Weakened Obama heads west to raise campaign cash - Boston Globe
Sat, 23 Nov 2013 06:28:07 +0000
WASHINGTON — President Obama’s ability to boost his party in a time
of waning political fortunes will face a big test next week as he
embarks on a West Coast fund-raising swing to help congressional
Democrats stock their 2014 campaign coffers.
The quest for contributions is made all the more urgent by the bungled launch of his health care law and its use as a bludgeon by Republicans trying to seize control of the Senate.
Moreover, the stakes are increasing for the Democrats just as the president is getting weaker, with the lowest approval ratings of his presidency weighing him down as the midterm election cycle kicks into full gear.
Organizers say they are confident Obama will prove to be a strong draw for campaign dollars on his three-city tour of California and Washington, even though they have already lowered the ticket price for one San Francisco event to help ensure a packed hall.
“Clearly everyone in Silicon Valley is extremely disappointed with how the Obamacare website has gone,” said Marc Benioff, chief executive of cloud computing firm Salesforce.com who is hosting an hourlong lunch for Obama at his San Francisco home on Monday.
“I think it will dominate the conversation. Truly, people are upset,” he said. “It will be an intense conversation.”
Chris Lehane, a San Francisco-based Democratic consultant, said there is still excitement for Obama, and there’s no shortage of money to be raised. But Obama will be hearing complaints about his signature health care law.
“These are people who have created the most sophisticated databases ever, and could probably figure this out on the elevator ride up to their office,” Lehane said. “There’s bafflement and puzzlement out here. Because this is doable.”
Obama’s approval rating in national polls has sunk to between 37 and 41 percent. Yet demands on Obama to help raise money to prepare for 2014 elections are strong. Democrats’ control of the Senate has been made more tenuous because of the furor over chronic technical problems with healthcare.gov, the insurance enrollment website for 36 states. Recognizing the hardships Americans have encountered attempting to sign up for the Affordable Care Act’s mandatory insurance, the administration Friday extended a sign-up deadline by eight days, to Dec. 23, for plans taking effect at the beginning of the year.
Outrage also has focused on cancellation of health coverage for millions of people whose old insurance plans did not meet new standards of the Affordable Care Act. Obama has sought to alleviate that pressure by saying states could permit insurers to continue to offer the substandard plans, but that has caused even more confusion and upheaval.
Moderate Democrats in states like North Carolina, Louisiana, and Alaska are already under intense television bombardment by Republicans, pillorying them for supporting the president’s signature social policy achievement.
“Mary Landrieu cast the deciding vote for Obamacare,” said an ad that began running on Wednesday in Louisiana; it is part of a $4 million national ad campaign by the conservative group Americans for Prosperity. “Why didn’t she do her job? Protect us from Obamacare from the start?”
Landrieu has been attempting to distance herself from the most troubling aspects of the Affordable Care Act. She introduced legislation that would go one step further than Obama’s reprieve on cancellations, and require insurance companies to continue coverage under plans that do not meet the law’s minimum standards. Several other potentially vulnerable Democrats have signed on.
The health care problems came on the heels of a month in which Republican actions led to the government shutdown, giving Democrats a potential political edge. That has since evaporated. “The needle has moved over the last month dramatically,’’ said Stuart Rothenberg, a political analyst who monitors House and Senate races. “The Senate is in play and the Democrats need to change this trajectory or, as we move toward November, the Senate is going to look more and more at risk.”
To capture the Senate, Republicans need to gain six seats. The Cook Political Report rates four seats that Democrats currently hold as a toss-up or leaning toward Republicans: West Virginia, Arkansas, South Dakota, and Montana.
Republicans would have to win all of those races, and then make further inroads in places like Louisiana and North Carolina.
The House is far more daunting for Democrats. Rothenberg lists 208 seats as safely Republican, meaning the GOP would have to win just 10 out of the 52 competitive races to keep its majority.
Helping fellow Democrats has been a priority for Obama, highlighting the pressures of today’s permanent campaign apparatus and the importance to his legacy of retaining Senate control. The West Coast trip follows fund-raisers held earlier this month in Dallas, Miami, and Philadelphia. He also held a fund-raiser in Weston, Mass., on Oct. 30. His western trip starts in Seattle on Sunday and ends in Los Angeles before he returns to Washington on Tuesday.
