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Karl Rove takes on Obama and Romney's jabs on welfare reform, 'dirty' campaign ads and tactics by president's advisers and more
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President Obama lied taking the work out -- welfare governor Mitt Romney says so hammering President Obama on welfare reform.
And today -- the campaign trail governor Romney highlighting that in 1996.
Then Illinois State Senator Obama said he was opposed to the welfare reform law -- its centerpiece is welfare to work.
Then Senator Obama.
Was opposed to putting worked together with welfare.
Now as president and just a few days ago he he put that original intent in place.
With a very careful executive action.
He removed the requirement of well work from welfare.
It is wrong.
Just to make any change that would make America more of a nation of government dependency we must restore -- I will restore were -- well.
-- and -- just can't I sale.
Great to see you -- Carol in connection when this dispute over this so welfare to work battle between the two Canucks both candidates are getting hammered for being the last and -- says should be a little bit -- the facts and smearing each other -- thought.
Well look and here's the deal -- the welfare law has a provision called for a section 407 which spent sets out limitations on.
How long you can be on welfare and the requirements spells out to requirement that you've got to work in order to receive welfare.
Then they in the -- the with the writers of the law in 19951996.
Worried about having this watered down in the future so they put in section 407.
That it could not be waived by the executive branch of government in any way shape or form.
Now the administration the Obama administration has used authority under another section section 402.
Which mentions 407.
In order to claim that they authority under for a -- gives -- a right to ignore that part of the statute and they say that they're going to in essence issue.
Approvals of policies and I'm quoting from their from their own paper that -- quote definition of work activities and engagement.
Specified limitations verification procedures and the calculation participation rates that's exactly what 407 is all about so they're using authority.
In one part of the law in order to basically say we're gonna find a way to do what we can't do under the statute and that is -- these.
Tough rules that require people who work in order to get welfare and limit how long time and they can be on wolf welfare.
And it of further indication what the administration is going to do.
They said that they were not there are not likely to approve any policy waivers that are quote likely to reduce access -- -- in other words nothing that'll save money.
Still only -- policy.
That either keeps -- at the current level or increase is -- so get clearly I think the administration is wrong here.
But I -- was tried to -- -- -- -- and I again I've where's the administration got to statutory authority.
To do something that congress explicitly voted in a bipartisan fashion to say could not be waived by executive action hot.
It seems to me than just about it sure is -- really -- two inches.
One is the allegation it's an improper power grab from the executive branch of government issued executive orders not going back to congress to see what congress as a say -- That's -- -- -- is that fair is that fair description.
I think that's a fair description is -- -- I get the authority to do this.
And then there's bananas and other objections by rob Republicans of President Obama just uses his Bannon writes executive orders and does things that that he's -- that he status of the authority other objects -- the other is sort of this sensitive issue about these waivers and -- I must say that I'm perplexed.
The memorandum that started this from HH SS says in part.
That debt HHS will only consider approving waivers relating to the work participation requirements.
Then make changes intended to lead to more effective means.
A meeting the work goals of the legislation now I've read that probably ten times that is like it I still can't free apple light from me what the world that means what are they substantively.
Trying to do -- this memorandum well.
Did it this is a key way to -- to -- welfare because what you can do is you can make things look better.
By in essence changing the definition of what constitutes work.
You can expand the definition of what you're willing to count as quote work to include a lot of things we ordinarily wouldn't consider -- -- -- standard -- recuperating.
That -- they could consider that to be work there's also a technical issue called axis.
And you can -- -- plan around what what's the definition of -- an exit from welfare -- constitutes.
You can take credit for things that would have otherwise happened through economic growth.
So what their drive to do is to make it easier for people to -- on welfare longer.
By -- and around into the with the definitions which are very tough and 407 on describing exactly what constitutes work.
And what constitutes.
And -- there remember again in the original memorandum they talk about.
Did that they would have authority over the calculation of participation rates that's one of the key elements.
In 407 it's designed to keep people from -- -- around the system and -- people in the system longer than they should be.
And and and make it look good like they're getting people off welfare when they really are.
So I'd like to -- this went to correct if I'm running out -- try to get it down so that didn't just simple terms of the and I can understand it is that what they are doing this substantively forget the power grab that's the other allegation.
Essentially they aired almost changing the intent of congress by -- room Rio by diluting the definition of certain words so that we're getting away from them from what the congress agreed to in terms of the welfare to work principle that there -- there diluted net so they're changing the intent to some degree.
Well let -- let me make it even crisper.
