Newt Gingrich teaming up with Arne Duncan for an education road trip.

[madfloridian]

Actually Al Sharpton is going with them, but he is not my real concern. It is the views of Gingrich toward education that alarm me so much. Why is this man traveling with our Secretary of Education on a road trip to push education reform.

Arne Duncan, Newt Gingrich, Al Sharpton -- road trip!

Education Secretary Arne Duncan, former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich and civil rights leader/onetime Democratic presidential candidate Al Sharpton will hit the road together next month in the name of education reform. The tour starts Sept. 29 in Philadelphia, heads to New Orleans on Nov. 3 and then to Baltimore on Nov. 13 -- cities selected for what they can teach others about school reform. The Department of Education plans to add other stops, including a rural venue.

I am alarmed that Gingrich is being included in education reform just as Duncan is forcing states to do things his way to get stimulus money. What is going on?

Here are Gingrich's views on education from On the Issues.

Newt Gingrich and education

For the last twenty years, we have tried to improve education while accepting the fundamental principles of a failed system, guarded by the education bureaucrats and teachers unions. We must now transform math and science education or fall behind. It really is that simple.
Source: Gingrich Communications website, www.newt.org, “Issues” Sep 1, 2007

He has done a good job damning teachers' unions, hasn't he? Yet he is going on the road trip.

Replace multiculturalism with patriotic education

In the classroom, the very concept of America is under assault. The traditional notion of our country as a union of one people, the American people, has been assaulted by multiculturalism, situational ethics, and a values-neutral model in which Western values and American history are ignored or ridiculed. Unless we act to reverse this trend, our next generation will grow up with no understanding of core American values. This will destroy America as we know it, as surely as if a foreign conqueror had overwhelmed us. It is absolutely necessary to establish a firm foundation of patriotic education upon which further knowledge can be built; otherwise, Americans will lack understanding of American values & how important & great it is to be an American.

It is important to understand what makes America so unique and why generations of diverse people immigrated to this great land for freedom and opportunity. If Americans do not appreciate America, then how can they be ready and willing to defend her?
Source: Rediscovering God in America, by Newt Gingrich, p.133-134 Dec 31, 2006

Ok, I'll bite. What is "patriotic education"?

Introduce competition among schools and teachers

We should apply the free enterprise system to our education system by introducing competition among schools, administrators, and teachers. Our educators should be paid based on their performance and held accountable based on clear standards with real consequences. These ideas are designed to stimulate thinking beyond the timid “let’s do more of the same” that has greeted every call for rethinking math and science education.
Source: Gingrich Communications website, www.newt.org Dec 1, 2006

SO...that's why he is on the road trip. Our new administration is using his ideas to "reform" schools.

Just a couple more views of Gingrich on education.

Support charters; insist on change for failing schools

We should encourage the spread of public charter schools--one of the happiest new developments on the education scene--so parents, educators, & students working together can enjoy the maximum freedom to explore options and innovations until every child has a genuine opportunity to learn. As a corollary of this, we must identify the worst schools. We should insist on immediate change for bad schools. To start with, there should be no tenure and no binding contracts in the worst 20% of schools.
Source: Lessons Learned the Hard Way, by Newt Gingrich, p.208 Jul 2, 1998

Private scholarships for students at hopeless schools

If there were families left without an acceptable public school, scholarships should be available for them to find a private one. I am a graduate of a public school, as are my wife and two daughters. All of us remain committed to the idea of public education. However, if the available public school is one that gives parents legitimate worry for their children’s future, there ought to be alternative to having to stand helplessly watching an incompetent bureaucracy destroy their children’s lives.
Source: Lessons Learned the Hard Way, by Newt Gingrich, p.209 Jul 2, 1998

That's amazing how Newt Gingrich's ideas are now permeating our education system. That's why he is along on the road trip. These ideas were his babies.

But while Newt gets to go on the road trip, our Secretary of Education is setting up confrontations with teachers' unions and states. Does he treat other unions like this? Or it is just teachers' unions he scorns.

Threatening states and confronting unions is Duncan's tactic

Legislatures in New York, California and some other states have enacted laws that limit, to one degree or another, use of student achievement data in teacher performance evaluations. Both national teachers’ unions oppose the use of student testing data to evaluate individual teachers, arguing in part that students are often taught by several teachers and that teacher evaluations should be based on several measures of performance, not just test scores.

