Crowley Political Report

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney apparently is quite fond of Hillary Clinton. In fact, Romney thinks so highly of our nation's Secretary of State that he is starring her in his newest campaign ad.

Now, Crowley Political Report suspects that Clinton is not going to be too thrilled with this particular honor.  And you can't help but wonder whether it is wise of Romney to encourage the Clinton clan to respond.

How effective is the ad? We'll let you decide.

The Barack Obama supporting Super-PAC, Priorities USA, has a new ad for the viewing pleasure of Florida voters and the folks in other swing states. 

The ad continues the theme that Mitt Romney made millions while he was at Bain Capital by pushing businesses the company acquired into deep debt. 

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi was "shocked and surprised" about the Supreme Court's health decision. She was not alone. In fact, it is probably fair to say that nearly everyone was shocked and surprised to find out that Chief Justice John Roberts was the deciding vote.

What other Floridians are saying:

Gov. Rick Scott: “Today’s decision by the Supreme Court of the United States is simply disappointing. The tax question was repeatedly refuted by members of Congress who helped pass this health care takeover.  The Justices have declared that the central provision of ObamaCare is a judicially mandated tax. A new tax pure and simple." 

Sen. Marco Rubio: “What’s important to remember is that what the Court rules on is whether something is constitutional or not, not whether it’s a good idea. And while the Court has said that the law is constitutional, it remains a bad idea for our economy, and I hope that in the fall we will have a majority here that will not just repeal this law, but replace it with real solutions that will insure more people and cost a lot less money.”

Sen. Bill Nelson: “A lot of us feel the health-care law wasn’t perfect. But it was needed. Our system was broken and we had to do something.  Insurance companies were refusing to cover people or dropping those who got sick. So, we passed legislation to prevent insurers from running roughshod over people. And today, the Supreme Court upheld most of these reforms. Now, I think it’s time we finish the job of fixing our economy and creating more jobs. “

Adam Hasner:  "The fact that the Supreme Court had to get involved at all proves Washington's dysfunction, and the inability of both parties to work together to forge common-sense solutions for the American people."

U.S. Rep. Allen West: "The United States Supreme Court has ruled to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by extending the power of the United States Congress to tax Americans' behavior.  This is a sad day for Americans, as they will be taxed to pay for benefits they may not need or want as part of the insurance they are forced to buy. With this decision, Congress has been granted infinite taxation power, and there are no longer any limits on what the federal government can tax its citizens to do.  

U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings: "I have always advocated for access to universal health care with a public option.  With the Affordable Care Act, we have taken a huge step towards putting patients and their doctors, rather than big insurance companies, in charge of an individual’s health care decisions.  While I am pleased that this important legislation was upheld by the Supreme Court, there is still work to be done.  I hope that my Republican colleagues will now do their part and end their partisan attacks by putting the interests of Americans’ health care needs first.”

Kirk Wagar: "Today was a good start getting insurance companies out of the Healthcare decision market. Good for patients, good for doctors, good for hospitals."

Hank Aaron, who was known to hit the occasional homerun (755), is now doing some pitching for Florida Democratic congressional candidate Lois Frankel.

Here's the pitch:

As a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, I understand the importance of teamwork. I’m writing to you today to ask you to join Lois Frankel’s team.

Right now, Washington is broken. We need somebody in Congress whose focus will be on getting things done, not scoring ideological points.

Can you donate to my friend Lois and help her protect the programs most important to us?

Lois has a shining public record of protecting women and seniors as well as creating jobs and a bustling economy. We need her passion and expertise in Congress now more than ever.

This is an incredible discussion. Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio and The Daily Show's Jon Stewart engage in a lengthy chat about politics, the U.S. Senate and many of the issues confronting the nation.

The discussion is energetic, thoughtful, and brilliant. If you missed the extended after-show interview, take the time to view it.  Forget taking sides. Instead note the tone and depth of the discussion. 

Toward the end, Rubio makes a candid assessment of his time in the Senate that reveals his clear frustration. You may end up with a deeper appreciation of both Rubio and Stewart and wish that our nation's politicians would take the same approach to discussing our most important issues.

There are three parts to the show which you can see below.

Bloomberg's Tallahassee reporter Mike Bender takes a look at Gov. Rick Scott and finds that some Republicans believe Scott is hurting Mitt Romney in Florida.

If they are right, it is bad news for Romney who needs a win in Florida to get the keys to the White House. One amusing comment comes from former Florida chairman Tom Slade who gives Scott "an A for strangeness."

