The American Spectator : The Race Is On

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The Race Is On

By R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr. on 4.7.11 @ 6:10AM

President Obama is just the latest in a long line of Democratic chronic campaigners.

WASHINGTON — I see that President Barack Obama has filed as a candidate for reelection in 2012. I had suggested that he get to work early on his presidential library and forgo the race, but he is insistent. Well, I tried.

Though some in the media are covering for him, his announcement is the earliest of any modern president. It continues a trend that began in 1972. That was when Senator George McGovern captured the Democratic presidential nomination, though he lost in the autumn of that year in a squeaker. Richard Nixon stole the election, 47,167,319 to 29,168,509. Tricky Dick got 60.7 percent of the vote, the largest in history except for Lyndon Johnson’s 61.1 percent. Watergate changed history.

Using what came to be called the McGovern reforms in the 1972 Democratic Convention, the very same McGovern captured the nomination. Thus began the trend, the era of the chronic campaigner. Since 1972 the Democratic Party has nominated a chronic campaigner every time.

McGovern had been running since 1968 when he declared his candidacy three weeks before the convention and ran as a stand-in for the assassinated Robert Kennedy. No one from the Democratic Establishment noticed anything afoot. They granted the New Politics, whose members had created such a mad pothering at the 1968 convention, something called the Commission on Party Structure and Delegate Selection for the 1972 Convention. When McGovern was made chairman of the Reform Commission, as it came to be called, the Establishment still did not take heed. McGovern had obviously been running since 1968, but as Teddy White noted in 1973, “no one considered McGovern a serious Presidential contender, but he was everyone’s personal favorite.… Robert Kennedy had called him ‘the most decent man in the Senate.’”

Well, the Democratic Party has been stuck with the chronic campaigner since 1972. The McGovern reforms remain for the most part in place. So if you have the time, you too can become a chronic campaigner. Jimmy Carter ran the theretofore most grueling campaign in history and was lucky to have Gerald Ford as an opponent and Watergate. There was not a village too small for him to visit. If two people gathered on a street corner, the chances are Jimmy was there with his hand out and his idiot smile. The next chronic campaigner to win the presidency was Bill Clinton, and he is still campaigning for something. Most recently MSNBC named him “President of the World: The Clinton Phenomenon.”

Obama has been running for president since his first day in the Senate. All through his presidency he has been running for reelection. His filing the other day was a mere formality. The problem with the chronic campaigner is that, though he is a swell candidate, he is a lousy chief executive. He cannot sit still, as in an office. My guess is that Obama has spent less time in the White House than his predecessor. Now he will be on the campaign trail full time.

So maybe Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) will run the country. In unveiling his budget for 2012 he has shown that he is serious about facing the tremendous budget crunch ahead. Some conservatives are dismayed that his budget still adds $8 trillion in debt. It does not balance the budget for 20 years. That just emphasizes how deep a hole we are in! Ryan’s plan is the most serious effort to reform government since…well, since the chronic campaigner came along.

Spending is now, under Obama, at 24 percent of GDP and will go higher. Ryan wants to bring it down to 20 percent, about where it has traditionally been in modern times. If we stick with Obama’s spending we shall be at one with Greece. But cuts are not enough. Ryan knows that to balance the budget the economy must grow. He will lower the burden on personal and corporate taxes to 25 percent and he uses dynamic scoring rather than static scoring to show growth from his tax cut rather than loss of revenue. Revenue under Ryan’s budget will be at 17.9 percent, about where it has been in modern times, and during our periods of economic expansion.

So our chronic campaigner filed for reelection and left town for the campaign trail. Ryan offered a budget for 2012 and a vision. The race is on.

