Kimmel in the ratings.

More interestingly, he also could draw a new base of politically active viewers to FOX, viewers in that key 18-49 demographic who are likely to vote and affect political outcomes in 2014 and 2016.

Talk about ironies, the joke could end up being on NBC!

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How the GOP and conservative media blew it on the fiscal cliff crisis

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We need to get this to the Fiscal Cliff! What ...

We need to get this to the Fiscal Cliff! What could go wrong? (Photo credit: DonkeyHotey)

The deal as it is on the fiscal cliff, approved by the Senate on January 1, 2013 and likely to be approved by the House, was inevitable.

A strategist with a keen sense of how to play into the momentum generated by mainstream media on major policy issues could see the deal coming and plan accordingly.

President Barack Obama deftly played into the momentum.

Republican politicians, commentators and other antagonists did not.

And, until the GOP and conservative commentators master the communications game of playing into mainstream media momentum instead of being critics of the intentions of Democrats and mainstream media, they will not be able to significantly influence major policy outcomes.

Typical of the angst of the GOP about the position of President Obama on the fiscal cliff crisis is the post by Joel B. Pollak, in breitbart.com entitled: “Media Must Share Blame for Fiscal Cliff Crisis,” in which he argued the following conservative position:

As Americans ponder how our politicians could have allowed “fiscal cliff” negotiations to drag on into the final day, it is clear that the mainstream media shares a significant part of the blame. There is no way that the impasse could have lasted this long if President Barack Obama felt a sense of responsibility to lead his government and his party–but instead he is able to enjoy the role of critic and spectator, thanks to media indulgence.

The media’s utter failure to hold President Obama to account was exemplified today on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition in a report by Steve Inskeep and Scott Horsley. After the hosts mocked Congress for having “left another crisis to the last minute,” they discussed, without criticism, how Obama “doesn’t sound that worried” about going over the cliff. Likewise, the New York Daily News wrote: “Congress created the fiscal cliff.”

READ MORE: LINK:  http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2012/12/31/Media-Must-Share-Blame-for-Fiscal-Cliff-Crisis

It was not, as Pollak argued, media indulgence.

It was classic media agenda setting.

There is a fundamental reality regarding the influence of mass media in setting the agenda and influencing the direction of major policy issues. It was expressed by Professor Maxwell McCombs, 40 years ago in a scholarly article published in 1972, essentially as follows:

In choosing and displaying news, editors, newsroom staff, and broadcasters play an important part in shaping political reality. Readers learn not only about a given issue, but also how much importance to attach to that issue from the amount of information in a news story and its position. * * * [T]he mass media may well determine the important issues—that is, the media may set the “agenda.”

IN OUR DAY, more than ever before, [politicians] go before the peo­ple through the mass media rather than in person. The informa­tion in the mass media becomes the only contact many have with politics. The pledges, promises, and rhetoric encapsulated in news stories, columns, and editorials constitute much of the information upon which a voting decision has to be made. Most of what people know comes to them “second” or “third” hand from the mass media or from other people.

READ MORE: “The Agenda Setting Function of Mass Media,” LINK: http://www.soc.unitn.it/sus/membri_del_dipartimento/pagine_personali/delgrosso/personali/articoli%5Cagendasettingtotal.htm

In the debate regarding the fiscal cliff crisis, mainstream media did not indulge any party, any politicians or any biases. It simply read the election results, and framed its content accordingly.

A majority of American voters reelected President Obama. In doing so, they accepted the President’s vision that in order to address the fiscal crisis, revenues had to be raised by increasing taxes on the wealthy.

Of course, the GOP opposed that vision, and opposed the President’s position on policy.

But, none of that was even remotely relevant to how mainstream media framed the issues and the talking points of the debate in its coverage, analysis and coverage of the fiscal cliff crisis. That content started the momentum, set the agenda and for all practical purposes influenced and even dictated the outcome.

Instead of attacking the President and the content of mainstream media coverage, conservative media should have directed its efforts to dissecting the issues and framing well written and persuasive content to cut into or slow down the momentum, and to give GOP politicians salient talking points that may have influenced policy outcomes instead of just making noise.

By spending time producing rhetoric instead of  salient content, conservative media did no more than to allow conservatives to be swept under the waves of mainstream media momentum, and to be shut down in the policy debate and the resulting fiscal cliff deal.

