Research

SHOT – Politico – Today:  “This Morning, President Obama Will Sign An Executive Order That Will Cut Waste And Promote More Efficient Spending Across The Federal Government.” (Mike Allen, “362 Days Out - Obama Curtails Spending On Smartphones, Swag,” Politico’s “Playbook,” 11/9/11)

CHASER – Politico – June 13, 2011: “[T]he Big Rollout Today Is The Launch Of The Campaign To Cut Waste.” “[T]he big rollout today is the launch of the Campaign to Cut Waste. POTUS and the VP do the honors in a video as the President puts Sheriff Joe on the case to hold the Cabinet accountable for cutting waste in their agencies.” (Mike Allen, “Romney Hope To Soar Over GOP Rivals,” Politico’s “Playbook”, 6/13/11)

• June 13, 2011: WP: “Obama Announces New Steps To Tackle Wasteful Spending”

CHASER 2 – Politico – December 21, 2009: “The Message Event Today Is On Cutting Government Waste And Improving Government Performance.” “The message event today is on cutting government waste and improving government ... more

Holder Pressed Repeatedly On What And When He Knew About Fast And Furious

Holder Testifies That A Number Of Fast And Furious Guns Are Unaccounted For

Despite Being The Attorney General, Holder Says He Can’t Be Expected To Know About Fast And Furious

Watch Attorney General Eric Holder Struggle To Answer Simple Question About Fast And Furious:

Senator Pat Leahy (D-VT): “Let me ask you the fundamental question and give you a chance to be more precise. When did you first learn of the operational tactics being used in Operation Fast and Furious and what did you do about it?”

Attorney General Eric Holder:  “I first learned about the tactics and the phrase Operation Fast and Furious in the beginning of this year, I think when it became a matter of public controversy. In my testimony before the House committee, I did say ‘a few weeks.’ I probably could have said ‘a couple of months.’ I don't think that what I said in terms of using the term ‘a few weeks,’ was inaccurate based on what happened. I got from – as Senator Grassley indicated – a couple of letters from him at the end of January, I believe it was January 31st. These letters talked about a connection between an operation and the death of Agent Terry. It did not mention Fast ... more

Despite Promising To End Business As Usual, Obama Admits The “Fever Has Not Broken”

February 2008: Candidate Obama Pledged To End “Business As Usual.”  OBAMA: “In this election our party can't stand for business as usual in Washington. The Democratic Party must stand for change, not change as a slogan, not change as a bumper sticker but change we can believe in. That's what this campaign is all about” (CNN’s “CNN Newsroom,” 2/10/08)

November 2011: President Obama: "But in terms of changing the culture of Washington, the fever has not broken yet. Not everyone has gotten the word yet that this is not how the American people want their government to operate.” (Ken Thomas, “Obama Says Washington Culture Not Yet Changed,” The Associated Press, 11/7/11)

And Americans Agree That Obama Has Fallen Short On His Promises Of Change

72 Percent Of Americans Think Obama Has Failed To Change Washington. “And nearly three-quarters of respondents say that his administration has fallen short on ... more

Americans Are “Deeply Pessimistic” About The State Of The Country

Americans Remain “Deeply Pessimistic” About The Economy And The State Of The Nation. “One year out before President Barack Obama faces voters in his bid for re-election, he encounters an American public that remains deeply pessimistic about the state of the country and its economy, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.” (Mark Murray, “NBC Poll: Despite National Pessimism, Obama Tops GOP Foes,” MSNBC, 11/7/11) 

“Nearly Three-Quarters Of Respondents Believe The Nation Is Headed In The Wrong Direction; Just 25 Percent Think The U.S. Economy Will Improve In The Next 12 Months; And A Solid Majority Says The Country Is Experiencing The Start Of A Long-Term Decline.” (Mark Murray, “NBC Poll: Despite National Pessimism, Obama Tops GOP Foes,” MSNBC, 11/7/11)

When Asked For A Single Word About How Respondents Feel About The Country, 58 Percent Had Negative Responses, Including “We’re In The Gutter.” “The poll ... more

Americans Are “Deeply Pessimistic” About The State Of The Country

Americans Remain “Deeply Pessimistic” About The Economy And The State Of The Nation. “One year out before President Barack Obama faces voters in his bid for re-election, he encounters an American public that remains deeply pessimistic about the state of the country and its economy, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.” (Mark Murray, “NBC Poll: Despite National Pessimism, Obama Tops GOP Foes,” MSNBC, 11/7/11) 