Slade proves once again that he is one of the Sunshine State's most quoteable characters.

An excert from Bender's story:

Florida Governor Rick Scott keeps alienating the people he’s trying to befriend.

The Republican’s effort to win support from Cuban-Americans resulted in threats of a lawsuit. At a lunch to charm black lawmakers, he offended them. He turned a goodwill mission into comedy-show fodder when he greeted Spain’s king by asking about the monarch’s politically sensitive elephant hunt.

The governor’s gaffes, along with an approval rating that hasn’t gone above 41 percent in Quinnipiac University polls, may hurt his party’s presidential contender, Mitt Romney. Florida is one of the most competitive electoral battlegrounds, with the past three presidential races decided by 5 percentage points or less. Romney hasn’t campaigned with Scott.

“Rick Scott doesn’t seem to have any political skills at all,” said Tom Slade, the former co-chairman of Scott’s campaign and ex-chairman of theRepublican Party of Florida. “I’d give him a B for governing. I’d give him an A for strangeness.”

Read the rest of Bender's story here.

George LeMieux is ending his campaign for the U.S. Senate today. He is acknowledging that he just cannot defeat Connie Mack.

Here is a video of his announcement.

In his latest Capital Gains and Games column, Stan Collender tell us that the folks who warn us that increasing deficits will lead to fiscal hell may have it all wrong.

Some excerpts:

. . .the absolute guarantee that we’ll be economically doomed if we don’t immediately repent on the deficit and live a virtuous balanced budget life — has never worked for me because it’s never been proved to be true. In addition, those who have insisted that reducing the federal deficit no matter what the economic situation have seemed to be proselytizing to validate their personal beliefs or accomplish their unrelated political goals rather than actually analyzing anything.

. . .

As the deficit rose to the point we’ve been told would bring immediate and unmistakable retribution from an angry economic deity, interest rates have fallen, the private sector has been reporting record earnings and is hoarding cash, and inflation is about as absent from monthly economic statistics as it can be.

. . .

the combination of economic conditions the United States is experiencing puts the current federal budget deficits and those who have championed them on the side of the angels rather than the demons because none of the other components of gross domestic product are making growth possible. State and local governments continue to increase revenues and cut back on spending, consumers and businesses aren’t spending, and the economic woes in Europe and elsewhere mean that trade isn’t available to help.

That makes federal fiscal and monetary policy the only two drivers of economic growth. With interest rates already low and the Federal Reserve’s options limited, the budget deficit is an economic blessing rather than a curse.

Whichever side you are on in current debate about the federal deficit, Collender's column is worth a read. You may not agree, but it will give you something to ponder.

You can also watch Collender talk about the economy on CNBC below:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

It all seems a little silly. A young man with the group We Are Change, breathlessly chases Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio through several ballrooms trying to get him to answer a question about the Bilderberg Group.

We Are Change describes this video thusly:

"Luke Rudkowski of WeAreChange confronts U.S. Senator for Florida Marco Rubio on Bilderberg. Watch Luke navigate hotel obstacles to repeatedly find & confront the Senator."

Well there is a lot of dodging and weaving and scurrying about but to what end? And poor Luke actually thinks he is being quite bold here and showing those silly folks in the media how it's really done.

We actually sort of like Luke's moxie.

For those of you who do not watch Spanish-language television, you may wonder what all the fuss is about surrounding Cristina Saralegui's endorsement of President Barack Obama. Most of the media is describing her as the Latin version of Oprah Winfrey.

Below, Crowley Political Report offers you both the English and Spanish versions of her ad. Plus, we have the news release from the campaign:

Today Obama for America is proud to announce the endorsement of Emmy award-winning talk show host and community leader Cristina Saralegui.

Cristina Saralegui, a seasoned journalist who is recognized as one of the most respected and influential role models in the Hispanic Community, and Obama for America Campaign Manager Jim Messina released the following statements regarding her endorsement of President Barack Obama.  This is the first time that Saralegui has endorsed a president or actively participated in a presidential campaign.  For 21 years, Cristina and "The Cristina Show" entertained, uplifted, and educated the Hispanic community in the U.S. and throughout the world.

Cristina Saralegui:
“I came to this country when I was 12 years old because my parents wanted to give me the opportunity to succeed.  Since then I have sat back and watched many elections come and go, but it wasn’t until this election, and because of what I see in President Obama and know he’s accomplished, that I decided to get involved.  President Obama is a principled man who has worked hard to put healthcare and a good education in the reach of millions of Americans and believes that everyone who works hard and plays by the rules, should have a fair shot at the American dream. He understands the Hispanic community and has supported it unconditionally and that is why I was moved to endorse and campaign for our President’s reelection.

