Karen Harrington, businesswoman with a 30-year record of private industry success, is overcoming the DNC machine with her own innovative messaging and is now within striking distance of the Democratic darling. She is getting tremendous support nationwide (including through social media), is raking in the campaign cash, and is very likely to unseat Wasserman Schultz in this year’s election.

The most recent polling data, taken in early October, shows Harrington trailing by just 4.5% (MOE is 5%). This upward trend is happening throughout the GOP, with Connie Mack IV (also running to unseat Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson in FL), Romney-Ryan, and even Todd Akin (R-MO) beginning to see a shift in the tides. Harrington is faring well among Independents, as well (35%), which will work to her advantage since the combination of Republicans and Independents in the district outnumbers Democrats. The most promising piece of data to be extracted from this poll is that 16.1% of voters are still undecided.

Harrington’s first foray into politics was to run against Wasserman Shultz in 2010, but she was defeated by a double digit margin. A few short months ago, with Wasserman Schultz owning a seemingly insurmountable lead, it appeared she might be headed for a similar upset this year. But after a tremendous amount of hard work – and some major public missteps by her opponent – the campaign has begun to see the fruits of its labor.

Much like Mitt Romney, Karen, who identifies as a “conservative by nature,” cites her business acumen as her primary qualification for Congress. She believes that her years in the private sector have made her “fiscally responsible,” one who understands that “you have to rely on yourself to be successful.” Her ideology is as far removed from the “You didn’t build that” mantra as one could imagine.

She says there are three primary issues on which she clearly delineates herself from her opponent:

“1) [Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz] definitely supports bigger government. She supported the failed stimulus plan and has stood by that position. She has tried to convince us that it has saved us from falling off that cliff, which we’re all barely hanging on to.

2) [Wasserman Schultz] believes government-run healthcare will help all Americans have good healthcare. I’m opposed to that for all kinds of reasons: it takes away our choice, our access to good healthcare, and it is not affordable. As a business owner, it adds an enormous tax burden onto all of us. Ultimately, I believe [the Democrats'] goal is to destroy private insurance as a whole and force everyone into a single-payer system.

3) [Wasserman Schultz] believes we should punish success and raise taxes on higher income levels; I want to keep taxes at a flat level for all Americans and get this economy going. She believes jobs will be created through more government interference, and I believe it’s in the hands of the private sector.”

Beyond these issues, Harrington supports the standard GOP platform. She also supports school choice (a state-run vouchers program) in Florida, arguing that “if the public school system continues to fail our children, parents have a right to make another choice.” She advocates for a major overhaul of the 60,000-page tax code. Though she seems to favor the Flat Tax conceptually, she believes that real reform is a must for our economy, so she doesn’t rule out other options, even the FairTax. She explains, “Here we are in October and we still don’t know what our taxes will look like in January, and they expect us to grow our economy, to invest, to expand? There’s so much uncertainty. Nothing should be off the table.”

On the significance of being the “anti-candidate,” Karen acknowledges a great deal of the support she’s experienced comes from citizens who have been willing to speak with her primarily because of whom she’s running against.

“It was absolutely pivotal when we started over seventeen months ago,” she explained, “to build this campaign and make it a national race. Twitter and Facebook were tremendously important in engaging voters, even outside of the district.” While this certainly might have been what caught the attention of Americans to begin with, Candidate Karen Harrington has come into her own. She is a confident, personable, nonsensical woman who articulates her vision for America clearly.

She has been endorsed many sitting Congressmen and women, including former Presidential candidate, Michele Bachmann, and by several key players late in the game, including former Governor Jeb Bush and popular Florida Senator Marco Rubio.

She doubled Wasserman Schultz’s fundraising in the last FEC reporting period ($712K to $369K) and is hoping this trend will continue in the final weeks; the goal is to pull in those last undecided voters, as well as motivate existing Republican supporters to come out and help her unseat Wasserman Schultz.

Harrington summarized her thoughts on why she’s running for office this way: “I’m just very excited for my country. I think it’s been a long four years for all of us as Americans, so much uncertainty, and it would be an honor to serve the will of the people of my district.”

