Tsunami warning issued as quake hits southeast Japan

The Note: Momentum Killer?
By Michael FALCONE and AMY WALTER NEGATIVE 95,000.  Employers reduced their Payrolls by 95,000 employees during the month of September -- more than had been forecast -- while the Unemployment Rate remained steady at 9.6 percent, according to the latest Jobs numbers  out this morning. With just three weeks to go before the Midterms, the numbers could be a huge momentum killer for Democrats. Republican were quick to weigh in. Seventeen consecutive months with higher than 9%...

Gingrich Can’t Figure Out Why Food Stamps Are Stimulative: ‘I Don’t Understand…Liberal Math’
Newt Gingrich’s new messaging strategy has been to tell Republican Candidates to label Democrats “ the party of Food Stamps ,” while, claiming the GOP is in turn “the party of paychecks.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) fired back at Gingrich yesterday. “There is some subliminal message that is being sent out there about us and them,” she said, adding that Food Stamps are “the biggest bang for the buck” in terms of economic Stimulus....

Pelosi and Matthews Accuse Gingrich: 'Party of Food Stamps' is 'Code Language'
Newt Gingrich described the Democratic Party as "The Party of Food Stamps." Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi accused Gingrich of sending "a subliminal message" to voters. Chris Matthews took up Pelosi's cause and also accused former President Reagan of doing the same thing thirty years ago.What is more racially divisive, calling the Democratic Party the "Party of Food Stamps", or jumping to the conclusion that this statement has a racial component?

Pelosi fires back at Gingrich over food stamps
At a Press Conference in her home town of San Francisco, Pelosi explained that the program's multiplier effect -the amount of money generated in the local economy as the result of the subsidy- far exceeds the nearly $60 Billion spent this year by the Federal Government and is a sure-fire way to stimulate The Economy. For every dollar a person receives in food stamps, Pelosi said that $1.79 is put back into The Economy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture cites an even higher figure of...

Nancy Pelosi accuses Newt Gingrich of waging class warfare
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi struck back Wednesday at Newt Gingrich over comments the former GOP leader made urging Republican Candidates to make next month's election a fight "between the Democratic Party of food stamps and the Republican Party of paychecks." In an appearance in her hometown of San Francisco, Pelosi said Gingrich and the Republicans are trying to use class warfare in order to gain electoral advantage. Continue Reading Text Size Politico 44 "There is some...

Open Thread: Michelle hosts The Factor Update: Video added: Michelle’s Talking Points Memo, Kirsten Powers, Newt Gingrich and Terry Keenan segments all added
The boss is guest hosting The O’Reilly Factor tonight. We’re about half way in, and she’s turning in a fine performance. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff , Sen. Lindsay Graham and Rep. Ron Paul all declined to appear on the program tonight, make of that what you will. Follow the links to see what I make of it. We’ll update with video highlights after the show. Until then and afterward, discuss away! Update 1: Here’s Michelle’s opening...

Republicans and Democrats begin playing the Expectations Game over Nov. 2 midterms
You know how a spouse might call at work one Day and mysteriously promise a very special surprise for dinner that night? And when you arrive home, all curious and full of an entire afternoon's anticipation, you discover the spouse got Chinese takeout? It's nice and all -- especially the potstickers. But you feel kinda disappointed, not because of what actually happened, which was very thoughtful. But because of what you let your own expanded expectations conjure. That's the...

Michele Bachmann Slams Pelosi: "Unfortunately the Speaker Has No Idea on How to Run an Economy" (Video)
Rep. Michelle Bachmann blasted Far Left Speaker Nancy Pelosi today for her absurd statements that Food Stamps move The Economy forward. Bachmann said Pelosi’s Food Stamp logic was the reason that, “She needs to lose her gavel a few short days from now.” Rep. Michele Bachmann on Pelosi’s crazy Food Stamp comments : “This is why the Speaker needs to lose her gavel a few short days from now. Unfortunately the Speaker has no knowledge on how you run an...

Nye: I keep the tracker at arms length, but he's in my office
This is too much to believe. When is Nye going to come out and just condemn the party for hiring these obnoxious people? What, Nye can’t make a phone call to David Mills, DPVA’s Executive Director or Dickie Cranwell, Party chair to get “Dave the Tracker” to just back-off? Nye can’t get off his rear right then and there during the WAVY interview and walk over to Dave, who is sitting in Nye’s office, and tell him to cool it? If Nye can’t even approach...

Better Outlook for Midterms
Jane Hamsher has a comprehensive post on why Democrats are poised to do better than you’d think in the Midterm Elections. It’s great to see a lot of varying strings of thought pulled together in one place, particularly as the Elections are getting closer and contrary to Conventional Wisdom, Democrats are starting to look stronger at the polls. While there isn’t any reason to expect Democrats to gain seats, races around the country are tightening and places where Republicans...

Say No to 'More Food Stamps': Newt Gingrich and the Republicans' Anti-Poor Agenda
"More Food Stamps? Or more paychecks?" Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, one of the Republican Party's best rabble rousers, suggests that's how the GOP should couch the national policy debate in the Final Four weeks before this November's Midterm Elections. According to news website Politico, Gingrich sent a memo to GOP Candidates Tuesday suggesting that they frame the Election as a "vivid contrast" between the policies of Food Stamps vs. Jobs. In the memo, he links to this recent...

Gingrich's Memo to Candidates
Newt Gingrich is circulating a memo to Republican Candidates around the country on how to win the “closing argument” before the Elections. He frames it as a choice between “paychecks and food stamps.” Dear Candidate, We are in the home stretch of the campaign. In less than thirty days, voters will head to the polls to voice their choice for the future of their family, their community, their state, and their country. With less than thirty days left, it’s time to...

