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October 30, 2012
Guests: Michael Oppenheimer, Ed Markey, Susan Eisenhower
CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: Good government, good politics.
Let`s play HARDBALL.
Good evening. I`m Chris Matthews in Washington.
"Let Me Start" tonight with this. I can`t think of a better job than
helping the American people defend themselves. Fortunately for President
Obama, that`s his job this week. He signed up for it, and now it needs
There`s no walking away from it, nothing that takes precedence over
putting his head and heart into ensuring the absolute best -- to the
absolute best of his ability that people in the northeast part of the
country recover and begin to reconstruct from this natural emergency, the
one that`s come down on them now.
And every second this president applies himself the most (ph), he must
hope that the electoral momentum will shift in his direction because this
now -- these several days will test if the president shares (ph) the hope
on which he`s built his public life.
Here`s the latest on Sandy`s devastating impact. This storm has been
blamed for at least 38 deaths so far. There`s new video this afternoon
showing the massive destruction along the New Jersey shore. Governor Chris
Christie of New Jersey called the impact on his state "unthinkable" and
said it would take months to recover. The storm swept houses from their
foundations and left parts of the coast under water, as you can see.
New York City is also dealing with devastating floods. The subway
remains closed after damage to the system was called the worst in its 108-
year history. Look at it there. Meanwhile, a massive fire in a beachfront
neighborhood in Queens, New York, destroyed nearly 100 homes overnight and
into the morning. Firefighters have been blocked from getting to the fire
due to high floodwaters.
As we told you yesterday, a construction crane that collapsed due to
high winds remained dangling there -- you see it there -- atop 74-floor
luxury high-rise. Thousands were ordered to leave nearby buildings. More
than 8 million homes are still without power today in the country across 20
states. The worst of it is in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Right now, I want to bring in Dylan Dreyer. Dylan, thank you so much
for joining us. Just run through sort of a brief outline of what`s going
on. Give us a sense of the depth and the duration of what we`re facing
here, the cleanup and (ph) face (ph) this catastrophe.
DYLAN DREYER, NBC METEOROLOGIST: Chris, unfortunately, the duration
is going to be the big story because the storm`s not over yet. Even though
conditions are getting better, I`d say just because the winds are calming a
little bit and the rain is letting up, the storm is still producing tons of
snow back through West Virginia. It`s producing tons of rain back across
portions of Pennsylvania into New York state. So now we`re going to start
getting into more of a river flooding situation.
So it`s transitioning from a coastal problem into an inland issue.
And even out through the Great Lakes, we`re seeing winds now gusting up
still near 30 to 40 miles per hour. We`re seeing record wave heights on
the Great Lakes region. And it`s producing delays at Chicago. It`s
producing delays in Cleveland airport.
So we are going to see this whole storm system linger over the
Northeast for a little while now. And the snow that we were seeing in
southern Ohio -- it is starting to basically be isolated to the mountains
of West Virginia, and that area has already picked up almost 30 inches of
This storm has so many facets to it. We`re still looking at another 3
to 6 inches possible in areas that already have nearly 30 inches of snow.
And the sheer size of this storm -- it`s nearly 900 miles in diameter.
This is huge, to extend from northern New England all the way back into
Indiana, into eastern Kentucky, eastern Tennessee. That`s the problem with
this storm.
Now, we do still have to focus in the New York City area for tonight`s
high tide. It won`t be as bad this morning`s high tide and especially not
as bad as last night`s high tide, but those winds still coming in out of
the south and it is still going to produce a minimal storm surge that could
create some flooding.
Also, we`re seeing those wind gusts still in the city up to around 30
miles per hour. My biggest concern for tonight is with all those Eastern
cities without power, all the neighborhoods without power. Temperatures
tonight in the New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania area will get down into
the 30s tonight.
So it`s going to start getting a little bit exhausting for all the
people without power who have the cleanup to do and then deal with the cold
nights on top of it. So it is going to be a major concern, I think, for
several days moving into this week and the weekend, too.
MATTHEWS: Devastating report there. Thank you, Dylan Dreyer.
Now I`m joined by NBC News chief White House correspondent and
political director Chuck Todd and editorial director for the HuffingtonPost
Howard Fineman. He`s also an MSNBC political analyst.
Chuck, I want you to start here. Tell me about -- well, let`s look at
the president here. The president visited Red Cross headquarters this
afternoon and promised to help the hard-hit communities cut through the
bureaucratic red tape to get assistance.
Let`s watch him here today.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My instructions to the
federal agency has been, Do not figure out why we can`t do something. I
want you to figure out how we do something. I want you to cut through red
tape. I want you to cut through bureaucracy.
There`s no excuse for inaction at this point. I want every agency to
lean forward and to make sure that we are getting the resources where they
need -- where they`re needed as quickly as possible.
MATTHEWS: Well, meanwhile, this afternoon, Vice President Biden was
asked about the president`s response to the disaster. Here`s what he had
to say. Let`s take a look.
JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Look, I`ve never
seen a guy so focused. I mean, he just wants to make sure -- look, the
last conversation we had, he said, to the governor, he said, Look, folks
I`m up late at night. You don`t get immediate response from my folks, call
me. Here`s my number. So this is a hands-on deal right now to get
everything done.
MATTHEWS: Chuck Todd, back to you. You`ve covered this president for
a long time now. You`ve really seen how he operates. Instead of doing the
piecemeal sort of little -- I can`t use the words Mickey Mouse aspect of
politics -- here`s a grand decision. Do the job, and hope things will turn
out politically OK, but do the job. It seems like that`s his commitment.
Is it?
CHUCK TODD, NBC WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT/POLITICAL DIR.: Yes. Well,
look, and this is a case where good politics is not playing politics,
right? Don`t look at this. And remember who you`re dealing with. You`re
dealing with a Chris Christie, a Michael Bloomberg and an Andy Cuomo.
These are three guys that are not shy. And if they think the federal
government was not helping them, was not being aggressive, if they thought
the president wasn`t -- wasn`t on top of this or wasn`t doing everything
that they thought the federal government could do, don`t you think they`d
not run, not walk to a TV camera and let people know?
So you`re in a unique situation here with hard-hit areas with three
very savvy -- politically savvy, media-savvy governors in the most
important media market in the world. You don`t want to mess this up.
So I think this is a case where it`s good politics not to play
politics and just throw yourself into disaster relief because you`re
dealing with a high-population area that, frankly, you mess this up, the
whole world`s going to know about it.
MATTHEWS: Yes, Howard, what`s impressive to me is he`s going to New
Jersey today. He went to Jersey. We saw the picture there -- not to one
of those states that we got a little tired covering, basically, the so-
called swing states. He went to the states in need today, New Jersey.
Well, he canceled a trip to Ohio, which was a swing state, and went to New
Jersey. I mean, he`s going to New Jersey.
TODD: Going to...
FINEMAN: Going to New Jersey, excuse me. That`s the right -- that`s
the right call. There are a few things here. First of all, Chuck`s right.
The best politics is no politics.
And also, it underscores the role of the government. It underscores
the argument that the president makes about the role of government in times
of crisis and in times of need and the fact that the states and the private
sector, as great as they are and as important as they are, can`t do
everything, especially when we`re faced with the kind of natural disaster
we`ve seen. This makes his argument about the role of government, the
important role that we -- we play through government in helping each other
in times of crisis. So that`s very important for him.
And also, don`t forget that Chris Christie, if I can be political for
a second in the midst of this -- Chris Christie is the guy who gave the
keynote address at the Republican convention. And Chris Christie has
nothing but good -- has had nothing -- so far, nothing but good things to
say about the president.
That`s nothing the president needs to talk about. That`s nothing any
of his aides or advisers or campaign people need to talk about. But it
won`t go unnoticed, as Chuck says, in this media -- in this media
MATTHEWS: Well, let`s look at what Governor Christie of New Jersey
had to say today on the "TODAY" show and on "MORNING JOE." Let`s listen.
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: I was on the phone at midnight
again last night with the president personally. He has expedited the
designation of New Jersey as a major disaster area.
The president has been outstanding in this, and so the folks at FEMA -
- the president has been all over this and he deserves great credit. I`ve
been on the phone with him, like I said, yesterday personally three times.
He gave me his number at the White House, told me to call him if I needed
anything, and he absolutely means it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s great.
CHRISTIE: It`s been very good -- it`s been very good working with the
president and his administration.
MATTHEWS: He also responded with annoyance after a Fox News
personality asked him an overtly political question about Mitt Romney.
Let`s take a listen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is there any possibility that Governor Romney may
go to New Jersey to tour some of the damage with you?
CHRISTIE: I have no idea, nor am I the least bit concerned or
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
CHRISTIE: I`ve got a job to do here in New Jersey. I`ve got 2.4
million people out of power. I`ve got devastation on the shore. I`ve got
floods in the northern part of my state. If you think right now I give a
damn about presidential politics, then you don`t know me.
MATTHEWS: Let`s talk about that, Chuck. And I do believe it. You
know, I have been having a big -- we had a big production meeting today
talking about the motives that move people. It`s always complicated. When
you`re at war, you worry about your buddies. You worry about getting
through the night and achieving your mission. There may be medals down the
road, but they`re not on your mind, certainly, I can imagine. And any
political medals will have to come as afterthoughts.