About the Author

R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr. is the founder and editor in chief of The American Spectator. He is the author of The Death of Liberalism, published by Thomas Nelson Inc. His previous books include the New York Times bestseller Boy Clinton: the Political Biography; The Impeachment of William Jefferson Clinton; The Liberal Crack-Up; The Conservative Crack-Up; Public Nuisances; The Future that Doesn’t Work: Social Democracy’s Failure in Britain; Madame Hillary: The Dark Road to the White House; The Clinton Crack-Up; and After the Hangover: The Conservatives’ Road to Recovery.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (52) | Leave a comment Leave a comment

The Bishop| 4.7.11 @ 7:02AM

Nice to see that the Campaigner-in-Chief is quickly enlisting that consensus builder extraordinaire Al Sharpton for his re-election efforts. I think Al might actually be able to deliver the Harlem vote.

Mattled| 4.7.11 @ 8:04AM

Mr. Tyrrell,
No one has ever given a good reason why Hillary took SOS. My belief is that he will campaign, collect mountains of cash and announce he is stepping aside for another historic "first".

All that Petrobras/Soros/Union/Arab cash is waiting for him to collect. Why put up with another four years? Look at Gore and Clinton---close to billionaires.

And if you ask for your money back you are a racist.

Pecos Pete| 4.7.11 @ 8:06AM

The USA is bottom side up. The CIC is out of town, or playing golf. The emperor has no clothes. Looks like Trump is the only fellow on the street with any cajones. Now that Obama has announced for reelection somebody like Trump can certainly begin to work on the fraud that is the current President.

benny havens| 4.7.11 @ 8:08AM

The difference between 1972 and 2012 is that the Greatest Generation will not be here. They have been replaced by the Woodstock Generation. A group that believes money comes from a printing press. They have created another generation that expects checks to be handed out so that everyone can experience the “American Dream”.

What is really scary is that this incompetent lightweight has a very good chance of being reelected. All he needs to do is suggest that if the Republicans cut spending, they will starve children and seniors. It has already started.

Dee See| 4.7.11 @ 8:24AM

AS the con-job serving Globalist front op.
(esp. FOX News, most esp. Glenn Beck)
has successfully branded, co-opted and short-circuited the righteous indignation of Americans
----we're putting our money on another 4 years
of Obama.

Frankly, with second and third generation
EUGENISTS at the controls, and with radiation,
weaponized GMO foods, sterilizing, virus laced
injections and CHEM-trailed air, and tainted
water --and collapsed borders, currency and pensions ----we'll be surprised if 2012 itself isn't the
last American presidential election.

REALLY

WRTolkas| 4.7.11 @ 8:36AM

I believe that this featherweight will be re-elected. I think the Republican strategy will be to run a not so competent candidate against the young incumbent (as they have in the recent past) to force the messiah to burn through his war-chest of money on the re-election of the messiah. Why? So the Republicans can focus on winning a greater majority in the House and a veto proof Senate. Unless the economy tanks, the probability of winning the Triple-Crown (House, Senate, Presidency) is small. However keeping control over the House and winning the Senate is doable. I'll take two out of three and watch the spectacle of this false messiah turn in the wind.

Who Knows?| 4.7.11 @ 8:49AM

I think the key word is “chronic”.

What does a Narcissist most need? ATTENTION on ME!

“Look at me!” is their defining characteristic.

So, just as Nietzsche, in his own suffering Germanic way, put it, with the Eternal Return, these days of burgeoning Narcissism we are witnessing the flowering of 24/7 showing off.

I’ve long ago realized that reincarnation doesn’t just apply to movement between and to other lives, but to instant-by-instant change within THIS life. So that, breath by breath, bite by bite, even wrt mental “food”, we each re-incarnate out psycho-physical appearance.

This is a CHRONIC “dis-ease”!

An Obama is simply the star fooler-in-chief, having been able to express his sick joke of a mirror loving reflection of most voters, so as to become their leader.

Yes—he, and ALL his ilks on the left, are:

Chronic campaigners!

With “chronic” meant to indicate how SICK they are.

LOOK AT ME!

Shamus| 4.7.11 @ 9:20AM

McGovern and Obama are both extreme liberals, but the comparison ends there. McGovern served his country during WWII and is considered an honest person. Obama cares only about himself and is generally untrustworthy.

