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Blogs FeedElection Watch Weekly: Aurora on our minds
26 July 2012
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The tragic killing in Auorra, Colorado was on everyone's mind this past week and both Obama and Romney toned down their campaign's out of respect for the vicitms. Meanwhile, New York City Michael Bloomberg called on the candidates to make gun violence a central issue on the campaign trail.
"You know, soothing words are nice, but maybe it’s time that the two people who want to be President of the United States stand up and tell us what they are going to do about it, because this is obviously a problem across the country. And everybody always says, ‘Isn’t it tragic,’ and you know, we look for was the guy, as you said, maybe trying to recreate Batman. I mean, there are so many murders with guns every day, it’s just got to stop. And instead of the two people – President Obama and Governor Romney – talking in broad things about they want to make the world a better place, okay, tell us how."
Gail Collins says it's well past time for stricter gun laws Roderick Long disagrees and our own Jonathan Bradley explains why it's likely that little will change.
Romney left Tuesday on seven-day international tour with stops in Britain, Israel and Poland. Romney and Obama both gave speeches at the Veterans of Foreign Wars conference in Reno, Nevada. The President dismissed the notion that America is in decline and attacked his opponent for failing to provide specifics on his plans for Afghanistan. Romney fired back, criticizing proposed defence cuts and calling for an investigation of national security leaks that supposedly came from the White House.
Morgan Freeman gave $1 million to the Democratic Super Pac Priorities USA.
Around the Web
Five observations about the Romney foreign policy doctrine.
Paul Campos says we "shouldn't be surprised" by the shootings in Auora and ponders the lessons we should draw.
"Among other things, this kind of crime highlights the absurdity of “security theater” – the almost wholly symbolic rigmarole to which Americans subject ourselves in a few symbolic places, such as airports, government buildings and the like. Anybody in this country who wants to kill a lot of people in a crowded public space can do so fairly easily. The fact this almost never happens – and that when it does happen the act almost never has a political motive – indicates how wildly overstated the threat of terrorism is in America today."
Andrew Sullivan tells Obama to to be careful to avoid future blunders on the campaign trail.
Looking ahead
Romney will be at the Olympic Opening Ceremonies tonight, arrive in Israel on Saturday and get to Poland on Monday.
Trivia: What was the nickname of the short lived Progressive Party that was founded in 1912?
Answer to Last Week's Trivia: Thomas Paine
Fun Fact: Who is the only US president to serve non-consecutive terms?
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