So for good of for naught, the deal on the fiscal cliff crises for all practical purposes is done.

On the fiscal cliff crisis, history will reflect that the GOP blew it, and that conservative media blew it.

Maybe the GOP will get its act together in enough time to make a difference in the policy debate on the next major policy issue and emerging fiscal crisis concerning the debt ceiling.

 

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Election 2012 lessons for effective political media and campaign ads

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Joe Biden und Barack Obama in Springfield, Ill...

Joe Biden and Barack Obama in Springfield, Illinois, right after Biden was formerly introduced by Obama as his running mate (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

There were significant lessons learned from Election 2012 for effective political media and campaign ads.

JIM MESSINA WON BIG FOR OBAMA

In the words of a winner, Jim Messina, manager of the Obama Biden campaign:

A decade ago, the average voter got most of their information from the  evening news, Messina said. Now, the average voter gets their news from 15  different sources, he said.

Like the individually targeted fundraising appeals, the Dashboard system also  allowed them to generate tailored voter appeals.

The campaign shifted some of its resources to online advertising, an arena  that provided more targets and a wealth of specific users.

“Television is still the dominant media, but I think online will catch up  very quickly,” Messina said. “I think it already is for young voters out there.  The next presidential, whoever has my job the next time, is going to have to  decide what percentage you spend online.”

The shift to online was even more dramatic between 2008 and 2012, Messina  said. On Election Day in 2008, the Obama campaign sent out one tweet on the  social networking site Twitter.

In 2012, the campaign not only had a Twitter team but also had a Facebook and  Tumblr, as well as additional online social media presence.

Read More: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/84103_Page2.html#ixzz2CsND38b0

SOCIAL MEDIA EXPLOSION

As noted by David Zurawik, baltimoresun.com, the explosive growth and use of social media in Election 2012 was indeed staggering:

Tuesday night’s election generated a record-setting political conversation of 28.5 million social media comments, according to Bluefin Labs.

The previous high was 12.2 million social media comments made in connection with the second presidential debate, according to the Boston-based firm that specializes in social-media metrics.

The first debate drew 11.2 million comments

Read More: http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-social-media-comments-election-night-bluefin-20121107,0,2827252.story

GOING FORWARD

The landscape for effective political media and campaign ads is ever changing.

It poses major challenges for candidates, political campaigns and their strategists in future elections.

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Obama can do better at State Department than Susan Rice

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Susan Rice, US Ambassador to the UN.

Susan Rice, US Ambassador to the UN. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

 

 

 

 

That’s the conclusion of opinion writer Dana Milbank, washingtonpost.com, after pointing to specific instances of policy clashes and other flaps Ambassador Rice has had in her career. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-susan-rices-tarnished-resume/2012/11/16/55ec3382-3012-11e2-a30e-5ca76eeec857_story.html?hpid=z6

Those flaps probably would diminish the notion that some of the opposition to her is sexist and racist.

But, Robert Kagan, washingtonpost.com, makes the salient argument in her favor (quote):

It seems a big reach to suggest that Susan Rice, of all people, should be barred from another job in the Obama administration because of what happened in Benghazi.

With so many potential crises staring us in the face in 2013, the country doesn’t need a nasty fight over who said what when or a brutal confirmation battle that may result in a new secretary of state wounded from the start by a partisan Senate vote. It’s hard to see what national interest would be served by such a spectacle at a time when many around the world wonder whether the United States can get its act together.

READ MORE: “Scapegoating Susan Rice does U. S. no good,” LINK: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/robert-kagan-scapegoating-susan-rice-does-america-no-good/2012/11/16/dfc00224-300c-11e2-a30e-5ca76eeec857_story.html?tid=pm_opinions_pop

Kagan nails it.

With the impending fiscal cliff and other big problems challenging the nation, and in view of her qualifications for the appointment, Republicans need to fold the tent on opposing Ambassador Rice’s nomination for Secretary of State and move on.

Related Web Articles

Will conservative media seek to empower the individual American, whatever the color, gender or ethnicity?

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One of the unexpected outcomes of President Barack Obama’s election victory, which was reasonably predictable, is that conservative media is in turmoil.

That level of divergence could imperil the effectiveness of conservative opinion during the next series of critical news cycles when media will influence public opinion and the shape of policies addressing the fiscal cliff.

