President Barack Obama has consistently been under fire since his first day in office because of the bitter Republicans who outwardly opposed the president on all political issues.
However, the president may have the last laugh come November 2012 when Americans go back to the polls to potentially re-elect the current leader of the free world.
Moreover, the economy is showing positive indications of growth and Obama’s shift to the center after the 2010 midterm elections are key pillars to a winning foundation.
In a daily presidential tracking poll published on Rasmussenreports.com, Obama had below 50 percent in favorability, but 26 percent of the nation’s voters strongly approve of how the president is performing, though it’s hard for many to strongly approve of what anyone does these days.
Another Rasmussen report also shows that 31 percent of voters give the president good or excellent marks for handling the economy; less than half indicate that he’s doing a poor job.
But despite these early polls, Obama is still the best man for the job and that fact wins overwhelming support everywhere, or at least in places like key swing-states that matter politically.
In all four early primary states (Nevada, Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina) Obama would beat the Republican nominee if elections were held today, according to polls done by politico.com.
A CNN poll taken just days after the resounding Republican victory in the 2010 midterm elections suggest, and this one’s a game-changer, that both Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney could dethrone the president.
Both Huckabee and Romney continually trend first and second in most national polls of potential 2012 Republican contenders; Palin has trailed third for the most part.
But have we forgotten what happened in 2008? Have we forgotten the most important asset the Obama campaign has: the Obama starpower?
Obama’s popularity among many famous celebrities is the single most important asset of the Obama campaign.
Republicans have this in Sarah Palin, but due to recent trends, her popularity has become less of an asset and more of a liability.
Yet, the Obama starpower is like a cooling star, waiting patiently for its final explosion in 2012.
Another important asset the Obama campaign has, which nearly guarantees his hold on the White House, is the media. The media will play a significant part in who will win in November 2012.
Furthermore, Obama’s got a campaign funding machine and a grassroots network that never went away, leave him posed to take on whatever challenge is brought his way.
Admittedly, Obama has lost many white male voters and several independents tackling the big issues, but the Republican nominee hasn’t exactly won them over either. The GOP nominee and Obama will battle for these votes early in the primaries.
Lastly, with Republicans demonizing Hispanics with an aggressive anti-immigration agenda and as students fight funding deficiencies in financial aid, Obama will be able to keep his base of minorities and students.
Should white female voters also re-join that base, Obama would be in a good position to win by more than his last victory.
African-Americans remain solidly behind Obama, especially after personal attacks on the president’s character by Tea Party aggressors in the 2010 campaign season, which many considered to border on racism.
The Obama starpower will likely be enhanced as the nation’s brightest stars and celebrities endorse and campaign in their own right on behalf of the president, a force the Republican nominee simply will not have access to.
The president has taken a lot of critical hits in the last few years, all of which have served to diminish his starpower.
However, Obama’s political finesse and perpetual open-mindedness to those critiques and allegations have made him admirable.
Obama appears more presidential than any of his possible contenders because of his willingness to stay above the fray while sticking to leading and inspiring the nation by seeking solutions through compromises.
The Republican party has been consistent in obstructing progress using their strategy of saying no. As a result, they continue to be identified as the opposition party of old, white conservatives.
Furthermore, the GOP has been consistent in its approach to target white voters only, while making lackluster efforts in any other demographic area, which has contributed to its limited abilities.
However, it has nearly perfected many of its most effective strategies as seen in the 2010 midterm elections.
Yet, to those who would cite the midterms in 2010 as indications of Obama’s troubled waters, remember the electoral map of 2008, the speeches and the man.
Obama is simply more identifiable and relatable than any of the current potential Republican contenders.
The power of money can’t be forgotten, either.
Obama can raise money from a vast network, and has a political team that is unrivaled.
Demographic shifts are in the president’s favor, and if the economic conditions keep improving, the economy will become less of an effective platform for any opposition candidate.
Healthcare may be an issue, but the president strategically tucked it away in 2014, the year the mandate will potentially go into effect.
Obama will tout a resurging economy, a de-escalation in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and unveil an agenda for the future that will remind Americans why they elected him in the first place: a hope for change.
How will the Republicans and their conservative philosophy contend with this? They may not be able to. Thus, they may have to be satisfied with applying their philosophies in the House, while setting up for possibilities in 2016.
The highest unemployment, record deficit, and record debt. were going to happen regardless. Let us not forget the last administration (G.W.) got us into this mess. Do you think that another Republican could have done better to get us out of it?
I love how people constantly forget that we were in a recession before Obama even ran as a presidential candidate.