“This is poking teachers’ unions straight in the eye,” Mike Petrilli, a vice president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a research group that studies education policy, said of the proposed fund eligibility requirement dealing with student data.

The president of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, said in an interview that she thought New York’s law would not render the state ineligible for financing and that her union would “take advantage very aggressively of the 60-day comment period” on the proposed rules.

More about the confrontation with California teachers.

U.S. education secretary is expected to withhold millions of dollars in education stimulus money if the state doesn't comply with his demand.
By Jason Felch and Jason Song
July 24, 2009
California could lose out on millions of federal education dollars unless legislators change a law that prevents it from using student test scores to measure teachers' performance, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is expected to announce in a speech today.

The only way public schools can be saved is for parents to decide their kids are not testing machines or little robots. This administration has made it clear to teachers that they will not be listened to or considered in the change that is coming to education.

Duncan's goal is more testing and more testing databases. When I write about it people get upset with me for pointing it out.....that solves nothing.

It will have to come from parents now. Teachers have been marginalized.

I guess seeing Newt Gingrich invited on a road trip with Duncan was a final straw for me. I guess Gingrich and his education views are more appreciated and beloved than I ever realized.

So this is bipartisanship.

[alarimer]

1. I hate Newt Gingrich.

Is this more of that bipartisanship bullshit?

Or is it that the Democrats (weak, spineless weasels that they are) have bought the school privatization bullshit?

This has to be one of the worst of Obama's appointments and most of them are disappointing at the very least.

[madfloridian]

2. Both, and I am angry.

Why aren't parents angry that their kids will be subjected to more testing?

Newt Gingrich's education views are being used by this administration.

[dotymed]

61. TO THINK

0f all the time I spent campaigning for President Obama... Of
course he is better than Bush and McSame, but his ideas and
the people he picks (because of their ideas, I hope) are more
of the same Bushit. Our education needs a major overhaul but
our unions are essential in that process. We should teach our
students the TRUTH in history, not the "Patriotic"
lying B.S. It will help them decide based on the truth and the
events of the past, the direction that is really (not
conservative ideology) best for the future of our nation. Our
children must be taught honestly, and on an equal playing
field with the wealthy. Personally, I think Howard Zinn's
book, THE HISTORY OF AMERICA should be taught in every school.
That would not "destroy" our country, it would let
the students understand the Right and wrong decisions our
government has made in the past and help to steer them to a
better tomorrow. Education can not be based on
"patriotic" memes and expect our children to know
anything more than what they would see on FAUX TV.  

[Freddie Stubbs]

66. Is it a bad appointment if the guy is carrying out policies Obama has already been in support of?

:shrug:

[mia]

3. It's almost as if Bush won a third term. n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. For the education issues, yes, it does seem that way.

[madfloridian]

5. I was just going to reply using the same words you did.

It was uncanny to see your words before mine.

It's so true in the education field. There is almost no difference at all.

[Catshrink]

6. None of these guys has ever taught in a K-12 public school.

WTF do they know about it? Once one has taught in a K-12 public school and had the responsibility for that class's achievement and well-being, they have credibility. Until then, they're just talking out their butts.

Arne, Newtie, and Al: Go do the job before you try to tell me how to do mine.

(I posted this in the other thread about this -- I am so pissed off about this.)

[madfloridian]

36. And they are not listening to the ones who do teach in classrooms.

In fact Arne is causing conflicts with them.

[LWolf]

7. More evidence of corruption and destruction.

I don't consider Arne Duncan to be any better than Rod Paige, who called the NEA a "terrorist organization."

In some ways he's worse: he's moving the provatization agenda ahead much more rapidly, and he's doing it under the Democratic umbrella.

The fact that he's marching forward with a Democratic administration's, and a Democratic Congress' approval, is a gross betrayal that I will not forget.

[madfloridian]

8. I wonder why parents' groups are not alarmed. Do they not understand what's happening?

I know that more and more teachers are reacting negatively now.

Our party is using the education priorities of Newt Gingrich and the right wing to reform education.

I am angry.

[LWolf]

43. WHY aren't Democrats rising in outrage

to see "our party is using the education priorities of Newt Gingrich and the right wing to reform education?"

I too, am angry.