Anthony| 4.7.11 @ 9:54AM

Be prepared folks, Obozo and the Ds have announced their intentions for 2012, it's victory at any cost, or else!!
What has happened in Wisconsin over the Supreme Court Justice seat is just a prelude to what the left, the unions, and Obozo plan in 2012.
It will be massive voter fraud in all 57, err, 50 states. Obozo does not intend to lose in 2012 and the left and the unions intend to deliver the vote by any means necessary.
Unless the way things going on in Washington and around the country change immediately, which means the people have got to WAKE UP, the 2012 election will go as I predicted.
If that is indeed the case, we're facing civil war. America is rapidly approaching the cliff.

Occam's Tool| 4.7.11 @ 10:22AM

My question for the Forum:

Is Obama a Fast Zombie or a Slow One in the Race? Consider, and please discuss.

That he's a flesh eating, infectious Zombie is not open to question, I think.

Pete| 4.7.11 @ 10:36AM

This will sound ignorant, but just how does one become an poll supervisor anyhow? That might be useful information. I know many who would get involved from our side to help quash voter fraud in 2 years. Taking a videocamera to the polls is one thing, but being in position to see everything all day is another.

emilio lizardo| 4.7.11 @ 10:40AM

General Electric Co. with billions of dollars in profits, sitting atop mountains of money, outsources jobs and investments overseas, already pays zero i.e. $0.000 in Federal taxes for 2010. Cant get much lower than that. And this helps the economy how? Too many people on both sides of the aisle are making too much money in the status quo for there ever to be meaningful change in the tax struture to alleviate the deficit

Steve A| 4.7.11 @ 10:46AM

I thought Obama wanted to be a really good 1 term President as opposed to a junk 2 term President. What happened to that theory?

JimH| 4.7.11 @ 10:48AM

Just wondering, what sort of ID does a candidate have to have to file?

Anthony| 4.7.11 @ 11:00AM

Pete, Contact your R Registrar of Voters for this information.

loulou| 4.7.11 @ 11:28AM

Mattled: That is an interesting point.
The deal might have been that Hillary keeps quiet about Obama's eligibility issues, gets to be SOS then Obama declines to seek second term and gives Hillary her reward.

Observer| 4.7.11 @ 11:56AM

Cute, Mr. Tyrrell, but THE INCUMBENT (unfortunately) is hardly just a chronic campaigner.

RCV| 4.7.11 @ 12:20PM

The reality is that Obama will indeed be reelected. The GOP field is so weak that Donald Trump -- think about it, DONALD TRUMP -- is now running second in the GOP polls in NH. Secondly, as the returns in Wisconsin demonstrate, the GOP has managed to reawaken and reenergize the Democratic coalition such that the complacency that allowed the GOP to retake the House in 2010 will be gone in 2012. Not only will the GOP not recapture the Senate, it will be very luck to hang on to the House. Mark my words.

Iska Waran| 4.7.11 @ 12:25PM

Donald Trump should fund efforts in swing states (most notably PA, which has a GOP legislature AND governor) to enact laws requiring that would-be presidential candidates provide their original birth certificate. He should set up a PAC to follow through on this even upon his demise. That would reduce the otherwise considerable chance of a piano falling on his head.

Steve A| 4.7.11 @ 12:27PM

RCV, If fuel is around $.4.00 a gallon because Obama wants me to strap a solar panel to my F-350 instead of harvest our own oil & unemployment is still around 9% or so, the GOP could run Daffy or Donald Duck & win it. The election will be about Obama, not the GOP candidate.

Iska Waran| 4.7.11 @ 12:27PM

RCV,

Your words are "marked" - for eventual derision.

Steve A| 4.7.11 @ 12:37PM

The absolute best thing Obama could do is cave & allow huge spending cuts to the budget. He caved on the Bush tax cuts already so this would not be a shock.