There are some signs Obama may not be able to attract the same level of campaign cash he has in the past. Organizers for one of Obama’s fund-raisers in San Francisco sent out messages this week saying ticket prices had been reduced, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Democratic Party officials said the price reduction was not an indication of low interest. They said they expanded the space for the fund-raiser, and offered tickets at lower prices.
Benioff has said his company would build the government’s website for free, and run it for the next five years at no cost. At a conference Benioff’s company sponsored this week, it showed off a new platform for the site, which it called Healthcare.Love.
“We demonstrated that the government doesn’t need to spend $300 million to achieve a great new success with health care,” Benioff said. “The number one message is, ‘We’re still here to be a friend and ally of the president.’ A friend in need is a friend indeed.”
Michael Czin, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee, said the party has not had any problems raising money as a result of Obama’s sagging poll numbers.
The primary campaign committees that Obama has tried to raise money for have taken in $163 million this year, compared with $150 million for the Republican committees.
“Right now we’re making the types of investments that will help us be successful next year, whether that’s bringing on key staff or making investments in data and technology,” Czin said. “Looking to 2014, we’re going to have the resources we need to get that message out.”
Matt Viser can be reached at matt.viser@globe.com.
The quest for contributions is made all the more urgent by the bungled launch of his health care law and its use as a bludgeon by Republicans trying to seize control of the Senate.
Moreover, the stakes are increasing for the Democrats just as the president is getting weaker, with the lowest approval ratings of his presidency weighing him down as the midterm election cycle kicks into full gear.
Organizers say they are confident Obama will prove to be a strong draw for campaign dollars on his three-city tour of California and Washington, even though they have already lowered the ticket price for one San Francisco event to help ensure a packed hall.
Both states are operating their own relatively
successful health care websites. But highlighting the potential
negatives for the fund-raiser in chief: Obama is expected to get an
earful from California technology executives and other contributors who
are baffled that Obama’s administration has been unable to create a
functioning health care website.
Even those who are giving top-dollar donations refer to it as the
president’s health care “debacle.” It stands in stark contrast to the
California online insurance marketplace, which is run by the state
health care exchange and has helped enroll nearly 80,000 residents.“Clearly everyone in Silicon Valley is extremely disappointed with how the Obamacare website has gone,” said Marc Benioff, chief executive of cloud computing firm Salesforce.com who is hosting an hourlong lunch for Obama at his San Francisco home on Monday.
“I think it will dominate the conversation. Truly, people are upset,” he said. “It will be an intense conversation.”
Chris Lehane, a San Francisco-based Democratic consultant, said there is still excitement for Obama, and there’s no shortage of money to be raised. But Obama will be hearing complaints about his signature health care law.
“These are people who have created the most sophisticated databases ever, and could probably figure this out on the elevator ride up to their office,” Lehane said. “There’s bafflement and puzzlement out here. Because this is doable.”
Obama’s approval rating in national polls has sunk to between 37 and 41 percent. Yet demands on Obama to help raise money to prepare for 2014 elections are strong. Democrats’ control of the Senate has been made more tenuous because of the furor over chronic technical problems with healthcare.gov, the insurance enrollment website for 36 states. Recognizing the hardships Americans have encountered attempting to sign up for the Affordable Care Act’s mandatory insurance, the administration Friday extended a sign-up deadline by eight days, to Dec. 23, for plans taking effect at the beginning of the year.
Outrage also has focused on cancellation of health coverage for millions of people whose old insurance plans did not meet new standards of the Affordable Care Act. Obama has sought to alleviate that pressure by saying states could permit insurers to continue to offer the substandard plans, but that has caused even more confusion and upheaval.
Moderate Democrats in states like North Carolina, Louisiana, and Alaska are already under intense television bombardment by Republicans, pillorying them for supporting the president’s signature social policy achievement.
“Mary Landrieu cast the deciding vote for Obamacare,” said an ad that began running on Wednesday in Louisiana; it is part of a $4 million national ad campaign by the conservative group Americans for Prosperity. “Why didn’t she do her job? Protect us from Obamacare from the start?”
Landrieu has been attempting to distance herself from the most troubling aspects of the Affordable Care Act. She introduced legislation that would go one step further than Obama’s reprieve on cancellations, and require insurance companies to continue coverage under plans that do not meet the law’s minimum standards. Several other potentially vulnerable Democrats have signed on.
