But the first black president (since slick Willie) deserves a second chance!
But then a candidate with Mitt Romney's shortcomings, including his failure to ignite much enthusiasm within his own party, wouldn't stand a chance, either.
Mitt also benefits from the "anybody but Obama sentiment."
The combination of the two explains why this election remains close, but President Obama heads into the campaign's last phase with some major advantages, starting, as Ronald Reagan did, with a rock solid
| Mr. Wife's father and great uncle, loyal -- and decades retired -- steel union members living in a party machine town, will always vote, and vote Democrat. |
Obama also has a benefit of the doubt from many voters because they know he inherited an economic catastrophe, a point powerfully made by former President Bill Clinton in Charlotte.
And the Obama base believes the story it was sooo bad, Obama needs eight years, even though he said he could do in three.
And more voters are enthusiastic about Obama, the man, than about Romney, the man. That's why Team Romney had to spend so much time at the Tampa convention rescuing Romney's personal image. It also explains the wide energy gap between the two conclaves.
That, and the MSM toots louder than the web.
| To MSM ears, anyway... |
Especially the voice vote triple-play. But even E. J. Dionne can stumble across an acorn -
The debates next month are Romney's biggest opening, and he's very disciplined in his approach to such encounters. He used them effectively to turn back primary challenges from Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum. The president, on the other hand, is out of practice. And although Obama performed well in the 2008 debates against John McCain by directing almost every word he spoke to swing voters, debating has never been his strongest suit.He just needs a sharp aide with a voice-to-text conversion program, and the TOTUS.
Indeed, some of Obama's most loyal supporters see an additional debate risk for him: The president can look arrogant and dismissive when he doesn't respect an opponent or when he feels he has the upper hand.
Then he's toast.
Obama can afford no "you're likable enough, Hillary" moments. Romney will try hard to cause or manufacture them.