Election 2012 Topics

2012 Election

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  • Baratunde

    Comedian, Author Baratunde Thurston on Vote Suppression & Romney's 0% Support from African Americans

    A recent poll by NBC and the Wall Street Journal found zero percent of African-American voters support Mitt Romney, compared to 94 percent supporting President Obama. Critics say Republicans have lost support among people of color by pushing controversial laws to crack down on undocumented immigrants and suppress voting rights. Democracy Now! producers Sam Alcoff and Amy Littlefield had a chance to discuss some of these issues when they ran into...
    Aug 28, 2012 | Story
  • 2012-0828_vo_broll-economicmarch

    Storm Cancels RNC's First Day, But Hundreds Brave Tampa's Wind and Rain to Protest GOP Agenda

    As the Republican National Convention is set to resume today, we turn now to some of the voices of people who marched on the RNC Monday in Tampa, Florida. The event was billed as a demonstration that would bring thousands into the streets, but it ultimately attracted hundreds of people. Conservatives had a field day on social media noting the low turnout. Meanwhile, organizers said that they may not have gotten the numbers they wanted due in part...
    Aug 28, 2012 | Story
  • Ken_blackwell

    Ex-Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell Questioned on Vote Suppression, from '04 to Wave of ID Laws

    A recent study by the Brennan Center estimates that new voter ID laws could disenfranchise more than five million people across the country in November, including voters in swing states such as Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Virginia and Wisconsin. On Monday, Democracy Now! producer Mike Burke spoke with a prominent supporter of the new voter IDs laws, Ken Blackwell, vice chair of the Republican National Committee’s platform committee and...
    Aug 28, 2012 | Story
  • Voting

    As ID Laws Risk Disenfranchisement, Intimidation Fears Grow with Tea Party Group's "Poll Watcher"

    A coalition of groups are planning to stage a protest outside the Republican National Convention today to decry new voter ID laws and cutbacks in early voting. To discuss voting rights ahead of November, we’re joined by two guests: the Rev. Charles McKenzie of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and organizer of a protest today at Tampa’s Centennial Park in Tampa against voter suppression, and Brentin Mock, a ColorLines reporter covering the...
    Aug 28, 2012 | Story
  • Rob_lorei

    Tropical Storm Isaac Spares Tampa Ahead of RNC, But Massive Security Operation Has City on Lockdown

    Day one of the Republican National Convention in Tampa Bay, Florida, has been essentially called off due to Tropical Storm Isaac. The city’s police department received $50 million from Congress ahead of the convention, purchasing armored vehicles and high-tech surveillance cameras equipped with behavioral recognition software. We begin our two-hour special coverage of the GOP convention with longtime Tampa radio broadcaster and journalist...
    Aug 27, 2012 | Story
  • Ron_paul

    Left Out of the RNC, Supporters Hold Farewell Gathering for Libertarian Favorite Ron Paul

    While the Republican National Convention will not start until Tuesday due to Tropical Storm Isaac, supporters of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul held their own convention of sorts over the weekend. The two-day "Paul Fest" was described by some as a farewell rally for Paul, who was not invited to speak at the Republican National Convention. Over the years, key parts of Paul’s platform have included shutting down the Federal...
    Aug 27, 2012 | Story
  • Brian_doherty

    Ron Paul Supporters Seek to Assert Presence at RNC in Tampa and Influence Long-Term Direction of GOP

    At the "Paul Fest" for supporters of Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul in Tampa, Democracy Now! producer Mike Burke speaks with Brian Doherty, author of the new book, "Ron Paul’s rEVOLution: The Man and the Movement He Inspired." Doherty discusses the role Paul delegates will have at this week’s Republican National Convention and, looking ahead, in the future of the Republican Party. [includes rush transcript]
    Aug 27, 2012 | Story
  • March_on_rnc_opt1

    Despite Tropical Storm Isaac and Massive Security, Activists Plan Protest March Outside RNC in Tampa

    Even as Tropical Storm Isaac bears down on the Gulf Coast, hundreds are expected to protest this morning in Tampa against the Republican National Convention. Today’s official RNC events were canceled due to the storm. But organizers from the Coalition to March on the RNC spent the night encasing their picket signs in plastic. Thousands of law enforcement officers from the local police and sheriff departments, as well as the National Guard,...
    Aug 27, 2012 | Story
  • Scott_walker

    Hailed by GOP But Reviled by Labor, Union-Busting Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Protested in Tampa

    Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker survived a historic recall election in June, one year after he launched a controversial effort to slash bargaining rights for the state’s public sector workers and reduce their benefits. The recall effort was the first election since the Citizens United ruling, which opened the floodgates for unlimited corporate spending on election campaigns. Analysts say the ruling helped Walker outspend his opponent, Milwaukee...
    Aug 27, 2012 | Story
  • The_real_romney

    "The Real Romney": Veteran Reporter Michael Kranish on Mitt Romney's Embrace of GOP's Rightward Turn

    Boston Globe reporter Michael Kranish is the co-author of the recent book, "The Real Romney," which examines the political trajectory of presumptive presidential candidate Mitt Romney and of the party from the time his father, George Romney, walked out of the 1964 Republican National Convention in protest at the party’s sharp turn rightward and its attitude toward civil rights. Unlike his father, Kranish writes, Mitt Romney is...
    Aug 27, 2012 | Story