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Obama not so welcome in the OC?
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Topic Started: Feb 20 2012, 12:56 AM (216 Views)
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Jim Miller
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Feb 20 2012, 12:56 AM
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Obama not so welcome in the OC?
CORONA DEL MAR- Hundreds of protesters lined Pacific Coast Highway Thursday morning to greet President Barack Obama who was visiting Newport Beach for a campaign fundraiser. Most of the attendees awaited the arrival of the president in protest though a number of pro-Obama supporters were sprinkled throughout the crowd.
This, Obama’s first visit to Orange County since 2009, was characterized by several blocks of protesters wielding a variety signs reading “Catholics Say No To Obamacare,” “Get Out Of My Way- I am a Business Owner,” “Evict Obama,” “Enough is Enough,” “End of an Error” and many others. One pro-Obama sign that stuck out in memory read “Thank You for Getting Osama,” in reference to the administration’s killing of former al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden last year.
Perhaps the most hard -hitting sign at the rally read: “Breakfast with Obama: $38,000. 4 Years Of Political Favors: Priceless.”
Total monies raised from the fundraising stop have yet to be released but ticket costs to attend ranged from $2,500 to a whopping $38,500. Attendees are not the only people paying for the president’s visit, Newport Beach taxpayers will front the costs for extra police support and traffic control, among other things. Newport Beach City Manager David Kiff gave an early estimate of $20,000 in additional costs to the city but said he and his staff understand “that visits that are purely political in nature may have costs reimbursed.” He said “we will examine our options there and submit what we think is fair.”
President Obama’s appearance, and the mixed reaction he received, illustrates a broader ideological divide not only in the Orange County community but perhaps nationally. As one protester said “He was billed as the great ‘uniter’ but he has become the great divider.” A few of the dueling protesters minced words, as to be expected. One gentleman told a sign-displaying Obama supporter “Move along. The paid supporters are down that way.”
Even in a Republican stronghold like Newport Beach though, the Democratic president had dedicated and boisterous support. A crowd of his supporters chanted “Four more years.” One anti-Obama protester said of the chanting supporters “they may be louder but there are way more of us,” referring to the greater number of anti-Obama protesters. Nonetheless, the president will likely raise a significant chunk of change for his reelection efforts in a typically red county and the presence of a noticeable number of pro-Obama supporters may illustrate the increased ranks of Democrats, progressives and their allies in the county.
The president was not the only topic of conversation though. One of the Obama enthusiasts observed the large number of Newport Beach police officers patrolling and serving as crowd control and exclaimed “Look at what these police have to go through, they should get more pay and better pensions.” (This comment struck a particular cord with this writer because of my research interest on public employee compensation.) I tried to inform the woman that the average pay for a Newport Beach police officer was easily over $100,000 a year and with benefits probably closer to $200,000 but I was told to “check my facts.” So I did. After checking here, here and here, I stand by my original conclusion: Police officers in Newport Beach average easily over $100,000 a year.
The president’s visit to Newport is a microcosm of what he will likely experience at similar stops throughout country, and also a glimpse into the political and ideological division his presidency elicits as well as the high emotions on various public policy issues going into this crucial election year. LINK
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Mountainrivers
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Feb 20 2012, 12:59 AM
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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- Jim Miller
- Feb 20 2012, 12:56 AM
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Obama not so welcome in the OC?
CORONA DEL MAR- Hundreds of protesters lined Pacific Coast Highway Thursday morning to greet President Barack Obama who was visiting Newport Beach for a campaign fundraiser. Most of the attendees awaited the arrival of the president in protest though a number of pro-Obama supporters were sprinkled throughout the crowd.
This, Obama’s first visit to Orange County since 2009, was characterized by several blocks of protesters wielding a variety signs reading “Catholics Say No To Obamacare,” “Get Out Of My Way- I am a Business Owner,” “Evict Obama,” “Enough is Enough,” “End of an Error” and many others. One pro-Obama sign that stuck out in memory read “Thank You for Getting Osama,” in reference to the administration’s killing of former al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden last year.
