2012 Presidential Campaign Blog

Ron Paul Campaign Issues Statement on Federal Debt News. U.S. debt surpasses Gross Domestic Product

Ron Paul Campaign Issues Statement on Federal Debt News
U.S. debt surpasses Gross Domestic Product

LAKE JACKSON, Texas – Today, Ron Paul 2012 Campaign Manager John Tate released the following statement regarding the news that the federal debt now exceeds the Gross Domestic Product of the United States.

“For far too long, Congress and Presidents have played budgetary tricks on the American people by pretending we could trim around the edges and still afford endless expenditures on entitlements and foreign interventions. Ron Paul's ‘Plan to Restore America’ confronts our debt crisis head-on by cutting $1 trillion in his first year and delivering a fully balanced budget by his third year.

“We can no longer afford politicians who play games with America's future. As President, Ron Paul will treat the American people with the respect they deserve by being honest about our nation's situation and implementing fundamental reforms to return America to prosperity.”

Michele Bachmann Iowa Schedule November 1-4, 2011 #iacaucus

Bachmann Continues Tour of Hawkeye State, Focuses on Job Creation and Economic Growth

Urbandale, Iowa – Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann will continue her tour of Iowa this week. During a series of addresses and events, Bachmann will lay out her strategic plan to spur economic growth and put hardworking Americans back to work. The following events, which occur in Central Time, are open to credentialed media.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

EVENT: WHEN: WHERE:	National Association of Manufacturers Presidential Forum NOTE: This event will be streamed live on Iowa Public Television at iptv.org. 10:00 am CT Vermeer Manufacturing 1210 East Vermeer Road Pella, Iowa
EVENT: WHEN: WHERE:	Iowa Association of Independent Baptists Conference Address 7:20 pm CT First Fellowship Baptist Church 1008 East Olive Street Marshalltown, Iowa

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

EVENT: WHEN: WHERE:	"Mickelson in the Morning" live radio interview with host Jan Mickelson on WHO Radio NOTE: This interview will be streamed live on whoradio.com. 10:00 am CT WHO Radio Studios 2141 Grand Avenue Des Moines, Iowa
EVENT:	Presidential Tele-Town Hall Series hosted by National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the National Restaurant Association (NRA), the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) 3:00 pm CT

Thursday, November 3, 2011

EVENT: WHEN: WHERE:	Economic Policy Address 12:00 pm CT South Ballroom Iowa State University Memorial Union Ames, Iowa
EVENT: WHEN: WHERE:	Dallas County GOP Dinner 6:00 pm CT Dallas County Fairgrounds 28057 Fairground Rd Adel, Iowa

Friday, November 4, 2011

EVENT: WHEN: WHERE:

Republican Party of Iowa Reagan Dinner NOTE: Remarks will be streamed live on C-SPAN2 and c-span.org. 6:00 pm CT – Bachmann Arrives 7:00 pm CT – Event Begins Iowa Events Center – Hy-Vee Hall 730 3rd Street Des Moines, Iowa

Minnesota Artist Joseph Hautman Wins 2011 Federal Duck Stamp Contest

Minnesota Artist Joseph Hautman Wins 2011 Federal Duck Stamp Contest

Joseph Hautman, an artist from Plymouth, Minn., is the winner of the 2011 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest.    The announcement was made today by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, W. Va., during the annual art competition.
 
This is Hautman’s fourth Federal Duck Stamp Contest win.   His art previously appeared on the 1992-1993, 2002-2003 and 2008-2009 Federal Duck Stamps.    Hautman’s acrylic painting of a single wood duck will be made into the 2012-2013 Federal Duck Stamp, which will go on sale in late June 2012.   The Service produces the Federal Duck Stamp, which sells for $15 and raises about $25 million each year to provide critical funds for conserving wetlands for the benefit of wildlife and the enjoyment of people.
 
Of 190 entries in this year’s two-day competition, 32 entries made it through to the final round of judging.   Adam Grimm of Burbank, S.D., placed second with his oil painting of a single gadwall.   Grimm is also a previous Federal Duck Stamp Contest winner.   His art appeared on the 2000-2001 Federal Duck Stamp.
 