Blame the GOP for the government shutdown. Wait a bit till the moaning reaches a fever pitch & then trim it way back. Blame the GOP for slashing socail programs.

The market & business will react positively to this fiscal tightening. $$ will flow & jobs will result. Obama then steps in & takes credit for the positive direction & still paints the GOP as extreme. Guaranteed winner.

Nunya| 4.7.11 @ 12:47PM

I sincerely hope Mr. Ryan and the rest of the R's in Congress stand their ground, giving in on this will be the death knell of the country.

As to Obozo, he's "all hat and no cattle" as they say, otherwise known as an empty suit. He's continuously campaigning, because he doesn't know how to do anything else. He has no leadership skills, he is completely over his head in his current position, and he's depending on the sheeple that voted for him in the first place to vote for him again. As to the problems facing this country, if anyone actually expects our idiot-in-chief to do anthing about them they are either completely misinformed or just plain stupid. His actions on the budget should prove that--after putting a bipartisan commission together he completely ignores their recommendations and continues to spend like a drunken sailor...except that sailors stop spending when they run out of money.

God help us all.

PattyMor| 4.7.11 @ 12:57PM

The degree of malaise in the Republican ranks is way too early. With inflation raging, gasoline hovering around $4.00 per gallon, drilling, mining, agriculture, and fishing shutdown or stiffled, $14T in debt, GTMO left open, the war in Afgan. ramped up (with no results), and a war in Lybia he can't explain satisfactorily are all against him.

Any competent Rebublican could beat Obummer, even Donald Trump much less the current crop of possibilities.

Anne Crickenberger| 4.7.11 @ 1:27PM

Obama is doing the only thing he seems to have a knack for campaigning! If he had put as much effort in solving our problems instead of trying to be a dictator he may have made a fair president! I know most people don't want him re-elected we want him impeached!

Rancidly Corrupt Viewpoints | 4.7.11 @ 1:49PM

I don't bother with silly commentary ridiculing a successful businessman of epic proportions compared to a driveling idiot who could not successfully run a convenience store on mark-my-words matters.

westie| 4.7.11 @ 1:51PM

Give Obama a couple of months campaigning and he'll drive his poll #s down so far that a Sarah Palin/Donald Trump should be able to win!

Oldefarte| 4.7.11 @ 2:44PM

Possibly El Chosen One's ability to play golf [or to fill out his final four selections] should be restricted unless he agrees to cut governmental welfare would do the trick. Some fool opined that Chosen would be re-elected, which is a joke. He's now got more exposure than Massachusetts' Elmer Fudd coming out of the closet. He was an unknown in 2008. but no longer. He may have his birth certificate and college documents locked down, but voters are now abled to connect the dots on him. His chances of being re-elected are about as great as his bowling a 300 game [or pitching a no-hitter]!!!!!!!!!

Anthony| 4.7.11 @ 2:44PM

I'm no fan of Trump because despite some impressive credentials, he forfited his seriousness with his endless parade of self promotion schemes in the press and in the media over the decades.
Too bad, he does have experiences and credentials many candidates for president lack.
At least he knows what a balance sheet is, Obozo probably thinks a balance sheet is the latest in bedroom fashions from Sears.
However, for whatever reason Trump is doing this, his continued emphasis on Obozo's hidden records and refusal to release his birth certificate is having reprocussions.
A caller today to Rush chastised him for not being more on top of this issue. Limbaugh, in his usual defensive manner, got immediately huffy and proclaimed just the opposite.
The caller was right, both Limbaugh and Levin has punted big time on this, because they are afraid of being too outfront on it.
Limbaugh said, until further proof is provided we will not know for sure. Well DUH!! that's precisely the point.....produce the damn records Obozo!!!! What is so damn hard to comprehend about this simple request?????

Oldefarte| 4.7.11 @ 2:47PM

PS: maybe he whould adapt Charlie's one wordism of DUH,WINNING; but then voters could counter with............STUPID!!!!!!!!!!