[madfloridian]

44. They are going along with DLC policies for education. Read DLC stuff from 2000

Al From called for charter schools in 2000.

The Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) is now calling for reforms including school choice and merit pay for teachers.....America is a tale of two public school systems: one that works reasonably well, although it could certainly be better, and one that is by almost any standard a disaster," says From.

.."From argues that the public school system too often serves the interests of teachers and administrators at the expense of the students themselves. It is a "monopolistic" system that "offers a 'one-size-fits-hardly-anyone' model that strangles excellence and innovation" he says.

Characterizing charter schools as "oases of innovation," From writes, "The time has come to bring life to the rest of the desert-by introducing the same forces of choice and competition to every public school in America."

From also says Democrats should work to redefine the very notion of public education itself.

"We should rid ourselves of the rigid notion that public schools are defined by who owns and operates them," he writes. "In the twenty-first century, a public school should be any school that is of the people (accountable to public authorities for its results), by the people (paid for by the public), and for the people (open to the public and geared toward public purposes)."

Now doggone it, doesn't that sound like Newt's policies?

The DLC is setting policy.

[LWolf]

46. Remember, 18 months ago or so,

when Obama was the "not DLC" candidate? :grr:

Not that I ever thought that; he openly touted charter schools and merit pay on the campaign trail.

[madfloridian]

50. I can't believe they are using Newt's education policies.

Yes, he did support charter schools and merit pay on the trail.

But I swear I never thought he would choose anyone like Duncan.

:shrug:

[LWolf]

70. I did.

I held out hope, but, having paid close attention, I was an admitted skeptic. I hoped for Linda Darling-Hammond. I sent off a note of congratulations and a book about education philosophy to Obama on election day.

I got the book back, with note, unopened, because it was a "gift," although it certainly wasn't intended that way. I hoped anyway, but seeing Duncan's name on the short list, I didn't have much hope left.

[Jakes Progress]

56. They aren't outraged because they bought the neocon meme.

Beginning with ronny raygun, the neocons have been targeting schools as the next big profit source, bigger potential than military/industrial with less overhead.

First they had to convince everyone that schools were bad. They tilted studies, lied, and played on parents fears. It has worked so well that it seems at least half of DU is with newt and grover now. They profess liberal leanings but fall right in line with the worst of the republicans when it comes to education. republican voters don't have a monopoly on gullibility.

[LWolf]

67. That's truth. nt

[dotymed]

62. MOST OF THE PARENTS ARE THE PRODUCT OF THE SAME TYPE OF EDUCATION

I dared to speak out our H.S., against mandatory drug testing
for the students. They looked at me like I was a doper. They
said "well, when they start to work, they'll have to,
we're just preparing them" (I swear). When I questioned
why the regular workers should be tested and not the CEO's. I
was treasonous. These are almost all underprivileged parents
and kids...

[Metta]

9. Newt is discredited in sooo many ways. Why is he being used & Duncan shills for business, bad news.

More testing isn't the answer, nor is ignoring teachers and parents. Happy karma to all involved.

[madfloridian]

11. We are using the education themes of discredited Gingrich.

It scares me.

[Metta]

12. I didn't mean you. I meant Obama.

:hi:

[madfloridian]

13. I know what you meant.

Just agreeing with you.

Why the heck are they doing this, teaming with Gingrich while insulting teachers' unions???

[Metta]

14. Yep. Seems like a direct insult to the base and hard working people everywhere.

:hi:

[madfloridian]

16. Yes.

:hi:

[madfloridian]

10. How is Bloomberg tied into this with Sharpton and Gingrich?

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/05/07/gingrich_bloomberg_and_sharpto.html

"Education
Gingrich, Bloomberg and Sharpton Pay Obama a Visit

By Scott Wilson
It's an eclectic trio, symbolic of the wide-ranging personalities, interests and ideas involved in reforming the country's public education system.

This afternoon New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former House speaker Newt Gingrich, and the Rev. Al Sharpton will meet with President Obama to discuss his public education proposals and, to be sure, share some thoughts of their own.

The trio, which likely hasn't agreed on much of anything over the years, belongs to the nonprofit Education Equality Project.

Sharpton, a former U.S. senate candidate, founded the organization with New York City schools chancellor Joel Klein, who has said that "school reform is...the civil rights issue of our time."