That`s my thinking. I am not a naive person. I do think these guys
are doing their jobs. Your thoughts.
TODD: I do, too. This is -- look, New Jersey -- this is -- this is a
hard-hit area. I think this is a guy who`s been up all night, hearing
about the devastation, hearing about stranded people in Atlantic City,
hearing about these things. And then, you know, we all know Chris Christie
a little bit, to be asked a political question, that`s just not in his
nature, it`s not who he is on this front.
Look, there would have been a price to pay for him -- again, this goes
back to what I said about the president -- what`s good politics for Chris
Christie is not to think about politics. The minute you start thinking
about politics in any of these situations, you get caught. You always get
caught at some point. Maybe you get caught in front of a TV camera. Maybe
you get caught by another lawmaker. Maybe you get caught somewhere else.
But there is -- you get caught and you get punished.
And by the way, it`s a big punishment. The down side for even hinting
and worrying the least bit about politics in a moment like this -- the
punishment is bad. It`s political -- it can be -- it can end your
political career. I give to you Kathleen Blanco.
MATTHEWS: Yes. And Ray Nagin.
FINEMAN: Well, I think that`s true. But I would just observe,
somebody outside of the emergency situation, that Mitt Romney`s closing
argument in a lot of swing states has been about how he will be a
bipartisan leader in a way that the president hasn`t been able to do in
That argument is silently indirectly undercut by the teamwork of the
president and Chris Christie right now. That`s my only point. Not that
they have a political motive in doing it, I`m just saying that`s the fact
of the situation right now.
MATTHEWS: Yes, talk about that a bit, Chuck, because I`ve seen some
interesting good relationships developing here between -- you talked about
the importance of the media market in New York to the whole country -- New
York is, of course, the broadcasting center of this country, as well as the
commercial center.
You have people like -- who are naturally competitive -- the mayor of
New York is always -- going back to Lindsay and Rockefeller, it`s always
nationally competitive because the fight over funds between the state and
the city. And you have Bloomberg, one of the best mayors ever, probably,
and you`ve got Andrew Cuomo, who only has been seen as a great governor so
far, basically getting -- working in tandem here. You have the president
and a guy who wrote the keynote speech for Romney working in tandem.
I mean, this is -- you got to be careful about saying anything`s God`s
will, but this is a week that was given to us. We`re told as people to
cover this story as journalists. These politicians were told to do their
jobs this week.
TODD: Well, and again, you go -- when you think about the area that
was hit and you think about these three personalities and these three
politicians, they all have a reputation for -- you know, if something is
not going right, they will call out. In fact, sometimes you wonder do they
enjoy making members of their own party upset at some point? Or they don`t
mind making enemies if they think it will help them parochially. All three
of them have been very effective at doing that sometimes. They`re all
three very media-savvy.
So you know, that`s why I think, you know, talk about -- this is more
of a high-wire act for the president than I think people realize because
he`s got three people he`s dealing with in the hardest hit areas of New
York and New Jersey in Bloomberg, Cuomo and Christie, that if there is the
slightest misstep by the federal government, the three of them will jump on
it in a second.
So this is a little -- it is -- the easy call here for the president
is to, quote, "do your job," get on top of this. It`s all about that. But
a misstep, and you know, he`s in a media market where he`s got three
aggressive people who would call him on it.
MATTHEWS: Let`s leave it at that. We`ve never had a better, more
uplifting session on HARDBALL than we just had.
Anyway, thank you, Chuck Todd. Thank you, Howard. And I mean it.
Nothing nasty. Not poison in the water here. Coming up -- Howard, thank
you, Chuck Todd.
Coming up: Pants on fire. The writer Mary McCarthy once said of her
rival, Lillian Hellman, Every word she writes is a lie, including "and" and
"the." Well, the same could almost be said of Mitt Romney and his new TV
ads in Ohio about who would do more for the auto industry, he or President
Obama. You see the price of desperation here, dishonesty. And the
campaign`s response to the universal criticism -- they just keep running
Also, did climate change have something to do with Hurricane Sandy.
Freak storms happen all the time, but this is precisely the kind of event
that scientists have been predicting to us for years.
And why would an Eisenhower endorse a Democrat for president? Well,
Susan Eisenhower comes here to talk about it. She`s endorsing President
Obama again.
And "Let Me Finish" tonight with this question. Does anyone really
have a grip on who Mitt Romney is?
This is HARDBALL, the place for politics.
MATTHEWS: Well, with one week before the election -- remember that? -
- we`ve got lots of new poll numbers in the presidential race. Let`s go to
the HARDBALL "Scoreboard."
We start in Florida, of course, where a new CNN poll has Mitt Romney
leading by 1 point, 50-49, but a new PPP poll from Florida has President
Obama up by 1 point, 49-48.
In Ohio, a new PPP poll has the president leading by 4, 51 to 47.
Next, New Hampshire, a small state that may play a big role on election
night. The new PPP poll has the president up by 2 there. In North
Carolina, a new poll from Elon University shows the race tied. Wow! who
would have thought that a few weeks ago.
Finally, to Oregon, a state President Obama won by 17 points in `08.
The race is actually tightening there. It`s down to 47 Obama, 41 for
We`ll be right back.
MATTHEWS: Welcome back to HARDBALL. Well, we now know this election
may very well come down to Ohio. And in the last few days, the Romney
campaign has done some things even independent observers consider
desperate. First came this from Mitt Romney last Thursday in Defiance,
Ohio, about an hour away from Toledo.
MITT ROMNEY (R-MA), FMR. GOV., PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I saw a story
today that one of the great manufacturers in this state, Jeep, now owned by
the Italians, is thinking of moving all production to China! I will fight
for every good job in America! I`m going to fight to make sure trade is
fair! And if it`s fair, America will win!
MATTHEWS: Oh! Well, it sounds terrible, but it`s false. Did you
hear that? False, what he just said there. Chrysler, which was bought by
Fiat, said it`s not taking any jobs from Ohioans, it`s adding jobs. It
also plans on resuming Jeep production in China for Chinese drivers. In
other words, overseas production for overseas sales, not moving jobs from
the United States to China.
But then comes this whopper of a Romney ad. Customarily, when one of
the campaigns launches a commercial, they send us press releases and video.
Not the case with this one. This ad started running unannounced in Ohio
and suggests jobs there are, again, moving to China.
Let`s take a look.
NARRATOR: Who will do more for the auto industry? Not Barack Obama.
Fact-checkers confirm his attacks on Mitt Romney are false.
The truth? Mitt Romney has a plan to help the auto industry. He`s
supported by Lee Iacocca and "The Detroit News." Obama took GM and
Chrysler into bankruptcy and sold Chrysler to Italians, who are going to
build Jeeps in China. Mitt Romney will fight for every American job.
MATTHEWS: Well, they`re not backing down, of course. They`re also
running misleading radio ads on the same topic in cities like Dayton and
Michael Steele is the former chairman, an honest chairman, of the RNC
and Ron Reagan is a radio talk show hosts. Both my guests are MSNBC
political analysts.
I want to start with Ron.
This stuff, you know, weeks ago, the Obama -- the Romney campaign
said, we`re not going to let this campaign be run by fact-checkers. I
mean, I have never heard it said, you just say, we don`t care if you find
out we`re lying. Lying is a bad word. We don`t care if you catch us.
We`re going to keep doing it, because we`re desperate.
RON REAGAN, MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR: ... influenced by fact-checkers.
Yes, well, they may be desperate. Look, Ohio is going to be the
clincher for this election. Everybody has been saying it and it`s probably
true. So, Mitt Romney probably hopes that the truth isn`t going to find
him in Ohio at some point here.
He`s been a shapeshifter his entire political career. This shouldn`t
surprise us, and yet somehow he`s taken it to a new level. The Romney
campaign attaches itself to untruth like a sexually aroused little dog on a
visitor`s leg.
I mean, it just starts humping away at these lies here. As you said,
he makes the speech where he says that he read something somewhere about
Jeep going overseas to China. It`s pointed out to him that`s not true.
Chrysler points out to him that that`s not true. So what does he do?
Doubles down with a TV ad.
That`s point -- it`s pointed out that that ad is not true. What does
he do? Triples down with a radio ad, too. It is just extraordinary. And
the question is, do Ohioans, do Americans, does the media tolerate this
level of dishonesty from a presidential candidate? I hope not.
MATTHEWS: Lee Iacocca, by the way, is not going to come on television
and endorse that claim. I will predict that right now. He`s got -- he`s
been retired for 20 years. He`s not going to back it up. They`re
misusing, I think exploiting the poor guy. He`s been retired for years.
MICHAEL STEELE, MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST: Right.
MATTHEWS: To bring -- haul his name back because he obviously has a
fondest of the Romney family name is really exploitive.
But let`s go back to facts of this case.
MATTHEWS: Are the Jeeps being produced now in Ohio going those jobs
for American buyers? I have two Jeeps. All right, I have two of them.
They`re very cheap, OK?
MATTHEWS: I have two of them. You can buy these cars. They`re not
big ones. All right?
STEELE: Yes, good, good American cars.
