2012 U.S. Presidential Election

[PanzerJaeger]

This is also false. If Obama really wanted to he could achieve tentative support of Obamacare by using PR magic on the good portions of the law. Closing the donut hole which seniors love and extending parents coverage for children until 26 (I think it was 26) years old which young people love. The fact is just that it is easier to be slippery and not make such definitive statements over the bill and let the GOP use it as fodder.

Could you explain your thinking a bit more on this? Obama has plenty of money, the bully pulpit, and unquestionably strong communication skills. If all it would take to turn the political loser that is Obamacare into a winner, why is it easier to continue to let the GOP bash him over the head with it? It will be, perhaps, one of the three major issues he will be judged on along with the economy and spending. Of those three, it is perhaps the easiest to put wrap a bow around. I'm actually quite impressed that the American people have seen through all the gimmicks and giveaways and disapproval has remained as high as it has.

It seems to me that in actuality the Dems have been spending a lot of time, effort, and money trying to sell Obamacare and it just isn't taking.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Could you explain your thinking a bit more on this? Obama has plenty of money, the bully pulpit, and unquestionably strong communication skills. If all it would take to turn the political loser that is Obamacare into a winner, why is it easier to continue to let the GOP bash him over the head with it? It will be, perhaps, one of the three major issues he will be judged on along with the economy and spending. Of those three, it is perhaps the easiest to put wrap a bow around. I'm actually quite impressed that the American people have seen through all the gimmicks and giveaways and disapproval has remained as high as it has.

It seems to me that in actuality the Dems have been spending a lot of time, effort, and money trying to sell Obamacare and it just isn't taking.

Sure. By trying to spin Obamacare into a winner (which in many ways I think it is), he is putting all his chips into one hand. By diversifying he can get together a strong coalition without agitating the GOP base. Obamacare was obviously the number 1 thing on the tip of every GOP candidates mouth during the debates. By spreading himself out over a bunch of different, perhaps small accomplishments and refusing to battle it out over Obamacare, the word then just becomes a talking point by the GOP and not something to fight over as long as Obama doesn't fight over it too much.

To put it in another way Obama is (or should be) trying to throw everything he can at the wall to see what sticks, a couple things will and he can run with those. The GOP it seems wants to rely on one or two things that look like sure things (Obamacare and the economy). But by restricting themselves to those two, it helps Obama dismantle their position and by Obama focusing on a plethora of other subjects he doesn't put himself at the same risk. If people somehow manage to get tired of Romney talking about Bain Capital and want something else out of him, it will be a lot harder for Romney to change gears because he has built nearly his entire persona around being a businessman.

I disagree that the Dems have been trying to spin Obamacare. It seems obvious to me that up until this month Obama has been more than happy to remain silent while the GOP candidates make themselves look like fools. Because the spotlight was solely on the GOP for the past 6 months, it's no surprise that 6 months of hearing the GOP saying "Repeal Obamacare." will have people echoing the sentiment. Once Obama goes into full swing over this coming month, we will actually see what spins the Democrats have in store.

[Lemur]

It's one thing to disrupt your opponent's events with paid hecklers. Admitting it, however, is insane.

Axelrod and others immediately accused the Mitt Romney campaign of organizing and orchestrating the disruption using paid Romney staffers.

That seemed unlikely. At least, it seemed unlikely until Romney admitted it:

“Most of the events I go to, or many of the events I go to, there are large groups of, if you will, Obama supporters there heckling me,” Romney told the press. “And at some point you say, ‘You know what, sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.’ If they’re going to be heckling us, why we’re not going to sit back and play by very different rules. If the president is going to have his people coming to my rallies, and heckling, why, we’ll show them that, you know, we conservatives have the same kind of capacity he does.”

Asked for evidence that the Obama campaign is sending hecklers to Romney events, Romney staffers identified an incident at a New York City firehouse in which a press conference with former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani was interrupted by heckling.

That incident in New York was indeed regrettable.

However, the sole rude and vulgar heckler turned out to be an Occupy Wall Street activist who had heard about the event and hustled over to interrupt it. What she did was way out of line, but there is no evidence whatsoever tying her to the Obama campaign or organization.

[ICantSpellDawg]

So what? He's telling the truth, those people heckled axlerod. I'm sure they were Romney supporters who eat food, drink liquid and have friends and family. Axlerod was there to campaign for the admin. I'm sure that was planned.
What are you accusing them of? Effective organization of a counter rally which caused your opponent to stumble like an idiot?

[Xiahou]

Could "the private sector's doing fine" be the "read my lips" of this election cycle? The chessmaster (Obama) really stuck his foot in his mouth with that comment- expect to see it replayed often throughout the campaign....

[Centurion1]

The largest components of the private sector are doing just fine. Its small-businesses that are suffering, for the same reasons everyone else besides the largest components of the private sector are suffering.

On what basis would you suggest that? My portfolio cares to differ. Some companies are doing fine and others are wallowing in loss. Which creates a gran way for me to get rich and get my Foot in the door of a lot of Blue chips I have no right to own but is bad for the country as a whole

[Kadagar_AV]

On what basis would you suggest that? My portfolio cares to differ. Some companies are doing fine and others are wallowing in loss. Which creates a gran way for me to get rich and get my Foot in the door of a lot of Blue chips I have no right to own but is bad for the country as a whole

<- this / people like him.

When people ask me why I am against the economical system we have at large.

[Kralizec]

Could "the private sector's doing fine" be the "read my lips" of this election cycle? The chessmaster (Obama) really stuck his foot in his mouth with that comment- expect to see it replayed often throughout the campaign....

Sounds more like a "the fundamentals of our economy are strong" kind of statement.