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| Obama takes aim as US presidential election gets underway - live | Obama takes aim as US presidential election gets underway - live |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 12.16pm: Daily Kos gets its hands on video of Republican congressman Allan West's absurd claim about Democrats in Congress being members of the Communist party. | |
| Here's the text: | |
| Questioner: What percentage of the American legislature do you think are card-carrying Marxists or international socialists? | |
| West: That's a good question. I believe there's about 78 to 81 members of the Democratic Party that are members of the Communist Party. | |
| So it's "78 to 81"? That's very specific. I'm sure West has some proof to back this up and he's not just spouting random numbers and making stuff up. | |
| 11.38am: Good news everybody. According to Paul Burka at Texas Monthly, Rick Perry is saying he'll run for re-election as Texas governor in 2014. Thus setting the scene for Perry's inevitable triumph in the 2016 presidential elections. Or possibly not. | |
| 11.19am: If you've never heard of Allan West – well you haven't missed much. He's basically the Michele Bachmann of the Republican party in Florida, assuming Michele Bachmann was an African-American former US army officer. | |
| Anyway, like Bachmann, West from time to time delights everyone with the contents of his imagination, as the Palm Beach Post reports: | Anyway, like Bachmann, West from time to time delights everyone with the contents of his imagination, as the Palm Beach Post reports: |
| The conservative tea party icon also got in shots at Democrats and President Obama, who spoke Tuesday at Florida Atlantic University. West said Obama was "scared" to have a discussion with him. He later said "he's heard" up to 80 US House Democrats are Communist Party members, but wouldn't name names. | The conservative tea party icon also got in shots at Democrats and President Obama, who spoke Tuesday at Florida Atlantic University. West said Obama was "scared" to have a discussion with him. He later said "he's heard" up to 80 US House Democrats are Communist Party members, but wouldn't name names. |
| Communist party members? That's like a time warp and we're back in the 1950s – and to remind us here's a photograph of another Republican leader denouncing Communists in Congress. | Communist party members? That's like a time warp and we're back in the 1950s – and to remind us here's a photograph of another Republican leader denouncing Communists in Congress. |
| 11.03am: Just checking the transcript from today's Buffett rule remarks by President Obama – and yes he did call Ronald Reagan a "wild-eyed socialist, tax-hiking, class warrior". | 11.03am: Just checking the transcript from today's Buffett rule remarks by President Obama – and yes he did call Ronald Reagan a "wild-eyed socialist, tax-hiking, class warrior". |
| Here's the relevant section: | Here's the relevant section: |
| I'm not the first president to call for this idea that everybody's got to do their fair share. Some years ago one of my predecessors traveled across the country pushing for the same concept. He gave a speech where he talked about a letter he had received from a wealthy executive who paid lower tax rates than his secretary and wanted to come to Washington and tell Congress why that was wrong. | I'm not the first president to call for this idea that everybody's got to do their fair share. Some years ago one of my predecessors traveled across the country pushing for the same concept. He gave a speech where he talked about a letter he had received from a wealthy executive who paid lower tax rates than his secretary and wanted to come to Washington and tell Congress why that was wrong. |
| So this president gave another speech where he said it was "crazy" – that's a quote – "that certain tax loopholes make it possible for multi-millionaires to pay nothing while a bus driver was paying 10% of his salary." | So this president gave another speech where he said it was "crazy" – that's a quote – "that certain tax loopholes make it possible for multi-millionaires to pay nothing while a bus driver was paying 10% of his salary." |
| That wild-eyed socialist, tax-hiking, class warrior was Ronald Reagan. | That wild-eyed socialist, tax-hiking, class warrior was Ronald Reagan. |
| He thought that in America the wealthiest should pay their fair share and he said so. | He thought that in America the wealthiest should pay their fair share and he said so. |
| I know that position might disqualify him from the Republican primaries these days but what Ronald Reagan was calling for then is the same thing that we're calling for now: a return to basic fairness and responsibility, everybody doing their part. | I know that position might disqualify him from the Republican primaries these days but what Ronald Reagan was calling for then is the same thing that we're calling for now: a return to basic fairness and responsibility, everybody doing their part. |