CONSERVATIVE MEDIA DIVIDED

POLTICO.COM  in a post by Dylan Byers surveys the divergent views of conservatives on how right leaning media cost the GOP the Presidential Election. READ MORE: “Media fight on the right over GOP,” LINK: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/83679.html

HUCKABEE’S MESSAGE

Whatever conservative media did or failed to do, Mike Huckabee has delivered the salient message conservatives need to dwell on going forward:

“Our problem isn’t the product, it’s the box we put it in. Our message should not be ‘tailored’ to a specific demographic group, but presented to empower the individual American, whatever the color, gender or ethnicity.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/83679_Page4.html#ixzz2BvucjiWM

LEANING FORWARD

Does conservative media have the will to lean forward?

Will conservative media adopt Mike Huckabee’s admonition, and seek  to empower the individual American, whatever the color, gender or ethnicity?

RELATED ARTICLES AROUND THE WEB

Media & Politics Weekend 09-29-12

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MJB’S Online Weekend Politics Roundtable

10 Points & Questions for Comments

1. DAVID LETTERMAN: insists he’s independent, wants Romney on show 

MJB: Is a talk host ever perceived to be independent?

2. PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES: strategists push Romney to deliver ‘knockout’

MJB: Is that daydreaming?

3. DAVID FRUM: can sanctions peacefully stop Iran from getting the bomb?

MJB: In our opinion: NO! What’s yours?

4. RACHEL MADDOW: Romney campaign puts the ‘mess’ in messaging

MJB: How can Romney pivot out of the mess?

5. SUPREME COURT TERM:  focus shifts to civil, gay rights

MJB: Will Chief Justice Roberts save gay rights, affirmative action and voting rights?

6. GWEN IFILL:  five myths about presidential debates

MJB: Could Mitt Romney pull an upset-if so, how?

7. TOM FRIEDMAN: ” Voters will have to go with their gut about which guy [Obama or Romney] has the best gut feel for navigating this world.”

MJB: What does your gut say?

8. WESLEY PRUDEN: the great media slide continues

MJB: For political coverage, do you put more trust in the political content of blogs, social media and YouTube videos than you do in the political coverage by mainstream media?

9. LIFE: decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it!

MJB: Does Mitt Romney really want the Presidency, or is he afraid of it?

10. FAITH: most of us will get to that dreaded point in life when things become meaningless

MJB: Is the Presidential election meaningless to you?

Get into the conversations, and comment!!!

Related articles around the web

ELECTION 2012: Is Romney Getting Buried in “A Devastating Opinion Storm” Generated by YouTube Views of New Media?

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Hugh Hewitt, a lawyer, blogger, political pundit and commentator is not convinced by polls showing that President Barack Obama is leading Governor Mitt Romney. In his popular Blog, Hewitt slammed the polls, and then exclaimed:

So with 40 days to go until the decision is in, that’s the playing field: A tied race, with enthusiasm on the GOP side but grim self-interest propping up a disconnected president while the world burns, the domestic economy crumbles, and elite media and select pollsters cheer the emperor they love and on whom they depend for treats.

Interesting. Frightening, but interesting.

LINK: http://www.hughhewitt.com/blog/g/bbda2e0c-ca90-43f2-8473-5458a8af7d69

But, in his best-selling book: BLOG-Understanding the Information Reformation That’s Changing Your Word, AMAZON.COM LINK: http://www.amazon.com/Blog-Understanding-Information-Reformation-Changing/dp/078521187X , in which he writes extensively about new media and the impact of blogging on the coverage of politics by mainstream media, Hewitt expresses a salient and powerful notion: “the impact of a devastating opinion storm generated by a blog swarm,” and how the generation of that opinion storm in new media can push or even trump mainstream political media coverage.

Can the aggregation of YouTube views have the same force as a blog swarm? In other words, are there certain trends in those views which can generate “a devastating opinion storm?”

The recently compilation of the YouTube viewing data of the  videonclips from the Presidential campaigns certainly suggest the possibility.

