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Obama in campaign mode, back to promoting hope over fear

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By ELLIOT SPAGAT

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A literate, eloquent, intelligent, competent, mature president. Those were the days.

-1 ( +10 / -11 )

President Obama did a great job in killing BinLaden, but otherwise his policy of congenial non confrontation with other countries put the US at a disadvantage. So, that’s why we Americans elected Trump to put a balance back in things. Lesson for the ages.

-7 ( +6 / -13 )

Says Pence: "The truth is, the American people in 2016 rejected the policy and direction of Barack Obama when they elected President Donald Trump."

No, the American people did not given that Clinton received almost 3 million more votes from the American people. This means more American people wanted to maintain the policy and direction of Obama.

Barely literate conservatives will be along shortly to retort that Trump won, so Pence is correct. Unfortunately for them, the popular vote indicates what the American people want, not the electoral college.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

President Obama did a great job in killing BinLaden, but otherwise his policy of congenial non confrontation with other countries put the US at a disadvantage

How about killing more terrorists than any other modern president? That was a great job by Obama.

One of the issues with conservatives is how they have selective memories.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Ha ha! - Rohrabacher is my congressman (well, actually, more Putin's).

Trump has been uncharacteristically silent about this as there are really no comebacks to the truths Obama has been speaking. It's gotta be seriously annoying him, though, and he'll likely eventually erupt.

But there is something about Obama with his sleeves rolled up backed by the California Republic flag that delivers hope in these perilous times. California will never surrender to the Trumpists - in fact, they're losing ground.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

re: A literate, eloquent, intelligent, competent, mature president. Those were the days.

YES those were the days of blatant hot air with no action. IN Asia, it was the expansion of China in building military bases under the lies of research, in Russia it was the expansion of Russian aggression into Kremia, Economic wise, more failure as crime rose in petty theft because there were not jobs, drug running became profitable business, immigration problems faced around the world,  need one go on...sure America lost a lot of its wealth due to failed and weak Obama speeches...NO wonder China took the wealth...who wouldn't when Obama couldn't or wouldn't step as he belonged to SOROS and BUFFET..

-6 ( +5 / -11 )

A literate, eloquent, intelligent, competent, mature president. 

Another copy/pasted troll styled comment..

No, the American people did not given that Clinton received almost 3 million more votes from the American people.

The candidate who gets majority of the electoral votes wins the election, and Trump got those votes not Clinton, popular vote does not determine the presidential election. American people voted for Trump.

As the article says "A surge in immigrants has transformed California and its voting patterns" in other words illegal immigrants / legal immigrants by abusing the immigration rules.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

The candidate who gets majority of the electoral votes wins the election, and Trump got those votes not Clinton, popular vote does not determine the presidential election. American people voted for Trump.

Can you not see the obvious contradiction in your statement? A majority of the electoral college voted for Trump; a majority of the American people voted for Clinton. No amount of sophistries will change that.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Right on cue:

> The candidate who gets majority of the electoral votes wins the election, and Trump got those votes not Clinton, popular vote does not determine the presidential election.

Correct, and not disputed by me.

American people voted for Trump.

Almost 3 million less than voted for Trump.

The people clearly wanted Clinton, however, we got Trump because of the electoral college. That the majority of those who voted wanted Clinton is indisputable, but that doesn't stop conservatives from trying.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

BJ: You seem to have forgotten the state of the economy Bush left Obama. You also seem to have forgotten the damage to the US' reputation on the world stage caused by Bush's war in Iraq. Context is important to fully understand things.

Being a conservative must be blissful. You don't like something, just forget it. You don't like a fact, ignore it. Logic, what's that? Ignorance is bliss.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Obama started more wars, used drones on civilians and was controlled by Israel.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

You don't like a fact, ignore it. 

Chip, nah - why ignore it when you can re-write history? Bush is now considered a RINO in many GOP corners, just as Trump inevitably will be. Some of the more conservative writers are already blazing this path.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

GoodlucktoyouToday  04:43 pm JST

Obama started more wars, used drones on civilians and was controlled by Israel.

