It’s still very disturbing and shameful that it is reported that election polls predict the presidential race is too close to call and in some battleground states, including my home state Florida, Donald Trump is winning. Jesus, take the wheel.

Donald Trump is dangerous for America. He lies way more than what he has accused Hillary Clinton of doing and, if elected, he will continue the Republican Party’s practice of obstructionism and anarchy.

Regardless the presidential election result on the evening of Tuesday, November 8, 2016, the racism, sexism and class warfare will not go away. Jesus, take the wheel. 

Even after such a disdainful, hyperbolically nasty election season, I want to think America is better than the actions we have witnessed but is it? Jesus, take the wheel.

Second presidential debate, Sunday, October 9, 2016, Washington University, St. Louis, MO.

You know the old saying that politics is never personal? Well, that was not the case last night at the second 2016 presidential debate. When presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, did not shake hands at the beginning of the debate last night, it was crystal clear that the atmosphere would be contentious. ABC’s Martha Raddatz and CNN’s Anderson Cooper did a decent job in keeping the candidates on task and the audience quiet. It appears to be difficult to get Trump to answer questions directed to him. He typically relies on deflecting, rambling and providing incoherent responses. 

The pre-event hype probably resulted in a let-down for viewers who tuned in expecting a volley of salacious attacks. It could have gone in that direction but Clinton wisely didn’t take the bait. She was cool, calm, confident and in control of herself. She allowed Trump to hurt himself. Trump performed much better than in the first debate but that wouldn’t take much because he performed so horribly in that one. Clinton was presidential and Trump was uncouth. Her answers addressed policy and specifics. Trump was arrogant. He knows the Tax Code better than any other candidate and he knows more than any General. He should have known his disgusting conversation was being recorded by Access Hollywood in 2005 but let me not digress. It appeared that Trump’s debate strategy was to personally attack the Clintons at every opportunity and to give superficial answers to policy questions. 

Donald Trump’s candidacy continues to be a major scam portrayed on the American public. The Republican Party and mainstream media are complicit in his being so close to becoming the President of the United States. So the Republican Party and mainstream media can kick rocks and suck it up. You created this monster, so deal with it. Donald Trump has been who he is for decades. The incredulity of folks who are so surprised by documented revelations of Donald Trump’s sexual assault of women is nauseating. 

In spite of claims by Trump supporters, Clinton clearly won last night’s debate. Trump stalked Clinton on the stage. He also whined, interrupted and didn’t answer questions. He also threw Mike Pence under the bus, backed the bus up and ran over Pence again. Donald Trump should never become President of the United States.  

Well, there is one more debate scheduled for October 19. Surely more political bombs will drop by then. Stay tuned.

Photo: ABC News

This video is a reminder of the flip-flopping and outright lies of presidential candidate Mitt Romney. His campaign has been divisive, chauvinistic and un-American. He has proven that with a straight face, he will say and do anything to win. 

Check out this video mash-up of the two faces of Mitt Romney. 

President Barack Obama during his days at Harvard Law School.

President Obama is a Harvard educated lawyer and former senator but he doesn’t understand the economy? You’ve got to be kidding me. That's what some Republican business leaders want us to believe. The only people that espouse that are: (1) the American corporate elite who continue to make millions of dollars while millions of American jobs are sent oversees and (2) Americans who just don't want to see the truth.

Observe the presidential campaign ads and follow the campaign donations. Business moguls who started or currently own some of America’s largest businesses are lock step with the infamous Koch brothers in their intent to make Obama a one term President. They need to get President Obama out of that seat because he has not allowed big business leaders to dictate the direction of this nation during his administration and they are mad. Boiling mad. Plain and simple. Although they didn't initially support Mitt Romney, they will because he's one of them.

This presidential campaign is all about the benjamins. As a matter of fact, many of them have been about the benjamins but his time it’s different. In the words of Nino Brown in the movie New Jack City, “The rich get richer and the poor don’t get a @#$% thing.”

President Barack Obama was the clear winner of last night's debate.

Unlike the first debate, President Obama put Gov. Romney in check a few times. Gov. Romney was vague, no, let me use a more appropriate word --- sketchy. Anyone that really follows politics and is objective could see through the desperate acts of Mitt Romney. I’m sure Romney expected a different Pres. Obama than from the first debate but he couldn’t control the President or Candy Crowley although it seemed he gave it his best shot.  

