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GOP, Dems shift into general election mode
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/02/10981105-first-thoughts-and-were-off
First Thoughts: And we're off
And we’re off: Plenty of evidence that the general-election train has left the station… Biden unloads on Romney… Romney unveils his new stump speech… Rick Santorum = Kansas Jayhawks?... Bill Clinton to raise money with Obama… Dems go on the offensive against the Ryan budget… Yet another sign the Tea Party might be over: House GOPers looking to revive earmarks… And it’s tight in the Brown-Warren race.
By NBC’s Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Brooke Brower
*** And we're off: Yes, the Wisconsin GOP primary is still a day away. And, yes, Rick Santorum could always pull off a surprise tomorrow. But it's also hard not to recognize that the general election has already begun. On Friday, Mitt Romney unveiled a new stump speech that focused exclusively on President Obama and not his GOP rivals. Then, on Sunday, Vice President Biden appeared on "Face the Nation," where he unloaded on Romney. Also late last week, a conservative group with ties to the Koch Brothers launched a $3 million-plus TV ad campaign in battleground states, while the pro-Obama Super PAC is now up with its own response. And yesterday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said “the chances are overwhelming that [Romney] will be our nominee. It seems to me we’re in the final phases of wrapping up this nomination.” To be sure, we might see final minor twist or turn in this GOP primary race, but with seven months until Nov. 6, the general-election train appears to have finally left the station.
*** Biden unloads on Romney: As mentioned above, the vice president appeared on CBS’ Sunday show, where he assailed Romney for being out of touch with the middle class and for being naïve on foreign policy. “I can't remember a presidential candidate in the recent past who seems not to understand by what he says what ordinary middle-class people are thinking about and are concerned about,” Biden said. And in response to the GOP criticism of President Obama’s hot-mic moment, he added: “Gov. Romney's answer, I thought, was incredibly revealing. He acts like he thinks the Cold War is still on -- Russia is still our major adversary. I don't know where he has been. I mean, we have disagreements with Russia, but they're united with us on Iran. The only way we're getting one of only two ways we're getting material into Afghanistan to our troops is through Russia. They're working closely with us. They have just said to Europe, if there is an oil shutdown in any way in the Gulf, they'll consider increasing oil supplies to Europe. That's not-- this is not 1956.” Throughout the interview, it was clear Biden’s playing what is a traditional role for a sitting VP: attack dog.
*** Bill Clinton to raise money with Obama: In an interview with NBC’s Luke Russert, former President Bill Clinton revealed he will attend three fundraisers with Obama. “We’re going to do these fundraisers. Three, I think, together,” he told Russert. Clinton also said this about his wife, Hillary, and 2016: “She’s told you and everybody else that she thinks she’ll probably never run for office again. But I’ve been there. I know what happens when you go through this decompression, after years of relentless high pressure activity. And I just think she needs to rest up, do some things she cares about and whatever she decides to do, I’ll support.”
First Thoughts: And we're off
And we’re off: Plenty of evidence that the general-election train has left the station… Biden unloads on Romney… Romney unveils his new stump speech… Rick Santorum = Kansas Jayhawks?... Bill Clinton to raise money with Obama… Dems go on the offensive against the Ryan budget… Yet another sign the Tea Party might be over: House GOPers looking to revive earmarks… And it’s tight in the Brown-Warren race.
By NBC’s Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Brooke Brower
*** And we're off: Yes, the Wisconsin GOP primary is still a day away. And, yes, Rick Santorum could always pull off a surprise tomorrow. But it's also hard not to recognize that the general election has already begun. On Friday, Mitt Romney unveiled a new stump speech that focused exclusively on President Obama and not his GOP rivals. Then, on Sunday, Vice President Biden appeared on "Face the Nation," where he unloaded on Romney. Also late last week, a conservative group with ties to the Koch Brothers launched a $3 million-plus TV ad campaign in battleground states, while the pro-Obama Super PAC is now up with its own response. And yesterday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said “the chances are overwhelming that [Romney] will be our nominee. It seems to me we’re in the final phases of wrapping up this nomination.” To be sure, we might see final minor twist or turn in this GOP primary race, but with seven months until Nov. 6, the general-election train appears to have finally left the station.
*** Biden unloads on Romney: As mentioned above, the vice president appeared on CBS’ Sunday show, where he assailed Romney for being out of touch with the middle class and for being naïve on foreign policy. “I can't remember a presidential candidate in the recent past who seems not to understand by what he says what ordinary middle-class people are thinking about and are concerned about,” Biden said. And in response to the GOP criticism of President Obama’s hot-mic moment, he added: “Gov. Romney's answer, I thought, was incredibly revealing. He acts like he thinks the Cold War is still on -- Russia is still our major adversary. I don't know where he has been. I mean, we have disagreements with Russia, but they're united with us on Iran. The only way we're getting one of only two ways we're getting material into Afghanistan to our troops is through Russia. They're working closely with us. They have just said to Europe, if there is an oil shutdown in any way in the Gulf, they'll consider increasing oil supplies to Europe. That's not-- this is not 1956.” Throughout the interview, it was clear Biden’s playing what is a traditional role for a sitting VP: attack dog.
*** Bill Clinton to raise money with Obama: In an interview with NBC’s Luke Russert, former President Bill Clinton revealed he will attend three fundraisers with Obama. “We’re going to do these fundraisers. Three, I think, together,” he told Russert. Clinton also said this about his wife, Hillary, and 2016: “She’s told you and everybody else that she thinks she’ll probably never run for office again. But I’ve been there. I know what happens when you go through this decompression, after years of relentless high pressure activity. And I just think she needs to rest up, do some things she cares about and whatever she decides to do, I’ll support.”
Hopefully DU will do the same soon!
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