| And if it'll help convince folks in Congress to make the right choice, we could call it the Reagan rule instead of the Buffett rule. | And if it'll help convince folks in Congress to make the right choice, we could call it the Reagan rule instead of the Buffett rule. |
| 10.51am: The Atlantic's peerless Molly Ball gives her appraisal of the 2012 Republican primary campaign – and the best explanation of where the Republican party's centers of power sit: | 10.51am: The Atlantic's peerless Molly Ball gives her appraisal of the 2012 Republican primary campaign – and the best explanation of where the Republican party's centers of power sit: |
| The assumption going into the 2012 campaign was that this Republican primary would revolve around the fresh, feisty spirit of the Tea Party, whose zeal and devotion to conservative ideological purity did so much to shape the 2010 midterm elections. But the Tea Party never found a focus in the presidential race. Michele Bachmann managed to channel its energy for a while, as did Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich; Rick Perry never caught on the way he was supposed to. Meanwhile, it was by appealing to an older, more established right-wing base – the Christian right – that Santorum ultimately succeeded in throwing Romney off his game. | The assumption going into the 2012 campaign was that this Republican primary would revolve around the fresh, feisty spirit of the Tea Party, whose zeal and devotion to conservative ideological purity did so much to shape the 2010 midterm elections. But the Tea Party never found a focus in the presidential race. Michele Bachmann managed to channel its energy for a while, as did Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich; Rick Perry never caught on the way he was supposed to. Meanwhile, it was by appealing to an older, more established right-wing base – the Christian right – that Santorum ultimately succeeded in throwing Romney off his game. |
| 10.35am: Still talking about the Buffett rule: "It's time for Congress to stand up for the middle class" and pass the bill, Obama says, before noting that one of his predecessors in the White House made a similar pitch for higher taxes on the wealthy. | 10.35am: Still talking about the Buffett rule: "It's time for Congress to stand up for the middle class" and pass the bill, Obama says, before noting that one of his predecessors in the White House made a similar pitch for higher taxes on the wealthy. |
| Oh now, who was it? Jimmy Carter, right? No, says Obama, it was that "wild-eyed socialist" Ronald Reagan, with a hint of triumph. | Oh now, who was it? Jimmy Carter, right? No, says Obama, it was that "wild-eyed socialist" Ronald Reagan, with a hint of triumph. |
| "If it would help folks in Congress, we could call it the Reagan rule rather than the Buffett rule," he says, looking serious. No one laughs. | "If it would help folks in Congress, we could call it the Reagan rule rather than the Buffett rule," he says, looking serious. No one laughs. |
| 10.25am: President Obama is taking to the podium again right now, making another pitch for the "Buffett rule," calling for Congress to vote for higher taxes on those earning more than $1m a year. | 10.25am: President Obama is taking to the podium again right now, making another pitch for the "Buffett rule," calling for Congress to vote for higher taxes on those earning more than $1m a year. |
| "You've heard that my friend Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary," Obama says, speaking from the White House. "This is not an issue of redistributing wealth": | "You've heard that my friend Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary," Obama says, speaking from the White House. "This is not an issue of redistributing wealth": |
| I just point out that the Buffett rule is something that will get us moving in the right direction, it will help us close our deficits.... If we are going to keep giving people like me and some people in this room tax breaks that we can't afford, then one of two things are going to happen. Either you're going to have to borrow more money or you're going to ask for greater sacrificing from the middle class. | I just point out that the Buffett rule is something that will get us moving in the right direction, it will help us close our deficits.... If we are going to keep giving people like me and some people in this room tax breaks that we can't afford, then one of two things are going to happen. Either you're going to have to borrow more money or you're going to ask for greater sacrificing from the middle class. |
| 10.14am: Mitt Romney might be ready to move on and pivot towards the general election, for obvious reasons the Obama campaign isn't so keen. | 10.14am: Mitt Romney might be ready to move on and pivot towards the general election, for obvious reasons the Obama campaign isn't so keen. |
| Here the Obama "truth team" has compiled a web video collecting together all of Mitt Romney's "greatest hits" from the Republican primaries, closing with the ominous tag: "Mitt Romney: a severely conservative nominee. Remember that." | Here the Obama "truth team" has compiled a web video collecting together all of Mitt Romney's "greatest hits" from the Republican primaries, closing with the ominous tag: "Mitt Romney: a severely conservative nominee. Remember that." |