There are many ways supporters can help make this happen: Follow her on Twitter @Karen4Congress or using the hashtag #FireDebbie; check out the Obama-Wasserman Schultz debt clock at firedebbie.com; and Like her Facebook page. Learn more about her at karenforcongress.com, and of course, political messaging costs money, so she invites donations of any size to help her bring home the win in South Florida’s 23rd Congressional disctrict.

h/t Project Veritas

___

Charles Krauthammer on Special Report with Bret Baier

“I was stunned,” he said. “This is a man who gave one of the greatest speeches of our time in 2004, and he gave one of the emptiest speeches I have ever heard on a national stage.”

Krauthammer continued to say that, as in normal Obama fashion, the speech itself was good,  but there was no substance to it, concerning the actual content of the speech, which was given to thousands of delegates, politicians, and reporters at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, N.C. We must note, that the skies were clear at the time of the Obama’s acceptance speech.

“Yes, it had cadence. And yes there were deceptions in it. That‘s not what’s striking about it,” he said. “There was nothing in it.”

He continued: “This is a man who believes that government can and should do a lot. There’s nothing in here that tells us how he is going to go from today to tomorrow. And what government is going to do, what’s he going to enact? At least Romney had a five-point plan.”

Krauthammer continued to drill Obama about how the president continues to present his personal agenda to the American people, but never has offered any real plan on how to get there.

“I have a vision of America where there is no disease and everyone has a private airplane, but unless I tell you how to get there, I’ve said nothing,” he added. “I am simply amazed — this is a guy who is the A student in the class who turns in a paper that is clearly a C.”

Also, Vice President Joe Biden delivered his speech and Krauthammer commented that Biden’s speech was “infinitely better” than the president’s. “The Obama speech I thought was flat and had no content in it. Otherwise, I loved it really.”

You can view Krauthammer’s interview here:

An Obama campaign official confirmed to THE WEEKLY STANDARD that President Obama “personally” intervened to alter the Democratic platform to include a reference to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The new platform, adopted this evening at the Democratic convention in Charlotte, now includes pro-Israel language that the previous document did not.

The president did want to make clear what his personal beliefs were because they were not in the original platform,” the campaign official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The new language reads, “Jerusalem is and will remain the capital of Israel. The parties have agreed that Jerusalem is a matter for final status negotiations. It should remain an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths.”

However, while the new Democratic platform apparently now reflects the “personal beliefs” of President Obama, it is now at odds with Obama administration policy.

In July, when White House spokesman Jay Carney was asked to name the capital of Israel, he refused to do so. Acknowledging that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, the Obama administration insists, would pre-judge one of the “final status issues” in the peace process.

The campaign official acknowledged this discrepancy. “The president has a personal view, but the president and the administration’s view as a matter of policy is ultimately that Jerusalem is a final status issue,” said the official.

She elaborated, “It doesn’t make sense for a U.S. a president impose his personal beliefs in a policy context. … But it’s important for him to make clear where he stands on these issues.”

So while Obama personally believes Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, his administration will not say so.

The official insisted, however, that it is commonplace for presidents to hold conflicting personal and policy views on the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, citing Presidents George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan as examples.

But let us not forget what President Obama said last year concerning the borders of Israel.

From the National Journal:

“The borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states,” Obama said. “The Palestinian people must have the right to govern themselves, and reach their potential, in a sovereign and contiguous state.”

President Barack Obama

Here is Wolpe’s prayer:

Dear God, we are grateful that our nation is founded on the highest principles of freedom and resourcefulness and creativity and ever-renewed strength. And we understand that those worthy ideals stand alongside the commitment to compassion, to goodness, our sacred covenant to care for those who are bereaved and bereft, who are frightened, who are hungry, who are bewildered and lost, who seek shelter from the cold.

As your prophet taught us: “shiftu yatom, rivu almanah.” Defend the orphan and fight on behalf of the widow. We know that our lamp is lifted not only to illuminate our way but to serve as a beacon to others that here, this land, is a place where the dreams of a weary world flourish and endure.

Ours is a holy charge. A single moment, a touch, a glance, a word, can change a life. Our children look to us with aspirational eyes, with the hope that their world will be kinder, sweeter, smarter, than the one we have known.

Each of these changes touches us all, for you have taught us that we must count on each other, that our country is strong through community and that the children of Israel, on the way to that sanctified and cherished land, did not walk through the wilderness alone.

‘Rachmana,’ merciful God. May we be guided by your wisdom, and so become more understanding of the convictions of others. May our souls be enlarged by empathy and uplifted by leaders and thinkers and teachers who believe in strength of soul and wild, wonderful visions. So together, with right and left worshiping the same God, our nation – this strong, blessed nation, filled with spirit and called to noble cause – will become more passionate, more purposeful, more burnished and bright through the warmth of your embrace and the extraordinary power, dear God, of your love. Amen.

