Error connecting to RPC daemon

[vdo]

The GUI shows status as Connected, but on stdout it reports the following:

refreshed
qml: >>> wallet refreshed
qml: >>> wallet updated
ERROR /home/vdo/src/monero-core/bitmonero/src/wallet/wallet2.cpp:590 !r. THROW EXCEPTION: error::no_connection_to_daemon

bitmonerod output:

6-Sep-01 22:56:37.232846 [RPC0]ERROR /DISTRIBUTION-BUILD/src/rpc/core_rpc_server.h:77 Failed to on_get_blocks()
2016-Sep-01 22:56:47.273965 [RPC0]ERROR /DISTRIBUTION-BUILD/src/rpc/core_rpc_server.h:77 Failed to on_get_blocks()
2016-Sep-01 22:56:57.314936 [RPC1]ERROR /DISTRIBUTION-BUILD/src/rpc/core_rpc_server.h:77 Failed to on_get_blocks()
2016-Sep-01 22:56:58.223506 [P2P2][71.202.19.145:56031 INC]Sync data returned unknown top block: 1126602 -> 1009962 [116640 blocks (-81 days) ahead] 
SYNCHRONIZATION started
status
Height: 1126602/1126602 (100.0%) on mainnet, not mining, net hash 25.77 MH/s, v2, up to date, 9+2 connections
2016-Sep-01 22:57:07.355797 [RPC1]ERROR /DISTRIBUTION-BUILD/src/rpc/core_rpc_server.h:77 Failed to on_get_blocks()
2016-Sep-01 22:57:17.396883 [RPC1]ERROR /DISTRIBUTION-BUILD/src/rpc/core_rpc_server.h:77 Failed to on_get_blocks()
2016-Sep-01 22:57:27.437852 [RPC1]ERROR /DISTRIBUTION-BUILD/src/rpc/core_rpc_server.h:77 Failed to on_get_blocks()
2016-Sep-01 22:57:37.478895 [RPC1]ERROR /DISTRIBUTION-BUILD/src/rpc/core_rpc_server.h:77 Failed to on_get_blocks()