College, Caucus Calendars Conflict

Latest ‘first in the nation’ move should be okayed Sunday

(NEWSER) - Dems will likely okay a January 3 date for Iowa caucuses and help the state stay ahead of New Hampshire in the rush for earliest caucus. Iowa Democratic Chairman Scott Brennan has already endorsed the date. "It was a recommendation that was not come to lightly," said a Dem spokeswoman. A Democratic committee is set to decide the date on Sunday, the AP reports. More»

She's solid among vital women, seniors, blue-collar voters

(NEWSER) - While cautioning that it's still early, the LA Times reports that Hillary Clinton’s frontrunner status owes largely to her dominance among groups that are stalwarts in the Democratic nominating process. Barack Obama rules among the young and affluent, but likely primary voters are women, seniors, and blue-collar voters—all Hillary-friendly demographics. More»

Decision could cause problems during election in key states

(NEWSER) - President Obama’s official embrace of gay marriage will certainly energize some of his supporters, but it’s also sure to give him grief in these seven states, as rounded up by Politico :

• North Carolina: As evidenced by the recently-passed constitutional amendment banning it, gay marriage is not very popular with voters here. And North Carolina is not only a swing state—it will also host this year’s Democratic National Convention.
• Florida: To put it bluntly, senior citizens don’t tend to like gay marriage. Plus, a high percentage of them vote, and a large number of them live in Florida. An anti-gay marriage amendment passed by a landslide in 2008.

Speech seen as message to tight-pursed GOP governors

(AP) - President Obama today urged the nation's governors to invest more state resources in education, saying that a highly skilled workforce is crucial for the US to remain competitive with other countries. "The fact is that too many states are making cuts in education that I think are simply too big," Obama said at his annual meeting with governors today. "Nothing more clearly signals what you value as a state than the decisions you make about where to invest. Budgets are about choices." More»

He's out of touch with regular Americans, Romney argues

(NEWSER) - In Iowa yesterday, Mitt Romney attempted to turn around a common complaint about himself and use it against Barack Obama, accusing the president of being out of touch. Referring to Obama's statement last year that "things would have been a lot worse" without his stimulus plan, Romney told the Huffington Post , "When the president's characterization of our economy was, 'It could be worse,' it reminded me of Marie Antoinette: 'Let them eat cake.' This is not a time to be talking about, 'It could be worse.' It's a time to recognize that things should be better." More»