As mentioned, any reference at all to the State of Israel or Jerusalem is missing. There really wasn’t even a reference to Jews, except for a tiny reference to the “children of Israel”, which Wolpe used as a metaphor.

Is this any real surprise though? Considering that the original 2012 DNC platform didn’t mention anything about the state of Israel or about where the actual capital was, our embassy is still in Tel-aviv, and Jay Carney dances around questions about Israel, I am not surprised at all. This is just the continuation of Obama and his administrations war on Israel.

Rabbi David Wolpe delivers the Benediction Wednesday evening at the 2012 DNC

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Charles Krauthammer on Special Report with Bret Baier

“I think it was a giant swing and a miss,” Krauthammer said to Bret Baier yesterday evening. “I don’t think it will move the needle whatsoever.”

“It was engaging, it was humorous, in some cases it was generous – I think there were more mentions of the Bush’s than I heard in three days in Tampa,” Krauthammer added. “It was also vintage Clinton in that it was sprawling, undisciplined, and truly self-indulgent.”

Later in the interview, Krauthammer added that Clinton’s DNC speech was “one of the strangest nomination speeches ever given.”

“It was kind of amalgam between the state of the union address, a policy wonk seminar and what sounded to me like a campaign speech for a third Clinton term – Obama was sort of incidental, he would be shoved in every once in a while,” Krauthammer said.

It is true that he made a lot of detailed rebuttals, that he is sort of the rebuttler-in-chief, but Paul Ryan can handle all of that in 10 minutes in his debate,” Krauthammer concluded.

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10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Caucus Session 1. Women’s Caucus (Ballroom ABC).

2 p.m.-4 p.m.: Caucus Session 3. Rural Council (Room 203AB).

11:35 a.m.: First lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden will speak at the Women’s Caucus Meeting.

11:45 a.m.: International Leaders Forum: Madeleine Albright; Michele Flournoy; Jack Lew, White House chief of staff.

12 p.m.-2 p.m.: Caucus Session 2. LGBT Caucus (Room 203AB). Senior Council (Room 211AB/212AB).

12:10 p.m.: Dr. Jill Biden will speak at the LGBT Caucus meeting.

1 p.m.-3 p.m.: The Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network will host the nation’s prominent black clergy and civil rights leaders at NAN’s ministers’ luncheon to declare a state of emergency over voter suppression. Participants: the Rev. Al Sharpton, president of NAN and MSNBC host; Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus; the Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, chairman of the Conference of National Black Churches; the Rev. Freddie Haynes, senior pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church; Roslyn Brock, chairwoman of the NAACP; John Kee, gospel singer.

2 p.m.-4 p.m.: “Electoral Dysfunction” screening — After discovering that the Constitution does not guarantee the right to vote, political humorist CBS correspondent Mo Rocca sets out on a road trip to see how voting works — and doesn’t work — in America.

8 p.m.: Web-only convention special hosted by actor Kal Penn that will include interviews with campaign officials and guests, including Marc Anthony, Elizabeth Banks, Aisha Tyler, Olivia Wilde, Fran Drescher, Zach Braff and Alexis Bledel.

The 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina

First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama delivering her 2012 DNC speech

Following first-lady Michelle Obama’s speech last night, nationally syndicated Conservative Columnist Charles Krauthammer, he displayed his displeasure with the speech, saying he “didn’t buy a line of it.”

Obama’s speech began with the account of her and Barack’s early life as a couple, and how they became the couple they are today. In the speech, Michelle recalled when her husband picked her up for their first date in a rusted out car, and how together they owed more in student loans than they did on their mortgage.

“I know from experience that if I truly want to leave a better world for my daughters, and all of our sons and daughters, and if we want to give all our children a foundation for their dreams and opportunities worthy of their promise…if we want to give them that sense of limitless possibility – that belief that here in America, there is always something better out there if you’re willing to work for it…then we must work like never before,” she said with a very excited crowd.

View Krauthammer’s analysis of the speech here:

Krauthammer commented:

“She told the story of a Gandhi, and you know…looking at how he’s conducted himself in the present scene, particularly in the campaign, with ruthlessness, and determination and drive, it’s not quite a plausible story. I’m sure in the arena it was a plausible story, I saw the tears, but I‘m afraid I didn’t … I’m sure it was a great speech but I didn’t buy a line of it.”

