That being said, Obama is a bush league President with some major league challenges.
To begin with, it might send a thrill up your leg to be able to say that you voted for the first black President, but once you've already done it, it's not nearly as exciting the second time around. Moreover, Obama's not going to be able to successfully run on "change," "hope," "unity," and being everything to everybody in 2012. Americans have already been there, done that, bought the t-shirt, and it's already too ratty to wear even when they're mowing the lawn.
This time around, Obama will have a rather significant record to run on and unfortunately for him, it's extremely unpopular with everyone but liberals. We have an economy in the toilet, a soaring jobless rate, a failed stimulus, massive debt, rocketing gas prices, funneling billions to his corporate cronies in bailouts, cash for clunkers, suing Arizona for trying to enforce immigration law, bungling the Gulf oil spill, starting another war in Libya, and the destruction of the American health care system via Obamacare. Running on that agenda would be like Neville Chamberlain running on his expert handling of Nazi Germany.
So, what will Obama and his allies run on in 2012 (Hat tip to Brooks Bayne for the idea)?
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1) Yes, I am the President who got Osama Bin Laden! Why do you ask? Oh, you didn't? Well, let's talk about it anyway! Putting an extra hole in Bin Laden's skull and dumping him in Davy Jones’ locker is the one positive, popular accomplishment that Obama has to boast about. So, expect him to mention it. A lot. Like, as much as Rudy Giuliani used to talk about 9/11. When the only thing you have to run on is saying "Okey-Dokey" to the military when it tells you it wants to grease Osama Bin Laden, then you'll do just about anything short of putting out commemorative plates celebrating your decision.
2) I'm not George W. Bush! I swear! Running as the "Not-George W. Bush" candidate was an effective tactic in 2008. After all, W. was the sitting Republican President and he was extraordinarily unpopular. However, that tactic flopped for the Democrats in 2010. It’s even less likely to work for Obama in 2012 since Bush is more popular now and there's an actual agenda that Americans can judge President Hopey McUh-Uh-Uh on. Still, expect to hear plenty of mentions of George W. Bush between now and November of 2012, if only because the Left will hate to waste 8 years of over-the-top demonization.
3) There are lies, damned lies, and statistics -- then there's the Obama campaign! Democrats habitually lie because they just assume that the mainstream press will cover for them. Nine times out of ten, they're right. So, expect Obama to talk about how hard he's fought to get the debt under control, how many jobs he's "saved or created," and how successful the bailouts have been -- among many, many other fabrications. If the press won't call him on his fibs, a man like Obama will figure, "Drudge, Limbaugh, Fox, and Breitbart can't correct ALL of my lies. If the public buys even a few of them, then it is all worth it!"
4) Republicans want to slather your babies in mayo and eat them! When you've got a record that's as bad as Obama's, you get REAL INTERESTED in the other guy’s record, the things you can make up about his record, and the things you're sure he'll do if he's elected -- like leave old people to die in the street and bring back segregation. The mainstream media will, of course, be working overtime to introduce the GOP candidate to the American people. While we don't know EXACTLY what will be said, we do know that the GOP nominee will be portrayed as stupid or crazy, as well as heartless, evil, and racist by default -- since he will be, after all, disagreeing with a black man. In other words, the GOP candidate will be getting the full Sarah Palin treatment.
5) 2012 is the most racist period in American history since the Civil War! If Al Sharpton were President, he'd call his opponents "racist" outright. This is why Barack Obama is Al Sharpton 2.0. He'll be personally reluctant to do the deed. Instead, he'll let his supporters do it for him, give them a wink to show he approves, and try to maintain his completely phony "post-racial President" image. Meanwhile the Left, with Obama’s blessing, will be dealing out more race cards than Hallmark sells on Mother's Day -- while he keeps his hands clean.
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