What a weird comment to make in defense of Trump, the man whose first major mission in Yakla was a failure that resulted in a bunch of innocent casualties.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

This guy divided the country more than Moses did when he parted the Red Sea.

-8 ( +3 / -11 )

Chip, nah - why ignore it when you can re-write history? 

Historical revisionism is ignoring a historical fact. All due respect.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

 Bush is now considered a RINO in many GOP corners, just as Trump inevitably will be. Some of the more conservative writers are already blazing this path.

This is a bastardization of conservativism via ignorance. If it weren't tearing the country apart, it would be extremely funny.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Looks like Trump found that "magic wand" Obama was talking about. GDP at 4.2%, black unemployment at record low...

Obama - you had your time. Please respect the office of the president. Please go away.

Oh my...

Judge Jeanine: You're the reason Trump is president, Barack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeK-t3o_xu8

-7 ( +4 / -11 )

Obama - you had your time. Please respect the office of the president. Please go away.

He tried, but certain right wing nutters couldn't let him go, like they can't let Clinton go after 37 investigations.

Keep poking the beehive and Obama will come out swinging. He learned from Trump to give it right back, not take any crap.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Rolf AndersonToday 06:01 pm JST

The American people had a choice of Hillary Clinton between Donald Trump...and were blessed with Trump.

Heaven forbid they should get the candidate that most of them voted for.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

President Obama drives these Trump supporters crazy for several reasons;

A great many, certainly not all, still believe the lie that Trump started - that he is not an American citizen and is a Muslim (yes, there are still some of these troglodytes out there - just go to Youtube and type in "Trump supporters"),

A great many, not all, hate him for the same reasons Trump-supporter David Duke hates him.

He is literate, has been faithful to one wife, talks politely to people, and tries not to insult anyone (like the handicapped, Gold Star families, and all minorities).

He was respected and welcomed throughout the world instead of having "man-child" balloons flying when he visited.

His staff revered him, rather than calling him an "erratic, amoral, an idiot, impetuous, adversarial, petty, a Fifth or Sixth Grader, who acts in a manner that is detrimental to the health of our republic."

He has compassion, integrity, and dignity, something Donald Trump will never, ever have...
3 ( +5 / -2 )

"He ( Obama ) ) tried ( to go away)"

No, he didn't.

"Keep poking the beehive"

Yeah, I wish Obama would stop doing that and go back to his gated community until it's time for him to go to prison.

"Heaven forbid they should get the candidate that most of them voted for."

Outside of nutty California ( Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters, lol ) most of them voted for Trump. Fortunately, thanks to the wisdom of our Founding Fathers, we don't let one or two populous states decide the election for the rest of the country. Hillary was fine with the Electoral College until she lost it.

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

lincoln: "President Obama drives these Trump supporters crazy"

Heh, more like Trump drives Obama crazy.

"He ( Obama! ) has compassion, integrity, and dignity"

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, he can read a teleprompter pretty well though, hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

-7 ( +4 / -11 )

Can you not see the obvious contradiction in your statement? A majority of the electoral college voted for Trump; a majority of the American people voted for Clinton. No amount of sophistries will change that.

So you are saying that you don't know, that the electoral college has the winner take it all system that awards all electors of the state to the winning presidential candidate. The majority of American people in the 30 states where he won voted for Trump.

That 3+ million difference is all coming from the immigrant voters in California, minus that Trump also won the popular vote.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

So I hope someone is keeping a scorecard so we can know how many of these people Obana endorses actually win.

Will probably be more than I expect only because he is carefully selecting the states he visits and candidates who he is endorsing.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

Heh, more like Trump drives Obama crazy.

"He ( Obama! ) has compassion, integrity, and dignity"

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, he can read a teleprompter pretty well though, hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

As we can see, I guess the Fifth and Sixth Grader comparison fits more than just Trump...

4 ( +6 / -2 )

 "President Obama drives these Trump supporters crazy"

Heh, more like Trump drives Obama crazy.

"He ( Obama! ) has compassion, integrity, and dignity"

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, he can read a teleprompter pretty well though, hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Serrano - how old are you? That is the most woeful "I know you are but what am I" discourse I've heard since I left elementary school.