The health care problems came on the heels of a month in which Republican actions led to the government shutdown, giving Democrats a potential political edge. That has since evaporated. “The needle has moved over the last month dramatically,’’ said Stuart Rothenberg, a political analyst who monitors House and Senate races. “The Senate is in play and the Democrats need to change this trajectory or, as we move toward November, the Senate is going to look more and more at risk.”
To capture the Senate, Republicans need to gain six seats. The Cook Political Report rates four seats that Democrats currently hold as a toss-up or leaning toward Republicans: West Virginia, Arkansas, South Dakota, and Montana.
Republicans would have to win all of those races, and then make further inroads in places like Louisiana and North Carolina.
The House is far more daunting for Democrats. Rothenberg lists 208 seats as safely Republican, meaning the GOP would have to win just 10 out of the 52 competitive races to keep its majority.
Helping fellow Democrats has been a priority for Obama, highlighting the pressures of today’s permanent campaign apparatus and the importance to his legacy of retaining Senate control. The West Coast trip follows fund-raisers held earlier this month in Dallas, Miami, and Philadelphia. He also held a fund-raiser in Weston, Mass., on Oct. 30. His western trip starts in Seattle on Sunday and ends in Los Angeles before he returns to Washington on Tuesday.
There are some signs Obama may not be able to attract the same level of campaign cash he has in the past. Organizers for one of Obama’s fund-raisers in San Francisco sent out messages this week saying ticket prices had been reduced, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Democratic Party officials said the price reduction was not an indication of low interest. They said they expanded the space for the fund-raiser, and offered tickets at lower prices.
Benioff has said his company would build the government’s website for free, and run it for the next five years at no cost. At a conference Benioff’s company sponsored this week, it showed off a new platform for the site, which it called Healthcare.Love.
“We demonstrated that the government doesn’t need to spend $300 million to achieve a great new success with health care,” Benioff said. “The number one message is, ‘We’re still here to be a friend and ally of the president.’ A friend in need is a friend indeed.”
Michael Czin, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee, said the party has not had any problems raising money as a result of Obama’s sagging poll numbers.
The primary campaign committees that Obama has tried to raise money for have taken in $163 million this year, compared with $150 million for the Republican committees.
“Right now we’re making the types of investments that will help us be successful next year, whether that’s bringing on key staff or making investments in data and technology,” Czin said. “Looking to 2014, we’re going to have the resources we need to get that message out.”
Matt Viser can be reached at matt.viser@globe.com.
Erroneous gun reports cause scare at LAX - USA TODAY
Sat, 23 Nov 2013 06:15:47 +0000
BREAKING NEWS(Photo: Jerry Mosemak, USA TODAY)
Story Highlights
- No injuries have been reported so far
- Twitter user posted photograph of gray van crashed into terminal
- Nov. 1 shooting at LAX left TSA officer dead, six people injured
Police are on the scene, according to the Twitter feed of 7 News.
One Twitter user has posted a photo of police with their guns drawn that the Twitter use says shows the inside of LAX.
AUTOPSY: TSA officer shot 12 times in Nov. 1 LAX attack
The vehicle in a photo tweeted out by ORA TV's breaking news team appears to be a metallic gray van.
The collision caused a loud noise and people voluntarily evacuated themselves from the airport, a police official told the Los Angeles News Group.
WZZM 13 tweeted that the car accident sounded like shots fired.
On Nov. 1, a Transportation Security Administration officer died and six people were hurt when a shooter opened fire at LAX. Paul Anthony Ciancia, 23, has been charged with murder in the case.
A thoughtful time at JFK bar in Dallas on assassination anniversary - Reuters
Sat, 23 Nov 2013 06:44:07 +0000
DALLAS
1 of 2. Dallas police officer John La
Pietra stands in the middle of Elm Street where President John F.
Kennedy was shot in 1963 as La Pietra and the crowd listen during
ceremonies commemorating the 50th anniversary of the death of Kennedy in
Dealey Plaza in Dallas, November 22, 2013.
Credit: Reuters/Jim Bourg
Many seeking to remember the occasion had sought out the JFK-themed bar, where a picture of the president and his wife hangs among shelves of liquor and a mantel above a fireplace holds volumes of books on his presidency.
Earlier in the day, Dallas, which had shunned official memorial of the November 22, 1963 assassination, held its first official commemoration - a decision widely praised among the dozen happy hour patrons at the wood-paneled bar.
