Tropical Storm Isaac Expected to become Huricane as it Bears Down on Florida and the Gulf Coast

US National Hurricane Center Issues Hurricane Warnings From Louisiana to Florida Panhandle.

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Tropical Storm ISAAC Public Advisory

Tropical Storm Isaac about to become a hurricane as it crosses the Florida Keys and enters the Gulf of Mexico. As reported at ABC News, Isaac is expected to make landfall somewhere along the Gulf Coast by Tuesday or Wednesday, on the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. However, Isaac does not appear to be as powerful as the devastating Katrina that reeked havoc on New Orleans, Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. Isaac has made the planner of the Republican National Convention cancel the first day of the event on Monday.

Tropical Storm Isaac barely stirred some Florida Keys residents from their fabled nonchalance Sunday, while the Gulf Coast braced for the possibility that the sprawling storm will strengthen into a dangerous hurricane by the time it makes landfall there.

Isaac was expected to cross the Keys by late afternoon, then turn northwest and strike as a Category 2 hurricane somewhere between the New Orleans area to the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday, the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

The storm was predicted to pass west of Tampa, the site of the Republican National Convention, but it had already disrupted the schedule there because of the likelihood of heavy rain and strong winds.

Even before reaching hurricane strength, Isaac caused considerable inconvenience, with hundreds of flights canceled at airports in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. There were scattered power outages from Key West to Fort Lauderdale affecting more than 6,000 customers, and flooding occurred in low-lying areas.

Florida Governor Scott Brown says that Florida is preparing for Isaac. The Florida Keys are going to be hot with tropical force wind and rain. Brown stated that he has canceled his plans to attend the Republican National Convention on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to deal with issues for the state of Florida and the potential for Isaac to turn into a hurricane.

Former GOP Turncoat & Political Opportunist Florida Gov. Charlie Crist Backs Barack Obama … Good, He Just proved His True Political Beliefs

Ode to a career politician …

When I first read this news story it reminded me of the NFL draft and the last player selected, otherwise know as Mr. Irrelevant. Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist is the Sunshine’s state’s version of Mr. Irrelevant.

The former Republican, turned Independent, turned maybe I will run as a Democrat says he is going to backing Barack Obama in the 2012 Presidential election. This is sure to be a game changer and move the needle. NOT! Maybe this political opportunist can parlay this endorsement into a speaking role at the Democrat National Convention. Wasn’t this the same guy who pulled out of the Florida GOP primaries because he was getting trounced by Republican superstar Marco Rubio?He then ran as a so-called Independent and lost again badly to Rubio in Florida. On ABC ‘This Week’, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell dismissed former Florida GOP Governor Charlie Crist’s endorsement of Obama calling it just one more vote for the president in the Sunshine State.

Doesn’t this dude ever learn, it was his embracing of Obama in 2008 that got lost his job

On the cusp of the Republican National Convention that he helped bring to his home of Tampa Bay, former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist goes all in for Democrat Barack Obama in a Tampa Bay Times editorial.

It’s looks like yet another indication that Crist, an independent, plans on becoming a Democrat and running for governor. The next sign: Whether he gets a speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C.

In some ways, Obama owes Crist, who literally and figuratively embraced the president’s stimulus plan in 2009 in Fort Myers when the rest of the Republican party was busy trashing it. Aside from being a political opportunist (Obama was popular at the time), Crist was being honest. He knew the Republican Legislature would have to take the money and that the state needed it to prevent deep budget cuts and state-worker layoffs. Every governor knew it. That’s why they all took nearly all of the stimulus money.

Does anyone remember just a couple of years ago when Crist said Obama would lose reelection like Jimmy Carter?

Video Hat Tip: The Gateway Pundit

Good grief, here is some of Crist’s OPED. Crist praised Obama’s vision built on a strong middle class, work and personal responsibility. Are you sure he was not referencing Mitt Romney? Obama’s vision and rhetoric has been one of class warfare and division of the races. Obama’s policies and liberal agenda have slowed the US economic recovery, not helped it. When Obama was first elected he was more concerned with passing Obamacare rather that aid jobs growth. His $787 billion stimulus to keep unemployment at 7% was a failure.

I’ve studied, admired and gotten to know a lot of leaders in my life. Across Florida, in Washington and around the country, I’ve watched the failure of those who favor extreme rhetoric over sensible compromise, and I’ve seen how those who never lose sight of solutions sow the greatest successes.

As America prepares to pick our president for the next four years — and as Florida prepares once again to play a decisive role — I’m confident that President Barack Obama is the right leader for our state and the nation. I applaud and share his vision of a future built by a strong and confident middle class in an economy that gives us the opportunity to reap prosperity through hard work and personal responsibility. It is a vision of the future proven right by our history.

What a shock that a political opportunist like Crist it is rather peculiar that he would tout Obama’s success when most Americans think the country is headed in the wrong direction. Also, even this sample skewed poll that over sampled Democrats shows that Obama has a negative approval rating in Florida and Floridians favor Romney over Obama when it comes to the Sunshine’s state number one issue, the economy.