I will tell you something Obama can do - form a coherent sentence. And he also knows the important difference between saying "would" and "wouldn't". Your painted goon was too caught up brown-nosing Putin to get that straight.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

mrtinjp, read my post. A minority of Americans voted for Trump, just as happened with Bush in 2000. The majority of Americans chose one candidate, while the electoral college chose another. It is fact. Get over it.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Outside of nutty California ( Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters, lol ) most of them voted for Trump.

This is verifiably incorrect.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

So I hope someone is keeping a scorecard so we can know how many of these people Obana endorses actually win.

Need some help with that simple task?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

That 3+ million difference is all coming from the immigrant voters in California, minus that Trump also won the popular vote.

This is verifiably incorrect.

I have already explained how Trump losing the popular vote means the most Americans did not vote for him.

The popular vote represents who the American people voted for. The electoral college determines who wins the election. With the exception of 4 times (3 republicans), the electoral college and the popular vote have not lined up.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Heh, more like Trump drives Obama crazy.

That's why Obama's constantly bashing Trump on twitter constantly.

he can read a teleprompter pretty well though

Which is far more than Trump is capable of doing.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

That 3+ million difference is all coming from the immigrant voters in California, minus that Trump also won the popular vote.

Oh - and this. Are you suggesting that the votes of naturalized immigrants should be counted differently than native-born Americans, or are you suggesting that undocumented immigrants are somehow voting? Either suggestion is preposterous.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

there's always been a push and pull between 

Always?

Always is very often - like, every time.

Therefore I call BS.

As a non-American observer.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

those who want to go forward and those who want to look back, 

Or, those who want higher taxes, and those who want people who earn money to get to keep more of it.

Politics is so simple like this.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Sure thanks! excel format would be fine. I want to laugh when 75% of his endorsements lose and the others were already obvious winners before he even opened his mouth.

Need some help with that simple task?

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

President Barack Obama left office after adding $9.3 trillion to the national debt pile ...

The U.S. Department of the Treasury Bureau of the Fiscal Service reported Thursday that national debt had grown to $19.9 trillion, up 87% since Obama stepped into office in 2009.

He was great at something.

It wasn't all his fault.

Under President George W. Bush, the debt rose 86.3% to $10.63 billion in the course of 8 years.

Which is why many people voted for a non-life-long politician. Both parties need to fix this crap of spending and make a plan to pay down the national debt completely. Stop acting like a drunk businessman on vacation spending money on credit.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

A minority of Americans voted for Trump, just as happened with Bush in 2000. The majority of Americans chose one candidate, while the electoral college chose another. It is fact. Get over it.

The electoral college determines the election and not the popular vote, Hillary lost the electoral college, It is fact. Get over it. Now had she won nobody would be talking about the popular vote..another fact.

And majority of the Americans in those 30 states voted for Trump..another hard fact. Bush-Gore scenario was different, had there been a recount of ALL disputed ballots, Gore would have taken Florida and won the electoral college.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Oh - and this. Are you suggesting that the votes of naturalized immigrants should be counted differently than native-born Americans, or are you suggesting that undocumented immigrants are somehow voting.

The latter is definitely a fact.. may want to lookup the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/03/06/us/politics/undocumented-illegal-immigrants.html

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

The candidate who gets majority of the electoral votes wins the election, and Trump got those votes not Clinton, popular vote does not determine the presidential election. American people voted for Trump.

A correct description of the electoral system in the USA ie it doesn't reflect the will of the people but rather is a subversion of tge concept of democracy whereby the candidate with fewer votes can win.

I got even fewer popular votes than Trump in the electionary (zero to bensure precise). Perhaps I should be President.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Bongino Rips Obama for Blasting Trump in Speech

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLMMNAAct2c

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

SerranoSep. 9  06:39 pm JST

Outside of nutty California ( Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters, lol ) most of them voted for Trump. Fortunately, thanks to the wisdom of our Founding Fathers...

The Founding Fathers didn't write the winner take all rule into the Electoral College system.

...we don't let one or two populous states decide the election for the rest of the country.

Quite the opposite in fact. A vote for a Republican in California is pretty much worthless, as is a vote for a Democrat in Texas.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Dont forget: he also killed more women and children muslims than other presidents with his drone strikes.

