Welcome, friends. The purpose of this regular series is to promote enthusiasm and action among Daily Kos members. Romney will very likely out-fundraise President Obama. However, we believe that we can still win if (1) we remain competitive financially, and (2) we volunteer our time and energy to GOTV (through canvassing, phonebanking, LTE, ...).
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One thing to keep in mind as President Obama campaigns to win reelection is that he's also governing a country and helping to raise two school-age daughters. From the convention we know that the President tries hard to get back home each night to have dinner with his family. What we might forget is that he's also managing a country. On the other hand, all Romney has to do during this time is to react to local comestibles and vegetation,
not tell the Trustee of his blind trust what to do, and mention, in his Acceptance Speech, the American Troops fighting in Afghanistan. The following is an incomplete look at Barack Obama's real-world workload from June 4 to June 30, 2012 while he was also campaigning for the Presidency.
We needed a starting off point, and what came to mind is the date on which the first negative ad was aired against Team Robot. On June 4, OFA began airing this devastating commercial, dealing what turned out to be a knock-out blow to Romney's claims that he was a competent CEO for Massachusetts. [A number of positive ads were produced and aired in Swing States by Team Obama a month before, but the fight became truly joined once the first punch was thrown.] So, we'll start with June 4, 2012 and take a look at what the President accomplished as President from then until the end of that month. Please jump with me over the secret hiding place of the Loch Ness Monster. Careful now!
CONTACT WITH FOREIGN DIGNITARIES
Between June 4, 2012, the President made in-person or telephone contact with the following foreign dignitaries -- that we know about:
President of the Dominican Republic
Prime Minister of Italy
Chancellor of Germany
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
President of Philippines
President of Mexico
Persident of European Council
King of Saudi Arabia
Prime Minister of India
President of Russia
Prime Minister of Turkey
Prime Minister of Canada
Prime Minister of Greece
President-Elect of Egypt
General in Egyptian Army (a warning disguised as thanks for his cooperation?)
President of France
DISASTERS DECLARED
New Hampshire -- Flooding
Oklahoma -- Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds
Vermont -- Tornado, High Winds
Florida (continuation of FEMA assistance due to Hurricane Debby)
Ohio -- Severe Storms
West Virginia -- Severe Storms
Virginia (contacted by President regarding the need for FEMA assistance)
Colorado -- Wildfires
DOMESTIC POLICY STATEMENTS OR LAWS
Conducted a FEMA Drill Nationwide (before hurricane season)
Advocated for the Paycheck Fairness Act
Advocted for "Income-Based Repayment of Student Loans Act"
Signed into Law the Border Tunnel Prevention Act
Advocated for Keeping Teachers on the Job
Reauthorized the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts
Recognized Israeli-Investment in America Guaranties
Pushed for the reliable supply of Medical-Use Isotopes
Signed Executive Order making Broadband Construction Cheaper
Advocated for Rural Small Business Investment
Signed into Law the Purchase of Air Tankers to Fight Wildfires
Decried Congressional Gridlock
Signed into Law an Agreement ending Dispute with Bering Straits Natives Corp.
Observed Juneteenth
Wrote OP-ED in Newsweek regarding Title IX (He coaches Sasha's bball team!)
Advocated for action on Transportation Bill
Advocated for action on Student Loan Bill (to extend lower rates)
Advocated for Americans with Disabilities
Introduced "1 is 2 Many" Campaign to Fight Date Violence
Dealt with the Resignation of Commerce Secretary Bryson
Approved Acting Secretary of Commerce
Commemorated the 40th Anniversary of Title IX
Honored Math and Science Teachers
Awarded Funds for "Veterans to Cops" Program
Statement on U.S. Supreme Court's Ruling on Arizona Immigration Law
Presented Fact Sheet on ObamaCare (ACA)
Statement regarding House Vote of Contempt
Calls to Colorado Governor and Mayor regarding Tragic Shooting
Statement regarding National HIV Testing Day
Advocated for Student Loan Rate Extensions
Signed into Law an Extension of the Transportation Act
Statement about Passage of Student Loan Extension Bill
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Message to Egypt on their Elections
Condemned Syrian War against their Citzens
Solidified Oil Embargo of Iran and Methods to find Alternatives
Provided a Report on Iraq
Drafted a U.S. - EU Working Statement
Continued National Emergency regarding Belarus Government's crackdown on Citizens
Prepared Sub-Saharan Africa Paper and Update
Announced American Delegation to the Olympics
Meeting to Discuss Iraqi/US Agreements
Message to Greece on their Elections
War Powers Resolution Letter and Update prepared
Noted efforts to intervene in Somalia regarding al Qaeda
Report on 90 Military Advisors in Uganda
Report on Monitoring Activities ongoing in Kosovo
Joined Russia & France in Joint Statement regarding Armenian and Azerbaijanian conflict
Held G20
Recognized World Refugee Day
Extended National Emergency regarding North Korea
Extended National Emergency regarding weapons-usable fissionable material in Russia
Joined European Union in Resolution to Embargo Iranian Oils
Statement on the Death of Yitzhak Shamir
Trade Statement with Gibralter, the Turks & Caicos Islands and Senegal
APPOINTMENTS, NOMINATIONS & CONFIRMATIONS
Member of the FCC
Member of the USPS Governing Board
Ambassador to Cyprus
Medal of Valor Board Member
District Court Judges (5)
Circuit Court Judges (2)
District of Columbia District Judge
Ambassador to El Salvador
Ambassador to Serbia
Corporation for National & Community Service Board Member
Member of the Arctic Research Commission
Presido Trust Board Member
National Council of Arts Member
Department of Transportation Under Secretary
National Council on Humanities (2)
On top of all that, President Obama has managed the best Democratic Campaign, which included the best Democratic Convention, in recent memory. Not taking a shrimp cocktail break after his convention, the President tackled both New Hampshire and Iowa today, hitting on some issues raised in Charlotte:
Joined by Vice President Biden, Obama will discuss "the choice in this election between two fundamentally different visions on how to build an economy built to last," said his campaign schedule.