MATTHEWS: OK? These cars are great. One of my kids has one. I have
got one.
Now, here`s the question. Are they going to continue to be made in
Ohio? Answer, yes.
STEELE: Yes.
MATTHEWS: So, why are these people running ads saying they are going
to move them to China?
STEELE: I talked to a couple folks related to the campaign about
this. And they clearly in one sense were kind of walking it back a little
bit in terms of how this has been perceived or read by a lot of folks.
MATTHEWS: OK. How do we misread it?
STEELE: Let me make my point.
The emphasis is not that these jobs are going to be taken away from
Ohio or Ohioans, but, in fact, they`re creating jobs in China when we
should be creating jobs here.
MATTHEWS: But these are for Chinese buyers. These are for Chinese
people to buy.
STEELE: But, Chris, this is the argument. That`s great, for Chinese
buyers. Then make the car here, so American workers make the car here and
send it to China just if the Chinese market wants to buy. Why are you
doing that? That`s...
REAGAN: That`s not what Romney said.
STEELE: ... generally the argument. And that`s what a lot of
companies are doing. You know, we make the cars here and we ship them
elsewhere and they buy them.
MATTHEWS: Maybe the deal with China is that they don`t want our cars
to from here to there.
STEELE: But wait a minute. But, Chris, at a time you`re creating --
you need to create jobs...
MATTHEWS: They`re doing it.
MATTHEWS: OK. Ron, pick this up. I don`t want it to be two to one
MATTHEWS: I think you can handle this. I think you can handle this.
This is one that you can handle easily one on one here.
STEELE: I think I`m right, so you guys talk amongst yourselves.
MATTHEWS: No, no, don`t try that. I gave it to you.
Go ahead, Ron.
REAGAN: No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Listen, if Romney had meant, gee, we`re going to be making a bunch of
Jeeps for the Chinese, maybe we should make them here, that was a point he
could have made. He didn`t say that. The ads don`t imply that. He didn`t
imply that. What he said was the jobs that are here now are going to
China, because he read that somewhere. That was a lie.
MATTHEWS: OK. Never bring an honest man into defend a dishonest ad.
Anyway, the Obama campaign is up with this response ad. Let them pick
it up here. Let`s take a look.
NARRATOR: When the auto industry faced collapse, Mitt Romney turned
his back. Even the conservative "Detroit News" criticized Romney for his
wrongheadedness on the bailout.
And now, after Romney`s false claim of Jeep outsourcing to China,
Chrysler itself has refuted Romney`s lie. The truth? Jeep is adding jobs
in Ohio.
Mitt Romney on Ohio jobs, wrong then.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let Detroit go bankrupt.
NARRATOR: Dishonest now.
MATTHEWS: We`re all men here, but I have got to get to this other
issue of this distortion and dishonesty about abortion rights, and now
another issue in contention, women`s rights and abortion.
Romney`s surrogate and former Senator Norm Coleman was at an event
near Cleveland yesterday, again, Ohio, and reassured voters there, women
voters, of course, that Roe v. Wade would never be overturned in a Romney
administration, just as the Romney campaign is on the airwaves trying to
tell women Romney doesn`t oppose contraception.
Take a look at both. These are totally dishonest.
NORM COLEMAN (R), FORMER U.S. SENATOR: President Bush was president
for eight years. Roe v. Wade wasn`t reversed. He had two Supreme Court
choice picks. Roe v. Wade wasn`t reversed. It`s not going to be reversed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, those ads saying Mitt Romney would ban
all abortions and contraception seemed a big extreme. So I looked into it.
Turns out Romney doesn`t oppose contraception at all. In fact, he thinks
abortion should be an option in cases of rape, incest, or to save a
mother`s life.
This issue is important to me, but I`m more concerned about the debt
our children will be left with. I voted for President Obama last time, but
we just can`t afford four more years.
MATTHEWS: I don`t know who that actor is, that woman. I wish I could
have just talked to her and say, no one ever said, no one on this planet
ever said that Romney was going to outlaw contraception. Stop fighting a
straw man.
You`re being dishonest to women out there. The issue is whether your
insurance policy should cover it and who gets to decide whether it does or
not, a legitimate discussion.
But to say that there`s been an accusation that somebody is going to
outlaw contraception and birth control, which hasn`t been outlawed since
the `50s somewhere, how can you run an ad like that?
STEELE: At the beginning of the whole left war -- argument about the
war on women, that was the centerpiece, that the Republicans -- Republicans
want to outlaw contraception.
MATTHEWS: Did a Democrat ever accuse Romney of outlawing...
STEELE: Yes, quite a few.
MATTHEWS: Where?
STEELE: Quite a few, Chris. Did you miss that debate when they were
talking about -- when the contraception with the church first came up, that
the Republicans and Romney...
MATTHEWS: Having it provided in your insurance coverage.
STEELE: Well, you asked the question, and I answered it.
MATTHEWS: You can fight food stamps without fighting food, OK? It`s
the difference between...
STEELE: Those are the facts.
MATTHEWS: Ron, let me try it with you. It`s the difference between
saying you don`t believe in food stamps and saying you don`t believe in
food. That`s the difference we`re talking about here.
Your thoughts, Ron? This other one about Norm Coleman having been
beaten in Minnesota is running around in Ohio saying that this president,
if he gets elected, Romney, isn`t going to try to get rid of Roe v. Wade.
He has sworn he will do it. He says it all the time.
Your thoughts?
REAGAN: Well, indeed. He`s announced that it`s a personal goal of
his to get rid of Roe v. Wade.
Now, I suppose he could rely on the dodge that, well, he won`t do
that, it will be the Supreme Court justices he appoints who ultimately do
that, but clearly that`s the goal. Does anybody in their right mind think
that Mitt Romney isn`t going to appoint two, maybe three, Supreme Court
justices if he`s elected and that those Supreme Court justices will have as
a litmus test for their being nominated, first of all, that they are going
to overturn Roe v. Wade?
MATTHEWS: OK. We got to go.
You`re right on three points tonight. Michael is wrong on all three.
Thank you, Michael Steele.
MATTHEWS: Thank you, Ron Reagan.
REAGAN: Sorry, Michael.
MATTHEWS: We gave him a bad hand to play.
We gave you a couple deuces.
MATTHEWS: Anyway, we will have much more on the presidential race.
STEELE: Why do I come here?
MATTHEWS: It`s just a bad night for you. You got a bad hand. It
wasn`t your hand.
When we return: some of the incredible pictures and reporting from
Hurricane Sandy.
Look at -- I grew up in on the Jersey Shore.
This is HARDBALL, the place for politics.
MATTHEWS: Welcome back to HARDBALL.
Well, the recovery from Hurricane Sandy will be under way for quite a
while, of course, but the worst of the storm itself seems to have passed
this part of the country. Some of the real stars of the past day or so
have been our reporters who were in the thick of it bringing us on-the-
ground accounts of what was happening.
Let`s take a look back at what they encountered.
RON ALLEN, NBC CORRESPONDENT: Good evening from Point Pleasant Beach
in New Jersey. This sand dune, about 30 yards wide, about 12 feet tall, is
what separates the ocean from the town , and it`s been deteriorating
throughout the day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are beginning to take the worst of Hurricane
Sandy here on the Jersey Shore. Look at this wave.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`re getting one heck of a back-kick out of this
thing. It`s like a mule rearing up on its front legs and just letting go
because that`s the way I feel right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The water continues to come up here at Battery
Park. Look at this water. It just continues to roll in. We still have a
ways to go before we get to high tide, so the water could even come up more
than it is right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This house hours ago was in fine shape, but the
waves have just been relentless, just pounding through.
REHEMA ELLIS, NBC CORRESPONDENT: They have set off a collapse zone.
No cars, no pedestrians in this area.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m actually on someone`s front steps, but as we
widen out, if you can see, it`s actually just sitting in a pile of water
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t know how much longer we can actually stay
out here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t think we`re going to be able to stay in
this position much longer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not expecting much improvement over the next
several hours. My goodness, the wind has just been insane.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m cold, I`m miserable, and it doesn`t look very
good at all.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On the sand dune all day for like the last -- all
day, and suddenly the waves are washing over it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Again, it`s sheets. The streets are flooded on
the other side of the peninsula.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The whole uncertainty about what`s going on around
here, this is not fun at all, I got to tell you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most people have gone, but there are still a few
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`re actually across the street from the beach
and the ocean.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can see the water is up to my knees, up to the
park benches here, more importantly, a record storm surge.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is a metal sign, and appropriately it says
body piercing. If that were to fly off and hit us, it would be doing some
body piercing.
ELLIS: If the wind sways this crane, it could snap off and go
crashing into one of the buildings.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My photographer, who is shooting this right now,
his name is Jimmy Muller (ph), was hit by a flying piece of sign. It cut
him on the inside of his wrist. It cut his ring finger. I believe it was
his ring finger or the one next to the ring finger. He`s OK. He`s
shooting this live shot for us right now. We taped him up. We had a first
aid kit that the company provides.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rain is coming sideways, and I can feel all this
sand hitting my back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Another wave. Wow.
MATTHEWS: Well, a big tip of the hat to all of them. And thank you
for all that great reporting. And, boy, it`s titanic out there.