Richard Clifton of Milford, Del., took third place with an acrylic painting of a pair of mallards.   Clifton won the 2006 Federal Duck Stamp Contest and his winning art appeared on the 2007-2008 Federal Duck Stamp.  "I wasn’t too nervous to begin with," said Hautman.   “But as soon as my brother- Bob’s painting went out, I started wanting to win.”
 
Hautman’s brother Bob has won the Federal Duck Stamp twice previously, in 1996 and 2000.   Their brother Jim is the current Federal Duck Stamp artist, having won the 2010 contest and three previous contests.   Among them, the three brothers have won the contest 10 times.  
 
"My sincerest congratulations to Joe Hautman on his win, and to all of the artists who entered this year,” said Dan Ashe, the Service’s Director.   “The Federal Duck Stamp Contest is a time-honored tradition, and the dedication of wildlife artists to the contest and the stamp’s conservation mission spans generations.   This year we saw the oldest contest entrant – a veteran wildlife artist -- as well as the youngest entrant, a young woman of just 19 years old. 
 
“The stamp itself is widely known as one of this nation’s most successful and effective conservation programs,” said Assistant Director Jerome Ford of the Service’s Migratory Bird Program.   “This connection of generations through the traditions of wildlife art and conservation is what makes the Federal Duck Stamp Program so successful.”
 
This year's five-judge panel included Ira Cotton, a stamp collector (philatelist) and philatelic journalist; H. Dale Hall, a former Service Director and current CEO of Ducks Unlimited, Inc.; Gary Kramer, an award-winning freelance outdoor writer and photographer; John Neal Mullican, a sculptor whose works have been displayed in the United States and abroad; and Lynn Scarlett, former Deputy Interior Secretary and a visiting scholar and co-director at the Center for the Management of Ecological Wealth at Resources for the Future.   The alternate judge was Christine Thomas, dean and professor of resource management at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources.
 
Waterfowl hunters age 16 and older are required to purchase and carry the current Migratory Bird Conservation and Hunting Stamp – commonly known as the Duck Stamp. Conservationists, stamp collectors and others must also purchase the stamp in support of habitat conservation.
 
Ninety-eight percent of the proceeds from the $15 Duck Stamp go to the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, which supports the purchase of acres of wetlands for inclusion into the National Wildlife Refuge System.
 
Since 1934, sales of Federal Duck Stamps have helped to purchase nearly six million acres of wildlife habitat for the Refuge System.   To date, Duck Stamp funds have been used to acquire habitat at hundreds of refuges in nearly every state.   There are 555 national wildlife refuges spread across all 50 states and U.S. territories.   A current Duck Stamp may also be used for free admission to any national wildlife refuge open to the public. Refuges offer unparalleled recreational opportunities, including hunting, fishing, bird watching and photography.

Commission on Presidential Debates' Nonpartisan Candidate Selection Criteria For 2012 General Election Debate Participation

2012 Candidate Selection Criteria

Commission on Presidential Debates' Nonpartisan Candidate Selection Criteria For 2012 General Election Debate Participation

A. INTRODUCTION

The mission of the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates (the "CPD") is to ensure, for the benefit of the American electorate, that general election debates are held every four years between the leading candidates for the offices of President and Vice President of the United States.  The CPD sponsored a series of such debates in each of the past six general elections, and has begun the planning, preparation, and organization of a series of nonpartisan debates among leading candidates for the Presidency and Vice Presidency in the 2012 general election.  As in prior years, the CPD's voter educational activities will be conducted in accordance with all applicable legal requirements, including regulations of the Federal Election Commission that require that debate sponsors extend invitations to debate based on the application of "pre-established, objective" criteria.