But he has done nothing to help it. He has committed our country to spending more money than we have on the stimulus, health care, and now an extra war. If he was really serious about fixing our economy he would have focused on creating jobs. Did you know that, according to the Washington Post, in just a few short years, the Affordable Care act has a provision that authorizes a $3.9 billion tax increase? Did you also know that if you fail to get a government sanctioned healthcare plan, the IRS has the ability to fine you up to 2% of your income in addition to repossessing your property? Did you know that according to a Weekly News article, the. ACA will shackle the middle class with $2 trillion in debt?
How's that for economic relief.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/cbo-obamacare-would-...
brown-waite.house.gov/UploadedFiles/IRS_Power_ Report.pdf.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-...
I apologize for the negativity of my tone, but I must say, this is perhaps one of the poorest excuses for political commentary I have ever seen. I have seen better journalism in high school newspapers.
It's really this simple, at home Obama faces an uphill battle with: The economy is far from showing any signs of resurgence, the housing market is as soft as ever, unemployment is still excessively high (12%+ in CA, for example, with an underemployment rate in excess of 20% by many estimates).
If Obama is encouraged by the same facts you are that he is "the best man for the job", then he will certainly lose. He has a mountain of legitimate criticism to overcome. He campaigned as being different than Bush, and offering hope and change, but his policies at home and abroad reflect Bush's policies, especially abroad, more now than ever before.
It is amazing this article passes for intelligent commentary on a major college campus. and Unfortunately, this type of editorial will likely be perfect for getting a job at the New York Times.
Skyrocketing gas prices
indecisiveness in the middle east
vacationing in Rio while we have 3 (technically 2) wars going on
forcing oil companies not to drill in the Gulf
ramming a vastly unpopular healthcare plan through congress
Failing to make our mission in Libya clear at all
Spending vast amounts of money that we do not have an expecting us future taxpayers and our children to foot the bill
Need I go on?
If Bush had gone on Spring Break vacation while we had multiple wars going on, he would have been impeached in a heartbeat.
He is an absentee president which is not what we need right now.
Yes, go on. Elaborate on all of your one line reasons for why one member of the executive branch of the 3 branches of the entire government is to blame for the country's woes.
Forcing oil companies not to drill in the gulf? Maybe I'm mistaken, but that was Ken Salazar's decision. Are you one of those elderly people that just shouts "Obama" every time the government does something they don't like?
Vacationing in Rio? So you are going to mention that Bush was vacationing in Texas in the weeks after 9/11 right? I mean really, point these things out or don't mention them at all, but don't pick and choose.
You're going to sit there and blame the president (one person) for skyrocketing gas prices? It's one man's fault? I never knew.
Healthcare is vastly unpopular? Show me. Last time I checked the millions of uninsured Americans were all for it.
Failing to make our mission in Libya clear? What the f@ck do you even mean by that?
Spending vast amounts of money? Where were you when G.W. was in office for crying out loud? We went from a surplus to a deficit thanks to him.
You must be a freshman brainwashed by your parent's political ideologies if this is all you can come up with. You're almost plagiarizing from Bill O'Reilley's talk show on your "He's ruining our children's future think of the children!!!" rhetoric.
I mean my God, I didn't even vote for Obama, but I can make better arguments than you.
"go on. Elaborate on all of your one line reasons for why one member of the executive branch of the 3 branches of the entire government is to blame for the country's woes."
I never said he was but he certainly is not helping us. No matter the specifics of who authorized what and who did what, the average American is going to see anything done by the government as the President's doing.
"Forcing oil companies not to drill in the gulf? Maybe I'm mistaken, but that was Ken Salazar's decision. Are you one of those elderly people that just shouts "Obama" every time the government does something they don't like?"
It was the Obama administration regardless or who it was and if I am not mistaken, he was appointed by Obama so it falls on Obamas shoulders anyway. Sticks and stones my friend.
"Vacationing in Rio? So you are going to mention that Bush was vacationing in Texas in the weeks after 9/11 right? I mean really, point these things out or don't mention them at all, but don't pick and choose."
You are assuming I side with Bush. No matter who it was, it is still vastly irresponsible during a time when many are out of work and barely making ends meet.
"You're going to sit there and blame the president (one person) for skyrocketing gas prices? It's one man's fault? I never knew."
Moratorium on Drilling in the Gulf. We can supply our own oil for the next century or so while investing capital in alternative energy sources instead of becoming dependent on foreign nations for our livelihood..
"Healthcare is vastly unpopular? Show me. Last time I checked the millions of uninsured Americans were all for it."
As of this week, according to Rasmussen, only 41% of Americans have a favorable view of the ACA.
