TPM2012

Wisconsin Dems File Complaint With State Against David Koch

2012-02-23T22:37:43Z

The Wisconsin Democrats are taking aim at one of their biggest opponents in the state's recall elections. No, not just Republican Gov. Scott Walker -- but conservative financier David Koch, and his organization Americans For Prosperity. But whether they will actually succeed in the latest front is another question.

Specifically, the Dems announced on a conference call with reporters Thursday that they were filing a complaint with the state Government Accountability Board, which oversees elections in the state, and also forwarding a copy to the Internal Revenue Service at the federal level. The complaint involves statements that Koch made to a newspaper -- and his organization's official non-profit, non-partisan status.

"We're helping him, as we should. We've gotten pretty good at this over the years," Koch told the Palm Beach Post in a profile story published this past weekend. "We've spent a lot of money in Wisconsin. We're going to spend more."

Day In 100 Seconds: What's Wrong With This Picture?

2012-02-23T21:47:43Z

Following on from all the hubbub that was last night's debate, the big question is, what is up with the seemingly cozy relationship between Mitt Romney and Ron Paul? Paul is running ads attacking Rick Santorum in Michigan, even though he doesn't plan to compete there. In addition, the two pretty much held off each other for most of the debate, leading to fevered speculation from the TV talking heads today.

Also today, in a less simple, less soundbite-filled and decidedly less dramatic affair than the Republican debate, Democratic women (and one man) held their own hearing in response to Darrell Issa's "religious freedom" push.

At Issa's hearing, all the panelists were male, so the Dems used the opportunity to call the (female) witness they were prevented from calling last week.

Joe the Plumber's Campaign: 'Rich Iott Is Not A Nazi'

2012-02-23T21:17:54Z

Joe "The Plumber" Wurzelbacher's campaign for Congress is defending his association with 2010 Republican candidate Rich Iott, who endorsed Joe the Candidate earlier this week, and who dealt with controversy in the last campaign when it was discovered that he enjoys spending his weekends dressed up like a Nazi soldier.

With Ohio losing two seats in the House, this district was combined from the home turfs of two Democratic incumbents, Reps. Marcy Kaptur and Dennis Kucinich. This week, Mr. The Plumber put out a press release touting the endorsements of past Republican opponents of each of the Democrats -- including Iott, who ran against Kaptur in 2010.

The problem here, of course, is that Iott made quite a name for himself in the 2010 cycle -- due to his hobby of spending weekends dressing up as a Nazi for World War II reenactments -- specifically as a member of the 5th SS Wiking Panzer Division, a unit in the German army that was actually recruited from foreign volunteers.

In an interview with TPM, Wurzelbacher's deputy campaign director Phil Christofanelli vigorously defended Iott as a job-creating businessman who has helped the Toledo area -- and denied the legitimacy of any negative associations.

GOP Rep: I'd Have To Personally Kill Some Senators To Get The Ryan Budget Passed (AUDIO)

2012-02-23T19:55:07Z

Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK) sent TPM a public apology Thursday after we obtained audio of the five-term Republican telling constituents at a town hall this week that he'd have to personally shoot members of the U.S. Senate to get a budget passed through the chamber.

Romney's 'Underpants Gnome' Defense On Auto Bailout

2012-02-23T19:14:27Z

Another day, another explanation of Mitt Romney's oh-so-nuanced position on the auto bailout. And this time, for reasons that will soon become clear, it's pushing the GOP frontrunner's stance towards something that seems straight out of South Park.

Last night, Romney made the case that Detroit's car makers needed to go through a managed bankruptcy -- hence his famous "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt" editorial -- and suggested that the private sector could have kept them from going under along with maybe just the slightest helping hand from the government.

"If they go through that managed bankruptcy and shed the excessive cost that's been put on them by the UAW and by their own mismanagement, then if they need help coming out of bankruptcy, the government can provided guarantees and get them back on their feet," he said. "No way would we allow the auto industry in America to totally implode and disappear. That was my view. Go through bankruptcy. When that happens, then the market can help lift them out."

Now, to some degree, this is what the Obama administration did: the car companies eventually went through a managed bankruptcy.

Conspiracy! Rivals Accuse Romney And Paul Of Collusion

2012-02-23T15:59:50Z

The warm friendship between Ron Paul and Mitt Romney is starting to annoy their rivals, who are openly accusing the two candidates of forming a Survivor-style alliance.

Ron Paul has mostly refrained from tough attacks on Romney, who has some kind words in turn for Paul. The libertarian-leaning Congressman has instead used his debate performances and advertising dollars to go after the rest of the field. Thursday's debate was no different as Paul lashed Santorum as a "fake" conservative, an attack he's deployed in a TV spot in Michigan this week as well. Earlier in the race, he took a similar tack with Newt Gingrich. Neither campaign is pleased.

"You have to ask Congressman Paul and Gov. Romney what they've got going together," Santorum told the Washington Examiner's Byron York. "Their commercials look a lot alike, and so do their attacks."

Santorum's chief strategist, John Brabender, got into the action as well.

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2012-02-23T15:59:50Z

Newt's Wildly Ambitious Plan To Save $500 Billion A Year

2012-02-23T15:18:58Z

Newt Gingrich has a wildly ambitious plan to save $500 billion dollars per year by reforming civil service laws. Or it may be closer to impossible.

