[Monderson’s View]
Until
recently some Republican power players had expressed reservations about
the man who will lead their party into the important 2012 presidential
election, Mitt Romney.
Even more important, while President Obama’s
record will be an issue in debates and final voter choice, issues
raised regarding Romney by his Republican challengers in the primary
contest will also be fair game as Democratic Party strategy unfolds.
While
the primary cycle is a natural part of the process of choosing the best
candidate as a party’s standard bearer, the critique of contenders is
not only fair game of opponents but can also pinpoint weaknesses in the
armor of the eventual nominee., In the case of the Republican primary
contest, despite Rick Santorum’s caustic challenges there may be some
credibility in his criticism of Romney that Democrats will seek to
exploit as weaknesses as they relate to the possibility of Mr. Romney
becoming President.
All this notwithstanding, President Obama
stands ready to defend the accomplishments of his tenure while pointing
out, despite the grave state of affairs he inherited, Republicans
prolifically planted landmines in his path fueled by their “Party of No”
philosophy. Their non-cooperation, willing to destroy the economy, in
order to effectuate their publicly-stated goal to make Barack Obama’s
Presidency a failure.
Now, as the two main contenders, Republican
and Democrat, line up in contest to convince voters in the Presidential
election, the question of record becomes a major factor. In the case of
President Obama, his record has been on public display, commented on by
pundits, criticized by challengers and defended by his supporters,
advisers and members of his Administration, who seem to know more than
most about the issues.
This view is underscored by former
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s statement, “The view is different
from the Oval Office.” Mr. Romney’s record on the other hand is of a
different sort. As a businessman and former governor of Massachusetts,
those years of his involvement in private and public service provide
meaningful evidence of how he will perform if elected as President of
the United States.
Still, there are other factors that can and will
shape the totality of the man who wishes to succeed as the 45th
President of the United States. Principal among those factors are the
actions and intent of the 43-47 percent of voters who voted for Senator
John McCain and presumably against Mr. Obama in the 2008 election.
It
is reasonable to conclude a significant portion of that McCain
constituency who voted against Mr. Obama were influenced by the
characterization,of the Democrat by people, who had, as they say, “an
axe to grind.” An unmistakable fact is that Mr. Obama was first viewed
as a young upstart, a “Whipper Snapper” who came out of nowhere, on a
meteoric rise, to contest the Presidential election.
As an African
American, many thought him presumptuous but this was a bold move by a
young, bright, likeable and courageous leader. Right wingers,
conservatives, “nuts,” even Blacks as well as activists fueled by money,
who attacked Mr. Obama’s race, religious affiliation, birth-right,
leadership skills, patriotism, judgment, economic philosophy, social
relations, and decision making capabilities in face of meeting the
challenges, its generally believed they have all miscalculated as to the
sustainability and visionary nature of Barack Obama.
First his
opponents underestimated the man’s organizational abilities and
wherewithal to wage a long-drawn out and successful, against all odds,
campaign to become President. In their inability to estimate Mr. Obama’s
potential as a leader, that anti-Obama block chose to be ignorant of
the economic, infrastructural, social and foreign policy mess their side
had created and bequeathed the 44th President. Equally, they were
unable to grasp the near failed state economic and social quagmire where
the nation tottered under Republican control of the Presidency and
Congress. As such, no one really understood how deep the hole really was
given the more Mr. Obama “shoveled” the more Republicans chose to
ignore his efforts and to even be obstructionist.
In this continuing
state of big picture denial, Republican ducks lined up behind a “Mantra
of No!” Every measure Mr. Obama proposed to rescue his beloved country,
the Republicans answered “No!” Meanwhile, from within the elected
representation of Republicandom, the theme and color of the opposition
to Mr. Obama became evident in battle after battle.
Recently,
recognizing there has been a decline in state and local government Mr.
Obama emphasized continuing support for hiring of policemen,
firefighters and teachers lost in earlier cuts, Mr. Romney came out in
criticism of this effort. Nevertheless, Philadelphia Mayor Michael
Nutter, when asked about the election and the two contenders, on CNN
hosted by Soledad O’Brien simply put it this way: “In this campaign
environment, it will be a choice of who can create jobs and possess a
long-term vision to make America work!”
On Thursday June 14, 2012, a
current Harvard Graduate Sandra Fluke, recently maligned in the Media
by the likes of Rush Limbaugh emphatically stated on CNN reasons why she
supports President Obama and will work for his re-election., She
stated, “He is a leader for women’s issues and is working to improve
conditions for all of us.” She referred to his efforts to increase Pell
Grants and the lowering of Student Loan Rates, support for the “Dream
Act” that Mr. Romney opposed and then pointed out, though things may be
challenging for the unemployed, for recent graduates, “Things are
looking up!” This is a young person with confidence in the future as
opposed to the blind, gloomy and dismal view of the future as
Republicans are trying to paint the nation under Mr. Obama’s tenure.
Thus,
comparatively speaking, notwithstanding the conspiracy to derail
President Obama’s efforts and leadership skills, Mr. Obama is certainly
more charismatic than Mr. Romney. He is a normal guy; more in touch with
the pulse of the nation, the “grassroots,” and doing the best he can
despite Republican efforts to sabotage his every move.
“Speaking Truth To Empower.”