The goal of the CPD's debates is to afford the members of the public an opportunity to sharpen their views, in a focused debate format, of those candidates from among whom the next President and Vice President will be selected.  In each of the last six elections, there were scores of declared candidates for the Presidency, excluding those seeking the nomination of one of the major parties.  During the course of the campaign, the candidates are afforded many opportunities in a great variety of forums to advance their candidacies.  In order most fully and fairly to achieve the educational purposes of its debates, the CPD has developed nonpartisan, objective criteria upon which it will base its decisions regarding selection of the candidates to participate in its 2012 debates.  The purpose of the criteria is to identify those candidates who have achieved a level of electoral support such that they realistically are considered to be among the principal rivals for the Presidency.

In connection with the 2012 general election, the CPD will apply three criteria to each declared candidate to determine whether that candidate qualifies for inclusion in one or more of the CPD's debates.  The criteria are (1) constitutional eligibility, (2) ballot access, and (3) electoral support.  All three criteria shall be satisfied before a candidate will be invited to debate.

B. 2012 NONPARTISAN SELECTION CRITERIA

The CPD's nonpartisan criteria for selecting candidates to participate in the 2012 general election presidential debates are:

1. EVIDENCE OF CONSTITUTIONAL ELIGIBILITY

The CPD's first criterion requires satisfaction of the eligibility requirements of Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution.  The requirements are satisfied if the candidate:

a. is at least 35 years of age;

b. is a Natural Born Citizen of the United States and a resident of the United States for fourteen years; and

c. is otherwise eligible under the Constitution.

2. EVIDENCE OF BALLOT ACCESS

The CPD's second criterion requires that the candidate qualify to have his/her name appear on enough state ballots to have at least a mathematical chance of securing an Electoral College majority in the 2012 general election.  Under the Constitution, the candidate who receives a majority of votes in the Electoral College, at least 270 votes, is elected President regardless of the popular vote.

3. INDICATORS OF ELECTORAL SUPPORT

The CPD's third criterion requires that the candidate have a level of support of at least 15% (fifteen percent) of the national electorate as determined by five selected national public opinion polling organizations, using the average of those organizations' most recent publicly-reported results at the time of the determination.

C. APPLICATION OF CRITERIA

The CPD's determination with respect to participation in the CPD's first-scheduled debate will be made after Labor Day 2012, but sufficiently in advance of the first-scheduled debate to allow for orderly planning.  Invitations to participate in the vice-presidential debate will be extended to the running mates of each of the presidential candidates qualifying for participation in the CPD's first presidential debate.  Invitations to participate in the second and third of the CPD's scheduled presidential debates will be based upon satisfaction of the same multiple criteria prior to each debate.

Adopted:  October 20, 2011

Centre College named host of 2012 Vice Presidential Debate on October 11, 2012 at Newlin Hall in the Norton Center for the Arts

Centre College named host of 2012 Vice Presidential Debate

Centre has been selected to host the Vice Presidential debate on  Oct. 11, 2012. The debate will take place in Newlin Hall in the  Norton Center for the Arts, the same venue as the VP debate Centre hosted in 2000.

The Commission on Presidential Debates announced today that Centre College has been selected to host the Vice Presidential debate on Oct. 11, 2012. This will be the second of four general election debates.

In a news release announcing the host sites, Commission Executive Director Janet Brown said that Centre’s selection was based on several factors. “First, Centre did an outstanding job of hosting the 2000 Vice Presidential debate. Second, Centre’s principal players from that debate are still at the College, and we value that experience. Finally, Centre’s facilities, as good as they were in 2000, are vastly improved now.”

Centre President John A. Roush said that the College is deeply honored to host a general election debate once again. “Selecting the President and Vice President of the United States is, arguably, the most important political exercise in the world. We are grateful for this opportunity to serve our nation.” Roush continued, “When we hosted the 2000 Vice Presidential debate, Centre and Danville were by far the smallest college and town to host a general election debate, but by all accounts we set a new standard. We are proud of the confidence that the Commission has again expressed in Centre and Danville.”

Roush also looked forward to the experiences that hosting the Vice Presidential debate will provide to Centre’s students. “Of all the good things that came from our efforts in 2000, the most important and pleasing to me was the great educational opportunities provided to our students, and I look forward to an even more exciting time for Centre students in 2012.”