During the first debate, the big takeaway was not policy positions on any issues, it was Big Bird and Gov. Romney’s promise to defund PBS if he’s elected. This time, Gov. Romney’s gaffe was ‘binders full of women.’ That was an immediate Twitter trending topic; a domain name was purchased and several Facebook pages were established. Gov. Romney used the phrase while answering a question from an audience member in an attempt to endear himself to women voters. Can you say EPIC FAIL? 

At first the verbal jousting between the two men was exciting then kind of boring. President Obama was on such fire that the debate was basically over and there still about 30 minutes remaining.  

The Republican spin machine has already tried to make Romney the winner. Many mainstream media personalities and journalists have said that the President’s performance was not strong enough to overcome the Mitt Romney momentum. What? Are you kidding me?  

Then I thought about the fact that mainstream media is big business and the GOP is definitely pro-big business. Take whatever you read, see or hear in the mainstream media with a grain of salt. Heck, you should do that with media period. Whatever you do, think. 

I’m looking forward to the final debate on Monday, October 22 at Lynn University in Boca Raton, FL. 

Here’s my take on the debate record thus far. What say you? 

2012 Debate Record

Style:  Obama/Biden - 2   Romney/Ryan - 1

Substance:  Obama/Biden - 3  Romney/Ryan - 0

Graphic Design: Georges Etienne

I heard about the Samuel L. Jackson video in support of President Obama's re-election but I had not seen the full video until today when I surfed over to Wayne Hicks' blog, The Electronic Village. 

This video is hilarious and on point. I will send it to a few friends and some folks I don't know that well. Now, anyone who knows of Samuel L. Jackson, knows there will likely be some profanity involved in his work. In this video there is an attempt to censor the profanity but it is obvious what is being said. 

Folks shouldn't have to be cajoled, entertained, fed or cussed at to vote but if that's what's effective, so be it. Wake up, get up and vote or shut up!

Okay, so let me get this straight, Mitt Romney picked Paul Ryan as his running mate? The GOP ticket will be the out of touch elitist and the man who wants to dismantle Medicare and Social Security? If you're in the 99% and that doesn't shake you to your core, I don't know what will.

Photo: The Liberal Curmudgeon
 
Meanwhile, the reported reaction from The White House and the Barack Obama Campaign...

Photo: The Tribune of the People

Mitt Romney cleaned the clock of Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum in certain areas of Florida when the votes were counted on Tuesday. In the parts of Florida that represent the old, traditional South, Gingrich carried those areas. Suffice it to say, the Republican conservative base is still not excited and accepting of a Romney presidency.

The campaigning in Florida was brutal and very nasty. It will be worse during the General Election phase of this campaign. Romney has enough money to continue to buy victory in this campaign. Gingrich maintains he in until the Republican Convention in Tampa. He also thumbed his nose at the Republican establishment.

As Romney was taking his victory lap, a portion of his interview with CNN’s Soledad O’Brien, went viral and not in a good way for him. Romney said he wasn't concerned about the very poor. I’m showing an extended version of the faux pas where he tries to clean it up but it’s too late. 

Pay attention and remain engaged in this presidential campaign, it will become more and more interesting as the cycle progresses. Peace.

Here is a video of Bill Press guest hosting the Countdown with Keith Olbermann Show. So, a CNN producer warmed up the crowd at the presidential debate in Charleston, SC. encouraging the audience to make as much noise as possible as if the debate was The Jerry Springer Show? Shame on CNN. 

You know it really doesn’t matter who the Republican presidential nominee is, President Obama will clean their clock. 

Newt Gingrich has won the South Carolina Republican Primary and Mitt Romney came in second place. Gingrich has effectively thrown enough red meat at Republican South Carolina voters to overcome Romney’s hefty campaign war chest and Gingrich's ex-wife’s disclosures about their marriage.

The outcome of this race is not entirely surprising. Gingrich’s ability to play to the public and Romney’s income tax issue and inability to connect with voters have set the stage and made the upcoming Florida Primary all the more important.

Romney has now only won New Hampshire after narrowly losing to Rick Santorum in Iowa. It appears Romney can’t rally the conservative base of the Republican Party so how long can he hold on before suspending his campaign?