Up next: Is climate change to blame for Hurricane Sandy? And we`re
going to ask this question seriously. And if so, isn`t it time we got
serious about it?
You`re watching HARDBALL, the place for politics.
MILISSA REHBERGER, CNBC CORRESPONDENT: Hello, everybody. I`m Milissa
Wall Street will be back in business tomorrow. The Nasdaq and the New
York Stock Exchange will reopen their doors Wednesday after Hurricane Sandy
shut down trading for two days. And the organizers of the New York City
Marathon say they are going ahead with Sunday`s race, despite the damage
caused by Sandy.
Meanwhile, UBS announced it will cut up to 10,000 jobs by 2015. The
Swiss bank says it`s trying to restructure its investment banking unit --
now back to HARDBALL.
MATTHEWS: Welcome back to HARDBALL.
Campaigning for President Obama today, former President Bill Clinton
made the political link between Hurricane Sandy and manmade climate change
when he referred to Mitt Romney`s stance on climate change in the recent
debate. This is gripping. Let`s listen.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He ridiculed the
president, ridiculed the president for his efforts to fight global warming
in economically beneficial ways. He said, oh, you`re going to turn back
the seas.
In my part of America, we would like it if someone could have done
that yesterday.
CLINTON: All up and down the East Coast, there are mayors, many of
them Republicans, who are being told you got to move these houses back away
from the ocean. You got to lift them up.
Climate change is going to raise the water levels on a permanent
basis. If you want your town insured, you have to do this. In the real
world, Barack Obama`s policies work better.
MATTHEWS: He`s unbelievable.
Anyway, does our extreme weather we`re facing right now in the
Northeast from droughts and wildfires -- actually across the country -- now
Hurricane Sandy, make the case that manmade global warming is not only
real; it`s having an effect right now?
U.S. Congressman Ed Markey is the top Democrat on the Natural
Resources Committee in the Congress and senior member of the Energy and
Commerce Committee. And Michael Oppenheimer is a professor at geosciences
and international affairs at Princeton University.
I want to start with Professor Oppenheimer.
Simply put, when you look at Hurricane Sandy, which is a funny name
for something hitting our beaches and causing such havoc, do you see
climate change, manmade climate change, in action, in the face?
MICHAEL OPPENHEIMER, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: This is definitely the
kind of thing we expect to see more of in the future.
But, in addition while global warming didn`t cause Hurricane Sandy, it
almost surely made the impact worse. And that`s because sea level has been
rising for the last century due to global warming. And when this huge
storm came along at high tide, with a full moon, with this huge fetch of
water gathered up over the Atlantic Ocean, it was pushing on a sea level
which was higher than it would otherwise have been and it was able to push
the water further and further inland.
I live in downtown Manhattan. I saw the damage, and I can tell you
that this situation is only going to get worse over this century and over
the coming years and decades because global warming will continue to cause
sea level to rise and probably cause such storms to become more intense
until we reduce the emissions of the greenhouse gases that are causing the
MATTHEWS: In the real world, not the parallel universe of the people
on the far right, the Luddites, whatever you call them -- Mayor Bloomberg
is one of the most practical politicians in the world. He`s out there
trying to retrofit the subways thinking about the future and this water
level thing, Congressman.
REP. ED MARKEY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Absolutely. This has real-world
impacts on ordinary people. As the professor just said, the ocean is now
much hotter. As a result, it`s much higher, and the arctic is melting, and
that`s changing the jet stream which would have ordinarily put this storm
off to sea.
So as a result, there is an extreme weather tax now. It`s going to
be billions and billions of dollars. And while Mitt Romney is concerned
about the Koch brothers, the average American right now is worried about
global warming, worried about climate change, worried about the impact on
their family.
MATTHEWS: Who are these people, professor, who fight you? Who are
these people that write op-ed pieces in "The Wall Street Journal" with such
assurance that this is all bogus science? Who -- are they phonies? Are
they quacks? What`s their argument?
OPPENHEIMER: There are different motivations. Some people don`t
want to hear about global warming because it`s bad news and there`s enough
bad news in the world and everybody has plenty to worry about anyway. Some
people don`t want to hear about it because it gets in the way of their
economic interests.
MATTHEWS: Yes.
OPPENHEIMER: Those would be the fossil fuel companies, for instance.
And some people are just generally skeptical and don`t like experts, and,
frankly, I don`t like experts all the time myself either.
But these are the facts. Every academy of science of every major
country in the world has said this is happening. It`s happening now. It`s
only going to get worse until we start taking actions to stem the emissions
that are causing the problem. But in the meantime, this stuff is going to
be happening even if we get emissions under control for some time, for
decades, so we have to learn how to adapt better, how to prepare for such a
potential disaster, how to mitigate their damages.
MATTHEWS: OK. We don`t have any high ground to go to in this where
we have 6 billion people living on this planet. There`s no other planet to
go to if the atmosphere begins to be destructive of our living here. But
politics is about every two years, every four years.
How do you run a political argument that has to be paid off within
the next couple years? You have to win the argument. Who is willing to
vote for somebody who is willing to do something about climate change?
MARKEY: Well, this frames the election for next Tuesday very well.
It`s Mother Nature versus the Koch brothers.
MATTHEWS: Yes. Who are the Koch brothers? Explain.
MARKEY: The Koch brothers are the single largest funders of this --
of Republican --
MATTHEWS: Oil and gas.
MARKEY: The oil and gas industry, the coal industry. They are
funding Mitt Romney and the Republicans across this country.
They want Romney in because here`s what Romney is promising: one,
he`s going to do away with the tax breaks for wind energy but keep it for
oil. He is going to do away with the fuel economy standards that increase
the efficiency of the vehicles we drive up to 55 miles --
MATTHEWS: Yes.
MARKEY: -- per gallon backing out 6 billion metric tons of CO2.
That`s what Obama wants to do, back out 3 million barrels of oil per day
from the Persian Gulf, all the oil we import.
MATTHEWS: Yes.
MARKEY: The Koch brothers want Romney, and Romney has promised, to
roll back those fuel economy incentives. It endangers the planet. And
it`s going to endanger young men and women who have to go to the Middle
East to import the oil from there rather than backing it (ph).
MATTHEWS: Well, Professor Oppenheimer, back in the `60s, we called
such people pigs. Pigs. No, really, they don`t care about the planet,
they don`t care about the destruction of war. All they want is what they
got, their stuff. And they want more of it.
Is that what we`re facing here, just greed? I`m not talking about
the guy working in the coalmine. That`s hard work. I`m talking about
people who won`t listen to you, won`t listen of science because they want
more stuff.
OPPENHEIMER: Listen, Chris, I`m not into name-calling here.
MATTHEWS: Well, I am.
OPPENHEIMER: Fine, that`s your job, not mine.
We have a serious job to do. The administration has actually started
to put in regulations to reduce emissions. U.S. emissions are actually
down modestly. We have a long way to go. We`re going to have to do this
by all getting together and acting cooperatively.
We have to do in our own lives what we can, get those energy
efficient appliances and cars. We have to encourage the government to
start passing more -- tighter regulations to reduce emissions, and we have
to also be prepared to deal with some of the climate change that`s
inevitable by better planning and organization around the towns and
communities we live in. Everybody has it get involved.
MATTHEWS: Congressman Markey, I have known you forever. You`re a
friend of mine. I watch you fight this fight. I watch the goodwill and
the good effort to fight these people.
But on the other side of the fid, it`s not just always the other side
of the aisle, it`s not always Republicans, huge amounts of money being paid
to congressmen and women running for re-election that says, hands off.
Don`t push this thing, right?
MARKEY: Well, Mitt Romney was a climate science believer when he was
the governor of Massachusetts. No Republican can be nominated to run for
president of the United States if they say they believe in climate science.
Having a conversation with that Mitt Romney would be like having a
conversation with an empty chair.
MATTHEWS: Yes.
MARKEY: That governor that we had. He cannot run.
It`s a party controlled by these interests that want to kill fuel
economy standards, wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, all the things that
young people in our country know we have to invest in if we are going to
avoid the most catastrophic consequences. There is no emergency room for a
planet. We have to put in place the preventative measures as the professor
just said to protect against that danger.
MATTHEWS: Some day they`ll remember the people that didn`t do
Anyway, thank you, U.S. Congressman Ed Markey. Thank you, professor
Michael Oppenheimer of Princeton.
OPPENHEIMER: Thank you.
MATTHEWS: Up next, speaking of bipartisanship, I guess we were -- a
prominent Republican with a very famous last name once again endorses
President Obama. That`s ahead.
This is HARDBALL -- think Eisenhower Republican, remember them? This
is the place for politics.
MATTHEWS: We`ve got some new Senate polling.
Let`s check the HARDBALL scoreboard -- starting in Massachusetts
where a new Suffolk poll shows Elizabeth Warren with a -- look at that --
seven-point lead over Scott Brown. It`s Warren, 53 percent. A powerful
number. Brown, 46 percent.
But a new "Boston Globe" poll has the race still tied 47 all.