Centre Board of Trustees Chair Bob Brockman, of Houston, Texas, said, “Hosting the debate in 2000 energized the entire Centre community — students, faculty and staff, and trustees alike — and gave us an even greater sense that, together, there is nothing that we can’t accomplish. On behalf of the entire Centre family, I thank the Commission for this honor.”

Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges, at 42nd in the nation, and ranks 27th for best value among national liberal arts colleges. Forbes magazine ranks Centre 34th among all the nation’s colleges and universities and has named Centre in the top five among all institutions of higher education in the South for three years in a row. The 2010 Open Doors Report, published by the Institute for International Educational, ranks the College second in the nation for percentage of students who study abroad.

A highly residential liberal arts college, Centre enrolls more than 1,300 students on a park-like 160-acre campus located in Danville, Ky., in the heart of the Bluegrass region of Kentucky.

The Commission on Presidential Debates website is available at www.debates.org.

Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Forbes magazine ranks Centre 24th among all the nation's colleges and universities and has named Centre No. 1 among all institutions of higher education in the South for two years in a row. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices.

University of Denver to host first 2012 presidential debate on October 3, 2012

University of Denver to host first 2012 presidential debate

The University of Denver learned today it has been selected by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) to host the first of three 2012 presidential debates.
 
The University will host a news conference today outside the Daniel L. Ritchie Center for Sports and Wellness, where the debate will be held. Chancellor Robert Coombe and other officials will be available to answer questions about the process and purpose of pursuing the event.
 
DU officials say they are honored to be selected as one of the four institutions to host a presidential or vice presidential debate and look forward to working with the CPD over the next year and consider it national recognition of the University’s dedication and determination to be a great private university dedicated to the public good.
 
The University will host a press conference at 3 p.m. Oct. 31 at the south courtyard of the Ritchie Center, which is located at 2011 East Asbury Ave. Parking is available in lot 401 on the east side of the Ritchie Center. Enter via Jewell Ave., off University Blvd., just south of Buchtel Blvd. Television trucks may park in the small lot behind the Shwayder Art Building, 2121 East Asbury Ave. Access the lot through the driveway between the art gallery and the tennis courts. The press conference is open to the public and will be livestreamed at www.du.edu/debate2012.

Hofstra University to Host Presidential Debate on October 16, 2012

Hofstra University to Host Presidential Debate in 2012
University hosting presidential debate for second time To be held on October 16, 2012
 
Monday, October 31, 2011….Today the Commission on Presidential Debates announced that it had chosen Hofstra University for the site of its October 16, 2012 Presidential Debate, which will be in the “town meeting” format.   The Commission on Presidential Debates, a nonprofit, nonpartisan corporation, has sponsored and produced every presidential and vice-presidential debate since 1988.  Hofstra University hosted the third and final presidential debate of the 2008 election cycle, between then Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain, on October 15, 2008.

"I am absolutely delighted that the Commission has chosen to return to Hofstra University for one of America's most important political events," said Hofstra University President Stuart Rabinowitz.  "It was an extraordinary experience for our students and faculty in 2008 and allowed our community to witness, first-hand, the democratic process. I am so pleased that another generation of Hofstra students will be able to witness history and become involved in an active and meaningful way."
 
The University will again host an election-themed event series to inspire and engage students.  "During the last presidential election, Educate '08, our award-winning event series, gave students the opportunity to learn from some of our country's greatest political minds and journalists, to travel to primary sites, or to volunteer or intern with political or media organizations; and it touched students and faculty in almost every academic discipline,” said President Rabinowitz.  “With Hofstra's unique academic strengths and our vibrant academic programs in political science, journalism and mass media, business, medicine and law, we will take advantage of the special opportunities a presidential debate offers. In 2008, thousands of students were involved - speaking out at town hall meetings, interning and volunteering, helping with Debate Watch programs, or taking special courses, and we expect even greater participation in 2012.  We will use our experience and every opportunity to involve students, faculty and the community in this historic event."
 
