• Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links and Comments for March 31st on 18:52

    These are my links for March 31st from 18:52 to 18:55:

    • Rudy Giuliani Blasts Obama on Libya Action – Rudy Giuliani told Laura Ingraham that "since this whole thing in the Middle East began," the Obama administration "doesn't know what it's doing."

      "This is probably the worst handled national security military action I have ever seen. From announcing — when he didn't know what to do — that Gadhafi must go to then making that speech the other night, which was internally contradictory. You cannot say we're there to protect the Libyan people, but we're not going to be for regime change with Gadhafi because the reason we are there to protect the Libyan people is because of Gadhafi."

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      Obama does not understand foreign policy and has no experience in it.

    • President 2102: Can Obama Lose? – Perhaps – So what combination of factors in this complex system of politics must come together to cause a catastrophe for Obama politically that would result in his defeat?

      Only one Democratic president has lost a reelection bid.

      I see three, and all have to be in place and reinforce each other for Obama to lose. First, the economy in 2012 has to be either stagnant or in decline in the 10 or so key electoral states (especially the ones in the Midwest) as he heads into the election. This would mean that the economy is creating very few net jobs in 2012 and that prices (including food and gas) are still rising.
      Second, no new major international crisis arises that causes people to rally behind Obama because of his competent handling of it. And I emphasize the words “new,” “major,” and “competent.” Afghanistan and Iraq devolving again into a problem will not help Obama, and actually may hurt him because our country has basically moved on from the situation in both places.
      Third, a Republican nominee has to emerge who is charismatic; is a very good communicator; is in touch with the country’s economic and social needs; and is a new brand of GOP leader whom many younger voters can connect with. Think of what it took in 1980 to defeat the Democratic incumbent—Ronald Reagan and crises galore.
      All three factors must converge for Obama to lose, and two of them are needed to drive his job approval down to a place, as I have written before, that makes it difficult for him to win. As one can see, these three elements don’t include how much money the Democratic National Committee and Obama have at their disposal; how much cash the Republican National Committee or the Republican nominee raises; the quality of each campaign staff; the legislative machinations of Congress; or the use of modern technology in the campaigns (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc.). Those are all tactical factors that, ultimately, will have little influence on whether Obama wins or loses.

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      It will have to be a new GOP candidate like Mitch Daniels or Chris Christie – not a retread like Huckabee or Romney.

  • Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links and Comments for March 18th on 21:10

    These are my links for March 18th from 21:10 to 21:27:

    • In N.H. return, Rudy Giuliani comes out swinging – Maggie Haberman – POLITICO.com – In N.H. return, Rudy Giuliani comes out swinging – Lauds Tea Party
    • In N.H. return, Rudy Giuliani comes out swinging – Lauds Tea Party – Rudy Giuliani returned to the Granite State Friday night, acknowledging his poor performance here in the 2008 GOP primary in a speech that lambasted President Obama, jabbed Mitt Romney’s health plan and praised the tea party.

      The former New York City mayor gave little hint of his own plans, but seemed relaxed during a showy speech at the Manchester GOP Lincoln Reagan Dinner that was laced with jokes and hand gestures as he skewered Obama as a “failure” and ended with the declaration, “Hillary Clinton would have been better.”

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      I miss Rudy and he certainly is a better candidate than Romney or Palin, despite his moderate views on social issues.