No Labels
Co-founder of No Labels, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bipartisanship and civil discourse; former vice chairman, now senior advisor at Hill & Knowlton Strategies and former vice chairman of Public Strategies; former president of Maverick Media, and former consultant and representative of the Workforce Fairness Institute; former media strategist to President George W. Bush (2000 and 2004) and Senator John McCain
Will the Newtown Massacre be the “Tipping Point” for Gun Control? The slaughter of children in Newtown, Connecticut has infused new energy into the gun control movement. Will a new strategy sound like good politics to some Republicans? Will there be enough money to challenge the power of the NRA? Vice President Joe Biden talked to reporters today before meeting with a group of gun control advocates. He said the Newtown, Connecticut massacre has created a requirement for “immediate action…” Biden said he’ll meet tomorrow with the NRA and the Gun Owners of America—to hear their views and try to find common ground.
Will the Newtown Massacre be the “Tipping Point” for Gun Control? The slaughter of children in Newtown, Connecticut has infused new energy into the gun control movement. Will a new strategy sound like good politics to some Republicans? Will there be enough money to challenge the power of the NRA? Vice President Joe Biden talked to reporters today before meeting with a group of gun control advocates. He said the Newtown, Connecticut massacre has created a requirement for “immediate action…” Biden said he’ll meet tomorrow with the NRA and the Gun Owners of America—to hear their views and try to find common ground.
The Race is Even and the Stakes are High There's a lot at stake in tomorrow's election but, despite the claims of campaigns for the presidency and other national offices, the results are unlikely to bring about much immediate change.
The Race Is Even and the Stakes Are High Both parties claim they'll take the nation in different directions, but Washington gridlock will likely continue whether Barack Obama or Mitt Romney is in the White House. But this could still be a "milestone election” as Democrats and Republicans strive to build new coalitions in a racially changing nation. In the meantime, national polls show the race for the White House is neck and neck, while polls of battleground states make Obama the favorite. We look at ground game established five years ago and the mathematics of the Electoral College.
Latino Voters and the Republican Party Republican strategists have known for years that it's time to reach out to Latinos, the fastest-growing voting bloc in the nation. In Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, Republican candidates made appeals to Tea Partiers and others concerned about the impact of illegal immigration. Starting tomorrow in Florida tomorrow, and Saturday in Nevada, Latino voters will be a major part of the electorate. Tomorrow's Florida primary is this year's first opportunity, and the presidential candidates know it.
Republican Candidates and Latino Voters Republican talk about an electric border fence, e-verify and deportation was one thing in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Tomorrow in Florida and Saturday in Nevada it will be a different story, when many voters will be Hispanics. Obama won 58 percent of Hispanics in 2008, but many are having second thoughts, especially because of the economy. What other issues concern them most? Are Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich hitting the right buttons? Can Republicans reconcile their appeals to Tea Partiers and the fastest growing bloc of American voters?
The Obama Record, His Re-election Campaign and the Middle Class After a first term full of disappointments, some progressive Democrats are saying that President Obama finally found his voice this week in Kansas. Obama's carefully crafted speech invoked Republican President Theodore Roosevelt, who made a speech in the same town more than 100 years ago, calling equal opportunity the cornerstone of democracy. In his first major effort to lay out the themes of next year's re-election campaign, Obama picked up on the rhetoric of the Occupy movement, denouncing Wall Street and supporting "the 99 percent." But, does his record match his rhetoric? Will centrists see him as the champion of the Middle Class or an advocate of more government regulation? How does his re-election agenda stack up against the crowded field of Republicans? We get a range of opinions from across the political spectrum.
Barack Obama, the Democrats and the Middle Class For this November's elections, the Democrats have portrayed themselves as the party of the middle class. With the Bush-era tax cuts scheduled to expire on December 31, the key was to extend them for incomes under $250,000, while allowing taxes to rise for the richest Americans. But last week that strategy came to an end, when Democratic leaders said they'd postpone a Congressional vote until the elections were over.
Barack Obama, the Democrats and the Middle Class The Democrats' top strategy for the November elections was to extend Bush-era tax cuts for incomes under $250,000, allowing increases for the richest Americans. Now, Democratic leaders say Congress won't vote until the elections are over, with taxes for all taxpayers scheduled to rise on December 31. Republicans say Democrats have abandoned the middle class. But what is the middle class? Do voters understand who has the money and who doesn't? Has economic confusion helped the Tea Partiers to seize the initiative from both political parties?
Does Big Business Still Prefer Republicans? Under eight years of a Democratic administration, the US economy thrived. Eight years of the Republicans have led to the brink of another Depression. But faced with Democratic majorities on Capitol Hill, the US Chamber of Commerce is spending bigger than ever this year on GOP candidates. Goal number one is to stop legislation making it easier to organize unions. Are unions really a threat to corporate prosperity? What about other Republican principles, including deregulation? We talk to Big Business, Big Labor and others.
How was the trip? President Trump's travels got less fun as he went from the Middle East to Europe.
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.
White House budget proposal slashes and burns President Trump's first budget request is considered dead on arrival in Congress — a familiar development in Capitol Hill. We hear what it reveals about the priorities of the new administration. What's likely to die… and what might survive?
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.