President Rabinowitz also announced that David S. Mack, Hofstra alumnus and secretary of the Boar d of Trustees, has made a commitment to help underwrite the cost of hosting the 2012 presidential debate.  “The generosity of David Mack allows us to host an event of this magnitude, benefitting thousands of students and showcasing our great University, without using tuition dollars. We are grateful for his leadership and commitment to Hofstra and the democratic process.” 

The Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency, the Chair in Presidential Studies, our Senior Presidential Fellows (currently former Governor Howard Dean and political consultant and CNN contributor Ed Rollins) and Hofstra's presidential conferences make the University one of the very few institutions in the country with a unique focus on the presidency.  Beginning in 1982 with a conference on Franklin D. Roosevelt, Hofstra has presented a conference on each president thereafter, culminating in the 11th presidential conference, "William Jefferson Clinton: The 'New Democrat' from Hope," held in November 2005.  The George W. Bush conference is currently scheduled for 2015.

The University is also home to the interdisciplinary Center for Civic Engagement and the National Center for Suburban Studies, a non-partisan research institution dedicated to promoting objective, academically rigorous study of suburbia's problems and promise.
 
"Hosting the debate will allow us to showcase Hofstra University and Long Island, our nation's first suburb, to a national and international audience," said President Rabinowitz.  "We are looking forward to again welcoming journalists from around the world to our campus."

Hofstra University will again use the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex as the venue for the debate, and the adjoining Mack Physical Education Building as home for the media center, which will host hundreds of journalists from around the world and all major networks, as well as supporting services for the Commission on Presidential Debates.  Other Hofstra University facilities have been selected for support services for media and visitors. The University once again received unanimous support from local, regional, statewide and federal officials, as well as all local and regional public agencies. 

The October 15, 2008 debate at Hofstra University was a 90-minute debate (beginning at 9 p.m. Eastern) focused on the Economy and Domestic Policy, with candidates seated at a table with moderator Bob Schieffer of CBS News. Candidates questioned in turn with two-minute responses, followed by five minutes of open discussion for each question.  It was viewed by approximately 56.5 million Americans (Data provided by Nielsen Media Research).  Hofstra University also hosted the October 2010 New York State Gubernatorial Debate, in partnership with Newsday and Cablevision. 

Extended video coverage of 2008 debate week and Educate '08 highlights is available at http://www.hofstra.edu/debate/debate_media_gallery.html
 
Information about the 2012 debate schedule and site selection process may be found at http://www.debates.org
 
ABOUT HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY
 
Hofstra University, located in Hempstead, New York, approximately 25 miles east of Manhattan, is a dynamic private institution where approximately 11,500 students choose from more than 140 undergraduate and 155 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, communication, education, health and human services, and honors studies; as well as the Hofstra-North Shore LIJ School of Medicine and the Maurice A. Deane School of Law. Hofstra University, which was founded in 1935, has more than 110,000 alumni.  Hofstra offers a renowned and excellent faculty, cutting edge technology, extensive library resources, and internships and educational programs that appeal to students' interests and abilities.

About Ticket Availability
 
Hofstra University is very pleased to host the October 16, 2012 presidential debate. The debate itself is produced and sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), a non-partisan, non-profit organization, which controls all aspects of debate production.  Ticket availability for the debate itself will be extremely limited.

All of the tickets allocated to Hofstra University from the Commission on Presidential Debates will be distributed to current students in the days before the debate, as recommended by the CPD and consistent with past practices of debate hosts, including Hofstra in 2008. President Rabinowitz has already clearly stated that he, along with all administrators and faculty, will not take seats within the debate hall but will instead watch the debate at a campus simulcast, in order to allow the maximum number of Hofstra students to attend the debate.
 
All students who are interested in attending the debate should look for instructions to sign up in the fall of 2012, and not contact the CPD. Tickets will not be available through Hofstra University personnel, and tickets are not available through any means at this point in time.

