The Final Debate

We had the third and final debate between President Obama and former Governor Mitt Romney.  Of course, the majority of the MSM outlets declared Obama the winner before the debate was even over.  Regardless of whom you thought won, Romney came across more Presidential and relaxed.  Obama came across more as the challenger and not an incumbent President.  Both men made good points in Monday's final Presidential Debate.  I liked how Romney zinged Obama with his comment on the "Middle East "Apology Tour."   This was in reference to Obama's apologizing for the policies of the USA in past years.  Of course, Obama now denies he ever did this.  That's fine if he wants to do that. But, President Obama can not walk away from the Benghazi Attack that cost the lives of our Libyan Ambassador and three other Americans.  Much has been made of the differing stories of the Obama Administration over this being due to a video or a terrorist attack.  Much has been made of the denial of added security for the embassy.  Obama is "all over the map" (to use one of the President's quaint terms) in defending his administration's handling of this matter.  I do believe Romney did not press Obama hard enough on this issue.  Obama has yet to explain why his administration denied Ambassador Steven's request for additional security.  We have yet to see an adequate explanation.

This debate produced nothing new and President Obama's continued defense of his record on foreign policy ("I killed Osama bin Laden") is rather shallow when you take into account that four Americans are dead at a U.S. Embassy in Libya.  Also, dead are Brian Terry, a Border Patrol Agent, due to gun running in the "Fast and Furious" scandal.  Say what you will about Watergate, there were no deaths due to the coverup of that scandal.  This is still a very tight election.  This is the most important election in U.S. history.  Do we go back to being Americans under Romney, where Capitalism is the driving force of our economy?  Or do we continue toward Socialism under President Obama?  In either case, this election will be a nail-biter to the very end.

Second Debate: Obama's Waterloo?

[This post is being written on Monday, October 15, 2012]

How did it all go so wrong?  Obama was (supposedly) surging to as much as a nine point lead in national polls after the Democratic National Convention.  He was far a head in the battleground states such as Ohio.  Obama had a double digit lead in some polls.  In Florida, he was leading by as much as five points in various polls.  Republicans were screaming at Mitt Romney to change up his campaign, especially the campaign leaders.  Many were starting to question Romney's Vice-Presidential choice.  In short, President Obama appeared to have smooth sailing toward the Presidential Election.  But, then the first Presidential Debate took place.  It was an unmitigated disaster for Obama.  I have been around a long time.  The first Presidential Debate I can remember was the Nixon-Kennedy debate.  I was a child then and it was something special for us to see on TV back in those days.  I've seen a lot of debates.  But, none were as one-sided as two weeks ago between President Obama and Governor Mitt Romney.  As a result, it gave a historic poll shift to Romney.  Romney is leading President Obama anywhere from 2-4% nationally.  But, where the President is really hurting is in the battleground states such as Ohio, Florida, Virginia and North Carolina. There has been movement in virtually all demographics.

The Second Presidential Debate, to be held at Hofstra University, will be more of a town hall debate where audience members ask the presidential contenders questions.  The moderator, Candy Crowley, will supposedly moderate unbiased.  Neither campaign is happy with her.  But, the important thing for Obama is to come out with something resembling fire and enthusiasm.  His lackluster performance in the first debate was the reason his campaign is rattled to its core right now.  President Obama has to show the American people he has a plan to get the economy going and not slogans this time.  He has to give reasons why he should be reelected with such a still terrible unemployment rate and sluggish economy.  Mitt Romney has to keep the heat on Obama.  Breaking even in the debate with an incumbent president will not be enough.  That will be seen by the biased mainstream media as a win for their Lord and Savior, President Obama.  If Obama has another subpar performance, it could well be his final mistake of this campaign (and there have been plenty).  Another subpar performance by President Obama could, indeed, be his Waterloo moment of the campaign.

Super Tuesday Aftermath

As I sit typing out this blog entry, on Super Tuesday, the consensus appears to be that the Republican nominee for President will not be settled on this day.  That could well be the case.  Both Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are virtually deadlocked nationally in some polls.  In the latest Gallup poll, however, Mitt Romney leads Santorum by 16% (38-22%) nationwide.  I've see this polling change dramatically in a week or less.  So, I'm not willing to put a lot of stock in that right now.  On Super Tuesday, Santorum could possibly take the prize plum of Ohio insofar as delegates.  That would give him additional momentum that would virtually erase whatever lead Romney has nationwide.  The frontrunner has changed so many times until I have lost count.  But, even former Arkansas governor and former Republican Presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee, has stated it appears Republicans are starting to get behind Romney.  Many polls have said that Mitt Romney does better against Barack Obama than any other Republican candidate.  So, depending on what happens when polls close on Super Tuesday, Romney may be the guy that gains momentum even if Santorum wins Ohio.  There are many states at stake.  Romney could well win the majority of states, if not also the majority of delegates at stake.

