June 9, 2012 Edition

NEWSMAX

Will Obama's Likability Save Him?

by David Limbaugh

June 8th, 2012

On my book "tour" to promote my new book, "The Great Destroyer," hosts keep asking me to explain how President Obama can maintain high personal approval ratings when his policies are unpopular and his record is abysmal.

I first want to challenge the underlying assumption. I don't believe that President Obama is as well-liked or, at this point, even as likable as he is reputed to be. He hasn't behaved in office as a person most would consider "likable."

Assuming these polls are being accurately reported, I tend to think that many people are responding favorably to the question of whether they like Obama personally largely because the media narrative has been and remains that he is likable.

When the media keep pounding us with the notion that he is likable, people may fear they are revealing their own personal failings if they confess that they aren't particularly fond of him. It could make them look out of step or expose them as negative people.

People are much likelier to be candid in the privacy of the polling booth, but even if I'm wrong about this, I don't believe that people will allow their personal fondness for Obama to outweigh their assessment of the disastrous consequences of his policies, which are far more relevant to their lives and to their children's future than their personal opinion of his likability.

Read more: Will Obama's Likability Save Him?

TOWNHALL
Walker Victory: This is What the Tea Party is All About

by Mona Charen

June 8, 2012

Though it hasn't been celebrated as such, Scott Walker's victory in Wisconsin represents the full flowering of the tea party movement. It is also a sign -- among others -- that the Republican Party has recaptured its ideological core.

The tea partyers are often mischaracterized as extreme right-wingers. Thus, proponents of same-sex marriage or unrestricted abortion will invoke "tea party" elements as those most opposed to their efforts. That's off target. Though many in the movement may have conservative social views, those weren't the issues that spurred them to organize, demonstrate and vote.

No, the tea partyers -- judging by their signs, speeches and writings -- were alarmed about irresponsible government spending, bailouts of the undeserving and spiraling debt. The tea partyers are actually the 21st century "goo-goos" -- good government types -- the label that was attached to progressives in the early 20th century. They aren't anarchists, racists (as in the more febrile accusations of their opponents) or culture warriors. They simply want to see government scale back and perform its essential functions fairly, efficiently and honestly.

For some time, Republican office holders were little better than Democrats when it came to spending, accountability and reform. The size of government seemed to grow inexorably under both parties. Some Republicans earned and deserved tea party disdain.

Read more: townhall.com

DAILY CALLER

Ralph Nader: Bill Clinton 'Laying the Groundwork' for Hillary by 'Undermining Obama'
By Nicholas Ballasy
June 9, 2012

Former Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader told The Daily Caller that former President Bill Clinton is “undermining [President Barack] Obama” to lay the “groundwork” for Hillary Clinton’s presidential run in 2016.

Clinton recently told CNN that Republican candidate Mitt Romney’s business record at Bain Capital is “sterling.” TheDC asked Nader if he agreed with Clinton’s statement.

“He’s laying down the groundwork for Hillary Clinton running for president in 2016. Everything she is doing and everything he is doing argues that they want to run Hillary Clinton for president in 2016, so while he might appear with Obama in fundraisers in New York and elsewhere, he’s basically undermining Obama,” Nader told TheDC on Capitol Hill after advocating for raising the minimum wage to $10 per hour.

Nader added that Clinton does not “necessarily” want Obama to lose re-election but doesn’t want the Clintons to be viewed as anti-business.

“He wants to appear with Hillary as very friendly to business. He operates out of New York City. He doesn’t want to alienate Wall Street,” Nader said.

TheDC also asked Nader whom he thinks will win the upcoming presidential election.

“Former Gov. Romney is a human being running as a corporation for president. So, we’ve really got a corporation running for the Republican party and if the Democrats can’t expose him for what he and his party are, then they basically have nothing left in terms of their party heritage and what they stood for decades ago, which is the winning formula for Franklin Delano Roosevelt,” Nader said. (VIDEO: Clinton: Romney is qualified for the presidency)

“The Democratic Party was viewed as the party of the working people, and the Republican Party was viewed as the party of the rich, and Roosevelt and Truman rode that to election after election win.”

Read more: dailycaller.com