However just because he didn’t think it was a genuine speech, that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t an effective one:

“Nonetheless I would say within that, and despite the repetition that have, Michelle Obama’s speech I thought was a brilliant speech, and brilliantly delivered… All of the other speakers would talk about what Obama does — the achievement and legislation and whatever, and the political implications. Her whole task was to say why, her answer was, ‘Why? Because essentially he’s a saint. Because of his upbringing and because of his emotions and because of his humanity he does this because he cares and the brilliance of it is this.’ It drained Obama of any ideological motivation or any having to do with self-interest or ambition, which I think is sort of more plausible explanation.”

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“Democratic officials confirm to POLITICO that President Obama’s prime time address will be moved indoors to the Time Warner Center. The Thursday address was scheduled to be at Bank of America stadium — an outdoor venue with more than 70,000 seats. But forecasts are predicting thunderstorms, forcing a last minute change in venue.”

However, per the National Weather Service, Charlotte only has a 30% chance of thunderstorms tomorrow evening. This is weird considering the outdoor speech would be made “rain or shine”, but a 30% chance of scattered thunderstorms is enough to bring the event indoors.

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5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (LOCAL)
Call to Order
The Honorable Antonio R. Villaraigosa
Chair of the 2012 Democratic National Convention Committee
Mayor of Los Angeles, California

Invocation
Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, 10th Episcopal District
First Woman Elected Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

Presentation of Colors

Pledge of Allegiance

National Anthem
Branford Marsalis
Saxophonist, Composer, and, Bandleader

Remarks
The Honorable Luis V. Gutierrez
Member of the US House of Representatives, Illinois
The Honorable Diana DeGette
Member of the US House of Representatives, Colorado

The Honorable John A. Pérez
Speaker and Member of the California State Assembly
The Honorable Thomas M. Menino
Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts
The Honorable Judy Chu
Member of the US House of Representatives, California
Steve Westly
Former State Controller and Chief Financial Officer of California

An Economy Built to Last Video: Small Business

Remarks
The Honorable John Larson
Democratic Caucus Chair and Member of the US House of Representatives, Connecticut
Ken Myers
Deputy Sheriff, Carroll County, Iowa

6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (LOCAL)

Remarks
Richard Trumka
President of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO)
The Honorable Steve Israel
Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Member of the US House of Representatives, New York
The Honorable Patty Murray
Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
Member of the US Senate, Washington
The Honorable Pedro R. Pierluisi
Chair of National Community Mobilization for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Non-Voting Member of the US House of Representatives, Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico

An Economy Build to Last Video: Energy

Remarks
Tom Steyer
Co-Founder of Advanced Energy Economy
The Honorable Charles E. Schumer
Member of the US Senate, New York

Remarks from Members of the Congressional Black Caucus

The Honorable Karen Bass
Member of the US House of Representatives, California
The Honorable Al Green
Member of the US House of Representatives, Texas
The Honorable Emanuel Cleaver, II
Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and Member of the US House of Representatives, Missouri

Remarks
The Honorable Dannel Malloy
Governor of Connecticut

7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (LOCAL)

Remarks
Denise Juneau
Superintendent of the Montana Office of Public Instruction
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Democratic Leader and Member of the US House of Representatives, California
The Honorable Tom Vilsack

Women of the US Senate

Remarks
The Honorable Barbara Mikulski
Member of the US Senate, Maryland
The Honorable Arne Duncan

Progress for People Video: Education

American Voices Remarks
Johanny Adames

Remarks
The Honorable Jim Hunt
Former and Longest-Serving Governor of North Carolina

Remarks and Video Presentation in Memoriam
Presented by Harvey B. Gantt
Former Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina

Live Performance
Jessica Sanchez
Singer/Songwriter

8:00 PM – 9:00 PM (LOCAL)

Stronger Together Video: Women’s Health

Remarks
Cecile Richards
President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America

The Honorable Steny Hoyer
Parliamentarian of the 2012 Democratic National Committee Convention
Democratic Whip and Member of the US House of Representatives, Maryland
The Honorable Barney Frank
Honorary Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee GLBT Council
Member of the US House of Representatives, Massachusetts

American Heroes Video: Veterans

Remarks
The Honorable General Eric Shinseki
The Honorable Michael Nutter
Mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Honorable John Hickenlooper
Governor of Colorado
Sister Simone Campbell
Executive Director of Roman Catholic Social Justice Organization, NETWORK
The Honorable Jack Markell
Governor of Delaware

9:00 PM – 10:00 PM (LOCAL)

Remarks
The Honorable Kamala D. Harris
Attorney General of California

Stronger Together Video: Immigration

Remarks
Benita Veliz
DREAM Act Activist
Cristina Saralegui
Journalist, Actress, and Talk Show Host
Sandra Fluke
Attorney and Women’s Rights Activist

Austin Ligon
Co-Founder and Former CEO of CarMax, Inc.