Charlie Warzel, adweek.com, writes as follows:

The 2012 conventions have been arguably the most important political moment thus far in the campaign and according to a study from the Pew center for excellence in journalism, Democrats enjoyed a hearty advantage in terms of exposure on platforms like YouTube. The results, which tracked total numbers of YouTube views from date of publish until September 24th, illustrate that Clint Eastwood’s empty chair performance well-overshadowed Mitt Romney’s big moment last August, pulling in 3.2 million views to Romney’s 1.05 million.

xx xx xx

[W]hat the numbers do help illustrate, however, is that the Romney camp has had serious difficulties capitalizing on a crucial moment of visibility for the candidate. YouTube may be one element of the vote, but as the views were compiled over a month, it is indicative of the limited exposure that Romney is generating online. In a time where the Republican nominee needs to familiarize as many voters with his ‘brand’ as he can, he seems to be falling short, digitally at least.

SOURCE: LINK: Read More: Click: http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/clint-rocks-mitt-democrats-dominate-youtube-convention-wars-144068

 

The Pew Research Center provided the following data:

The higher interest in Obama and the Democrats in social media is also reflected in the viewership of videos since the two conventions. For instance, through September 21, 2012, Obama’s acceptance speech on various YouTube channels has been viewed nearly five times as often as Romney’s (4.9 million to 1.1 million). And contrary to what some observers might speculate, Obama’s speech has also been viewed more than former President Bill Clinton’s address to the nation, though that speech, in various forms, has been viewed on YouTube nearly four times as often as Romney (3.9 million times to Romney’s 1.1 million). The same pattern can be seen in the numbers as they relate to the wives of the candidates. Michelle Obama’s speech has been viewed 3.2 million times, about five times as often as the one delivered by Ann Romney (563,000).

Pew Research Chart

SOURCE: LINK: Read More: Click: http://www.journalism.org/commentary_backgrounder/how_social_and_traditional_media_differ_their_treatment_conventions_and_beyo

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

COULD THIS NEW MEDIA DATA GENERATE “A DEVASTATING OPINION STORM” THAT WILL BURY ROMNEY? 

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ROMNEY: Was Mitt Romney’s “Meet The Press” interview a sign of defeat?

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Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts,...

Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, US presidential candidate. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One would think that Mitt Romney would take advantage of his “Meet The Press” interview on 09-09-12 to articulate a clear agenda loaded with specifics. That did not happen.

Instead, it appeared that Governor Romney was changing course midstream.

Look for yourself: NBC NEWS-MEET THE PRESS

MTP is the Sunday TV talk show which is a leader in public affairs media. When Presidential candidates appear on the show, people watch and listen. An MTP interview influences the opinions of millions of viewers. It can affect the outcome for the voting in the November 6, 2012 Presidential General Election.

Remarkably, Romney stated that Clinton’s speech at the Democratic National Convention ”elevated” the Convention. Is the implication that Clinton’s speech diminished the speechmaking at Republican National Convention?

Likewise, Romney expressed his dissatisfaction with sequestration, the policy initiative which triggers automatic reductions in defense spending beginning January 1st. When host David Gregory reminded Romney that sequestration had broad bi-partisan support, he was adamant when he reiterated his position that the policy was wrong, and that GOP members of Congress should not have supported it.

Romney even when so far as to say that there were parts of health care reform which he liked.

We are only 58 days away from Election 2012.

With these kinds of pronouncements, can Mitt Romney articulate a game changing agenda to assure a GOP victory?

Or, has he virtually conceded that Clinton’s Convention Speech was the agenda setting message for Election 2012, a concession which assures his likely defeat?

ROMNEY: Would an African American female running mate push Mitt Romney’s candidacy over the top?

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Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney ...

Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann Romney (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

COMMENTARY

Could Mitt Romney win the “race to the top” if he names an African American female to his ticket as vice president?

Jessika Morgan, in “Black Female GOP Possibilities May Exist for Romney Running Mate,” wrote the following:

Women are being considered as possible candidates to run with Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on the November ballot, the GOP candidate’s wife said July 5.

“We’ve been looking at that,” Ann Romney told CBS News in an interview. “There’s a lot of people Mitt is considering right now.”

She declined to say more about the list of possible vice president candidates to be paired with the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee, other than to note that, as the former Massachusetts governor’s wife, she has offered advice in the selection process and would “love that option” of a female running mate.

Among the Black Republican women who could be added to a list of women running mate possibilities are former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll.

