Good call, Republicans.
Tampa and St. Petersburg lie on the critical I-4 Corridor, where several hundred thousand swing voters live. I-4, which isn't really an interstate, heads east from the Gulf to Orlando and then northeast to Daytona Beach. Perhaps by nominating Gov. Mitt Romney (or a player to be named) in Tampa, the Republican campaign for president can secure a head start in reclaiming Florida.
The Democratic search committee is still choosing from Cleveland, Minneapolis, Charlotte and St. Louis. I'm a little surprised Chicago is not in the running as the president could sleep at home instead of a hotel during Convention Week. Also, as anyone who was here in 1996 knows, we put on a hell of a show. Three of the four cities are in swing states (not Minneapolis). The Democrats need to hold on to Ohio and would like to keep North Carolina. St. Louis has its benefits if the delegates can withstand the St. Louis humidity in early September.
Showing posts with label 2012. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2012. Show all posts
Monday, September 6, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Is this love built to last?
After Tuesday's friendly meeting at the White House between President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pro-Israel Obama supporters are keeping their fingers crossed.
They're hopeful there will be no more new apartment complexes in Jerusalem that make the president David Banner-angry. Not like the ones that are built in Washington and New York all the time with no complaints from the Israeli government.
They're hopeful there will be no more flotillas that caught the White House off-guard by starting a disagreement between two allies.
In short, they're hopeful there will be no further developments that would put the president in a tight spot as the 2012 election draws closer: torn between his leftist, anti-Israel supporters and his overwhelming command of the Jewish vote, which is staunchly pro-Israel. During his Administration's 18 months, the president has tried to straddle the fence: appear pro-Israel at home while presenting an Arabist or neutral position abroad. This strategy produced sharp drops in the president's approval ratings in both camps.
Avoiding another incident seems almost impossible. It's likely better for the president if Israeli-Palestinian peace talks do not resume. Any progress peace talks produce would enrage Iran and Syria as well as mobilize the "Arab street." Another regional Mideast war might ensue, putting Israel at the top of the news and the president in the middle again. Aside from peace talks, it's only a matter of time before a terrorist is successful; or CNN shows dead babies; or Israel permits its citizens to build more homes. For the president, that spells trouble.
They're hopeful there will be no more new apartment complexes in Jerusalem that make the president David Banner-angry. Not like the ones that are built in Washington and New York all the time with no complaints from the Israeli government.
They're hopeful there will be no more flotillas that caught the White House off-guard by starting a disagreement between two allies.
In short, they're hopeful there will be no further developments that would put the president in a tight spot as the 2012 election draws closer: torn between his leftist, anti-Israel supporters and his overwhelming command of the Jewish vote, which is staunchly pro-Israel. During his Administration's 18 months, the president has tried to straddle the fence: appear pro-Israel at home while presenting an Arabist or neutral position abroad. This strategy produced sharp drops in the president's approval ratings in both camps.
Avoiding another incident seems almost impossible. It's likely better for the president if Israeli-Palestinian peace talks do not resume. Any progress peace talks produce would enrage Iran and Syria as well as mobilize the "Arab street." Another regional Mideast war might ensue, putting Israel at the top of the news and the president in the middle again. Aside from peace talks, it's only a matter of time before a terrorist is successful; or CNN shows dead babies; or Israel permits its citizens to build more homes. For the president, that spells trouble.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Not so fast, Newt and Sarah
There are reports that former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R.-Ga.) and Gov. Sarah Palin (R.-Alaska) are considering running for president in 2012.
Gingrich was Republican Whip before engineering the GOP takeover of the House in 1994. His grateful Republican colleagues elected him Speaker following the November, 1994 midterm elections. Following the disastrous impeachment hearings and the GOP’s loss of numerous congressional seats in the subsequent 1998 midterm elections, Gingrich resigned his Speakership and his suburban Atlanta congressional seat (to which he had just been reelected). A professor by trade, he has been writing books over the last ten years.
Because of his combative partisan approach to politics, as well as his brilliant successes during the Clinton era, Gingrich was Dr. Evil in Democratic circles. Just ask Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who repeatedly named him in fundraising letters. His marriage history may actually be worse than Rudy Giuliani’s, which is saying something. (And I think he paid for an abortion, too.)
Newt could try to run against President Obama in 2012. I doubt he’ll get very far. What I’d really like to see—also far-fetched—would be for Newt to be Secretary of State. In this new Administration! It’s high time someone in charge rooted out the decades-long history of anti-Zionist bias that permeates the State Department. Newt could pull it off.
The limited success of candidates attempting to kick out a sitting, elected president is evident. It’s a short list: Clinton sent George H.W. Bush back to Houston in 1992; Reagan sent Carter on his current world tour in 1980; and FDR bounced Herbert Hoover in 1932. If you want to go past 1932, please send me your results. But my point is that only three men succeeded in 13 attempts to unseat a sitting, elected president. That’s a terrible 23 percent success rate.
I think Gov. Bobby Jindall, (R.-La.) could beat Obama in 2012, but it would require an electorate terribly disappointed in its president. With an expected economic recovery starting in 2011 or so, that’s extremely unlikely in my estimation.
Gingrich was Republican Whip before engineering the GOP takeover of the House in 1994. His grateful Republican colleagues elected him Speaker following the November, 1994 midterm elections. Following the disastrous impeachment hearings and the GOP’s loss of numerous congressional seats in the subsequent 1998 midterm elections, Gingrich resigned his Speakership and his suburban Atlanta congressional seat (to which he had just been reelected). A professor by trade, he has been writing books over the last ten years.
Because of his combative partisan approach to politics, as well as his brilliant successes during the Clinton era, Gingrich was Dr. Evil in Democratic circles. Just ask Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who repeatedly named him in fundraising letters. His marriage history may actually be worse than Rudy Giuliani’s, which is saying something. (And I think he paid for an abortion, too.)
Newt could try to run against President Obama in 2012. I doubt he’ll get very far. What I’d really like to see—also far-fetched—would be for Newt to be Secretary of State. In this new Administration! It’s high time someone in charge rooted out the decades-long history of anti-Zionist bias that permeates the State Department. Newt could pull it off.
The limited success of candidates attempting to kick out a sitting, elected president is evident. It’s a short list: Clinton sent George H.W. Bush back to Houston in 1992; Reagan sent Carter on his current world tour in 1980; and FDR bounced Herbert Hoover in 1932. If you want to go past 1932, please send me your results. But my point is that only three men succeeded in 13 attempts to unseat a sitting, elected president. That’s a terrible 23 percent success rate.
I think Gov. Bobby Jindall, (R.-La.) could beat Obama in 2012, but it would require an electorate terribly disappointed in its president. With an expected economic recovery starting in 2011 or so, that’s extremely unlikely in my estimation.
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