An Economy Build to Last Video: Auto-Industry

American Voices Remarks
Karen Eusanio

Remarks
Bob King
President of the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW)
Randy Johnson, Cindy Hewitt, and David Foster
Former Employees at companies controlled by Romney’s Bain Capital

The Honorable Chris Van Hollen
Former Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Member of the US House of Representatives, Maryland

10:00 PM – 11:00 PM (LOCAL)

Remarks
Jim Sinegal
Co-Founder and Former CEO of Costco
Elizabeth Warren
Candidate for US Senate, Massachusetts

Nomination Process Set-Up

Remarks
The Honorable Antonio R. Villaraigosa
Chair of the 2012 Democratic National Convention Committee
Mayor of Los Angeles, California
President Bill Clinton
42nd President of the United States

Closing Segment

Roll Call Vote
Alice Germond
Secretary of the Democratic National Committee

Benediction
Rabbi David Wolpe
Sinai Temple, Los Angeles, California

Retire Colors

The 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina

According to the Rock the Red Facebook page, the event is expected to be held at the Hunter Farms in Weddington, North Carolina which is just outside of Charlotte, on Wednesday, September the 5^th.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Ariz., and U.S. Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., are listed as expected speakers during the event, and organizers said on the site that some local and conservative bands are still set to perform.

Tickets for the event are just $5, and free for children under the age of 12 and all current and past military personnel.

You can find more information and purchase tickets for the event at the event’s website.

Jerusalem is and will remain the capital of Israel. The parties have agreed that Jerusalem is a matter for final status negotiations. It should remain an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths.

However, the 2012 Democratic Party Platform has said nothing about Jerusalem, Israel, and the language about Israel is different:

President Obama and the Democratic Party maintain an unshakable commitment to Israel’s security. A strong and secure Israel is vital to the United States not simply because we share strategic interests, but also because we share common values. For this reason, despite budgetary constraints, the President has worked with Congress to increase security assistance to Israel every single year since taking office, providing nearly $10 billion in the past three years. The administration has also worked to ensure Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region. And we have deepened defense cooperation – including funding the Iron Dome system – to help Israel address its most pressing threats, including the growing danger posed by rockets and missiles emanating from the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran. The President’s consistent support for Israel’s right to defend itself and his steadfast opposition to any attempt to delegitimize Israel on the world stage are further evidence of our enduring commitment to Israel’s security.

It is precisely because of this commitment that President Obama and the Democratic Party seek peace between Israelis and Palestinians. A just and lasting Israeli-Palestinian accord, producing two states for two peoples, would contribute to regional stability and help sustain Israel’s identity as a Jewish and democratic state. At the same time, the President has made clear that there will be no lasting peace unless Israel’s security concerns are met. President Obama will continue to press Arab states to reach out to Israel. We will continue to support Israel’s peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, which have been pillars of peace and stability in the region for many years. And even as the President and the Democratic Party continue to encourage all parties to be resolute in the pursuit of peace, we will insist that any Palestinian partner must recognize Israel’s right to exist, reject violence, and adhere to existing agreements.

But as this website notes, the language in the 2012 platform is much different and weaker than that of the 2008 platform.

The United States and its Quartet partners should continue to isolate Hamas until it renounces terrorism, recognizes Israel’s right to exist, and abides by past agreements. Sustained American leadership for peace and security will require patient efforts and the personal commitment of the President of the United States. The creation of a Palestinian state through final status negotiations, together with an international compensation mechanism, should resolve the issue of Palestinian refugees by allowing them to settle there, rather than in Israel. All understand that it is unrealistic to expect the outcome of final status negotiations to be a full and complete return to the armistice lines of 1949. Jerusalem is and will remain the capital of Israel.The parties have agreed that Jerusalem is a matter for final status negotiations. It should remain an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths.

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