April
27, 2011
Putting The Band Back TogetherWhile Obama Jets Off To Reconnect With The Elites, For
Americans It’s Just Another Day Of High Gas Prices And
A Stalled Recovery
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“On Wednesday, The President Will Jet On Air Force One First To Chicago, Where He And
Michelle Obama Will Tape An Episode Of Oprah Winfrey’s Program, And Then Head On
To New York City ...” (James Oliphant, “Obama Strategist: 'Act Like An Insurgent Campaign,'” Los Angeles Times, 4/26/11)
OBAMA’S DAY IS FULL OF CAMPAIGN REUNIONS
First With Oprah
First Obama Will “Take A Sentimental Journey Back To Chicago” To Sit Down With Oprah. “President
Obama and first lady Michelle Obama take a sentimental journey back to Chicago this week to meet with an old friend. A friend who developed the world's most successful television talk show. The Obamas will sit down with Oprah for a taping Wednesday, one of Winfrey's big ‘gets’ as her show prepares to wrap up after 25 years.” (David Jackson, “Obamas To Chat With Oprah This Week,” USA Today, 4/25/11)
And Later His New York City Donors
Then Heads Back To New York City For The Third Time In A Month For A Trio Of Fundraisers. “Get
ready for more traffic headaches: President Barack Obama is coming back to Manhattan Wednesday. It will be the third presidential visit within a month. In March, Obama dined at Red Rooster in Harlem and earlier this month he visited Midtown.” (Amy Zimmer, “President Obama Returns to City Wednesday for Fundraisers,” DNA Info, 4/26/11)
• Obama Will Attend A “Campaign Inaugural Gala” At The Waldorf Astoria. “A reader passed along
the following email from Democratic fundraiser Sally Minard inviting supporters to a ‘Campaign
Inaugural Gala Dinner’ for President Barack Obama at the Starlight Roof at the Waldorf-Astoria on
April 27.” (David Freedlander, “Obama NYC Fundraiser Details Announced,” The New York Observer, 4/18/11)
• Obama Will Also Attend A “Gen44” Concert/Fundraiser With The Roots, With Tickets Between
$44 And $1,000 Per Person. “The Roots concert will be at Town Hall, on West 43rd Street between
Sixth Avenue and Broadway, from 10 to 11 p.m. The concert represents a return to Obama's
fundraising roots with ticket prices ranging from $44 for the ‘Gen44’ — those in the under 40
Democratic community — to $1,000 for a VIP pre-reception” (Amy Zimmer, “President Obama Returns to City .Wednesday for Fundraisers,” DNA Info, 4/26/11)
• Former New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine Is Co-Hosting A $35,800-A-Plate Fundraiser For Obama.
“President Obama's first New York event since he declared his reelection will be at the home of
former New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, the former Goldman Sachs financier who will host a high-dollar,
small dinner, an invitation to the event shows. Tickets to the event, which sources said Corzine is co-hosting with another financier, longtime Obama backer Orin Kramer and his wife, cost $35,800 per
person.” (Maggie Haberman, “Obama Fundraiser At Corzine Home,” Politico, 4/5/11)
BUT WHILE OBAMA RACKS UP AIR MILES, THE COUNTRY IS STRUGGLING WITH THE
AFTERMATH OF HIS FIRST TWO YEARS IN OFFICE
http://youtu.be/HuXYKYsYbAg
Rising Gas Prices Are Draining Americans’ Wallets
Gasoline Prices Have Doubled Since Obama Took Office. “Feeling pain at the pump? Gas prices have
doubled since Mr. Obama took office.” (James S. Robbins, “Gasoline Up 100% Under Obama,” The Washington Times’ “Water Cooler” Blog,3/30/11)
• Gas Price Hikes Are “Relentless.” “The relentless rise in retail gasoline prices continued over the
last week, the U.S. Energy Department said, with some analysts predicting that fuel prices could test
record highs.” (Ronald D. White, “Gasoline Prices Climb In California And The Nation,” Los Angeles Times, 4/19/11)
71 Percent Of Americans Say The Rise In Gas Prices Caused Financial Hardship For Them And Their