In Ohio, a new "Cincinnati Enquirer" poll has Democratic Senator
Sherrod Brown up over Josh Mandel by just four, though, 51-47. Boy, that`s
Finally to Florida, where a "Sunshine State News" poll has Democratic
Senator Bill Nelson leading Republican Connie Mack by five. Too close for
that one, 49-44.
We`ll be right back.
MATTHEWS: We`re back.
Four years ago, Susan Eisenhower, the granddaughter of Ike, of
course, Republican President Dwight Eisenhower, endorsed President Obama,
and even spoke at Denver`s Invesco Field during the Democratic National
Now, Ms. Eisenhower, a registered independent, is making the case for
President Obama`s reelection, saying that this president deserves four more
years and has work to get done.
On challenger Mitt Romney, she said, quote, "As a result of this
campaign, I`m more confused than ever about what Mitt Romney stands for. I
know little of his core beliefs, if he even has any. No one seems to agree
on what they are and that`s why I do not want to take a chance on finding
Well said. It caught my ear. I love the way he put that because
I`ve got more to say on this topic.
He is almost -- he`s not the cellophane man up. You can`t see him.
There`s nothing there you can actually -- what`s beneath the shoulder, the
ties and the shirt? And is there anything you believe there that you can
determine that will last past the current speech?
SUSAN EISENHOWER, EISENHOWER INSTITUTE: Well, that`s the problem.
He had to run to the extreme right to get the nomination to begin with.
Now classically, candidates move into the middle. But he didn`t do that
until late in the campaign which leads to you believe perhaps he was with
the ideas he was espousing during the primary.
MATTHEWS: Well, that`s my questions because he made such hard
commitments -- no revenues, what we call the neoconservatives, the real no
hawkish people, even though he`s had no experience on foreign affairs.
He`s made commitments to the religious right. He`s not part of the
religious right, but he`s made all these commitments to them on choice, on
-- on everything, contraception, even on same-sex marriage. He`s against
everything now it seems.
EISENHOWER: Well, they`re going to call in those chips, too. They
try just about every candidate until they finally ended up with Mitt
MATTHEWS: Yes.
EISENHOWER: And I think the thing that concerns me most is he`s
going to wanted a second term, because he wants a second term he has to
keep that base relatively happy or else he`s going to get a contender.
MATTHEWS: Primary.
EISENHOWER: Yes.
MATTHEWS: So, he will stay bought?
EISENHOWER: I think that is the really compelling thing about a
second term for any president, is that all of the politicking you have to
do the first time around.
MATTHEWS: OK. I put you up -- you`re a smart lady, of course, and I
want to put you up against somebody equally as smart who I completely
disagree with, David Brooks. I read his columns in "The New York Times".
Let`s take a look at what Brook said today, I think this was a campaign
season column by him, by the way, and I`m knocking him for this.
Anyway, he made a prediction today that how Mitt Romney would govern
with his eye toward the 2016 re-election, as you said, but he says, quote,
"To get re-elected in a country with a rising minority population and a
shrinking Republican coalition, Mitt Romney`s shape-shifting nature would
induce him to govern as a center-right moderate. If Romney wins, we`re
more likely to get bipartisan reform. Romney is more of a flexible flip-
flop than Obama. He has more influence over the most intransigent element
in the Republican equation House Republicans. He`s more likely to get big
stuff done."
Well, that`s the strangest endorsement. The guy has no backbone.
He`s our guy.
What an amazing statement by David Brooks.
EISENHOWER: Well, I was going to say, what about this shape-changing
experience? What have we seen in that regard? So, I think --
MATTHEWS: He`s never back -- he`s never fought -- well, that`s the
point you`re making. At least John McCain stood up to the woman who said,
Obama`s an Arab.
EISENHOWER: Right.
MATTHEWS: And Bill Clinton, who`s pretty flexible, and a pretty good
politician said, you know, he stood up with Sister Soulja, when he thought
those lyrics went too far, with the hip-hop. This guy never stood up to
the right.
EISENHOWER: Brooks goes on to say that he thinks only Mitt Romney
can make Congress cooperate. And I think this is really a very, very
dangerous idea, that unless one side gets its way then they`re simply not
going to cooperate. I think the public is fed up with this. I think they
really want Congress to cooperate with the new president, no matter who it
MATTHEWS: And, by the way, the Republicans who are running for the
Senate now, this guy Mourdock --
EISENHOWER: Right.
MATTHEWS: -- and this guy Akin, they`re all further right than Mitch
McConnell. They`re going to join the DeMint crowd.
EISENHOWER: Right, they are. And I think that the commitments that
were made earlier in the campaign are going to come back to haunt Governor
MATTHEWS: So, how about -- can you speak for Joy and David? Any
chance your relatives are going to comment on this?
EISENHOWER: Well, I don`t -- I`m the Washington Eisenhower.
Everybody else --
MATTHEWS: OK. I hope Gettysburg can join this team perhaps.
Anyway, thank you. They`re great people as you are. Thank you. Great
family -- Susan Eisenhower.
We`ll be right back. You`re watching HARDBALL, the place for
MATTHEWS: Let me finish tonight with what Susan Eisenhower just
asked. Do you -- does anyone have a grip on who Mitt Romney is? Really?
Is he the moderate pro-choice for governor in Massachusetts, the guy who
gave us the model for Obamacare? Or is he the right wing guy who hangs
with hawks, talks cozily of war, signs on with Grover Norquist, joins with
religious right?
Is he Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde? Or is he both? Or neither?
Jack Kennedy once said he felt sorry for his rival Richard Nixon
because he, quote, "doesn`t know who he is and each stop has to decide
which Nixon he is at the moment."
Want to hear a worse case? Do you really think that this guy Romney,
who will service the right wing so sweetly, will suddenly have the force of
will to betray it? Have you seen a single case when Romney`s broken free
from the mob that`s brought him this far, a single Sister Soulja moment, if
you will, when he said to the Trumps, the Sununus, the birthers, the
Norquists, the neocons? No, this time you ask too much. No.
All the evidence is that Romney will remain Romney -- pliable,
bendable, usable to the same crowd that took "W" -- remember him? -- used
him and dumped him in history`s hamper.
That`s HARDBALL for now. Thanks for being with us.
"POLITICS NATION" with Al Sharpton starts right now.
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text:
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The root is a simple pencil drawing, colored under openSUSE with Gimp.I want to express the various crossings of the lifeways from different individuums at different times.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
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Hollywood hopes that when it comes to big-budget confections, such as "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Django Unchained" and "Les Miserables," there's no such thing as too much of a good thing. With an eye toward ending the year on a festive note, studios are cramming the final month of 2012 with more than a half-dozen star-driven or action-packed films, but not every movie has what it takes to lure moviegoers away from the Christmas tree.
Even the most meticulously planned slates can unravel under the bright lights of the holiday box office. After all, much of last year's crop of yuletide films met a frosty reception. Movies like "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," War Horse" and "The Adventures of Tintin" arrived with high expectations, but struggled to find their footing.
So why does the movie business think it can avoid the same trap this year?
"I think the marketplace is in terrific shape as we head into December," Chris Aronson, head of 20th Century Fox's domestic distribution, told TheWrap. "We've got comedies, we've got action, we've got a little film called 'The Hobbit.' The marketplace is healthiest when there's something for everyone, and over the last five weeks that's exactly what we've got."
The choices are broad, but with seven films opening in wide release between Dec. 19 and Christmas Day, there will inevitably be cannibalization. Indeed, roughly the same number of films debuted over during the same period last year, which left some insiders privately griping about a Christmas crunch. Partly to avoid the competition, a few high-profile films, such as "The Great Gatsby" with Leonardo DiCaprio, vacated the holiday season entirely.
Also read: Box Office Shatters Thanksgiving Record Behind 'Breaking Dawn 2' and 'Skyfall'
But if enough films connect with audiences, the movie business could enjoy a healthy rebound over last year. Overall, the industry sold roughly $10.2 billion worth of movie tickets in 2011, a 3.5 percent drop from 2010, while attendance dipped by 5 percent to the lowest levels in more than a decade.
If the current trends hold, stateside box office will eclipse last year's anemic performance. Going into Thanksgiving, the domestic box office was at $9.4 billion, which is roughly 4.5 percent ahead of where it was at the same point last year, according to the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO).
"We've had a mixed year in terms of how audiences have responded," said Patrick Corcoran, a spokesman for NATO. "The first quarter was spectacular, the second was about even and the third started strong but in the end tailed off. It has really illustrated how important it is to have a good mix of movies at all times. But 'Skyfall' is hitting like crazy, and 'Twilight' is doing what was expected, so I have my fingers crossed the remaining big films will play."
Central to those hopes will be "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," which will cast a long shadow over the box office when it hits theaters on Dec. 14. With three weeks left before Peter Jackson's return to Middle Earth opens, industry executives tell TheWrap that "The Hobbit" is tracking ahead of where "Avatar" was at a similar point and on par with "The Return of the King." The final film in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy grossed north of $1 billion in 2003, meaning that "The Hobbit" could pull off a similar feat and drive up the overall box office.
"'The Hobbit' looks like a monster in the best possible way," Greg Foster, IMAX's chairman and president of filmed entertainment, told TheWrap. "It's a four-quadrant film that people will wait in line for with a big fan base appeal. It's a big, huge holiday movie from a filmmaker who has also won Academy Awards."
