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The Spectacle Blog
Jeff Lord makes the case that the Obama presidency is really the second term of Jimmy Carter. If nothing else, by putting the DNC acceptance speeches of Carter in 1980 and Obama in 2008 side by side, Jeff demonstrates that liberals haven’t had any new ideas in at least thirty years. I know I am being generous and am sure one could convincingly argue that it’s been nearly fifty years since liberalism had the semblance of an original thought.
He also cites Hamilton Jordan’s 1979 memo to Carter in which part states, “We will be re-elected or not re-elected based largely on your performance as President.”
Well, like Carter, Obama can’t run on his record. However, Barack Obama is no Jimmy Carter.
First, Jordan might argue about the myth of the incumbent President but Obama didn’t have a Ted Kennedy to worry about. The last incumbent President to lose an election without a primary challenger was when Herbert Hoover was unseated by FDR in 1932. As for Obama, the Democratic Party might not be as in love with him as they were in 2008 but their base is solidly behind him. Obama has at least 40% of the electorate in his back pocket.
Second, Obama enjoys all kinds of advantages Carter could only dream of - a billion dollar war chest, a field organization that can turn out the vote and a sympathetic, if not sycophantic media behind his re-election effort.
Third, Obama is no peanut farmer. Let’s keep in mind that Obama has spent his entire adult life having had things handed to him (i.e. Columbia, Harvard Law Review, Sidley Austin, a teaching position at the University of Chicago, author of an autobiography, Illinois State Senate, U.S. Senate, author of a second autobiography and now the White House.) Obama views the presidency like an entitlement and will fiercely protect it from someone who has the audacity to take it away from him. President Obama plays for keeps.
Fourth, contrary to popular belief, Bill Clinton was not the first black President. If Chris Matthews is already asking about how the electorate could contemplate “dumping the first African-American President” then imagine what things will be like in six months from now? Throw in the Trayvon Martin shooting and it will be utterly relentless. There might be just enough white liberal guilt out there to put Obama over the top.
Fifth, as Jeff notes when Jordan penned that memo he did not know who Carter would be facing the following year. Well, the Obama team had a pretty good idea from the outset who they would be facing and as one unnamed Democratic strategist with close ties to President Obama said last August, “Unless things change and Obama can run on accomplishments, he will have to kill Romney.”
Sixth, which brings me to Romney. Jeff writes, “Ronald Reagan challenged the entire foundation of liberalism, effectively asking voters to repudiate not just Carter but liberalism itself.” While the Obama campaign will move heaven and earth to paint Romney as a right-wing extremist it remains to be seen as to whether Romney will “challenge the entire foundation of liberalism” much less ask voters to repudiate Obama.
Don’t get me wrong. Romney could win the election. While 1980 could provide some useful information during the course of the 2012 campaign let us remember that we are not living in 1980 anymore. This isn’t a 13-channel universe where a home computer is still a novelty, Asteroids is a cutting edge video game and people need to take community college courses to learn how to use a microwave. In a universe where mountains can be moved by a single Tweet, the 2012 campaign is going to present its own unique set of challenges.
Above all else, I think by comparing Obama to Carter there is a danger in underestimating Obama. Now I don’t think Obama is intelligent enough to be in the same room with Romney much less qualified for an entry level job in one of Romney’s companies. But there are plenty of people who don’t hold Obama in such low regard. They might not be in love with Obama but they might not be so sure about Romney either and they too have a vote. If Romney is to win them over then he can’t rely on Carter’s cardigan. He must earn it.
View all comments (19) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Aaron Goldstein
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/04/26/obama-is-no-jimmy-carter
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The American Hitman| 4.26.12 @ 10:52AM
t remains to be seen as to whether Romney will "challenge the entire foundation of liberalism"
LOL! No, he will remind the Indies and mods he is selling that he is a progressive guy.
St. Thor| 4.26.12 @ 11:02AM
The claim that Obama is the first black president is false, as the Democrats from the 1920s will tell you--the first black president was Warren G. Harding, Republican. Obama is merely the first president that is trying to pass for black.