The group's main focus? Closing the achievement gap among America's public school students, an issue bound up in race, class, money and politics."

Definitely some tie in here with the fact that Duncan has been closely tied with giving Bloomberg power over schools instead of a school board.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/4661

"The New York Post patted its own back today, hard, for helping the state renew the mayor’s control of the public schools. The surprising thing is that Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined in, thanking the newspaper, owned by the ambitious Rupert Murdoch, for its “leadership” and “thoughtfulness.”

New York City newspapers have a proud tradition of waging campaigns both on and off the editorial page, and then congratulating themselves when they hit their marks. But having a cabinet member for a sitting president join the cheering is more unusual.

“I think that must be out of context, that Arne Duncan is giving the Post credit for mayoral control,” the president of the principals’ union, Ernest Logan, said when I called to ask his impression."

[madfloridian]

15. Gingrich said no bilingual education. No "language of the ghetto."

He later sort of apologized for that remark, but it was already said.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/04/04/gingrich.spanish/index.html?iref=newssearch

"In a speech Saturday to the National Federation of Republican Women, Gingrich said English should be the language exclusively used by government in the United States.

He also said bilingual education should be replaced with immersion in English "so people learn the common language of the country and they learn the language of prosperity, not the language of living in a ghetto."

..."Gingrich's remarks, particularly his use of the word "ghetto," have drawn fire from Latino groups. While the former speaker did not directly apologize in his statement, he did concede that "my word choice was poor."

"But my point was simply this -- in the United States, it is important to speak the English language well in order to advance and have success," he said. "This is an expression of support for Latinos, not an attack on their language. I have never believed that Spanish is a language of people of low incomes, nor a language without beauty."

He still meant no bilingual education, just apologized for the use of the word ghetto.

He is being honored by this administration by being invited on a road trip.

[dotymed]

63. REINSTATE THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE

that will go a long way in teaching all...

[madfloridian]

17. Amazing how discredited politicians with histories of treating wives badly

keep surfacing with credibility if they are Republicans.

Simply amazing.

Gingrich should be nowhere near this administration, and he should NOT be working on education reform with our Secretary of Education.

There seems to be little concern.

[depakid]

18. Enabling and legitimizing Gingrich- another brilliant move by the administration

The more of this I see, the more pleased I am that Howard Dean has nothing to do with the folks running this show.

[madfloridian]

20. Giving Gingrich credit on education is harmful to all of us.

It is too bipartisan.

[depakid]

27. If that's sarcasm, it's misguided

[madfloridian]

29. No, I am not sarcastic. Gingrich should NOT be working on education

with our Democratic administration. I think it is carrying bipartisanship too far.

[madfloridian]

31. Curious as to what you thought I was saying?

[EFerrari]

19. WTF is THIS? Doesn't Obma know that Latinos are the fastest growing

demo? First his government lets the Honduran coup slide while it murders people, now THIS.

He sure didn't have a Latino problem going into this term but he may well have one next time.

[madfloridian]

21. Gingrich's comments on the language of the ghetto....

could be harmful. People voted for change, not for the status quo.

It will hurt him with teachers who will lose enthusiasm, and it may hurt with the Latino community as well.

[madfloridian]

22. Gingrich, Sharpton, Bloomberg, Duncan in front of the WH....in charge of education.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Tsj3p4GXr4

That scares the heck out of me. Where are the educators chosen to work on this? Why are teachers and their unions being left out?

[opihimoimoi]

23. NEWT has no creds....a has been, old and outta touch....he will be the

throwaway Pub Candidate...picked to lose against Obama fight...

[madfloridian]

30. But he's going on the road with our Secretary of Education...

who is using his policies. :shrug:

[opihimoimoi]

32. Newt is always on the MOOT Level...Trying his bes to make a comeback with old tricks

is not gonna do it...

He is gutless and of weak principles

[Hippo_Tron]

24. Nevermind

n/t

[QC]

25. Who won the election, anyway? n/t

[George II]

77. Barack Obama

[DCKit]

26. The simple fact of the election of Barack Obama has done more for the cause than these fools...

could hope to undo in a million years. "Smart" is cool again (thank Dog).

But knock yourselves out fellas.

[madfloridian]

28. Not sure you are referring to in "knock yourself out fellas"

It is not okay for Newt Gingrich to be a consultant on education.

It is not okay for our party to be using his plans for education.