Rice, the subject of speculation in June, rejected the idea. And while Carroll, a Navy veteran and the first woman elected to statewide office in Florida has been silent, political journalists see Carroll as a possible aid to a Romney candidacy.

SOURCE: AFRO AMERICAN NEWSPAPER LINK: http://www.afro.com/sections/news/afro_briefs/story.htm?storyid=75525

Related articles

Could an African American running mate aid Romney’s candidacy?

What do you think?

Your comments are welcomed.

MORGAN FREEMAN: Obama is not the first black president?; well, you were not the first black actor to play president yourself!

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COMMENTARY

Maybe Morgan Freeman was pandering for media attention and Internet clicks with his comment that President Barack Obama is not really America’s first African American or black President. According to Freeman, President Obama is America’s first mixed-race President. SOURCE: YAHOO’S MOVIES LINK: http://movies.yahoo.com/news/morgan-freeman-obama-not-americas-first-black-president-152604131.html

Freeman, of course, who is presumably African American himself, portrayed a president in “Deep Impact” the 1998 film release of Paramount and Dream Works. SOURCE: IMDb LINK: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120647/

The film was very profitable. It grossed $180 Million on a production budget of $75 Million. So everybody including Freeman made some pocket change from his fictitious portrayal of the President.

And, presumably, this is what Freeman and his handlers were seeking by having him take a swipe at President Obama. Afterall, every click counts!

Thankfully, Freeman was not the first African American actor to portray the President. That credit goes to Sammy Davis, Jr. in the 1933 release of  “Rufus Jones for President.” SOURCE: WIKI LINK: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_president_in_popular_culture_(United_States) A number of other actors also preceded Freeman in the role.

So Mr. Freeman, while your sop about President Obama borders on nonsense, at least it made us do some work and dig up some pop culture and history.

75 years after

Cover of "Deep Impact (Special Collector'...

Cover via Amazon

a black president emanated from the mind of a creative film writer, fiction became reality. America did indeed elect its first black president.

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SUPREME COURT: more than 9 justices needed, and other reforms to get more justice

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COMMENTARY

We find that we are in agreement with Jonathan Turley, a scholar and constitutional law professor at George Washington University, that America urgently needs more than 9 justices on the Supreme Court so that it functions more as a judicial body than another political branch of the federal government.

Professor Turley’s opinion article may be read at this LINK: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-fate-of-health-care-shouldnt-come-down-to-9-justices-try-19/2012/06/22/gJQAv0gpvV_story.html?hpid=z2s

Using Professor Turley’s scholarship as a guide, our recommendations are the following.

1. Increase the number of Justices from 9 to 13.

As noted by Professor Turley, the current number of Justices was commensurate with the number of federal judicial circuits which existed in 1869. That was 9 circuits.

There are now 12 regional circuits and an additional Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

So following  the 1869 precedent, the number of Justices should be increased from 9 to 13.

2. The manner for selecting Justices needs major reform.

In order to accommodate the requirement of having a judicial body that serves as the supreme court of the land, but also to meet the ever changing landscape of the political order of the nation, we recommend a structural change in the manner for selecting Justices.

Currently, the President appoints Justices with the advice and consent of the U. S. Senate. Justices serve for life.

That process should be changed so that at the beginning of his or her term of office, the President assigns one Court of Appeals judge from each of the federal appellate circuits to serve on the Supreme Court for the 4 year presidential term of office.

In order to neutralize the possible politicization of the Supreme Court, there should be a requirement that 7 of the assigned justices shall be members of the President’s political party, and the remaining 6 justices shall be members of the other party or independents.

In addition, under the reformed selection process, the President would choose one of the assigned judges as the Chief Justice.

This reformed selection process is the reverse of what happened in years past when Supreme Court justices rode the circuits, and served alternately as both Supreme Court Justices and appellate circuit court judges.

3. Increasing the number of Justices from 9 to 13, and reforming the selection process of the Justices as we have recommended, would improve considerably the administration of justice by the nation’s highest court, and the perception of justice by the public.

What are your views?

 

SEALS: God bless America, and the U. S. Navy Seals

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GOD BLESS THE SEALS, AND ALL OF AMERICA’S MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM WHO ARE IN HARMS WAY!!

