http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/weekinreview/24baker.html?_r=1&hp
Political strategists are making the argument that President Obama's chances for re-election will go up if Republicans do in fact take over both the House and Senate, with the latter still plausible. The argument is that with a Republican controlled Congress, Obama could seem as "the good guy" and be able to get his support back from the public. Bill Clinton was effective when Newt Gingrich was Speaker of the House, as well as Truman when he had to compromise with the Do-Nothing Congress in the '40s. It will be interesting to see how the next two years play out and if President Obama can do enough to make his case for a re-election.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This is a very interesting point. I can understand that Obama may seem more middle of the road with republican senate and house, but that would in fact raise his chances of merely looking like a sitting duck president. If the takeover were to occur it seems as though Obama will be less effective in passing his desired policies. Re-election will likely also heavily depend on his opponent. If they can seem more capable and likeable than the current president they are a sure win for the white house. Having the senate and house on your side seems to be more helpful in the long run.
ReplyDeleteIn response to your point, if the president had the majority in both the House and Senate, there would be the image of an extreme liberal who will do whatever he wants unchecked, which won't sit well with the public, especially at a time when the economy is down like it is. If, however, he can use his bi-partisan skills in a Republican-controlled Congress, he'll display his communication and compromise skills that got him elected.
ReplyDelete