VIDEO: Ernst Faces Backlash For Shunning Iowa Newspapers
Yesterday, it came to light that Joni Ernst was refusing to sit down with the Des Moines Register's editorial board. Then it became clear, she was refusing to sit down with the editorial board of essentially every newspaper in Iowa. As she spurned the Iowa press, she still managed to find the time to meet with MSNBC's Chuck Todd yesterday (and had the audacity to tweet a picture of this with the hashtag #IowaKnows Best -- no, really!), and to sit down with FOX News this morning. It's understandable why Joni Ernst is desperate to hide her extreme agenda from Iowa -- support for privatizing social security, wanting to eliminate the federal minimum wage, opposition to subsidies like the RFS, etc. -- but her little Houdini act backfired. Check out Ernst getting blasted on local TV for cheating Iowa voters out of the opportunity to know where she stands on the issues:
Mitt Romney And Doug Ducey: Ice (Cream) Cold Businessmen
Mitt Romney is continuing his consolation tour of the nation, touting the ideas that handed him a decisive loss two years ago and "boosting" candidates around the country. Today, he's taking his talents to Mesa, where he'll campaign with Doug Ducey, a man with whom he has all too much in common. The two slick-looking businessmen have made a lot of money in their careers, but neither of them seem to have workers in their best interests. As Governor of Massachusetts, Romney belied a campaign promise by vetoing a minimum wage increase, which was promptly overridden by unanimous votes in both chambers of the state legislation. That kind of audacity must impress a man like Doug Ducey. Ducey has consistently spoken out against raising the minimum wage, and even went so far as to institute his famed singing-for-tips policy at Cold Stone Creamery, in part to avoid paying higher wages to his workers. Ducey and Romney share other things as well, like a history of presiding over corporate layoffs. All in all, the duo promises to be a real treat for the guys at the top, but their agenda isn't so sweet for working families.
ICYMI: Chris Christie Is "Tired of Hearing About The Minimum Wage"
At a Chamber of Commerce event today, Chris Christie - ever the everyman sharing working families' concerns - came right out and said what we're sure many Republicans have been thinking this year: "I'm tired of hearing about the minimum wage, I really am." American Bridge has the video, watch for yourself above.
But wait, there's more… of the LePage-Cutler bromance (VIDEO)
Tonight's Maine gubernatorial debate had several memorable moments. Governor LePage claimed that $100,000 is "not that rich" (never mind that that's over twice the state's median income). He admitted that "I cannot create jobs," while in the same breath bragging about putting 3,500 Mainers out of work through his hiring and firing power. But we'd be remiss if we didn't especially highlight even more touching examples of the LePage-Cutler bromance that took place tonight at USM.
The Greedy Outsourcing Party
It's no secret that Mitt Romney's checkered business career was part of what doomed his election hopes in 2012. When people looked at Mitt Romney, they saw a vulture capitalist who was willing to close down American plants, lay off workers, and ship jobs overseas, so long as it helped their bottom dollar. Having run for president, Romney's business practices are likely the most infamous among Republican politicians, but he's hardly alone. This year, key GOP candidates in close senate and gubernatorial races espouse the same self-interested philosophy -- reaping profits while hurting American workers. In Georgia, David Perdue's campaign was rocked as POLITICO reported that Perdue had stated plainly in a 2005 deposition that he had "spent most of his career" outsourcing. This statement itself would have been severely damaging to Perdue's candidacy, but what was even more detrimental, perhaps because it was so revealing, was Perdue's dumbfounded response to the story. Asked how he would defend his outsourcing career, Perdue looked surprised -- "Well defend it? I'm proud of it!" In Illinois, billionaire gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner, who took a page out of Romney's playbook and funneled millions in profits to Cayman Island tax shelters to avoid paying American taxes, has demonstrated similar priorities. Rauner's vast portfolio while at GTCR, the private equity firm he co-founded, included directing H-Cube, a “premier global business outsourcing firm.” And just this month, we learned that a lawsuit has been launched by the former CEO of LeapSource, another outsourcing company where Rauner sat on the board, alleging personal threats from Rauner over her lack of success as their CEO.
Bill Cassidy Blatantly Lies About Voting Against VA Medical Center
Listen to it for yourself -- this is a direct quote from Rep. Bill Cassidy: "Well first, I chuckle when Senator Landrieu, for example, says I voted against the VA hospital in New Orleans. I wasn't in Congress when the VA hospital was voted on. I'm not sure if it's a half-truth, I think it's a lie." There is only one person lying, and it's Bill Cassidy. No, he wasn't in the United States House of Representatives at the time. Neither was the bill. It was a state legislative bill in Louisiana when Cassidy was a Louisiana State Senator. He voted against it. There isn't much more to it.
Meet Fancam
Whether we're canoeing behind candidates or welcoming them home on secret fundraising trips with digital billboards, American Bridge is always a pioneer in the field of tracking. So today, we are proud to unveil our newest technology: Fancam. Wherever Rick Scott goes, Fancam will be there to help him keep his cool and avoid further campaign meltdowns. See you out there, Governor!
VIDEO: The LePage-Cutler bromance blossoms
High-fives, hugs, applauding each other -- the hallmarks of a certified bromance, and yet, also of the Maine gubernatorial debates, thanks to Governor LePage and Eliot Cutler's mutual admiration society. Indeed, in response to a question last night about whether he'd sign a bill raising the governor's pay, Cutler gushed "not mine, but I'd increase... Paul's!" Swoon.
VIDEO: A Fan-tastic Collapse, As Told By Local News
You've probably heard about Rick Scott's #Fantrum by now. So has everyone in Florida with a TV. In case you…
VIDEO: Scott Walker: Working for the Kochs, Not For Wisconsin
Scott Walker made both local and national headlines yesterday when he bluntly stated that his opinion is that the minimum wage "serves no purpose." Thousands of minimum wage workers across Wisconsin would probably disagree with that assertion. But Scott Walker isn't looking out for them -- he's looking out for the Koch brothers and his other wealthy allies.