Barack Obama, President of the U.S.A. – Photo by Jason de Fillippo, Flickr
Watching events unfold in the midst of the Republicans’ Presidential Race in the U.S., we can only draw one conclusion; Barack Obama is one lucky guy.
The tragic-comic performance acted out by his opponents can only be a sign that there is hope for the Democrats in this November’s election.
This isn’t really a gift from heaven for the President who, according to economic indicators south of the border, should, if history were to repeat itself, bite the dust next November. Yet the orbs are showing signs of aligning in his favor.
Mitch Romney, former Republican Governor of Massachusetts – Illustration by Donkey Hotey, Flickr
The current primaries cast a light on the profound divisions within the Republican Party. Leadership races are rarely child’s play, but the Grand Old Party’s is particularly vicious. And it will leave deep scars.
As for the Democrats, they don’t even have to lift a finger. The Republicans have only themselves to blame for their present situation. After all, their own members are at the forefront of a protestation movement, within their own ranks, which sets up for a less than edifying campaign, and this alone unveils what is most extreme in the Party.
In fact, besides Mitt Romney, the least right-wing candidate in his right-wing party, the other candidates scrambled in an escalation of political supporters to please the far right of that party. The discussions revealed what appears to make-up a good slice of the party of Abraham Lincoln.
The Tea Party’s weight has made traditional political calculations very difficult. How else to explain that the primaries in Iowa and in South Carolina don’t seem to have played their traditional role in determining who will win the race?
Newt Gingrich, former republican congress member – Illustration by Donkey Hotey, Flickr
Barack Obama’s team must be hoping to high heaven that Newt Gingrich keeps on track and wins this investiture. But even a divine intervention probably won’t make it that easy for the Democrats. The Florida results gave Romney and his team a well needed shot in the arm.
This victory allows for two things: a momentum early in the race and the capacity to attract a lot of cash.
And, as we well know, money is everything when it comes to politics. Especially in the U.S. For example: it has been reported that Obama’s 2008 campaign cost around 730 million dollars. An exorbitant sum, for sure. I read somewhere that it would take an average American family 14 000 years to amass that much money.
But getting back to the Republicans: for Gingrich, the battle will be difficult. Most of the Republican Party’s pundits have pulled ranks against him. He must now face Super Tuesday, early next March, when 11 states will be electing 20 per cent of delegates. Short of a solid performance, it should be the end of the road for Gingrich.
Obama must find a way to benefit from the republicans’ internal strife. After all, we can’t forget that once their choice is made and especially if it happens to be Mitt Romney, the real battle will begin.
It will be a tough one and will demand of Obama his very best. His successful rhetoric of 2008 will not do this time around. With Romney, Obama will have to play the social class card. A dangerous game to play, in the U.S. of A.
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Translation Monique Kroeger