Article (Quote)

Navy SEALs rescue kidnapped aid workers Jessica Buchanan and Poul Hagen Thisted in Somalia

“U.S. Special Operations forces rescued an American hostage and her Danish colleague in Somalia early Wednesday in the kind of daring raid that the Obama administration has said will be the hallmark of future U.S. military missions.”

“Officials said the raid, by members of the Navy SEAL Team 6 unit that killed Osama bin Laden in May, demonstrated President Obama’s focus on the narrow, targeted use of force after a decade of large-scale military deployments.”

President Barack Obama is praising Special Operations Forces who rescued two hostages, including an American aid worker, from pirates in Somalia early Wednesday. (Jan. 25)

President Barack Obama is praising Special Operations Forces who rescued two hostages, including an American aid worker, from pirates in Somalia early Wednesday. (Jan. 25)

Graphic

Timeline of raid in Somalia

Click Here to View Full Graphic Story

Timeline of raid in Somalia

The mission is “yet another message to the world that the United States of America will stand strongly against any threats to our people,” Obama said in a statement Wednesday

Our Take

AWESOME!!!

IOWA: Romney won Iowa;Obama will win the presidency

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Lead

Mitt Romney won the Iowa Primary by a razor thin 8 vote margin. Barack Obama will win the Presidency in Election 2012.

The numbers:

1.Romney          24.60%     30,015

2.Santorum        24.50%     30,007

3.Paul                21.40%     26,219

4.Gingrich          13.30%     16,251

5.Perry              10.30%      12,604

6.Bachmann       05.00%       6,073

7.Huntsman        00.60%         745

Source: USA TODAY

Our Take

The GOP is bitterly divided. It is probably more divided today than it was in 1964 when Barry Goldwater won the GOP nomination for President.

Conservatives simply will not consolidate behind Romney. Santorum is weak. Gingrich, a real conservative horse in the race, is too far behind. Cain, who we believe would be the GOP’s best hope to beat Obama, is on the sidelines.

We can close the books on Election 2012. Barack Obama most certainly will win reelection.

So, we need to start thinking about and talking about Election 2016.

NEWT: Virginia-no votes for Gingrich

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November 8: Republicans gain control of Congre...

NEWT: Image via Wikipedia

Lead

Newt Gingrich did not qualify to get on Virginia’s primary ballot. To make matters worse, state law does not allow write-in votes. Without Virginia primary votes, can Newt capture the GOP nomination?

CNN Article (Quote)

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich failed to collect enough signatures to appear on the Virginia primary ballot, the Republican Party of Virginia announced Saturday morning, leaving the longtime Virginia resident without a place on the state’s ballot and raising questions about his campaign’s organization.

“Voters deserve the right to vote for any top contender, especially leading candidates,” campaign director Michael Krull said in the statement.” * * *

* * *Virginia state law specifically prohibits voters from writing in candidates not on the ballot in primary elections.

Source: Steve Brusk,“Gingrich, Perry fail to qualify for GOP primary ballot in Virginia,” CNN POLITICS

Our Take

Virginia’s primary election could be pivotal. It’s an early primary which usually signals how the South will vote.

So, if Newt is out in Virginia, who’s in, and will the Virginia win propel another GOP candidate forward on the road to winning the GOP Presidential nomination?

Around the Web

OBAMA: politics of college basketball

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Lead

The folks in the GOP Presidential nomination field need to step-up their games.

President Barack Obama made another high-profile appearance at a college basketball game on the campus of Towson University in Towson, Maryland.

Obama at Towson Basketball Game

Source:   Pete Gilbert, Sports Anchor, Gilbert’s Arena Blog at WBAL-TV.COM

In his Blog, Gilbert posted (Quote):

The visit from the First Couple for the basketball game at Towson today made for an atmosphere never before seen at the Towson Center. I think it was a little hard though for the fairly packed house to completely embrace the event considering President and Mrs. Obama were there to cheer for the visiting team (Oregon State’s head coach Craig Robinson is the brother of the First Lady.)

Regardless, a raucous standing ovation was delivered, along with a rendition of Hail to the Chief. Towson Athletics Director Mike Waddell embraced the opportunity to host the President and stated unequivocally that within that soon the crowds would arrive not for a VIP vistor, but because Towson would win. He stated first year coach Pat Skerry would win a CAA title within 5 years. And for those not familiar, Towson didn’t win a conference game last season

Source:   WBAL-TV.COM

MJB’s Take

Folks, don’t take these college basketball game appearances lightly.