Families. (Washington Post/ABC News Poll, 1001 A, MoE 3.5%,4/14-17/11) In 2008, Obama Said He Would Have Preferred A Gradual Increase In Gas Prices. Obama: “Well, I think that we have been slow to move in a better direction when it comes to energy usage. And the president, frankly, hasn't had an energy policy. And as a consequence, we've been consuming energy as if it's infinite. We now know that our demand is badly outstripping supply with China and India growing as rapidly as they are. So...” CNBC’s John Harwood: “So could these high prices help us?” Obama: “I think that I would have preferred a gradual adjustment. The fact that this is such a shock to American pocketbooks is not a good thing.” (CNBC’s “Your Money, Your Vote,” 6/10/08)
•
And Sinking Confidence In The Economy …
70 Percent Of Americans Think The Country Is On The Wrong Track. (New York Times/CBS News Poll, 1224A, MoE 3%, 4/15-20/11)
“Nearly Half Of Americans Rated Current Economic Conditions ‘Poor’ During The Week Ending April
24 -- The Highest Level Of Negativity On This Measure So Far This Year.” (Dennis Jacobe, “Americans' Economic Confidence Declines Further,” Gallup, 4/26/11)
Americans Have “Good Reason” For The Drop In Confidence. “Americans may have good reason to be less confident now than they were earlier this year.” (Dennis Jacobe, “Americans' Economic Confidence Declines Further,” Gallup, 4/26/11)
• “Gas Prices Are Surging And Are Approaching The 2008 Record High Of $4.11 A Gallon.” (Dennis
Jacobe, “Americans' Economic Confidence Declines Further,” Gallup, 4/26/11)
• “Food Prices Are Also Surging, And Jobs Remain A Major Economic Problem.” (Dennis Jacobe,
“Americans' Economic Confidence Declines Further,” Gallup, 4/26/11)
Almost 80 Percent Of Economists Are “Less Optimistic” About The Economy Than They Were A Few
Months Ago. “Nearly eight in 10 economists say they’re less optimistic about the nation's economic outlook this year than they were three months ago and most call high energy prices the biggest threat to the recovery, according to a USA TODAY survey.” (Paul Davidson and Barbara Hansen, “Economic See Less-Positive Outlook As Consumers Face Energy-Price Squeeze,” USA Today, 4/25/11)
• Mostly Because Of Higher Gas Prices. “Most of the 38 economists who reduced their estimates
pointed to higher oil and gasoline prices primarily, as well as rising food and other commodity costs.”
(Paul Davidson and Barbara Hansen, “Economic See Less-Positive Outlook As Consumers Face Energy-Price Squeeze,” USA Today, 4/25/11)
… Which Faces Renewed Threats Of A Double Dip Recession
Five Dollar A Gallon Gas Could “Tip The Nation Back Into Recession.” “If gas were to go to $5 a gallon
and stay there, some analysts believe, it could erase the steady gains the economy is making and tip the nation back into recession because Americans would sharply curtail their spending elsewhere.” (Michelle R. Smith, “No Break This Spring At The Gas Pump,” The Associated Press, 4/21/11)
“Home Prices Near ‘Double Dip.’” (Les Christie, “Home Prices Near ‘Double Dip,’” CNN, 4/26/11)
• “Home Prices In February Sank 3.3% To Just Above The Post-Crisis Lows Reached In April
2009. It Was The Eighth Straight Month Of Declines.” (Les Christie, “Home Prices Near ‘Double Dip,’” CNN, 4/26/11)
• “‘There Is Very Little, If Any, Good News About Housing,’ Said David Blitzer, Spokesman For
S&P. ‘Prices Continue To Weaken, Trends In Sales And Construction Are Disappointing.’” (Les
Christie, “Home Prices Near ‘Double Dip,’” CNN, 4/26/11)
MAYBE THAT’S WHY TEAM OBAMA IS SO SHY ABOUT DISCUSSING FUNDRAISERS
“Pres. Obama Often Trumpets That His White House Is More Transparent And Open Than Any Other.
But It's Clear He Does Not Apply That Approach To His Political Fund-Raising.” (Mark Knoller, “Obama Campaign Won't Reveal Fundraising Numbers,” CBS News, 4/19/11)
"A Blow To Transparency.” “Further, the WH/Obama campaign is not disclosing the amount of money raised at each fundraising event. A blow to transparency.” (Mark Knoller, Twitter Feed, 4/22/11)
“It's totally arbitrary by the WH/Obama Campaign - seeking to limit the amount of political coverage
Pres Obama gets, esp on TV.” (Mark Knoller, Twitter Feed, 4/22/11)
“The Obama Campaign is not the first to adopt such a policy, although Pres. Bush's re-election
operation in 2004 freely disclosed how much money was taken in at individual events.” (Mark Knoller,
“Obama Campaign Won't Reveal Fundraising Numbers,” CBS News, 4/19/11) research by:www.gop.org
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