"I agree generally with the need to reform government," Gingrich said in Wednesday's GOP debate in Arizona. "I think that, if we were prepared to repeal the 130-year-old civil service laws, go to a modern management system, we could save a minimum of $500 billion a year with a better system."

Warren Radio Ad Slams GOP 'Moral Conviction' Bill On Health Care

2012-02-23T15:16:06Z

Elizabeth Warren has a new radio ad in the Massachusetts Senate race, hammering Republicans on their response to health care reform and the contraception insurance mandates. Notably, Warren never mentions her chief rival Republican Sen. Scott Brown by name, though he is in fact a co-sponsor of the Republican bill in question.

Warren starts off by going after last week's House committee hearing on the contraception issue, which in the morning featured an all-male panel of clergy. Warren then renews her charge that the Republican bill would provide a loophole for an employer to deny any health care coverage at all, an accusation that Brown has denied.

"Now, the Senate is about to vote on a new law, proposed by Republicans, that allows your employer or insurance company to claim a vague 'moral conviction' to deny you contraception or any health care coverage they want," Warren says. "This new law threatens women's access to contraception, mammograms, even maternity care. It's just plain wrong."

Jon Stewart Laughs Off GOP Doomsday Scenarios

2012-02-23T14:31:07Z

Ever notice how Republicans talk in doomsday terms about a second term for President Obama? Yeah, Jon Stewart does too.

Today On The Trail: February 23, 2012

2012-02-23T12:19:22Z

Here are ten things you need to know today.

Santorum needed to win the debate, instead he left a trail of messy answers: Rick Santorum could have built momentum during last night's debate, momentum crucial to beating Mitt Romney in Michigan and Arizona. Instead, he fell flat.
Obama ties Romney in Arizona poll: President Obama and Mitt Romney are tied in Arizona with 47% each, according to a Public Policy Polling survey out Wednesday. The President leads Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich by 4 points each. The firm sees Arizona, where Obama's prospects have improved dramatically over the last few months, as a good example of a state Obama could put in play and win if the economy and other issues swing in his favor.
New poll shows trust in economy improving: Good news for President Obama, a new Quinnipiac poll finds confidence in the economy's improvement has grown significantly over the last several months, with 54%-43% believing the economy is in recovery.

Joe The Plumber Touts Endorsement Of Rich The Nazi Reenactor

2012-02-23T11:23:00Z

Joe "The Plumber" Wurzelbacher, who gained fame during the 2008 campaign when he met Barack Obama and subsequently campaigned for John McCain, is the likely Republican nominee for the House this year in his deep-blue Ohio district. This week he trotted out the endorsement of Rich Iott, who gained fame in 2010 when it was discovered he enjoys spending his weekends dressed up like a Nazi.

As Contraception Fight Takes Center Stage, Women Voters Turning From Romney (CHART)

2012-02-23T11:02:00Z

The political returns from attacking access to contraception are in. Women don't seem to like it.

While Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney hasn't led the charge against the Obama Administration's proposed new federal rules that require an insurance carrier to provide birth control free of charge to women, he certainly echoed the theme that the provisions are an assault on religious liberty, while steering clear of making it a central issue on the campaign.

Unfortunately for him, it seems he's still suffered a precipitous drop in support among women voters.

Limbaugh Lashes Romney For Occupy Rhetoric

2012-02-23T10:53:00Z

Mitt Romney proudly touted his updated tax plan proposals all through Wednesday, but there was one man who really wasn't happy with what he was hearing: Rush Limbaugh.

The high priest of the conservative right assailed Romney for having described his plans in terms that could come straight from the mouth of an Occupy Wall Street protester.

During a campaign stop in Arizona, Romney proposed an across-the-board cut of 20% for every income bracket. To offset this he proposed limiting "deductions and exemptions particularly for high income folks."

"[F]or middle income families," Romney went on, "the deductibility of home mortgage interest and charitable contributions will continue. But for high income folks, we are going to cut back on that, so we make sure the top one percent pay their fair share or more."

"One Percent?" "Fair share?" These words were enough to stir Limbaugh's ire. Listen to what he had to say:

Debate In 100 Seconds: The Grand Finale?

2012-02-23T03:51:20Z

As the last men standing in the GOP nominating race took to the debate floor for what might be the last time the last time, it was an emotional evening all round.

Rick Santorum confirmed to Ron Paul that he was real, while Romney told him to look in a mirror. Others tried to get their messages through, including a "cheerful" Gingrich talking about the concerns we should all have about nuclear weapons in our cities.

All in all, it provided a cathartic and cataclysmic setting for possibly the last of what has been a very, very long series of debates....

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2012-02-23T03:51:20Z

Five Ways Rick Santorum Blew It in Arizona

2012-02-23T03:16:00Z

If we've learned one thing through this turbulent Republican primary, it's that the debates really matter. Newt Gingrich rose and fell on his debate performances, Rick Perry knocked himself out entirely on the debate stage and Mitt Romney crawled back into frontrunner status in part by hiring a new debate coach and stepping up his game.

On Wednesday in Arizona, Rick Santorum needed to bring his A game to the debate to keep his momentum into the big Feb. 28 primaries in that state and Michigan. He didn't do it. Instead, he left a trail of moments that will likely haunt him in the press, in his rivals' speeches and in attack ads.