Thad McCotter has set up the home base for his 2012 campaign in Plymouth, Michigan:
U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, a Livonia Republican running for the presidential nomination, opened his national campaign headquarters today on Main Street in Plymouth.
McCotter, a longshot to win the nomination, said keeping the headquarters in Michigan shows he’s running a grass-roots campaign.
“We in Michigan acutely understand the challenges of a global economy, and the necessity of shrinking big government and growing our economy,” he said. “Most importantly we share the resilience to ensure that despite all obstacles, our free people will build an America that works.”
Martin Van Valkenburg, former chief of staff in McCotter’s congressional office, will join the campaign as Michigan director and a senior campaign adviser, managing day-to-day operations.
McCotter on the straw poll debate:
Santorum on the credit downgrade:
“If this downgrade holds, then it’s another example in a long line of examples of the President’s failure of leadership. Is anyone surprised at this point?…. The markets are scared and the credit downgrade has happened because the President and this Congress continue to address the symptoms and not the disease.
This nation is spending more money than it takes in and the world knows it – now, it’s time to show the world that the United States has the fortitude and resolve to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment to stop out of control spending and shrink the scope of government once and for all….
I understand the US Treasury is going back to Standard and Poors to say that a two trillion dollar mathematical error by S&P contributed to the downgrade. So, in addition to blaming President Bush for all of its problems, now the White House is blaming S&P – but this happened on the President’s watch – and he has to deal with it. I guess President Obama is left to cling to the “hope” that a mathematical error caused this. Is that the “hope” the President was talking about?
Folks, an AA rating should be so far in our rear view mirror that no mathematical error should affect it.
Tonight, I’m saddened for the millions out of work – but I’m hopeful that I will replace Barack Obama as President and get this country and its economy moving again.”
“I think as we’re gathered here this morning what we should be talking about is downgrading Barack Obama from president of the United States,” said Palwntey. “What he doesn’t understand is all this talk of the full faith and credit in the United States government. He needs to be reminded and we need to have a president who understands that we need to put our full faith and credit in the American people.”
Pawlenty described to The Des Moines Register what went through his mind when he heard the news:
“Just a sinking feeling for the country. It’s so sad. It’s just another indication that the economy is in trouble, the country is in trouble and we’ve got an inept president.”
Perhaps this is because the Obama Administration and Congressional Democrats never once demonstrated a willingness to propose its own ideas for meaningful spending cuts, something credit agencies signaled were necessary to redeem America’s financial standing in the world.
As a corporate executive, I’ve rescued companies from the brink of bankruptcy and returned them to profitability. That involved balancing budgets or even creating them in the first place, something that the Democratic leadership in Congress hasn’t done for 828 days. If I couldn’t run companies without budgets, how can the government?
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This is a sad day for America. Such a rating is unfitting of the greatest and most prosperous nation the world has ever known. And such a weak leader is, as well.
More candidate reactions here.
Revelation that Tim Pawlenty thought Huntsman was a great choice for ambassador to China. I don’t see why this story is even a story.
Mitt Romney’s million-dollar man revealed:
TweetEdward Conrad, a former executive at Bain Capital, has revealed himself as the mystery donor who gave a $1 million corporate contribution to a special political action committee supporting Mitt Romney.
Conrad stepped forward after campaign watchdog groups filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission and the Department of Justice demanding an investigation of the secret donation.
“We are pleased to see that our complaint prompted this immediate disclosure by Mr. Conrad,” said Paul S. Ryan, attorney for the Campaign Legal Center. “The FEC and DOJ will still have to determine whether the actions to date violated federal law and, if so, pursue appropriate penalties to deter such conduct in the future.”
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Campaign finance groups say the donation may have violated the law, which prohibits the use of straw donors to evade disclosure requirements.
“This case involves a stark example of the secret money we can expect to see poured into the 2012 presidential and congressional races in the wake of the Citizens United decision” said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, making reference to the landmark 2010 Supreme Court decision that loosened restrictions on corporate political giving.
“In this case, it appears that someone has gone to great lengths to evade the campaign finance disclosure laws in order to hide what they are doing from the American people,” Wertheimer said.
Democracy 21 joined in filing the complaint.