| 10am: Today marks the first day of the US presidential election proper, after Rick Santorum's withdrawal cleared the way for Mitt Romney to be the unchallenged Republican nominee. And the Obama campaign wasted no time in challenging Romney's credentials. | 10am: Today marks the first day of the US presidential election proper, after Rick Santorum's withdrawal cleared the way for Mitt Romney to be the unchallenged Republican nominee. And the Obama campaign wasted no time in challenging Romney's credentials. |
| Here's a summary of the latest news by Ryan Devereaux: | Here's a summary of the latest news by Ryan Devereaux: |
| • The battle for the presidency has now been joined following Rick Santorum's withdrawal from the GOP nomination. The former Pennsylvania senator made the announcement yesterday afternoon ensuring that Mitt Romney will be the Republican challenger to Barack Obama in 2012. Speaking in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania yesterday, surrounded by his wife and children, Santorum said: "We made a decision over the weekend that while this presidential race for us is over, for me, and we will suspend our campaign today, we are not done fighting." In his 12-minute speech Santorum made no mention of Mitt Romney – although he did find time to mention his signature sweater vest. | • The battle for the presidency has now been joined following Rick Santorum's withdrawal from the GOP nomination. The former Pennsylvania senator made the announcement yesterday afternoon ensuring that Mitt Romney will be the Republican challenger to Barack Obama in 2012. Speaking in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania yesterday, surrounded by his wife and children, Santorum said: "We made a decision over the weekend that while this presidential race for us is over, for me, and we will suspend our campaign today, we are not done fighting." In his 12-minute speech Santorum made no mention of Mitt Romney – although he did find time to mention his signature sweater vest. |
| • Romney, still on the campaign trail, expressed satisfaction with Santorum's decision. "This has been a good day for me," Romney told a crowd Wilmington, Delaware. The former Massachusetts governor was quick to concentrate on President Obama. While campaigning in Pennsylvania, Romney characterised the president as a fan of European-style state socialism rather than American free enterprise. | • Romney, still on the campaign trail, expressed satisfaction with Santorum's decision. "This has been a good day for me," Romney told a crowd Wilmington, Delaware. The former Massachusetts governor was quick to concentrate on President Obama. While campaigning in Pennsylvania, Romney characterised the president as a fan of European-style state socialism rather than American free enterprise. |
| • Obama's team quickly responded to Romney and the new political landscape. Today the Obama campaign posted a video highlighting Romney's past record, including his vow to overturn Roe versus Wade, his assertion that he'd prefer to see Detroit go bankrupt rather than back a government bailout, his claim that "corporations are people, my friend," and the fact that he described himself as "severely conservative Republican governor". | • Obama's team quickly responded to Romney and the new political landscape. Today the Obama campaign posted a video highlighting Romney's past record, including his vow to overturn Roe versus Wade, his assertion that he'd prefer to see Detroit go bankrupt rather than back a government bailout, his claim that "corporations are people, my friend," and the fact that he described himself as "severely conservative Republican governor". |
| • Wealthy hedge fund manager and Santorum backer Foster Friess has declared he will now support Romney's bid for president. Friess had donated $1.7m to Santorum's campaign. "I'm obviously going to be of help in whatever way I can," Friess told Politico Tuesday. "I've got some plans as to how I might be able to be of help," he added. | • Wealthy hedge fund manager and Santorum backer Foster Friess has declared he will now support Romney's bid for president. Friess had donated $1.7m to Santorum's campaign. "I'm obviously going to be of help in whatever way I can," Friess told Politico Tuesday. "I've got some plans as to how I might be able to be of help," he added. |
| • Speaking late on Tuesday, Santorum said the campaign had been harder on his family than it had been on him. "I can't say it was an emotional moment for me. I know it was a little tougher for the family, it always is tougher for the family," he said. "It's different being on the sidelines, seeing the people, the person that you love being hit. It hurts more." | • Speaking late on Tuesday, Santorum said the campaign had been harder on his family than it had been on him. "I can't say it was an emotional moment for me. I know it was a little tougher for the family, it always is tougher for the family," he said. "It's different being on the sidelines, seeing the people, the person that you love being hit. It hurts more." |