Isn’t it funny that four years into his presidency, Obama has said so little that is memorable. Indeed, other than his occasional malapropisms or mistaken forays into speaking off the cuff, much of it is meaningless banality, false choices, and other rhetorical tricks that wouldn’t make it past an average high school debater.
Bush for all his alleged stupidity and crudeness at least had a clear message: we will get the terrorists. Everyone knew where he stood. But where does Obama really stand? And when he does take a stand–for nationalized health care for example–what does he say that ever persuades anyone that doesn’t already agree with him?
I should think Romney or Santorum will wipe the floor with this guy and his crummy record come the Fall. He outmatched the dull John McCain, but both of the GOP’s guys, to their credit, have some fire the belly about the all-out assault on our freedoms undertaken by Obama. I could be overly optimistic, but I don’t see working class whites breaking for Obama, and they are the undecided voters, as much as that chagrins our ruling class.
Subscribe To This Feed
I don’t think Santorum would have a chance. By the middle of the campaign, the average voter association would be Santorum = witch burning. The only chance that Santorum might have is that the Left would go too far with the bile and generate a backlash. But really, there just aren’t enough swing voters who are genuine social conservatives who would be motivated by such a thing. The left will also probably be disciplined enough during the election to channel the out-in-the-open hatred towards social conservatives rather than the white working class in general.
Romney has a shot, especially when you look at the situation in the swing states and some of Obama’s politically-deaf ideological actions – such as the birth control mandate. But it mostly just comes down to the economy, as it usually does. If gas prices don’t get too insane, the stock market continues to rise, and unemployment continues to gradually fall, Obama will almost assuredly win. If the opposite occurs, Romney will almost assuredly win. Something in between, and it’s a toss up.
Keep in mind that Obama will have coverage from the media, meaning he won’t be pressured to debate or directly engage Romney too often, and any positive news on the economy will be trumpeted as if Obama’s single-handedly created an economic miracle.
I agree with David. Solid points. Obama will have a much easier time seeming like the better guy. And anything happening in the economy positive will be accredited toward him. And I believe he will actively take the credit. Your optimism for a a new president may not be change you can believe in.