“Nearly Three-Quarters Of Respondents Believe The Nation Is Headed In The Wrong Direction; Just 25 Percent Think The U.S. Economy Will Improve In The Next 12 Months; And A Solid Majority Says The Country Is Experiencing The Start Of A Long-Term Decline.” (Mark Murray, “NBC Poll: Despite National Pessimism, Obama Tops GOP Foes,” MSNBC, 11/7/11)

When Asked For A Single Word About How Respondents Feel About The Country, 58 Percent Had Negative Responses, Including “We’re In The Gutter.” “The poll ... more

At tonight’s fundraiser (his 58^th of the year by one count), it looks like President Obama will have a prime opportunity to discuss the bankruptcy proceeding of MF Global – formerly the company of Obama bundler and Obama’s “Wall Street guy” Jon Corzine. Please see below:

Tonight, Obama Is Attending A Fundraiser At The Home Of Antoinette Bush, A Partner At Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, And Flom. “President Obama returns to the fundraising circuit Monday evening, set to attend a reception at a private Washington residence where event-goers have paid at least $17,900 per person to attend. According to a Democratic National Committee official, the high-dollar fundraiser is being hosted by Dwight Bush, president of Urban Trust Bank, and his wife Antoinette - a partner at the prominent law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, and Flom.” (Alexander Mooney, “Obama Back On The Fundraising Trail,” CNN, 11/7/11)

Jon Corzine’s Failed MF Global Hired Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom For ... more

UNDER OBAMA, “WALL STREET HAS ROARED BACK”

“During Obama’s Tenure, Wall Street Has Roared Back, Even As The Broader Economy Has Struggled.” “But both sides face an inconvenient fact: During Obama’s tenure, Wall Street has roared back, even as the broader economy has struggled.” (Zachary A Goldfarb, “Wall Street’s Resurgent Prosperity Frustrates Its Claims, And Obama’s,” The Washington Post, 11/6/11)

“The Largest Banks Are Larger Than They Were When Obama Took Office” And Their Profits Are Near The Same Heights As They Were In 2008. “The largest banks are larger than they were when Obama took office and are nearing the level of profits they were making before the depths of the financial crisis in 2008, according to government data.”  (Zachary A Goldfarb, “Wall Street’s Resurgent Prosperity Frustrates Its Claims, And Obama’s,” The Washington Post, 11/6/11) 

Wall Street Firms Have “Earned More In The First 2¹ / ₂ Years Of The Obama Administration Than They Did During The Eight Years ... more

As Obama Sinks Deeper In The Polls, So Do His Reelect Chances

Voters In A Dozen Key Battleground States Are More “Downbeat” About Obama Compared To The Rest Of The Nation. “For President Obama, the path to a second term is going to be an uphill climb. While Americans across the nation are downbeat about the economy and the future, a special USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds that voters in a dozen key battleground states for the 2012 election are in an even deeper funk about their lives, Obama's tenure and the nation's politics.” (Susan Page, “Swing States Poll: Obama’s Path To 2^nd Term An Uphill Climb.” USA Today, 11/3/11)

Among Swing State Residents, Obama’s Job Approval Rating Is Just 40 Percent, “Well Below” Previous Presidents Who Have Won Second Terms. (Susan Page, “Swing States Poll: Obama’s Path To 2^nd Term An Uphill Climb.” USA Today, 11/3/11)

•  “His Support Sags Especially Low Among Men And Among White, Non-Hispanic Voters. Only About One-Third Of Those Groups Say They Approve ... more
  
  

Today’s take on the jobs report from a former Obama-Biden economic advisor and Clinton Labor Secretary: 

• Former Clinton Labor Secretary On October Jobs Report: "This Is Not Good News"

“Well, I wish there were light at the end of this long jobless tunnel, but Chris, there's not very much light. This 80,000 figure looks pretty good if you don't put it in context. We need 125,000 new jobs per month just to keep up with population growth. We are so far behind the eight ball right now that 80,000 new jobs just is actually a little bit better, but we're so -- it's not really an improvement. I mean, you've got to bend and twist and look at this in very distorted ways to assume that this is good news. This is not good news.”  (MSNBC’s “Jansing & Company,” 11/4/11)

• Former Obama-Biden Economic Advisor Jared Bernstein: “We’re Just Very Much Stuck In A Slog Here”
  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jared-bernstein/october-jobs-report-_b_1075931.html

We're just very much stuck in a slog here. The ... more