Personally, I think if Romney does win the majority of states and delegates on Super Tuesday, a subtle nod and wink of acknowledgment will take place throughout the Republican ranks.  The Republican nomination has lasted this long because the conservative base was not convinced Romney is a true conservative.  There are things in his past that would bear this out as truth.  However, he appears to be a born again conservative right now.  So, it is my not so expert opinion that Romney could very easily be acknowledged as the "guy" the Republicans send against President Obama.  Whoever the Republican nominee is will most certainly have his work cut out for him.  An incumbent President is extremely difficult to beat.  However, one must point out that Bill Clinton accomplished this feat quite easily in '92.  The reason?  The economy stupid.  Now, Obama knows this.  He is trumping up a recovering economy.   I won't get into why I find that ludicrous.  Suffice it to say that whatever recovery we are now experiencing is in big trouble as long as gas prices continue to rise.  Obama is not invincible.  He has baggage that could make him very beatable.  But, it is going to take a concerted effort of all Republicans to get behind one man now.  Hopefully, that one man will be decided on Super Tuesday. 

I'm Leaning Toward Mitt Romney

As the subject title states, I am leaning toward Mitt Romney now.  I know he is known as the great "flip-flopper."  I know he has the albatross of "Romneycare" around his neck. I know he is known as a "moderate Republican" which runs counter to all that I believe the Republican Party should be.  I have several other issues with the former governor of Massachusetts.  At one time, prior to this year, there is no way I would have voted for Mitt Romney.  That was before Newt Gingrich came to the forefront of the Republican race for President.  Gingrich is thought of as a "conservative" in some circles. That is total, complete nonsense.  His declaration of Rep. Paul Ryan's budget deficit cuts as "right-wing social engineering" told me all I need to know about this man.  His backdoor amnesty plan for illegal aliens clinched it for me.  He is a big government Republican that we all hoped and prayed had gone the way of the dinosaur.  

The more I learn about Ron Paul, the less I like him.  I would probably vote for Gingrich before I would this anti-Israel, anti-military, isolationist candidate.  Rick Santorum is making inroads in Iowa.  But, he simply doesn't have the drawing power to sustain any kind of momentum for long. Rick Perry may make a move. But, he's probably positioning himself for a future run now. Michelle Bachmann is finished and simply doesn't seem ro realize it.  So, why am I leaning toward Mitt Romney, you may ask?  Simply because he is the strongest candidate, the one who has the best chance at beating President Obama.  I know he is having difficulty getting past that 25% support level.  That will change after Iowa, one way or another.  Right now, Ron Paul and Mitt Romney are neck and neck in Iowa.  No one knows who will win that caucus.  If Romney wins Iowa and then wins New Hampshire (where he is heavily favored), the race is basically over.  The rest of the state contests will be simply window dressing.  So, Mitt Romney is my candidate for now.  Will he beat Obama?  I think he can as long as he doesn't make any big mistakes during the campaign. But, with the news media in President Obama's corner, that will be next to impossible for any Republican candidate.

Saturday Night Debate - Gingrich vs Romney

The exhibition games are over.  Now, the real debates begin. There is just a month to go before the Republican Primary season begins in Iowa. There have been so many Republican Presidential debates until I can't keep count of them.  But, tonight, the Iowa debate at Drake University in Iowa, is the first real debate between Romney and Gingrich since Newt became the front runner. Of course, the other Republican candidates will be there along with Ron Paul and Rick Perry.  But, this debate will probably focus on Gingrich and Romney.  The rise of Gingrich has been nothing short of amazing since he was in single digits just a month ago.  But, now, Gingrich has a double digit lead over Mitt Romney.  Romney just doesn't seem able to forge ahead of the 25% of support that has held steady since the first debate early this year. Newt Gingrich seems to be surging.  But, now, Mitt Romney will take the kid gloves off and go after Gingrich with all that baggage he carries into the Primary season.

Of course, Gingrich surging to the forefront is good news for the Obama campaign.  Newt Gingrich is their nominee of choice.  They really don't want to face the moderate Mitt Romney even with the albatross of Romneycare that Mr. Romney carries.  Gingrich will certainly go after Romney on that issue tonight.  In turn, Romney will go after Gingrich on his support of the individual mandate for national healthcare.  Both candidates have baggage.  It just appears that Newt Gingrich has more than Romney.  This will be the most interesting debate so far.  It will eclipse the bitter backbiting between Perry and Romney of the past couple of months.  Gingrich has tried to stay "above it all" during the more nasty mudslinging of prior debates.  I am willing to wager he won't be able to do it tonight.