They are making it more difficult to reduce welfare they're making it easier to increase and lengthen and keep people on welfare that's exactly right.
-- when you when you issue is that things and we're not gonna we're not going to approved policies.
There -- quote likely to reduce access to aid which are seen as we wanna we wanna keep welfare as big or bigger than it is.
I will leave it to government on anyway trying to make things very difficult to understand let me go to -- something that I put some Greta -- today and debt.
Going back to 1980 and according to some research I did.
The out more women have voted in presidential elections then men how women's voters are has been very important news presidential elections more -- more so and recent presidential elections.
In going through these swing states.
You have the typical -- that Colorado governor grabbed their president Obama's up by eight.
Virginia.
These are likely voters found present -- up by fourteen Wisconsin.
President Obama is up by 23.
North Carolina president bounce up by 1940s.
Up by seven Prez Obama is up 21 in Ohio twenty -- Pennsylvania sixteen in Nevada sixteen in Michigan.
And in New Mexico is up eleven -- -- up seventeen.
And in New Hampshire is up nineteen all pretty recent polls out that -- -- polls are fluid but.
But not one of those stakes.
Is a margin small and now one of those states as governor Romney even closer even within the margin of air that's a serious problem I think well of the candidate.
Well of couple things first -- has been a modern time to gender gap with men overwhelmingly favoring Republicans Democrats receiving the advantage among women.
That's historically been accurate for example in 2004.
President Bush narrowed the gap among among women he had 48% of the women's vote John Kerry got 51 but that was an increase.
From 53%.
For President Bush in 2000 in the 2000 election.
The second thing I'd say -- what you went through a bunch of polls I'm glad -- -- those polls that we're talking about a lot of quinnipiac polls.
And a lot of PPP polls PPP is a Democrat polling firm.
In northern and north of -- Carolina -- uses an auto dialer to quinnipiac polls running combination with CBS New York Times.
Will whose methodology makes them more Democrat.
I'd rather step back and rather than what you did individual states look at the entire nation as a whole because they you know individual states will will will be one -- -- the other -- you need a sense of that -- Doesn't it.
Even if those polls are mistaken by five points and an even if -- there's a democratic polls and -- in the mistaken by five these margins are still huge margins.
Well remember if you went and looked at the -- though you'd see the mirror opposite for Romney now here's the point.
In 2008 in the exit polling Barack Obama won the women's vote by a thirteen point margin.
56 to 43.
In the latest Gallup tracking and issued a 1 o'clock this afternoon President Obama is leading among women by 850.
To 42.
So he is who he is winning -- and this time around.
But by and 50% less than he got last time around and he's running even worse among men than he has last time around -- the races.
And they in today's Gallup tracking 4746.
Now.
Look their -- if you go inside these numbers yes.
The Democrat will win the women's vote the question is by how much the Republican will win the men's -- to question is by how much an inside women if you're looking act of women's vote.
Younger single women tend to vote overwhelmingly Democrat.
Women who are married tend to vote Republican and older married women with children tend to vote very Republican and the question is what's the level of enthusiasm.
What's the composition of that of that block on Election Day.
And how much enthusiasm as -- overall among women President Obama succeeded due in 2008 in part by driving up the percentage of women.
From its historic 51 or 52 to 53%.
Of the vote.
In 2008.
I doubt he's going to be able to do that this camera and certainly if he's run and 50%.
You know -- -- third fewer votes run at 50% behind where he ran.
In 2008.
You know he's got a problem among women -- particularly when you look at it how he's run and among men.
What if you look at guys running at least today it certainly looks like he is focusing on the on the women he at a campaign event today worries get women's.
I would signs behind and the talk about -- introduced by a young woman who recently graduated from Georgetown and is becomes somewhat -- representative of the young women and -- and -- certain things having good health care law tendon was very -- -- so he is running heavily at least today.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- And why it's because he's looked at the same numbers I shared with -- he knows he won by thirteen points in 2008.
And that in Gallup and other public polls that nationwide he is running about eight points so he's running.
Well below his -- -- -- market 2008 and he's worried about that -- thinks he's got the issues.
Women's -- reproductive rights for example they can get -- they can -- women about -- I wonder however if those concerns are trumped by.
We got a lousy economy in which women have -- a disproportionate number of the job losses since January 2009.
We've got household income down.
We've got a home values plummeting we got an anemic recovery how wonderful all those don't trump.
What -- -- reproductive rights.
I you say that the reason and he's down to eight points from where he was a thirteen points in 2008 that is reflective of the economy in women's concern about it coming is that your hypothesis that that's why you an idea how large a margin.