Lynn University to Host Final Presidential Debate of 2012 on October 22nd at Keith C. & Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center

Lynn University to Host Final Presidential Debate of 2012

Press conference to discuss the hosting of the debate will be held at Lynn on Wed., Nov. 2 at 10 a.m.

Lynn University has been selected as the site of the final 2012 Presidential Debate by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), to be held on October 22, 2012.
 
The CPD is a nonprofit, nonpartisan corporation and has sponsored all general election presidential and vice presidential debates since 1988. Lynn University was one of 12 sites nationwide, and the only institution in Florida, under consideration to host one of three presidential, or one vice presidential debates produced by the CPD.
 
“Being an undergraduate or graduate student here on our campus when such an historic event takes place will provide a singular and unparalleled educational experience,” Lynn University President, Kevin M. Ross, said.
 
The site has already hosted a Congressional District 22 debate in October 2010 between then incumbent Ron Klein and Allen West. Lynn University submitted its application to the Commission in January 2011 and hosted staff from the Commission on Presidential Debates over the summer for an on-site survey of the proposed debate venue and campus.
 
Lynn University received overwhelming and nearly unilateral support for its application from government officials at all levels, including the entire Florida Congressional Delegation, the Florida Cabinet, the leadership of the Florida legislature, former Governor Jeb Bush, former Governor and Senator Bob Graham, Palm Beach County officials, Boca Raton Mayor Susan Whelchel, and many others.
 
Preparing for an event of this magnitude will require the campus and community to come together now and organize for the arrival of the candidates, their campaign staff members, and thousands of national and international journalists expected to come to the area to cover the debate.
 
“It is a tremendous challenge, but Lynn University will be prepared to welcome the nation to Florida for the final debate before the 2012 general election,” Ross said.
 
A press conference to discuss the debate has been scheduled for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, November 2 at the site of the debate, Lynn’s Keith C. & Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center.
 
A website for the 2012 Presidential Debate at Lynn University is currently under construction and will be live in the coming weeks.

Commission on Presidential Debates Announces Sites, Dates, and Candidate Selection Criteria for 2012 General Election

Commission on Presidential Debates Announces Sites, Dates, and Candidate Selection Criteria for 2012 General Election

Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., and Michael D. McCurry, co-chairmen of the non-partisan, non-profit Commission on Presidential Debates ("CPD") today announced sites and dates for three presidential and one vice presidential debates during the 2012 general election.  The dates and sites are:

First presidential debate:

Wednesday, October 3

University of Denver, Denver, CO

Vice presidential debate:

Thursday, October 11

Centre College, Danville, KY

Second presidential debate (town meeting format):

Tuesday, October 16

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

Third presidential debate:

Monday, October22

Lynn University, Boca Raton, FL

Washington University in St. Louis, MO will serve as the backup site.  The CPD has asked Dominican University to lead an international project which will be announced early in 2012.

The Commission also released the 2012 Candidate Selection Criteria, which will be used to determine who is invited to participate in the general election debates.  In addition to being Constitutionally eligible, candidates must appear on a sufficient number of state ballots to have a mathematical chance of winning a majority vote in the Electoral College, and have a level of support of at least 15% (fifteen percent) of the national electorate as determined by five selected national public opinion polling organizations, using the average of those organizations' most recent publicly-reported results at the time of the determination.  The Gallup Organization will advise the CPD in the application of its Criteria to polling data as it did in 2000, 2004, and 2008.

The CPD will announce formats for the four debates in the first part of 2012, as well as plans for Internet-based initiatives.  Moderators for the debates will be chosen in the summer of 2012.

The CPD was established in 1987 and sponsored all presidential and vice presidential general election debates since 1988.  More information can be found at www.debates.org.

Statement From Campaign Manager Jim Messina On The Announcement By The Commission On Presidential Debates

STATEMENT FROM CAMPAIGN MANAGER JIM MESSINA ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES

“The President looks forward to next year’s debates. Once the Republicans have selected their candidate, we will work through the details with their campaign and the Commission on Presidential Debates.”