We won, we have a majority.

[George II]

76. Excellent point! Good job.......

[DailyGrind51]

33. Why not add William Kristol and call themselves "The Freemarketeers"?

[madfloridian]

35. Good point.

.

[madfloridian]

34. Asking Newt on the road trip is one thing....using his policies for education is another..

And very wrong.

[Swamp Rat]

37. The New Orleans public school system is being taken over by the banks.

The best public schools have been recently taken over by Capital One Bank. They are canceling art, dance, and some music classes, because it is not in the business model of so-called "charter" education. They are also in the process of laying off certified, career teachers and replacing them with young, uncertified Teach for America people who will accept low wages.

Gingrich is really coming down here to help bust up the last vestiges of our teachers union, and turn it entirely into a for-profit system.

[madfloridian]

38. How can the bank take over the schools? That is scary stuff.

Do all schools there have to be charter now? Not meaning to sound dumb, swampy, but I am not familiar with your school system.

That has been the goal of Gingrich and his followers, and now he is advising Democrats? :wow:

[madfloridian]

39. Newt just keeps turning up and is treated with credibility.

That's amazing.

[madfloridian]

40. Gingrich supported a school prayer amendment. Federal aid only to schools which allow prayer.

"Supports a Constitutional Amendment for school prayer.
Gingrich co-sponsored a resolution for a School Prayer Amendment:

H.J.RES.52 (2001), H.J.RES.66 (1999), S.J.RES. 1, H.J.RES.12, H. J. RES. 108, & H. J. RES. 55:

Nothing in this Constitution shall be construed to prohibit individual or group prayer in public schools or other public institutions. No person shall be required by the United States or by any State to participate in prayer . Neither the United States nor any State shall compose the words of any prayer to be said in public schools.

H. J. RES. 78 (1997):

To secure the people's right to acknowledge God according to the dictates of conscience: Neither the United States nor any State shall establish any official religion, but the people's right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, or traditions on public property, including schools, shall not be infringed. Neither the United States nor any State shall require any person to join in prayer or other religious activity, prescribe school prayers, discriminate against religion, or deny equal access to a benefit on account of religion.

* Proposed Legislation:H.J.RES.52, School Prayer Amendment, 6/13/2001 (Murtha)
* H.J.RES.12, School Prayer Amendment, 2/7/2001 (Emerson)
* S.J.RES.1, School Prayer Amendment, 1/22/2001 (Thurmond)
* H.J.RES.108, Voluntary School Prayer Amendment, 9/21/2000 (Graham)
* H.J.RES.55, Voluntary School Prayer Amendment, 2/13/1997 (Stearnes, Hall, Watts)
* H.J.RES.78, Amendment Restoring Religious Freedom, 5/8/1997 (Istook, et. al.)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Voted YES on giving federal aid only to schools allowing voluntary prayer.
Motion to add language to the "Goals 2000: Educate America Act" to give federal aid only to schools allowing voluntary prayer.

http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Newt_Gingrich_Education.htm

[burning rain]

41. Patriotic education?

Vladimir Putin could give some pointers there.

[madfloridian]

42. That phrase reminds me of the lead up to the Iraq War.

Unless you supported the invasion of that country, you were not considered a patriot.

Flags everywhere on cars, houses, on desks in classrooms. Flag mania.

[Orsino]

45. It would be a waste of time for us to try to educate him.

Fuck Newt.

[madfloridian]

47. Gingrich wanted to provide paid incentives....wants to pay poor children to read...

And other stuff. This is interesting, first I had heard of it.

http://schoolsmatter.blogspot.com/2009/03/gingrich-joins-duncan-on-need-to.html

"The man who dubbed Vice President Joe Biden a socialist last September for arguing that paying taxes is "patriotic" appears to have some government redistribution ideas of his own.

Newt Gingrich, often cited as a Republican prospect for president in 2012, says the state should consider paying teenager girls not to get pregnant.

He also says that states should consider paying teenage girls who become pregnant to take prenatal vitamins to forestall paying additional health expenses for neonatal care down the road.

The remarks were made during a tour of Michigan on Wednesday. Gingrich is the founder of the Center for Health Transformation, a not-for-profit group advocating the partnership of private and public interests for health care reform.

Along with his remarks about pregnant teenagers, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives also said Wednesday that state legislators should consider paying poor children to read and individuals not to smoke."