Don’t Look Now, Obama Only Ahead by 2 in Nevada … Obama 47% – Romney 45%

Well looky here … Obama is only ahead of Romney by 2% in Nevada.

In yet another battleground state Mitt Romney is gaining ground. As reported by LVRJ, President Obama leads Mitt Romney by ibky two percent, 47% to 45%. Obama won Nevada in 2008 by 12%; however, like in many states that he previously won easily finds himself in a battle in 2012. Why is Nevada in play after a double digit Obama win in 2008? Maybe because when Obama took office Nevada’s unemployment rate was 9.6%, and nearly four years later it stands at 12% and he’s claiming success.” Nevada voters need to ask themselves if they are better off today than they were four years ago. The answer is obviously no.  One has to wonder what the enthusiasm will be like for those who support Obama with a 12% unemployment rate. With the all important Independent vote, Romney is leading Obama 44 percent to 39 percent.

President Barack Obama edges out GOP opponent Mitt Romney 47 percent to 45 percent in a new Nevada poll that shows Romney’s running mate, Paul Ryan, evenly splitting voters in the battleground state, too.

Nevada voters are sharply divided on whether Ryan helps or hurts the GOP ticket and on whether they support or oppose the conservative Wisconsin congressman’s plan to reform Medicare for future retirees, according to the survey commissioned by the Las Vegas Review-Journal and KLAS-TV 8 NewsNow.

See full poll results HERE.

Obamanomics & Job Recovery … Unemployment rates rose in 44 U.S. states in July Including 9 Battleground States

Just more evidence that the Obama jobs recovery and Obamanomics has been an epic failure.

Not only did the national US unemployment rise from 8.2% to 8.3% in July, but also the unemployment rates rose in 44 US states. That includes the increase in the unemployment rates in 9 battleground states like Nevada, that saw the rate rise to 12%  in July from 11.6% and in Michigan, where the rate increased to 9% from 8.5%. Other battleground states that saw increases in the unemployment rates were Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Wisconsin and New Hampshire.

Unemployment rates rose in 44 U.S. states in July, the most states to show a monthly increase in more than three years and a reflection of weak hiring nationwide.

The Labor Department said Friday that unemployment rates fell in only two states and were unchanged in four.

Unemployment rates rose in nine states that are considered battlegrounds in the presidential election. That trend, if it continued, could pose a threat to President Barack Obama’s re-election bid in less than three months.

Nationwide, hiring improved in July after three months of tepid job gains. But the national unemployment rate ticked up to 8.3 percent from 8.2 percent. Monthly job gains have averaged 150,000 this year. That’s barely enough to accommodate population growth. As a result, the unemployment rate is the same as when the year began.

What is Obama’s answer, more stimulus money for infrastructure projects. Obama code for giving jobs to union workers. Even though Obama said in the past when his previous stimulus plan was a failure, there were no shovel ready jobs then or now.  At best these are temporary jobs, not permanent.

More bad news for Obama and Democrats, Americans prefer the GOP to Democrats in trusting them to fix the economy.

Brian in a Blue State

It’s Official, CNN Has Moved Wisconsin Moves to a True Toss Up State for the 2012 Electorial Map

It would appear that Rep. Paul Ryan (WI-R) has all the right stuff and was a great choice by Mitt Romney o he his VP on the GOP 2012 Presidential ticket. According to CNN and recent polls following the addition of Ryan as the Republican VP candidate, Wisconsin has been moved to a “true” toss up state in the 2012 electoral map. What a difference 4 years makes. In 2008 Obama defeated McCain in Wisconsin 56% to 43%, now it’s a toss up. If a double digit Obama win in 2008 is now a toss up in 2012 … Obama, you have a problem and not just in Wisconsin.

Biden to Obama: This is a big F’n deal, Wisconsin is not a toss up state.

CNN Thursday turned the important battleground state of Wisconsin from “lean Obama” to true “toss up” on its electoral map, in the wake of Mitt Romney’s naming of House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan, a seven term congressman from the Badger state, as his running mate.

With Wisconsin’s move to true “toss up,” the CNN Electoral Map now suggests Obama leading in states with a combined 237 electoral votes, Romney ahead in states with a combined 206 electoral votes, and states with 95 electoral votes up for grabs. 270 electoral votes are needed with win the White House.

While Obama won Wisconsin by double digits, Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic nominee, narrowly captured the Badger State, over President George W. Bush, and Vice President Al Gore edged out Bush in the state in the 2000 contest. It appears the 2012 contest in Wisconsin will be much closer to those competitive contests than the 2008 election.

Even though the CNN poll has Obama still ahead it is important to point oit that it is with registered voters. When polling “likely” voters, Rasmussen has Romney ahead by 1%. However, CNN did not release the partisan demographic breakdown of those polled so its impossible to see just how weighted this poll was for Democrats. Much more analysis at Hot Air.