How many innocent people had Trump starved to death with sanctions and cutting humanitarian aid?

Trump, however, hasnt.

So Trump is weak in terrorism?

Trump has also hired more minorities into his staff than Obama.

You really should fact-check yourself before posting.

Trump won. Deal with it. Or, Meanwhile, you can go join a violent, facist, communist, leftist protest and spit on and punch Trump supporters.

This is a false duality filled with buzzwords that frighten conservatives. Like this: If you're a Trump supporter, you're either extremely ignorant and barely literate, or you're a white nationalist that runs around in a mask (bed sheet) and incites violence against your fellow citizens.

The dems rely on 98% of their voter base to be poor "oppressed" professional victims. They will fight to the death to keep it that way. Hence Obama's rhetoric

Republicans depend on 98% of their base to be poor and barely literate individuals who believe they are wealthy enough to benefit from republican policies and are constantly under attack by minorities. Hence Trump's and Fox "News'" propaganda.

Perhaps you should change your screen name.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

The electoral college determines the election and not the popular vote, Hillary lost the electoral college, It is fact

And nobody is disputing this. Try to keep up. We are saying that the popular vote determines who the people want. One vote for one person, so whichever person gets the most votesis the person Americans want. It doesn't matter which state the voters live in because they are American.

This isn't rocket science. Denying that the person who won the popular vote is the people's choice is being intentionally obtuse.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Chip StarToday  05:23 am JST

"The electoral college determines the election and not the popular vote, Hillary lost the electoral college, It is fact"

And nobody is disputing this. Try to keep up.

I just don't think some people want to accept that they're in a minority, even if their man did win the election according to the rules.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Mr. NoidallToday  02:51 am JST

"How about killing more terrorists than any other modern president? That was a great job by Obama."

Dont forget: he also killed more women and children muslims than other presidents with his drone strikes.

Trump, however, hasnt.

A bit of a false equivalency isn't it, given that Obama did that over the course of eight years while Trump's only been President for less than two?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Dont forget: he also killed more women and children muslims than other presidents with his drone strikes.

Women and children? Hardly. He did kill the architect of the Sept 11 2001 terrorist attacks, which Bush couldn’t do in seven years…

Trump, however, hasnt. Trump has also hired more minorities into his staff than Obama.

Yep, like Omarosa and Ben Carson, and look how well those two turned out…

Trump has also put Americans first over, say, illeagal immigrants and oil producing Arab states--unlike Obama.

Amercians first? Sure, all his rich one-percenters – they are doing great with their big tax breaks. Working Americans? Ask the Harley Davidson workers who are out of a job because of his tariffs…

Question: why do liberals, when they speak of Obama, never speak of his policies. They just say broad and subjective things like he was an eloquent speaker?

Oh, they speak of his polices – but the distinction between a Harvard Law professor and a Fifth Grader just invites comparison…

Really who cares? Do want a president that actually does good for the American people, or one who just makes you feel good. It's a rhetorical question.

Do we want a President who plays with porn stars, says of Neo-Nazi’s “some a good people”, insults Gold Star families, and ridicules the handicapped? It’s not rhetorical, it’s an actual question….

Trump won. Deal with it. Or, Meanwhile, you can go join a violent, facist, communist, leftist protest and spit on and punch Trump supporters.

You know, like the ones at Charlottesville that ran over and killed a leftist protestor...

Recent polls suggest that African Americans have doubled their support for Trump.

…from .0005 to .001

The dems rely on 98% of their voter base to be poor "oppressed" professional victims. They will fight to the death to keep it that way. Hence Obama's rhetoric.

“Poor oppressed professional victims” – don’t you and David Duke have another word you like to use here?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

And nobody is disputing this. Try to keep up. We are saying that the popular vote determines who the people want. One vote for one person, so whichever person gets the most votesis the person Americans want. It doesn't matter which state the voters live in because they are American.

Well..every Trump hater is disputing this by talking about popular vote and popular vote  only and not mentioning that in the electoral college also people vote and determine whom them want. Obama won the swing states but Hillary did not and hence the result, nobody was talking about popular vote up until December 2016. Now why did those recounts happen...