Also read: 'Les Miserables' Unveiled to Ovations, Controversy and High Oscar Hopes
With that heady combination in mind, most studios are steering clear of "The Hobbit," leaving its opening weekend devoid of other major releases.
However, the typical onslaught of wintertime films will still take place. Of those movies, studio executives and analysts polled by TheWrap believe that "Les Miserables" with its passionate musical theater fan base and star-studded cast, "Jack Reacher" with Tom Cruise in action hero form and "Django Unchained" with Quentin Tarantino putting a historically revisionist spin on slavery have the best chance of breaking out.
Some executives also added Judd Apatow's "This is 40" to that list, but wondered if the decision to open the film against the Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand comedy "The Guilt Trip" will eat into its box office take given their similar demographic appeal. Adding to their prospects of catching fire with critics and audiences, "Les Miserables" and the Osama Bin Laden thriller "Zero Dark Thirty" both received a strong response when they screened last weekend.
The key thing missing is that unlike in past years there is no "Alvin and the Chipmunks" to appeal to families with young children besides the 3D re-release of "Monsters, Inc." and the Billy Crystal comedy "Parental Guidance." That could hurt, as "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," the most recent cuddly critter sequel sunk its teeth into $342.7 million worldwide after opening last Christmas.
"I think we're looking at one of the bigger box office seasons," Vincent Bruzzese, president of the market research firm Ipsos' motion picture group, said. "Last year, there was a diverse mix of films, which had something for everyone, but nothing that really excited anyone. This year, we're looking at more movies with a broader reach and a slate of films that inspires more urgency in people to go to the theater."
Not everyone believes that this year's crop represents a significant upgrade from last year's, when many films under-performed, while "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol" and "Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows" provided some blockbuster heft. Bruce Nash, founder of the box office site TheNumbers, said that aside from "The Hobbit," the rest of the field has a lot of question marks that will depend on strong reviews to break through.
"Generally through the end of the year things are looking pretty thin," Nash said. "'The Hobbit' could make $300 million and that will make everyone feel better, but the other films like 'Django' and 'Les Miz' are not safe bets. They have to over-perform, because they are big risks."
Beyond the quality of its offerings, one thing that has Hollywood feeling confidant is the calendar. This year Christmas falls on a Tuesday, meaning that Christmas Eve, traditionally a weak day for ticket sales, will fall on a Monday, which also happens to be the softest box office day of the week.
"We're not losing a weekend," said Nikki Rocco, president of Universal Pictures distribution. "When Christmas falls on a Sunday, that takes a big chunk out of our weekend box office."
Ultimately, the hope is that "The Hobbit" will kick off the final leg of the season and inspire moviegoers to return to the multiplex for films that arrive without the pedigree of a multi-billion-dollar franchise behind them.
"The best form of motivation to go to a movie is when the last experience a person had in a movie theater was so good it motivates them to go back," Foster said. "We're like a baseball player. We have streaks and slumps, but the best way to continue a streak is to have a hot bat."


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Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie
Total TimePrep: 45 min. + chilling Bake: 15 min. + cooling
Makes8 servings
- 1 unbaked pie pastry (9 inches)
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 3 tablespoons baking cocoa
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 3 large egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- Bake pie pastry. Cool.
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt; stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Beat egg yolks lightly. Stir a little of the hot mixture into the yolks; return all to saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Pour 1-1/2 cups mixture into small bowl; add coconut to bowl and set aside.
- Combine chocolate layer ingredients; blend into remaining mixture in saucepan. Return to heat; cook and stir until mixture begins to boil. Remove from the heat; spread 1 cup over bottom of pie crust. Top with coconut mixture and finish with remaining chocolate mixture.
- For meringue, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Spread over hot filling, sealing to edges of pie crust. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool to room temperature; chill several hours before serving.
Nutrition Facts1 piece: 396 calories, 16g fat (8g saturated fat), 102mg cholesterol, 274mg sodium, 57g carbohydrate (37g sugars, 1g fiber), 7g protein.
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Jun 15, 2013
No comment left
Dec 18, 2012
This pie is sooo good. I made it for Thanksgiving and have been craving it ever since. I am making it again on Christmas.A few changes I made to make it more full of coconut flavor were:I used 1 tsp coconut extract and 1 tsp vanilla instead of 2 tsp vanilla. I replaced 2 cups of the milk with coconut milk (you could also use light coconut milk, or the kind you buy in the box). I also used coconut sugar as a sugar substitute which is healthier and adds another coconut element to the pie.I also topped it with homemade whipped cream made with coconut sugar. It was so good!!I'm going to use shredded coconut next time. I prefer the texture.
Oct 24, 2012
It was sooo DELICIOUS... my family doesn't like meringue so I topped it with coconut. The other part I changed was I toasted my coconut and instead of adding 2 teaspoons of vanilla I added one of vanilla and one almond.
Jul 23, 2010
Was delicious and a big hit! I skipped the meringue and put coconut on top of the chocolate layer before baking. Looked beautiful!
Apr 6, 2010
Good stuff!
Apr 14, 2009
No comment left


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Children's activities, Winter activities, Skates A 400-meter skating rink made of natural ice. The Oval is located on the campus area / Mid Sweden University near the city center, where the former regiment A4 was low. Welcome! Read more
Winter activities The Winter Park is home to the activities most popular with children: Snow castle, ice play, and ice hockey. In other words, a true paradise for children looking to play! Obviou... Read more
Skates, Skiing, Rental [...] Ice skating track located on Lake Storsjön, and starts just in the center of Östersund in the harbour. The area down at the Winterpark, with the nordic skate- and cross country ... Read more
Skiing, Other activities Learn the basics of biathlon and compete like a professional at the World Championship Arena. A one hour lesson will give you basic theory, skiing and shooting practice. Session... Read more
Skiing, Rental Cross country ski equipment for rent and for sale, also provides ski-waxing service and lessons at Sweden's most complete Ski Stadium. A wide selection of skis of different leng... Read more
Skiing, Children's activities There are very good possibilities for cross country skiing in Östersund for all levels, beginners to professionals. You will find everything from steep and tough upphill-slopes ... Read more


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Meltdown 2018 was nominated for Music Week Awards' Festival of the Year and won the AIM Independent Music Awards' Act of Independence award.
Robert Smith curated the UK's longest-running artist-curated music festival in its 25th year. Smith is the lead singer and principal songwriter of The Cure, and its only constant member since the group formed in 1978.
One of popular music's defining bands, The Cure took the 'alternative rock' genre mainstream around the world and garnered numerous awards including a Brit Award for Best British Band, an MTV Icon Award, a Q Inspiration Award and NME's Godlike Genius Award. Smith has also been presented with an Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement.
An iconic figure in his own right, Smith's influence reaches across popular culture, film, art, and fashion.
His many collaborations include performing and recording with artists as varied as David Bowie, Billy Corgan, Blink 182, The Stranglers, Placebo, Crystal Castles, Faithless, Korn and 65daysofstatic.
Meltdown is one of the UK's most anticipated music events each year, in which an iconic artist curates their own personal festival, revealing their interests and influences. Robert Smith follows in the footsteps of such legendary curators as Patti Smith, Nick Cave, Yoko Ono, Massive Attack, Ornette Coleman and 2017's M.I.A.
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CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – Deputies in Clay County are trying to identify two men who tried to use a credit card stolen from a truck earlier this month.
The 31-year-old victim told deputies his pickup truck was broken into sometime overnight Feb. 12.
The man said as he was walking his children to the bus stop the next morning, he noticed a receipt that had been inside the truck lying in his yard. He then checked his unlocked truck and found his wallet missing from the driver's door.
The victim's two ATM cards were canceled. Investigators said someone tried to use one of the cards at a Walmart on Fleming Island but was denied because the cards were already canceled.
Anyone who knows the identity of the burglars, specifically the one seen in a surveillance photo wearing a dark blue shirt and with blonde hair, is asked to call the Clay County Sheriff's Office at 904-264-6512.


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Antitrust Case Filings
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To filter the list of cases, select desired options from the left navigation pane.
View the list of NAICS and SIC industry codes used by the Division. To view all industry codes, visit Census.gov.
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|U.S. v. Cox Enterprises, Inc., Cox Automotive, Inc., and Dealertrack Technologies, Inc.
|September 29, 2015
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|Computer Systems Design Services, Data Processing Services, Internet Publishing and Broadcasting, Software Publishers


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Anchorage Daily News Opinion Article
Beware the liars
Con artists target Alaskans and they're good at the game
(Published: September 18, 2006)
Alaska has another unwanted NO.1 ranking. We topped the Federal Trade Commission list for per-capita fraud complaints in 2005. This includes fraud by phone, e-mail, snail mail and Internet, fraud dressed as overseas riches, sweepstakes opportunities, lottery winnings, prizes and promotions.
Alaskans reported 1,654 complaints. Of those, 723 reported how much they lost: The average loss was $1,062. What kind of deals are these? Scammers often tell victims they've won a prize of some sort -- now the scammers just need a check to cover fees, servicing or taxes. Or maybe they just need a credit card or Social Security number. That opens the way to a serious financial bite and identity theft.