Occam's Tool| 4.7.11 @ 3:07PM

My Dear RCV,

I think you are underestimating Barack Obama's incredible ability to Piss People Off. I'm always happy to put a Ruth's Chris Certificate on the outcome. I hope all is well and safe for you in your unfortunate benighted State, and may G-d Bless.

JF| 4.7.11 @ 3:09PM

Obama is a chronic campaigner because that is the only job he is good at performing. As long as he has his trusty teleprompter and uses stentorian phrasing, (be "clean and articulate," to use Biden's description) he will attract attention. Demanding anything of Obama beyond speech invites disaster.

Steve A| 4.7.11 @ 3:12PM

Anthony & Other Birthers, I understand your frustration, but give it up. You are wasting time & energy. This is a sucker bet if there ever was one.

#1: If he has not been forced to release it yet, it ain't gonna happen.

#2: It is very likely that he was born in Hawaii as they claim.

#3: Even if he was not born in Hawaii, his disciples do not care & the election will not be overturned.

The left likes this distraction as it takes the focus off of his inability to lead & gives them fuel to paint those who bring it into question as fringe.

RCV| 4.7.11 @ 4:06PM

You're on Occam. Be well, friend.

RCV| 4.7.11 @ 4:07PM

Steve - You are so very, very right. Does anyone really think that if there was anything to that nonsense, the GOP wouldn't have spent millions to uncover it? The issue is as foolish as Donald Trump himself.

Nunya| 4.7.11 @ 4:19PM

RCV and Occam, I'll serve as a witness to the bet.

Can I hold the certificates until after the election? ;-)

Anthony| 4.7.11 @ 4:36PM

To Steve A and RCV: No I will not "give it up". That's the damn problem, people have been cowed by the MSM and the left to "give it up".
This is a basic Constitutional requirement and simply because everybody shirked their responsibilities in 08, does not mean this abomination gets another free pass in 2012.
My God, are we that passive that we can't insist on seeking answers to basic questions that are required under our Constitution?
As to your point 1, yes it will happen if people demand it. If 2 is correct, why all this crap, why not release the records? Pt 3 I don't give a rat's butt about his disciples, you might not be able to undo an election, but this is unchartered territory, but certainly grounds for impeachment and certainly disqualification for 2012!!
As for you RCV; this is the same R party that knew of John Kerry's false claims about his war record and refused to take on the issue. It was left to Mr. Corsi, who demolished Kerry, no thanks to the GOP or Bush. In fact, but for Mr. Corsi, Kerry might have beated Bush.
One hopes Mr. Corsi can do it again with Obozo, but he sure as hell won't get any help from you guys.

RCV| 4.7.11 @ 4:56PM

Nunya, unless you're a vegetarian, I can't trust anyone to hold a Ruth/Chris certificate, as honorable a person as I know you to be. I don't want to be responsible for leading you into temptation. But you can be a witness!

Occam's Tool| 4.7.11 @ 4:59PM

RCV,

we'll figure out a mutual friend to exchange e-mails and contact data after the election, sir. I figure a $50.00 certificate should cover a steak and a few glasses of wine.

Repugnant Contemptible Values| 4.7.11 @ 5:28PM

I don't bother about silly nonsense like spouting off about petitionproject.com and global warming or about real Christian love and abortion or about the ten commandments and liberalism while spouting off on other nonsense matters.

cuban pete| 4.7.11 @ 5:28PM

Occam's Tool,
I love you buddy but $50 at Ruth's Chriss. Barely a salad & a draft beer.

Impeach Don't Wait| 4.7.11 @ 7:18PM

Quick! Pass a law requiring all candidates to produce a long-form birth certificate!

Impeach Don't Wait| 4.7.11 @ 7:20PM

Oh. Somebody already said that. Sorry...

Lou Sarah| 4.7.11 @ 8:50PM

Well, how about Flipper Romney? He started running in 2007, and hasn`t stopped since. Or didn`t ya notice?