I think so because if you take a look at people's views on the economy do they think his policies are working or not.
There's not much of a gap there is a gap but there's not much of a gap between men and women -- both disapprove of his handling of the economy.
They both think that the economy is not doing well they're very concerned about the deficit they've got different concerns about Obama -- but they're both conserve both men and women are concerned.
Men believe that we can't afford it women believes it will adversely affect their family -- But all these work to the president's disadvantage and when you get to the -- question for example do you think the president -- policies have helped or hurt.
There is little difference between men and women they've -- rough at least two thirds of them think that the president's policies have at best.
Not hurt and they're more likely have actually.
-- should -- not helped but it most -- have been at their best -- not have not helped and at worst have actually hurt the economy.
And how much difference -- so the question is whether these issues of reproductive rights.
And access to contraception are gonna trump the issue of jobs prosperity deficits debt spending and Obama care.
I'm I'm tomorrow on your -- -- bad comes out of the Wall Street Journal and the -- -- same parts of both sides have pushed up their opponents.
Negatives town where does that -- Both of them.
Well if you take a look at pollster dot com for mid may win for our Barack Obama began his TV blitz to today.
His negatives have gone from 45 to 46.
Romney's gone for 46 to 48 but if you look inside the negatives there much difference president Obama's negatives are on the -- in the economy.
Primarily to a lesser extent on the he's turning -- to be a conventional politician not to you know figure of hope and aspiration of people had in 2008.
Governor Romney's are questions of does he does is he rich guy who's got concern for the middle class does he have a plan.
Is he strong enough the presidential enough to get it done.
If I were if our candidate -- rather have Mitt Romney's problems which are solvable by strong -- of plan strong campaign great convention speech president president Obama's which are not going to be solved by -- deeply improve you know -- improving economy just we're not gonna get.
The kind of jobs and economic growth are gonna rescue -- going to be in October and November essentially where we are today.
With thirteen million people unemployed unemployment above eight point 2% home values slow Stanley and cutting down people word about the future.
I -- please -- this silly game with -- -- -- we can't stop ourselves right now and that's about the vice president to another you've given me -- -- sonogram -- I've -- how far get a hold of yourself you know I know I felt I know I -- the echo -- -- that -- they historic article they gave good showed that the choice is relatively bad not port is not important but I'm just curious if you way to give -- any -- -- that the choice is really important.
Tell me strategically who would light of where we are -- in terms of the the nation.
What would be for this candidate -- them the best choice right now for vice.
President well it let's let's -- we had to to waste a person to approach that lets look at the political perspective first pick a battleground state Florida Ohio.
Wisconsin and pick somebody from a battleground state.
Because if -- vice presidential nominee has impact it's in their home state.
The last time a vice president was dispositive in a presidential election was 1960.
When -- Lyndon Johnson were not on the ticket the Democrats would have narrowly lost Texas rather than narrowly won it in all likelihood.
And and JFK would not have been president the second way to look at it -- this is what makes -- complicated is is a governing choice.
The candidate chooses somebody whom they think will make then there will be a more effective vice president help them govern effectively.
And you know like Dick Cheney choice in 2000 I mean he didn't you know -- -- -- all due respect no vice presidential candidate really has a big impact out of their home state.
He did in his home state while mean those -- it locked up in the Republican column so.
It says something about the mindset of the candidate that they're looking forward to what do I need to do once I get into the office and that's what makes us all complicated we we did they're two big questions.
Is -- is Mitt Romney looking at this as a political choice for a governing choice.
And and then if he chooses one of those is he looking at -- bold or is he looking at a science and.
So if if you're recommending to him they take one for political choice and one for governing give me who you think and that we -- -- -- -- driver I refuse to to -- -- listen I think I have.
This is pretty -- but I.
-- -- and you need to get help you need to get help for -- look after I lost the office pool on Palin and Biden.
After I lost the office pool and Cheney and Lieberman of course everybody knew though those that I.
Well I -- I'm -- ever I.
So I know I know of any bulls got to pick the one that you're suggesting that's contracts who's -- -- -- -- not make sure there's ever cool I don't pick that one it.
If you're if you're going -- I say go Greta.
If you go governing I say go Hannity so then there you go -- Pet -- -- wants to memorize it CNN that if he ever were elected president that he would make me an ambassador some -- -- nation no wait no one ever heard of site could hurt the country.
So.
You Greta I'd send you a country that needs to have a strong represented of America.
And would benefit -- in Wisconsin values and actions.
-- go go go pack anyway thank you cow eyes nicest day of it.
Nice to --