Or they'll use the cashier's-check scam, as described by assistant attorney general Ed Sniffen of the state's Consumer Protection Unit. You've won a big prize in the Canadian lottery, but we need $1,500 to cover processing and international duties. What? That's a lot? Tell you what, we'll advance you a cashier's check for $1,500. Deposit it in your bank account and immediately wire us the $1,500. But, surprise, the check is as bogus as the prize and your $1,500 is gone for good.
"I can guarantee you have not won the lottery," Mr. Sniffen says.
Or scammers will salt the wound by calling victims and pretending to represent a law firm or government agency trying to recover their losses. We have a check for you, but you need to cover the legal fees.
Sally Hurme, an expert on elder abuse and fraud for AARP, visited Alaska last week and had some simple advice for seniors and anyone else targeted by phone telemarketing scammers. Give the telemarketer one of three replies:
- I don't do business over the phone.
- I want to wait until tomorrow.
- I need to check this out with a friend or family member.
"That could save Alaskans millions," said Ann Secrest, AARP's Alaska communications director.
We'd add to that list simply hanging up the phone, a defense seconded by Mr. Sniffen.
Ms. Hurme's advice is particularly appropriate for older people who are inclined to courtesy and to give a caller the benefit of the doubt, which sometimes is all the scammer needs to begin the theft.
AARP, an organization for people 50 and older, focuses on fraud because so many fraud victims are over 50 -- about 57 percent, according to a 2001 AARP national survey. Senior citizens may be especially vulnerable because of disabilities, social isolation, fear of intimidation, and their own dreams for children and grandchildren. They often have assets, and scammers go where the money is. As Mr. Sniffen says, older people may be wise to the hustle by phone but gulled by the less familiar e-fraud.
None of us, at any age, likes to think we could fall for such a con. But the ugly game of con criminals works often enough to be profitable -- worth about $40 billion a year, according to one congressional estimate.
So, please follow Ms. Hurme's advice. And Mr. Sniffen's -- hang up. Hit the delete key. Get wise.
"Education is the best defense," Mr. Sniffen says.
And if you suspect a fraudulent pitch, don't hesitate to call state, local or federal agencies for help.
It's satisfying to think there's a special place in hell for those who prey on the old and the weak. It's more satisfying to imagine no place on Earth for them -- or at least no business in Alaska.
BOTIOM LINE: Fight fraud by refusing to be a victim. For help, contact AARP at 762-3302; the state's predatory lending referral hotline at 1-888-925-2521; Better Business Bureau, 562-0704; National Fraud Information Center, 1-800-876-7060; Federal Trade Commission's Consumer Response Center, 1-877-382-4357; or the state's Consumer Protection Unit, 269-5200 in Anchorage, or toll-free 1-888-576-2529. Also, AARP and the Better Business Bureau will present a free seminar called "Scam Jam 2006" at the BP Energy Center from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 16. The public is welcome.
'Weapons of Fraud'
Here's a way to battle con artists by the book. The book is "Weapons of Fraud: A Source Book for Fraud Fighters." The authors are Anthony Pratkanis, a professor of psychology at the University of California, and Doug Shadel, AARP's Washington state director and a former fraud investigator.
They take the reader on a tour of what con criminals do and why it works. They include transcripts of tape recordings of scammers made by undercover investigators that range from laughable to chilling, from soft sell to verbal abuse.
They explain the psychology of the con -- how the predator deceives his prey. They also give some history of that psychology, from how a poor painting called "September Morn" became a best seller in the 1920s to Edgar Allan Poe's account of con men of the mid-19th century.
And they show how people who think they're too smart to be had can be had with just a little effort.
If you've seen or read David Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross" about boiler room real estate salesmen, you'll have a clue to the world and ways the authors reveal. These are not the likable con men of "The Sting."
The book, which includes a CD of recorded conversations with telemarketing scammers, is free. And that's no con. The local office of AARP has copies available at the Frontier Building, 3601 C St., Suite 1420; 762-3302; email@example.com.
They say knowledge is power. Here's knowledge.
-- Frank Gerjevic


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Biden: Assault weapons ban will keep cops safer
- Vice president says law enforcement organizations support the ban
- Fewer police were %27outgunned%27 when ban was in effect%2C Biden says
- Biden will travel to Richmond for roundtable with gun safety experts
WASHINGTON — Vice President Biden said Thursday that Americans should support a reinstatement of an assault weapons ban, in part because it will keep police on the streets of the USA safer.
As Democratic lawmakers introduced a bill on Thursday that would reinstate a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, Biden pushed back against the argument that such a ban had little effect in improving gun safety when one was on the books from 1994 to 2004.
Participating in what was billed by the White House as a "Fireside Hangout" on the website Google+, Biden acknowledged that assault weapons account for a small fraction of gun deaths in America. But, he said, law enforcement organizations overwhelmingly support the ban for good reason.
"There were fewer police being murdered, fewer police being outgunned when the assault weapons ban, in fact, was in existence," Biden said.
Biden, responding to a question from one of the participants about the need for assault weapons for protection in the aftermath of a natural disaster, said another weapon would more useful.
"Guess what? A shotgun will keep you a lot safer — a double-barreled shotgun — than an assault weapon in somebody's hands that doesn't know how to use it, even one who does know how to use it," Biden said. "You know, it's harder to use an assault weapon to hit something than it is a shotgun, OK. So if you want to keep people away in an earthquake, buy some shotgun shells."
Though gun-control advocates have been generally warm to the sweeping gun-control agenda President Obama unveiled this month, some on the left have criticized his call to hire up to 1,000 school resource officers and school-based mental health professionals.
Biden said the administration is not calling for armed guards in schools — something the National Rifle Association has proposed. Instead, schools would have the flexibility to hire a uniformed guard, he said.
He said it would be a "terrible mistake" to arm school staff. "The last thing we need to do is be arming school teachers and administrators," he said.
Friday, Biden will travel to Richmond, Va., to meet with experts who have worked on gun safety issues in the wake of the mass shooting on the campus of Virginia Tech in 2007.
The White House said the president and Biden will hit the road in coming weeks to push their agenda to curb gun violence, which has become a top priority in the aftermath of last month's mass shooting in Newtown, Conn.


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Institutional investment reaction is divided over SkyCity Entertainment Group's pokies-for-convention-centre proposal.
Graeme Thomas of Milford Asset Management in Auckland said the $350 million Auckland deal was leaving some shareholders unimpressed.
"There is little doubt that the possible outcomes of this process have caused investors to be wary," Thomas said.
But Nachi Moghe, senior equities analyst at Morningstar in Auckland, was more optimistic about thecentre and prospects for SkyCity's Adelaide casino, where a bigexpansion is planned.
Both deals could be significant drivers of earnings growth for the next several years and could materially increase shareholder value, Moghe said.
SkyCity, which released its June-year results last week, stood to gain substantially from the deal, particularly on its share price, he indicated.
"Our back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests a lift in valuation of between 35c and 70c a share [9 per cent to 17 per cent on our current $4 fair value], should the company be allowed an additional 350 to 400 gaming machines," Moghe said.
"Similarly in Adelaide, the company is in discussion with the South Australian Government [about] the A$250 million ($322 million) Adelaide Riverbank project."
SkyCity was aiming for similar returns there and if the project went ahead it would transform the casino from a relatively staid business into an attractive entertainment and gaming complex, Moghe said.
SkyCity was counting on high-spending Asian visitors to rejuvenate growth, he said.
The Problem Gambling Foundation said New Zealand had about 20,000 poker machines. They were the most common form of gambling, the most used by problem gamblers and disproportionately likely to be in poor areas.


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Will Catherine take down her own father in order to save Vincent?
In the final moments of the fall's penultimate episode, Vincent (Jay Ryan) went to save Tori (Amber Skye Noyes) who was set up by Cat's father, Detective Reynolds (Ted Whittal), after he became aware she was a beast. With Tori tied up and a bomb by her side, viewers were left wondering what happened when the explosion went off. (Spoiler alert! We have it on good authority both survived.)
Beauty and the Beast's Amber Skye Noyes: Tori and Vincent have a bond that Cat can't share
On Monday's midseason finale (9/8c, CW), Catherine will have to decide if she'll help Gabe (Sendhil Ramamurthy) get Reynolds behind bars for all he's done. She'll also come to terms with Vincent's beastly side overpowering his humanity and whether or not she's willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of their love. That is, if she can even forgive him for making out with Tori.
In the clip below, Cat shows up to the scene of the explosion where she learns Vincent and Tori's fate and is hit with the plan that included taking down her own father.
Beauty and the Beast airs on Mondays at 9/8c on The CW.
(Full Disclosure: TVGuide.com is owned by CBS, one of The CW's parent companies.)


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• Click here for photos of Sarah's Burke's life
VANCOUVER — An effervescent Sarah Burke sits beside her husband, Rory Bushfield, in a recently released video clip from a Ski Channel film and talks passionately about the couple's life as winter sport enthusiasts.
"That's where we're the happiest," says the pioneering superpipe skier. "Whether it's an X Games contest, out snowmobiling together ... it's what our lives are, is being on the hill. And there's a reason for that, it's amazing, it's where we met, it's where we play, we live...."