“This is a critical time for our country and for the Hispanic community.  Hispanics could very well decide the next election and I will do everything I can from now until November to ensure that President Obama is re-elected; there’s simply too much at stake.  President Obama, I was very fortunate to live the American dream and I know that only you will make it possible for millions more to do the same.  You’ve had our back, and now, with utmost respect and admiration, I have yours.”

Jim Messina:
"'Cristina is one of the most trusted names in the Hispanic community and we're honored to have Cristina be a spokesperson for the campaign, speaking directly to Hispanic voters about the President’s accomplishments."

Florida Republican U.S. Senator Marco Rubio is not being considered for vice president by Mitt Romney's campaign, according to ABC News.

The big question here is: if this is true, does it help or hurt sales of Rubio's book: An American Son.

ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl reports:

 ". . .knowledgeable Republican sources tell me that Rubio is not being vetted by Mitt Romney’s vice presidential search team. He has not been asked to complete any questionnaires or been asked to turn over any financial documents typically required of potential vice presidential candidates.

Although it is possible that Rubio may yet be asked to go through the vetting process, it has been nearly two months since Romney named his long-time aide Beth Myers to run his vice presidential search. The fact that Rubio has not been asked to turn over any documents by now is a strong indication that he is not on Romney’s short list of potential running mates."

The rest of Karl's report is here.

As Karl notes, it is still possible that Rubio could be get the nod. But Crowley Political Report suspects that Rubio may have worked a bit too hard to be picked. Rubio was starting to get more media attention than Romney. The last thing a campaign wants is for the guy in the supporting role to overshadow the star (ask John McCain).

It will be interesting to see how Rubio supporters react to the news. Will they howl enough for the Romney camp to reconsider?

There are three ways to learn more about Marco Rubio's new book An American Son: Pony-up $26.95 for the hardcover version ($12.99 for the Kindle version), read political writer Marc Caputo's great highlights story in the Miami Herald, or watch the video below.

Here in Wellesley, Massachusetts TV viewers are missing the campaign ad war that has been going on in Florida and other key states. They might be interested in this ad because it focuses on Massachusetts.  Here's the latest from the Obama campaign:

While the Club for Growth is not convinced that Florida Congressman Allen West has been very effective as a Tea Party member of Congress, West tells voters in his first campaign ad that not only is he fighting for America - he is just getting started.

When it comes to Jeb Bush, "no" is not enough.

By Brian E. Crowley for Columbia Journalism Reveiw

Sitting across from Jeb Bush last week on the set of CBS This Morning, Charlie Rose asked: “You are basically saying what about this conversation about running as the running mate of Mitt Romney?”

Conversation? What conversation? There is no conversation other than the ones being held by Rose and other members of the media who simply refuse to accept the former Florida governor’s answer. For months, Bush has repeatedly said he is not interested in running for vice president. This comes after years of telling anyone who asked that he would not run for president in 2012. Patiently and politely Bush answered Rose.

I’m not going to do it and I’m not going to be asked and it’s not going happen. That doesn’t mean I don’t have a voice. Doesn’t mean I don’t want to enthusiastically support Mitt Romney. I intend to do that. I’m doing it. But I’m not going to be a candidate with him.”

“Under no circumstances?”

“Under no circumstances.”

“So if he comes and asks, you say, ‘Sorry, go somewhere else?’”

“Yes.”

You would think this was breaking news. Stories began ricocheting across the internet as if no one had ever heard Bush say it before. Some headlines:

Veep Beat: Jeb Bush Rules Out VP, but Not Future W.H. Run - ABC News The Note

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush rules out VP bid —Reuters

 Jeb Bush: ‘Under no circumstances’ would I take VP gig —The Capitol Column

Jeb Bush says ‘under no circumstances’ would he take VP job —CNN Political Ticker

Jeb Bush says no to being Romney’s vice president —Los Angeles Times Politics Now

Where are the editors? Where is anyone in any newsroom asking, “Is this news?”

So how do escape the torrent of presidential campaign ads appearing on Florida's flat screen TVs? Easy, go to Maine.

But on this rainy day in Maine, Crowley Political Report couldn't resist taking a peek at the newest Obama campaign ad. While you watch the ad, we're going back to the solitude of Saddleback. The lake and mountain views are magnificent and the campaign seems very far away.