Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review cheer the resounding recall win by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and revel just a bit in the misery of the Left. They also discuss whether this defeat gives the Obama campaign time to refine its get out the vote strategy. And they shake their heads as Democrats try hard to spin a huge GOP victory in Wisconsin as a win for Obama.
For months, former Sen. George Allen has been the prohibitive favorite to win the Republican nomination in his quest to win back the U.S. Senate seat he lost to Jim Webb six years ago. There have been no new public polls showing a major shift in the race but GOP hopeful E.W. Jackson says voters in the commonwealth can expect a shocking result next Tuesday. Jackson says internal polling gives him confidence that he will not only challenge Allen but score the biggest upset to date in the 2012 cycle. Recent debates seem to have given Jackson a boost as online polls suggest he won the encounters with Allen, Delegate Bob Marshall and Tea Party favorite Jamie Radtke. His profile also rose after presumptive Democratic nominee Tim Kaine slammed Jackson for declaring war on Kaine and President Obama at the most recent debate. Jackson tells us what he meant by those comments and why he’s spent far more time going after Kaine’s record than George Allen’s. He also gets down to the meat of the campaign, as Jackson tells us what separates him from his current GOP rivals and why he is uniquely qualified to bring voters into the Republican party that his GOP rivals cannot.
Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review have fun after President Obama sends a tweet as his only visible sign of support for Tom Barrett in Wisconsin. They also discuss whether Romney’s top argument is dented by a new Obama ad on Mitt’s years as Massachusetts governor. And they react to David Axelrod’s claim that Romney selecting Marco Rubio as his running mate would be an insult to Hispanics.
Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee say the Obama administration’s lack of transparency kept the public from knowing about troubling negotiations between the administration and the drug industry. Colorado Rep. Cory Gardner says a committee probe shows the White House and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) struck a deal in which Obama promised to stop pushing for easier importation of cheaper drugs from other countries. In return, PhRMA agreed to pump some $80 billion into the effort to pass Obamacare. That effort included the return of Harry and Louise – the fictional TV ad couple that helped to scuttle the Clinton health care bill in the 1990s. This time the couple was pushing the Obama reforms. The committee also discovered that the Obama administration threatened to force higher payments from drug makers to Medicare if the industry did not back the legislation. Gardner explains why these hidden negotiations are so troubling to him and why he sees these proceedings as a breach of public trust.
Tuesday is primary day in California, and the primaries for seats in the U.S. House are drawing plenty of attention since many of the districts look very different as a result of reapportionment following the 2010 census. Republican State Senator Tony Strickland is running for an open seat in the 26th district. Strickland explains why he is running for Congress after 14 years in the state legislature. He describes his famous role in exposing the expensive energy contracts that crippled California with rolling blackouts in the last decade. Strickland also explains why the jobs picture and debt totals under Obama’s stewardship are unacceptable and what actions he would pursue if elected to Congress. The son of a career military officer, Strickland says he is most concerned about Israel and a nuclear Iran on the international stage. And he artfully dodges a question on what type of Republican he would be in Congress.
Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review are encouraged by the polls leading up to Tuesday’s recall vote in Wisconsin. They’re also disgusted by some of the union intimidation tactics used by opponents of Governor Scott Walker. They also discuss the revelation of an angry encounter between Attorney General Eric Holder and Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod.
Greg Corombos of Radio America and Daniel Foster of National Review Online enjoy Bill Clinton defending Mitt Romney’s career in the private sector. They’re also horrified by the May jobs report that shows anemic growth. And they have fun with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg moving to ban sodas bigger than 16 ounces.
On Friday, the Labor Department reported just 69,000 jobs were added in the month of May – and that’s well below expectations. The report also revised job growth lower for March and April as well, while the overall unemployment rate ticked up to 8.2 percent. The Obama administration says its policies have this nation on the right course after inheriting a horrible crisis and will eventually lead to more robust numbers. However, California Rep. Jeff Denham says that argument has “zero” credibility. Denham also says Obama has no one to blame but himself since he had a compliant Congress for two full years. The congressman does applaud Obama for supporting his legislation that would allow returning veterans who are certified in skills learned while in the military to be certified in the private sector as well. But Denham says much more could be done if the Senate would move on more than two dozen jobs bills passed by the House. Denham also updates his investigation into the reckless spending of taxpayer dollars at the General Services Administration (GSA).
On Thursday, a federal jury in North Carolina acquitted former Sen. John Edwards on one count and failed to reach a verdict on the remaining five counts in his campaign corruption trial. As Edwards appears to go free, the Capitol Steps look back on his political rise with their classic parody “I’m So Pretty”.
John Gizzi of Human Events discusses the worsening crisis in Syria and whether the world will soon intervene. He also takes us inside the European debt crisis and what to expect in the coming weeks in both Greece and Spain. We also ask Gizzi how longtime Democratic Rep. Silvestre Reyes got crushed in his House primary and who he expects to win the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Texas.
