Obama's re-election: 6 obstacles he must overcome

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Obama's re-election: 6 obstacles he must overcome

The president officially announces his re-election bid Monday. But if he wants a second term, commentators say Obama will need to leap some major hurdles

posted on April 4, 2011, at 3:45 PM



http://theweek.com/article/index/213872/obamas-re-election-6-obstacles-he-must-overcome

1. Lousy poll numbers
Obama's approval ratings are flatlining, says Bryan Preston at Pajamas Media. "His job approval rating remains in the 40s and even low 40s." Some polls have him beating a "generic Republican nominee," but "soon enough the nominee won't be generic."

2. A still-struggling economy
Obama will be cheered by the "plummeting" unemployment rate, says James Pethokoukis at Reuters. But he and his team ought to be more concerned about the shrinking of "real disposable personal income." Political scientists agree that income growth, or the lack of it, "is the economic variable with the most impact on national elections." Americans vote with their wallets, and if they seem emptier than usual, "Election Night 2012 could be a long one" for Obama.

3. A less-than-enthusiastic base
Obama's "self-described movement has gradually eroded" since 2008, says Michael Scherer at TIME, and his campaign video is an attempt to "remake the magic." Last time, he was able to rally his troops against the "common foes" of George W. Bush and the Republican establishment. Those foes "are not so evident today." Indeed, Obama's base is so insubstantial "they couldn't even find enough enthusiastic people to fill out a commercial," says Ed Morrissey at Hot Air. Where's the passion? Gone.

4. Suspicions about his patriotism
Obama's foes have made hay out of the suspicion that the president does not share America's moral and religious values, says John Dickerson at Slate. So this video addresses it immediately. "First image: a farm. Second: a church. Third: an American flag." Expect to see more of this kind of thing in future commercials.

[Demeter]

1. No Fire in the Belly

[somone]

2. Nothing that can't be fixed by another good ol war

[center rising]

3. Ahhhh, one thing he has in his favor

Are that the Republicans are in worse shape than Obama is.

[BlueMTexpat]

4. Poll numbers flatlining in the 40s?

Wishful thinking, methinks.

[JTFrog]

5. FFS.

This shit is gonna get out of control again. :eyes:

I hope they bring the banhammer down hard this season.

[sadbear]

6. A generic republican has a better shot than a specific one.

#1 is already bullshit, and I haven't even read 2-6.