The campaign described that choice as between "continuing to move forward to an economy built to last that's grounded in a strong middle class, and going back to the same 'top-down' economic policies of the last decade that crashed our economy and punished the middle class."
Obama starts in Portsmouth, N.H., and winds up the campaign day in Iowa City. First lady Michelle Obama and the vice president's wife, Jill Biden, will also be on this campaign trip.
You can get a full transcript of his and Vice-President Joe Biden's speeches
here. What follows is a portion of the President's remarks today in New Hampshire:
Now, I've just come from Charlotte, where we had a great convention. (Applause.) Folks down there could not have been more welcoming. Michelle was amazing. (Applause.) President Clinton -- (applause) -- made the case in the way only he can. Somebody emailed me after his speech -- they said, you need to appoint him secretary of explaining stuff. (Laughter and applause.) That was pretty good. I like that -- the secretary of explaining stuff -- 'splanin. (Laughter.)
Joe Biden was fired up. (Applause.) And I meant what I said at the convention -- I could not have a better Vice President. But, as importantly, I could not ask for a better and more loyal friend than Joe Biden. He is a wonderful, wonderful man. (Applause.)
And last night, I did my best to lay out the stakes in this election. You see, now that both sides have made their argument, there's a big choice to make. And I honestly believe this is the biggest choice, the clearest choice, of any time in our generation, because it's not just a choice between two candidates or two political parties. It is a choice between two different paths for America -- (applause) -- two fundamentally different visions for how we move forward.
See, ours is a fight for that basic bargain that built the largest middle class and the strongest economy the world has ever known -- the promise that hard work will pay off, that responsibilities will be rewarded, that everyone gets a fair shot, everybody is doing their fair share, everybody is playing by the same rules -- (applause) -- from Wall Street to Main Street to Washington, D.C. That basic bargain is why I ran for President, and that's why I'm running again. (Applause.) That’s what this election is about.
...
Now, let me tell you something. (Applause.) Listen, I’ve cut taxes for people who need it -- (applause) -- middle-class families, small business owners. In 2008, I promised I would cut middle-class taxes. The typical family’s tax burden at the federal level is $3,600 less since I took office. So I’ve kept that promise. I’ve kept that promise. (Applause.) We’ve cut taxes for small businesses 18 times.
But I do not believe that another round of tax breaks for millionaires is what’s going to bring good jobs back to our shores, or pay down our deficit. (Applause.) I don’t believe firing teachers or kicking students off financial aid is going to grow our economy -- not when China is producing more engineers and more scientists, and we’ve got to compete with them. (Applause.)
After we were on the brink of financial meltdown because of irresponsible decisions made on Wall Street, I don’t believe that rolling back regulations there is somehow going to help small businesswomen or businessmen expand or laid-off construction workers get back to work.
We have been there. We’ve tried what they’re selling. It didn’t work then, it’s not going to work now. We’re not going back. We are moving forward. That’s why all of you are here today. (Applause.)
...
And by the way, if the Republicans are serious about being concerned about joblessness, we could create a million new jobs right now if Congress would pass the jobs plan that I sent to them a year ago -- (applause) -- jobs for teachers, jobs for construction workers, jobs for folks who have been looking for work for a long time. We can do that. (Applause.)
...
If you’re not registered to vote, I need you to register right now. And I need you to turn out in November -- because if you do, we’re going to finish what we’ve started. (Applause.) We will create more good jobs. We’ll generate more homegrown energy. We’ll hire more good teachers. We’ll send more young people to college. We’ll bring more troops home. We’ll take care of more of our vets. We’ll open up the doors of opportunity to everybody who’s willing to work hard. (Applause.)
Link to Transcripts and Documents.
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