The American Pundit

The White House doesn’t know:

Q Jay, some of the utilities are saying that the power is going to be out in some areas for up to 10 days, which would obviously include Election Day. Is there any contingency planning to alter the Election Day schedule because of this?

MR. CARNEY: I think that is not something I’m able to address. The fact is the storm is just taking effect now and having an impact now and making landfall I believe tonight. We have to focus on not the campaign and not the election, but on making sure that all federal resources are both prepositioned and in place to help states and localities respond to the storm, to help Americans who are affected by the storm. That’s our focus right now.

Q Would the President have the power to adjust Election Day?

MR. CARNEY: I don’t know the answer to that question. I think you’re getting way ahead of yourself here.

Short answer: No.

Long answer: Hell no.

The president has no authority to alter election day, which is uniformly established under federal law. 3 USC § 1:

The electors of President and Vice President shall be appointed, in each State, on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November, in every fourth year succeeding every election of a President and Vice President.

States have the authority to set terms for early voting, absentee voting, voting by mail, etc.. But the electors shall be appointed on the first Tuesday in November. Come hell or high water.

Important for two reasons:

1) Scott Brown has actually been trailing in recent polls. Warren looked like she’d finally reclaim the seat for Democrats.

2) The Boston Globe isn’t a right-wing outfit. In fact, they’re owned by the New York Time and tilt decidedly left. They’d favor Warren in this race.

The survey indicates Brown holds a razor-thin 45 percent to 43 percent lead over Warren among likely voters, well within the poll’s margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. Brown’s lead evaporates, with 47 percent for each candidate, when voters who are undecided are asked which candidate they are leaning toward.

The poll is a reversal from a September Globe survey that showed Warren ahead 43 percent to 38 percent, as well as several other recent polls that have found Warren with a slight lead. The shift underscores the belief long held by both sides that the race, active for more than a year, would be competitive until the end.

Brown remains decently popular in the state. Hopefully that can carry him to victory and we can hold this seat. We need to.

The Obama campaign has announced that Joe Biden will campaign in Pennsylvania on November 1st (next Wednesday), indicating the campaign remains worried that the Keystone State could be a swing state in 2012.

They’re insisting the campaign event is simply a “coming home” event, but that really makes little sense. With just 5 days until the election you don’t send assets to unnecessary rallies in solid states. Not with Romney expanding his map and Obama slipping in key states.

Minnesota is a deep blue state. It hasn’t supported a Republican presidential nominee since 1972. In fact, it was the only state to support Walter Mondale over Ronald Reagan in 1984. The other 49 states – even California and New York – went to The Gipper.

So this is, um, surprising.

As the presidential race tightens across the country, a new Star Tribune Minnesota Poll has found that it is narrowing here as well, with President Obama holding a 3-point lead and Republican Mitt Romney making gains in the state.

The poll shows Obama with support from 47 percent of likely voters and Romney earning backing from 44 percent — a lead within the poll’s margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Last month Barack Obama led by 8.

Do I think we win Minnesota ultimately? No. But if we’re within 3 points there, we’re doing well in states we need.

Mitt Romney has pulled even with Barack Obama in Ohio, according to a new poll known for its reliable Ohio surveys. The candidates are now tied at 49% in the Buckeye State.

President Barack Obama, 49 percent. Republican challenger Mitt Romney, ditto.

One remaining percent for “other,” and one more for “don’t know.” And all within the margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent.

This is a major change from a similar poll a month ago, when Obama held a 51-46 percent lead over Romney. The reason may be shifts in key parts of the electorate.

Meanwhile, a poll from Democratic firm Public Policy Polling tonight shows Romney leading by 1 nationally. But more troublesome for the Obama campaign? His share of the Hispanic vote is down 7% from 2008. His approval rating is underwater by 8% (just 46% approve),

It’s time for a change in leadership. That’s the conclusion of the left-leaning Des Moines Register, which just endorsed Mitt Romney for president after now backing a Republican nominee over the past 40 years.

Which candidate could forge the compromises in Congress to achieve these goals? When the question is framed in those terms, Mitt Romney emerges the stronger candidate.

The former governor and business executive has a strong record of achievement in both the private and the public sectors. He was an accomplished governor in a liberal state. He founded and ran a successful business that turned around failing companies. He successfully managed the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City…

The president’s best efforts to resuscitate the stumbling economy have fallen short. Nothing indicates it would change with a second term in the White House…

Consumers must feel more confident about their own economic futures to begin spending on the products and services that power the economy. A renewed sense of confidence will spark renewed investment by American companies. Industry will return to full production and hiring will begin again.

That should come with Mitt Romney in the White House.

Wow.

Shortly after handing pink slips to some 160 employees, Zynga’s CEO Mark Pinkus gave $1 million to the same Obama superPAC that claimed Mitt Romney gave a woman cancer.

Joe Biden is heading to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on Friday — where he’ll be greeted by 450 layoffs by the Oshkosh Corporation, a military supplier hurt by Obama Administration defense cuts.

BuzzFeed reports:

Oshkosh Corp. will layoff 450 manufacturing workers in January, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Thursday, saying the Pentagon is expected to purchase few of the company’s military vehicles. The military cut its requested budget for ground vehicles by 32 percent in the 2013 fiscal year.

While the Obama Administration has taken a hatchet to defense spending, we’re running up $1 trillion annual deficits paying for everything else under the sun – including subsidies for Obama’s political allies, unrestrained welfare spending, and “investments” in “green” energy that ultimately goes nowhere.

This is awful on so many levels. The incumbent president of the United States endorsing an ad comparing voting to losing your virginity. It’s crass and below the dignity of the office. They should be ashamed.

Hey, maybe that’s why he’s added $5 trillion to the national debt and run-up $1 trillion deficits every year of his presidency.

But you know what really worries me about this? This is the same Barack Obama who assures us ObamaCare will save us money and won’t jeopardize health care access.

And now he tells us he kinda sucks at math. Yay.