Teflon93| 4.26.12 @ 11:04AM
So how dumb is Romney since he's embraced the same dumb ideas liberals have for 30 years?
He must be even dumber, since he wasn't even bright enough to become a Democrat.
Tarr| 4.26.12 @ 12:01PM
The most potent weapon in the BHO arsenal is "white liberal guilt". Admittedly, I'm from a near suburb of Boston. My town is infested with progressive idiocy that is on display with our Town Meeting form of local government. These people will always opt for fantasy over reality, even concerning local issues right before their eyes. They will re-elect BHO based solely on race.
I hope that the more mentally balanced parts of the country will resist this irrationality.
Aaron Goldstein| 4.26.12 @ 12:54PM
Do you by chance reside in the People's Republic of Brookline?
Tarr| 4.26.12 @ 1:15PM
Nope, not quite as bad--Milton. "Brookline on the Neponset"
Aaron Goldstein| 4.26.12 @ 5:16PM
On the Mattapan Trolley.
Kingofthenet| 4.26.12 @ 12:19PM
That Primary fight is going to hurt Mittens, you can't just walk back something you said less than a year ago.
WL| 4.26.12 @ 12:51PM
Well......
I am starting to think Romney can win....
I still have my worries...and he may disappoint all of us as many of us are worried about...
But so far...I am starting to see some good things coming from Willard.
So, it's time for all of the people on our side to put away that old crap and give this a go.
If we lose, we lose...but for once...let a little optimism run the show and lets get our people engaged in this...
I have no illusions about Romney being that wonderful...but he is what he have, and he's ALL WE HAVE.
So start using your column space to help him Goldilox...quit giving us the bad vibe. We already know all of that garbage.
Aaron Goldstein| 4.26.12 @ 12:56PM
You might wish to check out my article on Romney from earlier this week:
http://spectator.org/archives/.....in-the-wor
WL| 4.26.12 @ 1:49PM
Good Deal Mr. Goldstein...that was a mighty fine article..
Now you keep acting right, and ol' WL won't have to call you out on those mullygrubs you like to get into....
Aaron Goldstein| 4.26.12 @ 5:18PM
Mullygrubs? Who, me?
Occam's Tool| 4.26.12 @ 1:31PM
Well, if y'all remember, Churchill finally did beat Rommel, and even did it with a poor tactician like Montgomery. All that matters is beating Obama. That's why I, for one, favor finding out the truth about his "Chicago bathhouse" days and GETTING THAT LA TIMES TAPE. Boehnor needs to be subpoening that tape.
Vern Crisler| 4.26.12 @ 1:35PM
All of these comparsions of Obama with Jimmy Carter assume in the background a similar comparison between Mitt Romney and Ronald Reagan.
I can only shake my head in wonder.
WL| 4.26.12 @ 1:46PM
I know exactly why you are shaking your head...and I can understand it whole-heartedly...
BUT, you have to have some encouragement from the last week or two of Romney's campaign..
I think he's starting out alright...and I am going to try to hope for the best until he does the ol' Repubican Chicken Dive...which he may very well do...
But until then...I'm not going to look at the bad in Willard...I'm going to enjoy the next few months thinking we might actually win this thing..
PattyMor| 4.26.12 @ 6:00PM
Obama and his backers are ruthless. They would stop at nothing to win reelection. No tactic will bee too low and no lies to audacious. So expect the mud to sling and buy hip boots.
Marco2| 4.26.12 @ 8:07PM
I'm afraid to think that there may be enough votes from living citizens to make this election close, but if there are, I suppose this country deserves what awaits it.
jocon307| 4.26.12 @ 11:52PM
"There might be just enough white liberal guilt out there to put Obama over the top."
Obama may win and Romney lose, but it sure as heck won't be because of a surfeit of white liberal guilt.
There aren't enough white liberals (even in combination with their expected fellow travelers) to elect Barack Obama, or anybody else, president.
Obama won last time because many non-liberal people voted for him.
Will any non-liberal people vote for him this time?
So far I think the question is: why would they?
Why would they?
Skippy| 4.27.12 @ 4:43PM
He's not a white guy, that's why.