Author Archives: Michael Froomkin

Via Talking Points Memo, here’s a highlight from the talk:

If that doesn’t work, here’s a direct link.

As TPM notes, as a rally-the-troops kind of a speech President Obama’s Miami speech was a big success — the President had energy, he got himself going, and he got the crowd going.

And it did a good job of taking the fight to the other guy, unlike a certain recent debate performance.

But as a description of what Obama would actually do in the next four years the speech — like the whole campaign — was a little weak: end the war in Afghanistan, stay the course on the recovery, hire some teachers, make education more affordable (somehow), make a deal with Republicans to cut $1 trillion or more from the budget (queuecue the Catfood Commission).

The key for the Obama campaign has been and remains to demonize Romney, a process that very largely consists of just telling the truth about him. But that’s why the debate hurt so: for the mythical low-information undecided voter, who was just tuning and was relentlessly ignorant of everything Romney has been saying and doing for past two years, it’s all too possible Romney looked good, or at least neither dangerous nor demonic.

Update: While I’m swiping video from TPM, I really ought to include this — an analysis of Romney’s debate performance. It really deserves to work:

Just one thing: This video isn’t by Team Obama at all! It is by something called CannonfireVideo.

Update2: This following video, on the other hand, is by the ‘Obama Truth Team’:

…continued

– Romney denies tax plan that’s on his website
– counting on fact that what he’s selling is what “got us into the mess in the first place”
– his plan will not create jobs, help the economy, help the middle class

[What’s so amazing about this is it’s all NEGATIVE …. it’s as if Obama were the challenger! And indeed, now we get a little more positive…]

– you know what does create jobs? supporting US small businesses
– need to stop rewarding companies that send jobs overseas.
– control more of our own energy; we are raising fuel standards so cars will go twice as far as a gallon of gas; Us is less dependent on foreign oil than any time in two decades.
– cut $4 bn taxpayer welfare for oil companies
– don’t let china win the race for clean energy technology, do it here in Florida
– reduce the carbon pollution that is heating our planet
– ensure every young person in America gets the education they need to compete (“education is the only reason that I’m standing here today….the gateway to a middle class life”). Now you have a choice: what about our kids for then next for years? our economy for the next 40 years?
– Lower tuition costs for our young people [but no specifics there!]
(Audience member: “I love you Obama” reply: “I love you back”)
– use peace dividend from ending wars to build roads and bridges
– Romney said it was tragic to withdraw from Iraq. “I think it was the right thing to do.” [Irony: the Iraqis kicked us out; Obama would have left a very large force there after the ‘pullout’ if he could have.]
– Cut $1trillion in spending, working with Republicans, but ask wealthiest over $250K to pay a little more. Just as Bill Clinton did.
– Romney view different: says it’s fair for him to pay a lower tax rate than teacher making $50,000/year. (Crowd: Booo) “Don’t boo, vote!”
-My opponent says he can cut taxes, increase military spending, reduce the deficit. Only thing he says he would cut is Big Bird. Now he says growth of economy would pay for it; that’s what caused this deficit, we know it doesn’t work. That is the choice of this election.
– Romney has a ‘you’re on your own’ philosophy…”that’s not how we built this country….we’re all in this together.”
– You are the reason why Obamacare is saving $ for seniors
– You are the reason why young immigrants can go to school and pledge allegiance to the flag
– we can’t be tired, we have to keep going, “if you buy into the cynicism … if you buy into the idea that your voice can’t make a difference” then other voices will fill the gap…the people with the $10 million checks trying to buy the election…only you can make sure that doesn’t happen.
-On Oct 27nd you can choose … to keep moving forward.
– You can choose to end the Afghan war realistically.
– You can turn back the clock 50 years for immigrants, for women for gays, for lesbians or you can have a country where anyone can succeed no matter what you look like no matter where you come from no matter who you love. That’s why I’m asking for your vote.
– Back in ’08 I won but 47% didn’t vote for me, but I didn’t dismiss them. I said I heard them. I have been fighting for every American.
– I still believe in you but I need you to keep believing in me.
– With your help, we’ll win Florida, we’ll win this election.

Then a big handshaking with the crowd, and after 30 minutes of stemwinding, it’s over.