[madfloridian]

48. Wonder what he means about paying teen girls not to get pregnant?

"Newt Gingrich, often cited as a Republican prospect for president in 2012, says the state should consider paying teenager girls not to get pregnant.

He also says that states should consider paying teenage girls who become pregnant to take prenatal vitamins to forestall paying additional health expenses for neonatal care down the road."

http://schoolsmatter.blogspot.com/2009/03/gingrich-joins-duncan-on-need-to.html

That does not make sense. Teach them about birth control, forget abstinence only....now that makes sense.

[joeybee12]

49. Oh God, tell me this is a bad dream...that what i ate for lunch is

causing a hallucination!

[AlbertCat]

51. When elementary school teachers get paid what professional baseball players get...

... then you'll see education improve. When money is spent on teachers and facilities like it is in other competitive lines of work (medicine, profes. sports, Hollywood stardom, Law) you'll see standards raised and a flood of people wanting to get involved. Why should it be some kind of sacrifice to teach the young? What could be more worth paying a bundle for?

[George II]

52. Didn't you post most of this in another dicsussion a few days ago?????

[madfloridian]

55. Does it matter? I posted it in the comments of a thread. Having fun?

[George II]

57. You posted most of the substance of this OP in another OP about a week ago....

..."NOT as comment of a thread". I'm sure you'll deny this, but............

........bashing Democrats again, "having fun"?

Now, if you go on again about me "stalking" you, I read and comment on MANY of the "DU Journal" posts, it's just that you appear on the "DU Journal" list probably more than anyone else, and the majority of your posts find fault with Democrats. I comment on most anti-Democratic posts I find. If that means that I comment on many of your posts, as George Bush used to put it, "connect the dots"!!!

You probably didn't notice that I "recommended" several of your posts last week, they were commenting on the negative activities of republicans. I applaud and recommend those posts. But your many anti-Democratic posts? No way!

[madfloridian]

73. You don't think I should speak up about Newt Gingrich having an education voice?

Could you explain to me why that is? Do you agree with Gingrich's policies, or do you just think Democrats should not be criticized for anything??

:shrug:

[George II]

74. I never said that.....but...

...maybe you didn't get enough "recs" so you had to post essentially the same post a second time?

You post doesn't just talk about Gingrich. It lumps Gingrich with Democrats as well.

As far as the comment "do you just think Democrats should not be criticized for anything??", why do you lump that in with a comment about Gingrich? Sure, I think Democrats should be criticized about things (you should have been at our town Democratic meeting tonight!!!), I just don't think Democrats should be criticized for EVERYTHING!

Look back at your posts - do a tally....how many criticize Democrats and how many criticize republicans?

How many go back years and years to draw a strained, tenuous connection between bad things and Democrats? You have more than once criticized Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education for things that happened YEARS ago! Most obvious was you blaming Duncan (as Secretary of Education) for Mayor Bloomberg getting control of the NYC school system, knowing full well that this control was granted SEVEN YEARS AGO!

How do you explain that?

[donco6]

53. Unbelievably barftastic.

I'm going to bed and pulling the covers over my head.

[Mithreal]

54. How much more insulting can the Obama administration be

legitimizing this fool? K&R, MF, thanks.

[QC]

59. Give them time, and I'm sure they can top this. n/t

[Mithreal]

60. Touring with Gingrich, I honestly can't believe Obama could ok that. nt

[QC]

65. Well, it's more of that business about "reaching out" to an impotent minority

that would like to see us all dead.

Obama's entire approach to governing is based on that.

[Mithreal]

72. Well, he does want to be everyone's President.

Seems like everyone gets it, he has tried to reach out and they keep bashing him. When do you think he will learn that they are not his potential friends?

[opihimoimoi]

58. Why are we listening to a fuckin LOSER who is outta touch and has no real ideas

This is a bad sign...Obama gatta queer the deal

[Umbral]

64. WTF? nt

[tj2001]

68. What Goddamn Fucking Bullshit

I say.

[bullwinkle428]

69. I love the smell of bipartisanship in the morning!!

Smells like...a landfill.

[Fire1]

71. Their best bet is to stay in the red states cause the urban

blue states will not be very receptive, to say the least.

[JHB]

75. All-Star Team of FAIL! n/t