"The legacy of the assassination has tied us to the event and it has also made Dallas a better place," said Michelle Newsome, an executive suites saleswoman at a local sports venue.
Dallas was a pariah city after the assassination in its Dealey Plaza but has since become a place of remembrance for the 1,000 days of the Kennedy presidency, a period described as a "Camelot" of youthful idealism.
"A new era dawned and another waned a half century ago when hope and hatred collided right here in Dallas," the city's mayor, Mike Rawlings said, at the memorial.
The Sixth Floor Museum, which focuses on the assassination and Kennedy's presidency, has become one of the city's largest tourist attractions.
"Honestly, there is nothing to celebrate about the anniversary," bartender Natchely Bosadas said as she poured happy hour drinks to contemplative patrons.
Talk at the bar a few miles from where Kennedy was slain was focused more on events half a century ago, with the CIA and assassin Lee Harvey Oswald dominating conversations, than any hot topic making headlines.
"There is still so much that is unknown and so many documents that are being kept secret," said lawyer Henry Simpson, who was a teenage student in Dallas at the time of the assassination.
"But if JFK were in Dallas today, I think this would be the place he would be," Simpson said.
(Editing by Eric Walsh)
Family of American seized in N. Korea pleads for help - USA TODAY
Sat, 23 Nov 2013 00:38:55 +0000
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says North Korea's detention of Korea War vet is disturbing.(Photo: Mandel Ngan, AFP/Getty Images)
Story Highlights
- Korean War veteran Merrill Newman was removed from his flight Oct. 25
- China, Sweden and former N.M. governor Bill Richardson are trying to help
Lee Newman, wife of Merrill Newman, asked that North Korea "return this 85-year-old grandfather to his anxious, concerned family," according to the San Jose Mercury News.
Newman left his home in Palo Alto, Calif., last month to visit North Korea with a friend, Bob Hamrdla, a retired history professor at Stanford University. They toured parts of the country with official tour guides.
But when departing by plane on Oct. 26 a uniformed North Korean officer boarded, asked Newman for his passport, then told a stewardess Newman had to leave the plane, according to his son, Jeffrey Newman. Hamrdla said his detention "has to be a terrible misunderstanding."
The detention is one of multiple "disturbing choices by the North Koreans," Kerry told MSNBC on Friday. The North Korean government "needs to recognize the dangerous steps it has been taking on many fronts," including the "treatment of its citizens, the start-up of its nuclear reactor, (and) its rededication to a nuclear policy," he said.
The country "needs to figure out where it's heading" and to realize that the USA is not threatening or acting in a bellicose manner against it, he said.
Bill Richardson, the former governor of New Mexico and 2008 presidential candidate in the Democratic primary, told USA TODAY he too has tried to help Newman, who has not been heard from since he was pulled from his flight.
"I contacted the North Koreans a couple of days ago and expressed my concern and they promised to get back to me and they haven't gotten back to me," Richardson said while visiting South Africa for a conference. "There will be more phone calls with other parties and intermediaries in the days ahead."
Richardson helped secure the release American Evan C. Hunziker from North Korea in 1996.
Noel Clay, a spokesman for the State Department, said he could provide little about the case because of privacy concerns. The USA and North Korea do not have diplomatic relations.
The Embassy of Sweden in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang represents the interests of U.S. citizens in that country and is working "to resolve the issue," Clay said.
A
woman walks on a street in North Korea's capital, Pyongyang, Jan. 15,
2013. Behind her is the pyramid-shaped 105-story Ryugyong Hotel, which
North Korea began building in 1987 and has yet to complete.(Photo: David Guttenfelder, AP)There are many restrictions on people who visit North Korea, according to rules published on the web site for New Korea Tours, a Connecticut-based company.
"You will be under close scrutiny from the guides and security," the site says. "You can only take a photograph of what the guides allow."
Prohibited are photos of poverty, soldiers and checkpoints. Any outdoor excursion, even around the hotel grounds, require permission.
Newman studied Korean before the trip and while there sent postcards describing "good times, good weather and knowledgeable guides," Lee Newman said. Before his detention, Newman had talked to North Korean officials about his experiences during the Korean War, said Jeffrey Newman, who described the conversation as "difficult."
Contributing: The Associated Press
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