OH NO! – From Bloomberg:  "President Barack Obama said that racial tensions may have softened his popularity among white voters within the last two years, according to a story posted on the New Yorker magazine’s website today.  'There’s no doubt that there’s some folks who just really dislike me because they don’t like the idea of a black president,' Obama said in the article by David Remnick, appearing in the magazine’s Jan. 27 edition.  'Now, the flip side of it is there are some black folks and maybe some white folks who really like me and give me the benefit of the doubt precisely because I’m a black president,' Obama said in his most direct comments on how race has affected his political standing since he’s been in office."  That is absolutely appalling.  The president has now lowered himself to the level of just another race-card player.  Racial issues have nothing to do with his decline in popularity.  It's his performance.  But comments like these are clearly designed to rally the Democratic base for the mid-terms, and they may work.

SOCHI – From the Guardian:  "US military and intelligence officials have been studying contingency plans for evacuating Americans from the Winter Olympics in Sochi, south Russia, next month in the face of concerns about possible terror attacks by militants.  The officials believe there would be major obstacles to mounting a large-scale rescue effort as Russia has historically been reluctant to allow foreign military forces – especially those of the US – on Russian territory, according to a source familiar with Obama administration discussions."  And of course this administration would cave to any Russian demand.  Must keep that "reset" button pushed.  More on Sochi tomorrow morning.  Concern is mounting rapidly in the highest circles.

DIDN'T TAKE LONG – At The Politico:  "With his 12-year run as New York City mayor over, voters approve of the job Michael Bloomberg did running the city, according to a new poll.  Nearly two-thirds of New York voters said Bloomberg’s mayoral reign was “mainly a success,” 64 percent to 24 percent, according to a Quinnipiac poll released Friday. More Republicans were supportive of Bloomberg, with 78 percent calling it successful.   By similar margins, voters also believed that Bloomberg made the city better, 63 percent to 16 percent, with 74 percent of white voters, 50 percent of black voters and 59 percent of Hispanic voters agreeing."   So why then did they go to the polls and elect a radical leftist?  One, because the Republicans barely contested the election, as usual, and, two, because turnout was so small in both the Dem primary and the election that pro-Castro Bill deBlasio could get elected by bringing out his nutcase base, which is exactly what he did.  You wanna win in politics, you gotta fight.  Republicans, please note.

January 19,  2014