> Photos: Gingrich keynotes at restauranters' convention
(Photos by Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) Former U.S. House Speaker and potential 2012 presidential contender Newt Gingrich delivers the keynote address at the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators Conference, an annual meeting of restaurant operators, at the Gaylord Palms Hotel in Orlando, Tuesday. Former U.S. House Speaker and potential 2012 presidential contender Newt Gingrich is greeted by David Reid, executive Vice President of operations for Miller’s Ale House restaurants in Jupiter,...

Gingrich brands Democrats 'party of food stamps'
Minneapolis — Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is advising Republican Candidates on November's ballots to frame the choice for voters between Democrats as "the party of food stamps" while selling the GOP as "the party of paychecks." With a month to go before the election, Gingrich brought his branding effort to Minnesota on Wednesday. He raised money for Republican gubernatorial nominee Tom Emmer and the state GOP during a private Fundraiser. He told reporters later that Republicans c...

Gingrich brands Dems 'party of food stamps'...
Is that alright? If you don't shoot it how am I supposed to hold it Is that alright? Give my gun away when it's loaded

Today in Class-Baiting
Steve Benen flags some disturbing news out of South Carolina: South Carolina’s more than 236,000 unemployed workers could have to take a Drug Test in order to receive jobless Benefits, according to a proposal by Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Nikki Haley on Tuesday. [...] Haley said testing the unemployed was one of several steps in ensuring the newly restructured Department of Employment and Workforce — now a cabinet agency — only pays Benefits to those who have...

Gingrich: 'Paychecks versus Food Stamps'
about his “closing argument.” Gingrich, a potential 2012 Presidential Candidate, is in the midst of a twelve-city “Jobs Here, Jobs Now” tour that will take him to, among other places, Iowa and South Carolina. “Just bouncing around trying to elect Candidates,” he says. Gingrich predicts that Republicans will make major gains this fall if they can articulate a “clear cut, vivid choice” to voters as November approaches. “It strikes me that the...

Don't Show All Your Cards
If all goes well for Republicans in the Midterm Elections, theyll capture the House and maybe the Senate, having revealed few specifics of what they might do in the next Congress. This makes sense. Its the Chris Christie strategy. Christie was elected Governor of New Jersey last year after giving voters no more than a glimpse of his plans for the state. The reason was simple. Had he laid out his sweeping agenda of spending and Tax Cuts, hed have given Democrats an inviting target. They...

Newt: Dems are Party of Foodstamps
Newt Gingrich says the Obama Administration's job killing policies have made them the Party of Food Stamps, and therefore the Republicans have the chance to become the Party of Paychecks this November....

Gingrich: Democrats are 'the party of food stamps'
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is advising Republican Candidates on November’s ballots to frame the choice for voters between Democrats as “the party of food stamps” while selling the GOP as “the party of paychecks.” With a month to go before the election, Gingrich brought his branding effort to Minnesota on Wednesday. He raised money for Republican gubernatorial nominee Tom Emmer and the state GOP during a private Fundraiser. He told reporters later...

Job Losses 10 Times Worse Than Economists' Estimates
Nearly 100,000 non-farm jobs were lost in September, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, a depressing fact that will likely weigh heavily on Democrats as its the last employment report before the midterm election November 2. In fact, it's even worse than many economists imagined, since most were assuming several thousand positions being lost as the Census continues to wind down, according to Forbes. The other major cutbacks occurred in state and local governments, where tens of thousands

The midterms: Explosive lawsuit in MA GOV race
Alabama: "Rep. Bobby Bright on Thursday became the first Democratic Incumbent to say publicly that he would not support Nancy Pelosi for Speaker in the next Congress," CQ reports. Alaska: "Weeks after declaring the gloves off in her rematch with Republican rival Joe Miller, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski took aim at the conservative's contention that the era of Earmarks is dead, saying aid to further build infrastructure in this still-young state is vital, not pork," AP writes. "During a forum...

What is the sound of $2.5M flushing?
… this . South Carolina Democratic Candidate Rob Miller has apparently adopted Republicans’ “Fire Pelosi” mantra. According to a report by The Associated Press, Miller — who is hoping to oust Rep. Joe Wilson (R) in the South Carolina 2nd district race — said Wednesday that he would not vote to keep Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) as Speaker in the 112th Congress. Via, of all things, @ markos , who is upset that Democrats gave Miller 2.5 million dollars...

Richard Neal (D-MA) Evasive on Debating Challenger, Tom Wesley " Is it Pelosi Style Dodge or Fear of Constituents!
Congressman Richard Neal has been asked to debate his opponent, Republican Tom Wesley, in Town Hall Style Debates - the Congressman, has, to date studiously avoided debating in this format. There are two Debates planned - one on the 15th of October broadcast from Springfield, MA and one in Milford, where only a portion of the eastern end of the Hampden 2nd will be represented. Both of these Debates are in rather "safe" settings, and not entirely confirmed. One can hardly blame Neal...

Pomeroy Suddenly Critical Of Nancy Pelosi, Says Gerrymandering Is Why Republicans Are Winning
Remember that DNC Chairman Tim Kaine said that Incumbents like Earl Pomeroy who try to run away from the President and Speaker Pelosi would suffer his wrath manifested in withdrawn support of the party. Well, it’s amazing what 8 months of trailing in the polls will do to a normally party-line nine-term Incumbent. Pomeroy is desperate to win re-election, and he’s more than willing to throw Nancy Pelosi Under the Bus to get there. Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., said Wednesday he...