Dee See| 4.7.11 @ 10:40PM

--Throw out your TVs and radios. They're
ALLLL modes of social control and, besides,
induce dumb-down and ALzheimer's.

Keep your PC's out of your really private
spaces. They are surveillance tools.
ON RECORD.

Pull back from the franchise slum on every level,
in every way you can.

START your own coffee club in your library,
your backyard, your clubhouse wherever.
Keep it small and honest. No more than a
couple of dozen people. Look to yourselves.
Choose representatives from among yourselves.
People who you know ---and TRUST.

Refuse to accept the tainted, eugenics-driven
injections and medications. Demand montoring
of the water and air by trustworthy agents.
Demand taints be answered for, the responsible
parties. Demand it be unflinchingly prosecuted.

DEMAND legislation making the knowing
adulteration of food, water etc. a capital
crime.

Demand the posting of crisp, dignified copies
of the Constitution, Bill of Rights etc. in public
places you frequent (cafes, restaurants etc.).
If they refuse, take your business elsewhere
and urge your friends to do likewise.

One and all work for the exposure and dismantling
of ALLLLL the capstone 'chair-IT-Abel' 'benny
violent' ultra-rich, TAX FREE, foundations and
NGO's ---followed by prosecution for conspiracy against our sovereignty, our republic as well as their EUGENICS agendas.

This will make Nuremberg 1945 look like traffic court in Glendale. TRULY.

Work toward the comprehensive impeachment
of our last 4 Globalist front op administations
and the nullification of the illegal GATT, SPP,
and NAU etc. treaties.

DEFAULT on the Globalist-initiated RED Chinese
debt. They were handed our economy over
4 decades. They now tout the most awesomely genocidal, utterly unrepentant regime in history as 'our model'.

Forget the debt. Unfair's FAIR!

Work toward the defunding and dismantling
of the Globalist-eugenics front UN once and for
all.

And, of course, as ever, and at the center of it all
---confront and END THE FED...

Yosemeti Sam| 4.8.11 @ 12:11AM

" The Race Is On ...."

Can one imagine the oceanic apologetic PISS on behalf of BHO that'll flow amongst the gendered gams of Leftoid media - aka PEN1?

Necessitating a huge DEPENDS sales surge.

LOL.

wodiej| 4.8.11 @ 5:57AM

I surely hope voters have woken up to Obama's failures and vote him out in 2012. They are so obvious it would be stupid to vote otherwise.

Kevin Riley O'Keeffe | 4.8.11 @ 7:59AM

"Using what came to be called the McGovern reforms in the 1972 Democratic Convention, the very same McGovern captured the nomination. Thus began the trend, the era of the chronic campaigner. Since 1972 the Democratic Party has nominated a chronic campaigner every time."

Incorrect, I'm afraid. Paul Tsongas was the only Democratic chronic campaigner in 1992; Bill Clinton didn't get into that race until October of '91, as I recall.

youfamissim | 4.8.11 @ 12:02PM

Mark it down - A week old ham sandwich could (and will) beat Egobama. He may be able to rally union members and Progressive, et al... voters, but the rest of America are frightened and/or broke, unemployed, sick and tired of this charlatan who continues to lie, fail, and bombastically blame Americans for the problems his policies place upon them.

Robert17| 4.10.11 @ 2:30PM

"Incorrect, I'm afraid. Paul Tsongas was the only Democratic chronic campaigner in 1992; Bill Clinton didn't get into that race until October of '91, as I recall."

Actually, Boy Wonder started his campaign the day he shook JFK's hand. The first step was to take over Arkansas.

http://tinyurl.com/42v4w2n

Christian Louboutin | 6.23.11 @ 4:11AM

WASHINGTON -- I see that President Barack Obama has filed as a candidate for reelection in 2012. I had suggested that he get to work early on his presidential library and forgo the race, but he is insistent. Well, I tried.

Creative Recreation | 8.10.11 @ 10:39PM

is good

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