"Failing to make our mission in Libya clear? What the f@ck do you even mean by that?"
He has yet to specify why we are there. He said we were going to remove Gadhafi. Now we aren't. But we want a democratic government. But Gadhafi is not the target of these attacks. What crass. This indecisiveness is intolerable.
"Spending vast amounts of money? Where were you when G.W. was in office for crying out loud? We went from a surplus to a deficit thanks to him."
So called 'Obamacare' would cost taxpayers over $2 trillion. http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/cbo-obamacare…
According to this article which comes from government data says that Obama has accumulated more debt in his presidency than all other presidents from Washington to Reagan put together. http://www.cnsnews.com/node/72404
"You must be a freshman brainwashed by your parent's political ideologies if this is all you can come up with. You're almost plagiarizing from Bill O'Reilley's talk show on your "He's ruining our children's future think of the children!!!" rhetoric."
Assumptions get you nowhere my friend. O'Reilly also does not have a talk show.
"I mean my God, I didn't even vote for Obama, but I can make better arguments than you."
My arguments are supported with facts. I don't see any in yours.
A quote fest. My favorite.
I stated plenty of facts, for instance, if 41% approve of the healthcare bill then yes, that means more people don't approve, but you said the VAST MAJORITY don't approve. Do you see 59% as the vast majority? That's not even 3/4 of the percentage.
And I say again, you went through your entire first post stating how things were Obama's fault. All I did was point out that one person cannot be to blame for an entire country's f@ck ups. I'm glad you agreed with me here and there, but the point was met, and that's all I cared about.
Once more, I don't like Obama, I didn't vote for Obama, but I'm not so ignorant that I'm going to blame him (or stand here and see someone else blame him) for the U.S. and it's mishaps. The way I see it, the Republican controlled House, the senate, the Supreme Court, and the executive Branch (Yes, including Obama) are to blame, as well as the respective politicians of each individual state.
You tell me how Obama is to blame for the deficit in Texas, the tuition hikes, or anything else. I can play your game and blame Perry if you'd like.
P.S. O'Reilly sure as hell doesn't have a news show, so talk show is the only term I can come up with for his excuse of televised entertainment.
That is simply how everyone else sees it. Whether you like it or not. If the economy was in full swing it would be his doing and everyone would love him. Right now, the economy is in terrible shape and, honestly, he is not doing anything to help it recover. As such, he takes the blame for his actions and those of his administration. That is how politics works.
This was a funny one Neimon!! Now seriously, where's the link to the political articles written by the adults? I can think of a couple of newspapers that would love to get their hands on this kind of "commentary"…. LA Times, NY Times, Washington Post, Cal Berkely campus newspaper… the tabloids.
By the Neimon- you are a flat out racist. How you feel you can legitamately say that the Rebuplicans "continue with their strategy of only targeting white males" with noting but conjecture is beyond me. But then, I remember that you are a liberal, and hence, a moron.
I am a life long resident of Southern California, and liberals morons like yourself have had a stranglehold on our state legislature for 20 plus years and heave run our state into the ground with the "liberal agenda" that liberals dream of applying countrywide.
And lastly, Obama is the LEAST respectible and the MOST UNpresidiential person to be in the oval office in history. His lack of realworld experience has been greatly manifested in his many, many misteps. He is a complete joke, and is only concerned with the guy he see's in the mirror each morning. Get off the kool-aid Neimon, for your own sake.
Wake up Neimon, it's time to go out in the real world.
i dont think people understand how hard it must be to be the president. I feel that people aren't realizing how he's actually trying! Yes i understand there are certain decisions that have been made that may not be as wise as we think, but he's not the only one responsible. It's the entire government as a whole. Stop blaming Obama, and open your eyes up to the fact that he's human, which means he makes mistakes and is trying to do the best for this country. Learn to give someone credit. He's for the minority, for the students, for trying to find an exit out of this FAT hole that Bush put us in. He can't simply snap his fingers and make everything better. Sure unemployment is higher, but the economy is getting better. Little by little he's trying to lift the country up from the mess that Bush left. It's not an easy process, and people should stop and think about that.
I think that Barack Obama will win re-election, but the Republicans will gain control of the Senate in 2012. During the midterms, the Democrats were wiped out in the House, whereas only one third of the Senators were up for election, and the Democrats only narrowly held on. In 2012, Obama will win and will probably have a Republican Congress like Bill Clinton had the rest of his term.
It's hard to take seriously the writing of someone who creates a new paragraph for each sentence.
You are SO WRONG!
Do you have any idea how many of us democrats have turned our backs on Obama over his refusal to enforce our immigration laws!!!
He is in for a shock in 2012.