Denying that the person who won the popular vote is the people's choice is being intentionally obtuse.

The American presidential election system is based on the electoral college result ONLY!!!, try to keep up and accept this fact. If you don't like this than get the constitution revised to eliminate the electoral college.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

This guy divided the country more than Moses did when he parted the Red Sea.

Can't say I'm surprised that the right-wingers here think Moses, who freed slaves, is a divisive villain.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

The American presidential election system is based on the electoral college result ONLY!!!, try to keep up and accept this fact. If you don't like this than get the constitution revised to eliminate the electoral college.

And the popular vote shows which candidate the people actually wanted. Try to keep up and accept this fact. If you don't like this, then get the constitution revised to eliminate the reporting of popular vote.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Quite the opposite in fact. A vote for a Republican in California is pretty much worthless, as is a vote for a Democrat in Texas.

Really, may want to lookup the number of Republican governors from California. Trump got 3.9 million votes in California, Hillary got 3.8 million in Texas and much closer to Trump, so maybe in 2024 these (especially Texas) could go either way.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

And the popular vote shows which candidate the people actually wanted. Try to keep up and accept this fact. If you don't like this, then get the constitution revised to eliminate the reporting of popular vote.

That popular vote does not determine the election....so try to keep up and accept this fact. I am just stating how the US presidential election system works..what I like or dislike is irrelevant. Now had the result been other way around..nobody would be talking about the popular vote, right.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

That popular vote does not determine the election

And the electoral vote does not determine the will of the people. So try to keep up and accept this fact. I am just stating how the US presidential election system works. Whether you like that or not is irrelevant. Now had the result been other way around, the Republicans would be freaking out about how Trump should have won the election, right.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

"A vote for a Republican in California is pretty much worthless"

It wasn't as recently as 1988 when, can you believe it, Bush Senior won the state. Yes, we can blame California for that presidency, haha... wait... but the alternative was Michael Dukakis... OK, California, we forgive you for that one!

And with the Democratic Party imploding now... oh my...

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

mrtinjpToday 11:27 am JST

Well..every Trump hater is disputing this by talking about popular vote and popular vote only and not mentioning that in the electoral college also people vote and determine whom them want.

Maybe they could, but generally they don't. If Donald Trump won a particular State, then it's a sure thing that all of the Electoral College delegates for that State cast their votes for him.

mrtinjpToday 11:48 am JST

Trump got 3.9 million votes in California...

4.4 million, I thought. Well, Clinton got 8.75 million.

Hillary got 3.8 million in Texas and much closer to Trump, so maybe in 2024 these (especially Texas) could go either way.

The last time Texas went for a Democrat was 1976. Trump got almost a million more votes. You really think 2014 will be a whole lot different?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

You really think 2014 will be a whole lot different?

2024, rather?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

And nobody is disputing this. Try to keep up. We are saying that the popular vote determines who the people want. One vote for one person, so whichever person gets the most votes is the person Americans want. It doesn't matter which state the voters live in because they are American.

https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/electoral-college/#how

Is is state Democratic and Republican parties who control how electoral college voting happens in Cali according to that quote from the Cali Secretary of State website, not Federal Law. If you have an issue with it, deal with those people.

There is no Constitutional provision](https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/provisions.html#provisions) or [Federal law

that requires Electors to vote according to the results of the popular vote in their states. Some states, however, require Electors to cast their votes according to the popular vote. These pledges fall into two categories—Electors bound by state law and those bound by pledges to political parties.

29 states do legally bind electors to vote based on the election, though many force them to vote for the majority, not by the proportion of votes. http://archive.fairvote.org/?page=967 has a list which includes California (what?).

In the olden times, the EC was necessary since holding popular elections and getting those results returned to the east coast was a massive ordeal for states in the west. There are other reasons. The party system is broke in the USA, since most people can't find a party that believes more than 60% what they believe.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Former President Barack Obama"

Oh my...

Obama Tried To Take Credit For Trump's Economy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqjZyrOXQ7w

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Former President Barack Obama"

When he was president he said manufacturing jobs are not coming back, and we would never see 3% GDP again. Yeah, that was if Hillary had been been elected.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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