Here are the stories we are watching in the War Room today:
Miss the debate because you were watching our show? Of course you did! Here it is, in 60 seconds. Want the facts checked? Got you covered there too. Here is Greg Kessler at the Washington Post, the “Truth Squad” at CNN, the Tampa Bay Times PolitiFact, and The Caucus blog at the New York Times. Enjoy.
Do you like exploding deficits? If so, you’ll love the GOP candidates. U.S. Budget Watch, a project of the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, reports that three of the four economic plans from the remaining contenders are in no way, shape or form balanced or fiscally “conservative”. Santorum and Gingrich fare the worst, simply because they have not identified the cuts they would make to fill the hole created by their monster tax cuts for the wealthy. Romney came out a little better in the report – but that was before he released his new plan yesterday that was short on details and would also increase the deficit. Ron Paul was the only candidate that even comes close – but his cuts are so severe that they are implausible. Ezra Klein has more, and a nice chart, too.
No one is paying attention to the economic plans though, as concerns about the candidate’s extreme position on social issues has Republican leaders nervous that the party is giving the “appearance of tone-deafness” when it comes to appealing to younger voters and moderates. Gee, what was your first clue?
E.J. Dionne holds part of the answer to that question, as it relates to President Obama, anyway. “It’s simply astonishing that a man in his fourth year as our president continues to be the object of the most extraordinary paranoid fantasies. A significant part of his opposition still cannot accept that Obama is a rather moderate politician quite conventional in his tastes and his interests.” Go read the article to see just how far they will go.
ICYMI: The Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday that the stimulus from 2009 continues to have “ significant effect.” The bill raised fourth-quarter 2011 GDP by as much as 1.5 %, and reduced the jobless roles by 2 million people in the last three months of 2011.
A Quinnipiac poll finds that most Americans believe the economy is beginning to recover, 54-43 – and that is ”a 51-point shift in opinion since September 1″. They still hold President Bush accountable for the economy by a 51-35 margin. However, President Obama’s approval ratings are still in the negative at 49-45. Quinnipiac also has some very interesting numbers on the issue of contraception and the Keystone Pipeline. Check it out here.
Marco Rubio, a Mormon? Very interesting.
The Return of Newt? Rasmussen in Georgia: Gingrich 33, Santorum 28, Romney 20, Paul 9.
Checking in on one of our “12 in ’12″ races, Senator Claire McCaskill has a new ad out today that goes after the “outside groups” that are attacking her with an advertising blitz in Missouri. That would be you, Karl.
And finally, the testimony on contraception that Darrell Issa didn’t want you to see:
http://youtu.be/ohz1eZGGJo8
Tune in to Current TV tonight for more on ‘The War Room with Jennifer Granholm’ — LIVE at 9/8c.