Perhaps the most hard -hitting sign at the rally read: “Breakfast with Obama: $38,000. 4 Years Of Political Favors: Priceless.”
Total monies raised from the fundraising stop have yet to be released but ticket costs to attend ranged from $2,500 to a whopping $38,500. Attendees are not the only people paying for the president’s visit, Newport Beach taxpayers will front the costs for extra police support and traffic control, among other things. Newport Beach City Manager David Kiff gave an early estimate of $20,000 in additional costs to the city but said he and his staff understand “that visits that are purely political in nature may have costs reimbursed.” He said “we will examine our options there and submit what we think is fair.”
President Obama’s appearance, and the mixed reaction he received, illustrates a broader ideological divide not only in the Orange County community but perhaps nationally. As one protester said “He was billed as the great ‘uniter’ but he has become the great divider.” A few of the dueling protesters minced words, as to be expected. One gentleman told a sign-displaying Obama supporter “Move along. The paid supporters are down that way.”
Even in a Republican stronghold like Newport Beach though, the Democratic president had dedicated and boisterous support. A crowd of his supporters chanted “Four more years.” One anti-Obama protester said of the chanting supporters “they may be louder but there are way more of us,” referring to the greater number of anti-Obama protesters. Nonetheless, the president will likely raise a significant chunk of change for his reelection efforts in a typically red county and the presence of a noticeable number of pro-Obama supporters may illustrate the increased ranks of Democrats, progressives and their allies in the county.
The president was not the only topic of conversation though. One of the Obama enthusiasts observed the large number of Newport Beach police officers patrolling and serving as crowd control and exclaimed “Look at what these police have to go through, they should get more pay and better pensions.” (This comment struck a particular cord with this writer because of my research interest on public employee compensation.) I tried to inform the woman that the average pay for a Newport Beach police officer was easily over $100,000 a year and with benefits probably closer to $200,000 but I was told to “check my facts.” So I did. After checking here, here and here, I stand by my original conclusion: Police officers in Newport Beach average easily over $100,000 a year.
The president’s visit to Newport is a microcosm of what he will likely experience at similar stops throughout country, and also a glimpse into the political and ideological division his presidency elicits as well as the high emotions on various public policy issues going into this crucial election year. LINK Well, golleeee geeee! Some folks don't like Obama. Who woulda ever thought? See the same kinds of things wherever the rep candidates go.
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Brewster
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Feb 20 2012, 01:06 AM
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In a county of 3,010,232 people, the protesters were only measured in the hundreds?
A little math shows that comes out to a disapproval rating of about 0.01%, or turning it around, approval of 99.99%.
Sounds like Obama's ridin' to an even bigger win than last time...
Edited by Brewster, Feb 20 2012, 01:07 AM.
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Thumper
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Feb 20 2012, 01:09 AM
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Damn that meddling old Canadian has to straighten American Miller out again. LOL
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Brewster
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Feb 20 2012, 01:11 AM
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Can't be done, Thump, but maybe I can make him aware of how far he's leaning...
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Jim Miller
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Feb 20 2012, 01:15 AM
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None of your business, Brew. Maybe you finally got the vote here. If not butt out.
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campingken
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Feb 20 2012, 05:09 AM
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General Jim is in his bunker attempting to prove that 100's of people is really about 95% of the entire population of Orange County. Canadian math is un-American....
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Thumper
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Feb 20 2012, 05:24 AM
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Miller never had a good handle on math. That's why he ended up as a girls gym teacher.
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Chris
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Feb 20 2012, 05:33 AM
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- Brewster
- Feb 20 2012, 01:06 AM
In a county of 3,010,232 people, the protesters were only measured in the hundreds?
A little math shows that comes out to a disapproval rating of about 0.01%, or turning it around, approval of 99.99%.
Sounds like Obama's ridin' to an even bigger win than last time... Great math, bad facts.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/
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