Cagle
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Michael Cohen (NY Daily News): Romney’s reprehensible reaction to the violence in Libya and Egypt ….. A couple of days ago, I wrote here at the Rumble that Mitt Romney was one of the worst national politicians I’d ever seen.
I spoke too soon; it’s even worse than I thought. His reaction to the violence in Egypt and Libya over a film mocking the religious beliefs of Muslims is truly one of the most brain-dead political acts that I’ve ever witnessed – and it speaks volumes about his personal character and fitness for the nation’s highest office.
…. what does it say about a candidate who would issue a statement based on incomplete information and then double down on it even after it’s been disproven? What does it say about a candidate who actually accuses the President of openly siding with those who would harm U.S. diplomats? What does it say about a candidate who would, in a moment of grief over the death of U.S. personnel serving overseas, take the opportunity to cravenly engage in a dishonest political attack?
What it says to me is that this is a man who simply is not up to the awesome responsibilities of being President of the United States.
Full article here
(There are dozens and dozens of articles like this out there today – literally)
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USA Today: President Obama continued to criticize Mitt Romney for what he called an inappropriate and premature response to protests in Egypt and Libya.
“This wasn’t the time for politics,” Obama said in an interview with Telemundo, the Spanish language television network. “I have observed that there’s a tendency to shoot before you aim.”
“As President, Obama added, “my obligation is to focus on security for our people, making sure that we gather all the facts, making sure that we’re advancing American interests and not having ideological arguments on a day when we’re mourning.”
More here
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Cagle
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Gail Collins (NYT): Mitt’s Major Meltdown ….. Mitt Romney broke our deal.
Perhaps he didn’t know he’d made it, although, really, I thought it was pretty clear.
He could do anything he wanted during this campaign as long as he sent out signals that once he got in the White House he was not likely to be truly crazy.
…. It didn’t seem to be a lot to ask, but when the crisis in the Middle East flared up, Romney turned out to have no restraining inner core. All the uneasy feelings you got when he went to London and dissed the Olympic organizers can now come into full bloom. Feel free to worry about anything. That he’d declare war on Malta….
……We’re stuck with the task of evaluating Mitt Romney, who went for a cheap attack at a time when any calm, mature adult would have waited and opted for at least a brief show of national unity.
…. Two months to go and we’re rethinking our presumption that the Republican primary voters picked the most stable option.
Full article here
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Erik Wemple (Washington Post): Fact-checkers say no to Romney ‘apology’ claims
…. Need yet more evidence that fact-checkers conduct their business in a silo separated from impact on politicians? Try the Romney apology-tour fact-check, Chapter Umpteen.
The fact-checkers seemed a bit fatigued by Mitt Romney’s latest round of allegations that the Obama administration goes around apologizing for America…..
…. A Romney pollster said a while back that the campaign won’t be “dictated by fact-checkers.” Now we have a clean shot at fact-checking that claim. If it’s true, expect to hear more “apology”-oriented attacks on the Obama administration in the home stretch of this election.
More here
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NYT: … For the first time in three years, the share of Americans without health insurance declined, with the number of uninsured dropping by 1.3 million people from 2010 to 2011.
A major factor was an influx of newly insured young adults, many of whom benefitted from a provision in the 2010 health-care law requiring insurers to let parents keep adult children on their plans up to age 26.
More here
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by Rita
Attended an event in San Francisco yesterday where Valerie Jarrett was the speaker. It was held at the Laborer’s Local 261 center, a beautiful location. The event was a Victory Fund celebration organized by the Americans with Disability (Bay Area, I presume?), who have raised $180K for President Obama’s campaign. It was a very cordial, well-attended event. But Valerie was a revelation. I know that she’s referred to as the President’s right hand, that she has his ear, and his back 
, but she is also a wonderful person in her own right. A Stanford educated lawyer (yay, Bay Area!), she has worked tirelessly for people with disabilities. Her first internship was in Chicago, advocating for children with disabilities.
Valerie is a dynamic speaker! She recounted how she met the President and First Lady 21 years back, when she was trying to recruit both of them to Mayor Daly’s campaign. She said that she was struck, even then with the inherent decency in both of them. She spoke forcefully in support of the Affordable Care Act and how events in the President’s own life, his mother’s suffering from cancer and her insurance woes, and his younger daughter Sasha’s grave illness as a child, made this piece of legislation so very important.
She recounted how the President said that when Sasha was so sick, he couldn’t breathe, like the world was closing in on him, but the fact the they had good health insurance was such a blessing. He thinks about parents who do not have that luxury and how important it is to stop the ACA from being repealed (won’t happen, PBO will be re-elected!!!). She also said that making sure the ADA is strengthened and followed is very important to the President. He believes firmly in the principle that everyone, including those with disabilities, want to achieve their maximum potential. And something I didn’t know, that he had promised to hire 100K people with disabilities into his administration in 5 years, and that they were well on the way to completing that goal.
All in all, a wonderful evening. And, did I say there was food… and wine?
And, if you’re ever in the 16th and Mission are a of San Francisco, take a walk around. So many wonderful murals!
Thanks a million Rita, what a gorgeous report!
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Today:
12:0: VP Biden delivers remarks at a campaign event in Eau Claire, Wis.
1:10: President Obama delivers remarks at a campaign event at Lions Park in Golden, Colo.
2:0 First lady Michelle Obama speaks at the Carpenter Theater, Richmond, Va.
2:50: President Obama departs Colorado en route Washington, D.C.
5:0: First lady Michelle Obama speaks with grassroots supporters in Fredericksburg, Va.
7:05: President Obama arrives at the White House
8:15 (?? listed as 7:30 by CNN): VP Biden delivers remarks at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s 35th Anniversary Awards Gala
CNN have all these speeches listed for live streaming coverage
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OFA
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President Obama greets people after arriving at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado, Sept 12
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Morning everyone 