Just a few weeks ago, President Obama attended the historic North Carolina/Michigan game on the deck of an aircraft carrier. Now he’s on the campus for another college game.

Critics have charged that President has not connected in a personal way with members of Congress.

Maybe he has, or maybe he has not.

But, if he continues his outreach to the people, connecting to college students, their parents and friends, college adminstrators and the local media in college towns, it may not mattter much whether he’s socializing with Congressional leaders or not.

He’ll get the votes he needs to win the 2012 General Election anyway!

Additional WBAL Coverage

Follow the Link above of the Blog for additional images.

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AT&T/T-MOBILE: should the Congressional Black and Hispanic Caucuses be more visible, and support the merger?

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Issue: Could the AT&T/T-Mobile merger actually help minorities?

Lead: One online journal made that argument in September (quote):

Some of the more prevalent arguments against the merger are that it would significantly reduce competition, increase unemployment, raise consumer costs and harm low-income families and minorities the most. However, these arguments are largely unsubstantiated.

Many amateur economists insist the merger would lead to unfair domination of the market. But in its competition report earlier this year, the Federal Communications Commission noted that 89.6 percent of Americans have five or more wireless competitors to choose from in their area. The merger is unlikely to diminish competition.

Some argue the merger would significantly reduce competition to two major carriers, resulting in higher consumer costs. Further, they contend higher costs would disproportionately affect Latinos and other minorities. But, once again, the market shows a different picture — one of robust competition.

Source: Justin Velez-Hagan,  ”AT&T/T-Mobile Merger will Help Latinos and Economy — If Courts Allow,” at POLITIC365.COM

Further: Should not the Congressional Black and Hispanic Caucuses be on board with the merger?

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Also: Are minority leaders MIA on this? What’s wrong-nothing to shout about?

Maxine Waters, have not heard from you on this!

Al Sharpton, have not heard from you on this!

Congressional Black Caucus, have not heard from you on this!

Congressional Hispanic Caucus, have not heard from you on this!

Tavis Smiley, have not heard from you on this!

Cornell West, have not heard from you on this!

NAACP, have not heard from you on this!

Talk up and be counted!

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REGULATION: AT&T withdraws FCC approval application for $39 billion T-Mobile merger deal; regulatory impact; political implications

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Lead

Our Lead today comes from a Blog. And, we’re commenting on the regulatory front.

AT&T has withdrawn its application to merge with T-Mobile. That’s big news in the regulatory world. But, it also may have political implications for the Administration of President Barack Obama.

Blog Quote

Following the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to send the $39-billion proposed merger of AT&T and T-Mobile USA to an administrative hearing on Tuesday, AT&T has withdrawn its official application to combine its spectrum with T-Mobile’s.

Source: Stacey Higginbotham, “AT&T backs off the T-Mobile fight,” GIGAOM.COM

Financial Consequences

Higginbotham notes further in her post: “[t]he company also said that it will take a $4-billion charge against earnings should the deal fall through.”

The deal could be dead. As noted by Seth Weintraub (quote):

But, AT&T has taken a $4B pre-tax charge in recognition that the deal isn’t likely to be going through and they are likely going to have to pay T-Mobile for the effort as part of the original merger agreement.  That means the deal is pretty much over, at least in the eyes of AT&T’s own accountants.

Source:  Seth Weintraub, “AT&T-T-Mobile Merger looks to be over, companies pursuing a tactical workout,” 9TO5MAC.COM

Justice Department Suit Continues

The U. S. Department of Justice filed an antitrust suit to block the merger.

As Higginbotham has written further in her post (quote):

AT&T still plans to fight the antitrust case that the Department of Justice has filed and has not said it plans to walk away from its deal just yet, but it clearly has realized that the forces arrayed against this combination will be hard to quell. As I noted on Tuesday, unless AT&T or T-Mobile pull the plug between now and then, the next big date should be the Department of Justice lawsuit hearing in February.

Regulatory Impact

The administrative phase of this matter before the FCC has concluded. It could be reopened later.

