Obama and Romney’s Buckeye Smackdown, Dubya’s Head on a Spike and More

Obama Delivers Economic Speech:

President Obama visited the critical swing-state of Ohio on Thursday to defend his White House record and push his economic plan. The president also used the speech to criticize Mitt Romney, comparing his policies to those of former President George W. Bush. Said Obama: “If you want to give the policies of the last decade another try, then you should vote for Mr. Romney. No no, you should vote for his allies in Congress and take them at their word and they will take America down this path. And Mr. Romney is qualified to deliver on that plan.” (Read more)

Romney Rips Obama in Ohio Speech: President Obama wasn’t the only 2012 presidential candidate campaigning in Ohio on Thursday. Mitt Romney was in the Buckeye State as well, just 200 miles from his election rival. The presumed Republican presidential nominee also had some choice words for the president, blasting Obama for his fiscal policies, which he said were driving the U.S. “over a cliff.” Added Romney: “What [Obama] says and what he does are not always the exact same thing.” To recap both speeches: There was lots of criticism of the other candidate, but little policy talk from either side. Election 2012 is indeed well underway. (Read more)

Edwards Off the Hook: The Department of Justice has decided drop all charges against ex-Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards. The former senator from North Carolina was suspected of using campaign donations to cover up his affair with Rielle Hunter while he was running for president in 2008. Jurors acquitted Edwards on one of the charges and deadlocked on five other felony counts. Edwards, who at first lied about Hunter and the child he fathered with her, denied doing anything illegal, although after the trial he admitted that there was plenty he did wrong. That, perhaps, may be the understatement of the year. (Read more)

Adelson to Donate “Limitless” Amounts of Money: After all is said and done, the 2012 campaign may be remembered for the massive amounts of cash raised and spent in the wake of Citizens United, the controversial Supreme Court decision that opened a floodgate of money into American politics. And if there is any one person who embodies what Citizens United means in this presidential election, it’s Sheldon Adelson. The one-time Newt Gingrich backer is now supporting Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign. What’s more, there is talk that the casino billionaire could donate “limitless” amounts of money to ensure Romney’s success in the upcoming election. We’re talking more than $100 million. It is said that money can buy an election. That’s something we may soon be finding out. (Read more)

HBO Apologizes for Unfortunate Dubya “Game of Thrones” Cameo: Did you know George W. Bush appeared in “Game of Thrones”? Neither did he, and why would he? The “cameo” was Bush’s decapitated head on a spike above King’s Landing. It was seen briefly in the final first-season episode when King Joffrey takes Sansa Stark to look at the head of her dead father, Ned Stark. In fact, it probably would have gone unnoticed if not for the fact that the show’s creators mentioned it in the DVD commentary. HBO issued an apology for the “inadvertent careless mistake” and said it would be removed from future DVDs. (Read more)

Video of the Day: Republicans evidently have no problems with legislating the vagina, as recent laws they have pushed forward suggest, but they sure take issue with anyone using the word. Michigan state Rep. Lisa Brown, a Democrat, was barred by Republicans from speaking on the floor after she dared utter the word “vagina” at the end of a speech the day before. The horror!

— Posted by Tracy Bloom