Then in a chillingly ominous interruption, Rory says, "And hopefully where we'll die." To which Burke adds, "and where we'll die."
Burke, an X Games star who understood the risks inherent in her live-on-the-edge sport, died Thursday in hospital in Salt Lake City, nine days after sustaining critical head injuries when she fell during a training session in the superpipe at Park City, Utah.
The Squamish resident was 29.
"Sarah was larger than life and lived life to the fullest, a phenomenal representative of her sport," said Peter Judge, CEO of the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association. "In many ways, she was the face, the name and the brand people identified with, having been involved right from the very beginning.
"She was at the forefront of the sport all the way through."
Burke was attempting a relatively common flatspin 540 when she fell, hit her head and suffered a ruptured vertebral artery, one of the four major arteries supplying blood to the brain. She went into cardiac arrest on the hill.
Her publicist said in a statement Thursday that the artery was surgically repaired a day later, but that she had sustained "severe irreversible damage to her brain due to the lack of oxygen and blood after cardiac arrest."
Burke's organs and tissues were donated.
Burke's agent and publicist have helped the family, which has declined interview requests, set up a fundraising initiative — www.giveforward.com/sarahburke — to help them with the reported $550,000 in hospital costs.
While the CFSA carries insurance for all its athletes, the policy does not cover athletes competing in events that are not a sanctioned part of the association's program. In this case, Burke was taking part in an event put on by sponsor, Monster Energy.
Judge said he would be surprised if Monster, which sponsors many action sports events in the U.S., did not have some kind of insurance coverage.
Judge said there may be "some portals and avenues" for the CFSA to assist the family, adding that the organization has received several offers of help from the likes of the Canadian Olympic Committee, the International Olympic Committee and even the Russian ski federation.
A four-time X Games gold medallist and the first woman to land a 1080, or three revolution trick, Burke will be remembered for pushing to get women into the ESPN-sponsored action sports showcase and for advocating to get ski halfpipe into the Olympics for Sochi 2014.
"As a face and a spokesperson for the sport, she was always very articulate, very intelligent in terms of what she presented the sport to be," said Judge, adding that she was never bitter that it took so long for the IOC to finally include the disciplines.
The photogenic Burke, who was getting ready to defend her 2011 X Games title later this month in Aspen, Colo., likely would have been one of the favourites for the gold medal at her sport's Olympic debut in Sochi.
Now, that favourite's role might fall to one of her teammates, reigning world champion Roz Groenewoud, also a Squamish resident. The Calgary native said this on her Twitter account Thursday: "Thankyou for being a great teammate for 6 years and for believing in me more than I ever did myself. You'll always be my hero. Loveyou Sarah."
Judge said it would be a very difficult time emotionally for Burke's teammates, but that the CFSA had sport and clinical psychologists available to those athletes.
While the gregarious and outgoing Burke was known primarily for her skiing exploits, she was also actively involved at the grassroots level, participating in coaching camps and working with young kids. She also did philanthropic and charity work, including running the 2011 Nautica South Beach Triathlon as a fundraising effort for St. Jude's Children Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
"It was something very important to her," said Judge. "She took on her athletic role and saw it as a larger responsibility and lived that all the way through."
B.C. Premier Christy Clark, federal minister of state for sport Bal Gosal, and Canadian Olympic Committee president Marcel Aubut were among those offering tributes to Burke.
"Sarah was a true inspiration to all who had the privilege to know her," said Aubut. "Especially to the new generation of athletes in this country as she helped define the superpipe discipline in the sport of freestyle skiing."
Burke is survived by her husband, her parents Jan and Gordon, and sister Anna.


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Monday, 19 September
(Didn't somebody in Alice in Wonderland say something like that?
Phideas, that's Christos' son, gave his Uncle Demetrios a call and wanted to meet him. It's just sort of ironic, because he never seemed to want to before, when we were on good terms with his father, yet now … ?
So they spent this morning together at a café, and no, Phideas neither asked for any money nor had any medical problem. He wanted to discuss some ideas he has for his future. (You may recall that he went into the army last year, and I thought that was just what the lad needed to make a man of him. Well, that didn't work out. The army sent him back home within a few weeks.)
I'm so delighted he's thinking about his future, trying to formulate some plans.
Phideas wanted to discuss a religious matter, too, so Demetrios has bought him a good book on that issue. I assume this means they'll meet again soon. I hope so.
In the evening, we went to Panagiota's house, adjacent to the Kastro (Castle). This time, only she and Olympia were there (Nick having already returned to Richmond), and Panagiota's daughter Ioanna, and Ioanna's husband, Aleko, the parents of the bride. So, six of us. We had a better chance, this time, to get to know Olympia's family. They are all wonderful people whom we hope to get to know better and better.
Again we enjoyed the marvelous view from their terrace, the lights of the city clustered around the bay. Thessaloniki really is a beautiful city, especially at night.
We gave Ioanna our belated wedding gift for her daughter and son-in-law, and received three books Panagiota wanted Demetrios to have.
And we ended the evening early (10:00) because Olympia has to get up early to catch her flight home. So it was all perfect.
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Good news; Demetrios and Christos met again today, together with Phideas, and they all had a good time together at Maxim's, that café I keep alluding to.
Later, Ioannis the theologian came, with his wife Mena, and I joined them all.
Finally, after all these years, I got to know Mena some, and what a gift! Usually she is silent, says as little as possible, but this time, she talked and talked and so did I, managing the Greek reasonably well because we weren't on topics that require any fancy vocabulary. She's a wonderful person and we developed a beautiful bond. Thank you, God.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Life Gets Curiouser and Curiouser
Monday, 19 September
Posted by Anastasia Theodoridis at 5:04 AM
1 comments:
- Anam Cara said...
Such good news about Demetrios and Christos and their meeting!
- September 22, 2011 at 6:28 AM


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Greece implemented the biggest debt writedown in history on Monday, when it swapped the bulk of its privately-held bonds with new ones worth less than half their original value.
A Finance Ministry statement said bonds issued under Greek law with a total face value of €177.2 billion ($232.5 billion) were exchanged. A smaller batch worth €28.5 billion, issued under foreign law or by state enterprises, will be swapped in coming weeks.
The debt exchange opens the way for Greece's second international bailout, expected to be finalized this week by finance ministers from the 17 eurozone nations. It will also transfer the majority of the country's debt from private into public ownership — its eurozone partners and the International Monetary Fund.
Without the swap and the €130 billion ($172 billion) bailout, Greece faced defaulting on its debts in less than two weeks when a big bond redemption was due.
Though the bond swap will wipe €105 billion ($138 billion) off Greece's €368 billion ($485 billion) debt mountain, giving Athens breathing space to enact more austerity, many analysts think the country's debt remains unsustainable.
The yields on the new bonds, with maturities of between 11 and 30 years, are trading at rates between 13 and 19 percent. That indicates that investors think Greece needs to cut its debt a lot more before it can return to markets for funding.
"Markets are telling us that Greece still faces a Herculean task," said Louise Cooper, markets analyst at BGC Partners. "If the country's problems were solved by the biggest ever sovereign restructuring ever and the first default in Western Europe for 70 odd years — the last one was Italy in 1940 — then why are the new and shiny bonds trading for the first time today as junk?"
Greece succeeded last week in getting the vast majority of its investors to agree to the debt-reduction deal.
It got the support of 83.5 percent of private investors, who will take real losses of more than 70 percent on their holdings of Greek debt. Of the investors holding bonds governed by Greek law, 85.8 percent agreed. The deadline for foreign-law bonds — which saw a 69 percent takeup rate — has been extended to March 23.
Despite the success of the bond swap, the longer-term task facing the country, which is due to hold elections within the next couple of months, is tough.
"The budget must be balanced; otherwise we won't be able to borrow from anybody," government spokesman Panagiotis Kapsis said on Greek radio.
Greece has been locked out of the markets by sky-high interest rates and has been relying on funds from an initial €110 billion ($145 billion) bailout since May 2010.
Despite receiving more than €70 billion ($92 billion) of the initial rescue loans and passing a series of austerity measures, the country remains unable to service its debts as the economy has plunged into a deep recession.
European leaders agreed last October that Greece needed a second bailout if it was to avoid a disorderly default that could have dragged down the euro.


text:
Are you in that spot too? It snuck up on me. The other day I was saying something to my daughter and turned around to wonder where my mom came from and it turns out it was me. I was channeling my mom. I suppose it's a good time in my life and I'm fortunate that I can be a mom and a daughter. That my mom, my parents, are here to spend time with the kids. One weekend at home with my parents visiting and I'm a kid again. I'm with my kiddos every day and I'm "the mom". I actually used, "because I'm mom" as a reason for something the other day. I always thought I wouldn't use that as a rationale, but there you go. I did it. I'm the mom. The power!
But then I spend time with my parents, especially when it's just my mom, and I feel like I'm in high school again and we're lamenting high school dramas. Except it's not high school drama, it's the kids, or friends, or something random we're just talking about, but I don't feel like a mom, I feel like the again. I'm not sure I can be a mom and a daughter at the exact same moment. Is that even possible?