The immediate beneficiary of the withdrawal of the merger approval application apparently is Verizon. Kevin Fitchard argues (quote):

Of all the possible outcomes in the AT&T-Mo fallout, the FCC approving the merger with a laundry list of new regulations would have been the worst-case scenario for Verizon. It appears to have dodged a bullet.

The FCC could have required AT&T to divest spectrum and networks in numerous markets; FCC staffers had competitive concerns in 99 of the top 100 markets. It could have imposed deadlines for deployments and stricter requirements on the population and geographic areas those networks covered. It might even have dictated commercial terms on how it used that spectrum, spelling out the terms of data roaming agreements and maybe even imposing restrictions on what AT&T could charge for data service. All of these would have been anathema to Verizon.

Why? Because whatever restrictions and stipulations AT&T is forced to abide by if this merger goes through would return to haunt Verizon down the road. Verizon may be sitting pretty on a big fat LTE network today, but it readily admits it must go back to the market for more spectrum at some point.

Source:  Kevin Fitchard, “Why Verizon needs AT&T-Mo to just disappear,” GIGAOM.COM

Possible Political Implications

MJB’s take is that continuance of the Justice Department’s antitrust suit could have some political implications for the Obama Administration.

If AT&T prevails in the litigation, or if the suit is settled, AT&T can reboot the process and file another merger approval application with the FCC. A settlement of the suit probably would require the approval of Eric Holder, the Attorney General, who is one of the top Obama Administration cabinet officials and political appointees who is close to the President.

It can be expected that the handling of the litigation, particularly if the Justice Department loses, or the resolution of the case by a settlement, will make Holder a political target for criticism by the GOP and close scrutiny by Congressional committees in the GOP controlled House of Representatives.

That would not be good news for the President in an election year.

See VIDEO

On the Sidebar, under MJB News VIDEOS, we have uploaded a C-SPAN VIDEO from The Communicators segment, hosted by Peter Slen, on 09-18-2011, in which a panel discussed the implications of the AT&T/Mo merger.

The VIDEO is on C-SPAN’s YouTube Channel, and is described as follows (quote);

On The Communicators, Vonya McCann, senior vice president for government affairs at Sprint Nextel, and Larry Cohen, president of the Communications Workers of America, discuss the proposed merger of AT&T and T-Mobile. The guests will discuss the merger’s impact on the wireless industry, on jobs in the U.S. and on prices consumers pay for wireless service

Source: C-SPAN YOUTUBE CHANNEL

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REZKO: Obama fund raiser gets 10 years on corruption conviction

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Issue

Will the stiff prison sentence of Antoin Rezko, one of President Barack Obama’s major fundraisers in the 2008 Presidential Election, deter corruption?

Lead

The New York Times, in a story by Stephen Yaccino,  reports (quote):

More than three years after his conviction on fraud and bribery charges, Antoin Rezko, a former real estate mogul and a once-powerful fund-raiser with ties to President Obama’s early political career, was sentenced on Tuesday to 10 and a half years in prison.

Source:  Stephen Yaccino, “Former Obama Fund-Raiser Gets Over 10 Years in Fraud and Bribery Case,” NEW YORK TIMES

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Yaccino also wrote (quote):

In 2008, Mr. Rezko was convicted of 16 counts that included fraud, money laundering and bribery in an influence-peddling scheme that involved some of the highest-ranking officials in the state. Mr. Rezko was accused of using his connections with top political leaders to influence decisions made by two state boards in an attempt to get millions of dollars in kickbacks.

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Mr. Rezko’s trial is better remembered in Illinois as a preamble to the indictment, impeachment and trial of former Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich, who was eventually found guilty of a wide range of corruption charges, including an attempt to sell Mr. Obama’s former Senate seat. Mr. Blagojevich is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

Source: NEW YORK TIMES

MJB’s Comments

Did Rezko abuse the public trust?

Was the sentence too harsh?

Was the sentence too lenient?

Is there a more effective way to deter corruption?

What, if any, are the broader implications of Rezko’s conviction and sentence?

Remember that Rezko’s corrupt activites did not involve President Obama or the President’s 2008 Presidential Election campaign. Rezko case involved his attempt to influence decisions of two Illinois state boards.

But, the case became a high profile case because of Rezko’s fundraising activies on behalf of President Obama in 2008.

Comment and share your thoughts on the subject

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Are there conceivably more “chickens coming home to roost?”

If so, when and how?