Open Thread: Obama Kicks Off 2012 Campaign — in Puerto Rico?
June 14, 2011 By 13 Comments
Ben Johnson, The White House Watch
Earlier this week the Associated Press reported on a rare occurrence: The American president scheduled a visit to Puerto Rico. For once, the AP accurately reported the back-story: “President Barack Obama is making a rare presidential visit to Puerto Rico, the U.S. island territory, with an eye firmly placed on the Puerto Ricans back on the mainland who could help him deliver at least one key state during his 2012 re-election campaign.”
This visit was heavily billed as Barack Obama’s first campaign stop of the 2012 election.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the Republican candidates would do the same next year,” said the island’s governor, Luis Fortuno, himself a Republican.
This post has one question for our readers: What does it say about the state of our country that our presidential elections are now kicked off by courting non-voters on an island that is not part of the United States?
Sources: Rick Perry is Running in 2012
June 10, 2011 By 14 Comments
Jonathon M. Seidl, The Blaze
Could this be the clearest sign yet that Texas Gov. Rick Perry will run for president?
The governor admitted recently that he’s considering a run after previously shooting the idea down. And now, a source close to the Gingrich campaign tells The Blaze that Perry has offered Gingrich’s now-departed campaign manager, Rob Johnson — who used to be the campaign manager for Perry — his old job back.
According to the source, “Rob and Perry spoke last week and Perry told him his old job is waiting for him.”
“I know that for a fact,” the source said.*
That Johnson would hook up again with Perry may not be surprising considering the Perry news recently. Insiders have linked him, as well as fellow former Perry aide David Carney, to a possible Perry run over the last month. For example, just yesterday the Washington Post quoted sources mentioning them both, and who said that a Perry presidential run would be nearly impossible without Carney:
One potential hitch in any Perry planning is the fact that his long-time chief political adviser, David Carney, is now helping former House speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) in his presidential campaign. In addition, Rob Johnson, who managed Perry’s reelection campaign last year, is now Gingrich’s campaign manager.
But one person close to Perry said he could not imagine Carney not being at Perry’s side if the governor runs. Conversely, this person said he could not imagine Perry deciding to run if he were not certain Carney would be part of his team. As another person close to Perry said, “I don’t want to do this without Carney.”
At this point, Perry has not given the green light to his adviser to begin making plans. Instead, the conversations are more closely held as the governor thinks through the impact on his family and his own political career. “I think he is just trying to weigh how much personal sacrifice is it going to take,” said one friend.
Considering today’s events, that “hitch” is gone.
In addition, Weekly Standard Senior Writer Stephen Hayes tweeted this afternoon that Carney had….
Joe Miller Focused on Taking Down Romney in 2012
June 9, 2011 By 17 Comments
Alex Pappas, The Daily Caller
Tea Party hero Joe Miller says he’s focused on making sure Mitt Romney doesn’t become president.
In an interview with The Daily Caller, Miller, who unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate in Alaska in 2010, said his Western Representation PAC hopes to spend at least $500,000 campaigning against Romney, a Republican candidate, in early primary states like New Hampshire.
“It’s about getting the government back to its fundamentals, limiting government and showing that Romney is not embracing that approach,” Miller said of his PAC’s “Stop Romney” campaign.
Miller, who chairs the Western Representation PAC, said he’s not supporting any other GOP candidate.
Miller said Romney has a “big government approach.” The PAC will publicize the former Massachusetts governor’s history of flip-flopping, or as Miller said, “where Romney use to be and where he claims to be today.”
“Unless you have the perspective of government that puts the constitution first, that means getting back to the enumerated powers, you have no business running for president and we’re not going to support you and in fact, we’re going to stop you,” Miller said.
