Tuesday Open Thread [3.6.12]
Does the Republican primary end today? If Romney wins Ohio and Tennessee, and Santorum only wins Oklahoma and Gingrich only wins Georgia, then I think yes, it is over. If Santorum wins Tennessee, the race will limp along with Romney again the frontrunner who has trouble down south. If Santorum wins Ohio and Tennessee, then Romney is back in trouble again.
Meanwhile, the economy is improving faster than expected, according to an Associated Press survey of leading economists.
“The economists think the unemployment rate will fall from its current 8.3% to 8% by Election Day. That’s better than their 8.4% estimate when surveyed in late December. By the end of 2013, they predict unemployment will drop to 7.4 percent, down from their earlier estimate of 7.8%.”
REPUBLICAN PRIMARY — PRESIDENT
OHIO (American Research Group): Romney 35, Santorum 28, Gingrich 18, Paul 13
OHIO (CNN/ORC): Romney 32, Santorum 32, Gingrich 14, Paul 11
OHIO (Merriman River Group): Romney 38, Santorum 33, Gingrich 18, Paul 8
OHIO (Rasmussen): Santorum 32, Romney 31, Gingrich 13, Paul 13
OHIO (Suffolk University): Santorum 37, Romney 33, Gingrich 16, Paul 8
NATIONAL (Gallup Tracking): Romney 38, Santorum 22, Gingrich 15, Paul 12
NATIONAL (NBC News/Wall Street Journal): Romney 38, Santorum 32, Gingrich 13, Paul 13
GEORGIA (American Research Group): Gingrich 44, Romney 24, Santorum 19, Paul 9
GEORGIA (CNN/ORC): Gingrich 47, Romney 24, Santorum 15, Paul 9
GEORGIA (Insider Advantage/Fox 5 Atlanta): Gingrich 47, Romney 21, Santorum 18, Paul 6
GEORGIA (Mason Dixon/Atlanta Journal-Constitution): Gingrich 38, Romney 24, Santorum 22, Paul 3
GEORGIA (Rasmussen): Gingrich 37, Romney 27, Santorum 18, Paul 10
GENERAL ELECTION — PRESIDENT
NATIONAL (NBC News/Wall Street Journal): Obama d. Romney (50-44); Obama d. Paul (50-42); Obama d. Santorum (53-39); Obama d. Gingrich (54-37)
NATIONAL (Rasmussen Tracking): Obama d. Romney (45-43); Obama d. Paul (43-41); Obama d. Santorum (46-42); Obama d. Gingrich (48-40)
GEORGIA (CNN/ORC): Obama tied with Generic Republican (48-48)
MASSACHUSETTS (Rasmussen): Obama d. Romney (55-38)
MASSACHUSETTS (Western New England College): Obama d. Romney (60-36); Obama d. Santorum (66-27)
OHIO (CNN/ORC): Obama d. Generic Republican (49-45)
As much as I like the prospect of Santorum continuing to get in Mitt’s hair for the next few weeks, I’m also ready for him to be a footnote.
All in all he and Gingirch were a pretty useless Not-Romneys. Now Rick Perry or Sarah Palin…those are some not-Romneys.
I’m sick, so I’m home wacthing CNN and this Super Tuesday coverage is a hoot. Based on the reports so far, Gincrich will win Georgia with 200 votes. Not BY 200 votes WITH 200 votes. That’s how fired up the GOP is right now.
I was listening to someone talk this AM about the Virginia Primary where only Rmoney and Paul made it to the ballot. It seems that the VA GOP is primed to stay home today — although Paul won VA in 2008.
Rick Jensen is a complete and utter ass. I really cannot believe he actually says what he says with a straight face. What a tool.
http://www.teapartytribune.com/2012/03/01/liberals-in-service-of-satan/
Before you click, guess the Delaware-based author.
Either the Fatman or Rethuglican David.
I was right, Curly the Fatman
Was it me, or did that make no sense?
The latest on the Atkins kerfluffle, with subtitles:
“Atkins regrets his actions that day,” Schwartzkopf said. “He was upset because he was held on the side of the road. He shouldn’t have been speeding.”
Translation: Note how he’s gone from “John” to “Atkins.” Pete appears to be backing off his buddy.
Schwartzkopf said he was with Atkins as an apology phone call was made to state police.
Translation: Schwartzkopf stood over Atkins and made him dial the number upon threat of getting slugged.
It is unclear how the email sent by Atkins in January was released to the public, Schwartzkopf said.
Translation: Damn that Maureen Milford! This is exactly why we legislators exempted ourselves from FOIA, so these emails showing how stupid and shady we are would never see the light of day.
capegazette.villagesoup.com/news/story/atkins-apologizes-for-email-to-trooper/221366
LG: Oh, dear. Pray for him.
OH GOD PALIN INTERVIEW ON CNN JUST BROKE MY HEAD! Just the most classic Palin word salads you’ve ever heard spooling out of her nonsense-maker. Too funny to describe!
Gingrich compares hImself to a tortoise. At this rate, John Stewart won’t even need writers tonight.
I feel my brain cells dying while listening to these speeches!!
I thought Chris Matthews had the correct reaction to R-Money’s Speech, basically calling him out for running as the “American” candidate vs. our sitting President, who is apparently un-American. The dog whistles he employs are as disgusting as the mess his dog made on top of his station wagon.
Does anybody else get the State Treasurer’s “Delaware Economic Index” email? I have to admit that I like it, but I’d like to suggest a change. Small business is responsible for 50% of our economic activity and represents 99% of all employers, but it gets very little love from Flowers’ report.
Someone needs to come up with a small business index that makes reporting on small business as easy as reporting on the 30 companies tracked by the DJIA.
Jason,
How about an index based on how many loans and grants DEDO makes to small businesses in Delaware?
That would be a great addition. In my experience dealing with DEDO (like the rest of government) it only views large enterprises as legitimate. If you are not adding 100 new jobs tomorrow, they could give a fuck.
I get what you are saying Jason but I think in Delaware especially, the health of the small business sector overall is a function of the health of big business. Small business tends to serve big businesses (or their employees) as their customer base. But big business tends to have its customer base outside Delaware.
I guess small business revenue could be tracked from quarterly state filings, or long term trends could be tracked from annual profits. But I think the chart would simply mirror trends in our large employers.
Also Delaware is skewed because the State is the largest employer and probably also disproportionately large as a customer to small business.
That’s a chicken and egg argument. Small businesses create 15 times more patents per employee than larger firms, and small entrepreneurial companies become large entrepreneurial companies.
The media and government just pay more attention to large firms because they are lazy.