Mitt Romney faces a daunting task. In the best of circumstances, it is hard to beat an incumbent president. It hasn’t been done since Bill Clinton nosed ahead of George H. W. Bush, thanks to a strong showing by billionaire Ross Perot’s quixotic third-party candidacy.
Incumbents are hard to beat. They control the government, they normally have a fundraising advantage, and they generally can benefit from world affairs, wars, and the famous October surprises.
Couple the natural incumbent advantage with a group of talented advisors and strategists assembled by Barack Obama, and you begin to understand why Mitt Romney is the underdog in this race.
The challenge for Romney is twofold. First, he needs to control his own image. The Obama image is set in stone. Voters either like him or loathe him, but it is unlikely that this campaign will radically change opinion about Obama. But Romney’s image is not as stable. His campaign needs to attempt to introduce him to a wider audience and create a positive image or brand in these undecided or uninformed voters’ minds.
While Romney is busy introducing himself, Obama’s team will fighting to undercut the Romney message. In 1996, Bob Dole lost to Bill Clinton during this vital period before the summer conventions. Using his monetary advantage, Clinton savaged the Dole image before the campaign even got started. Dole lost before he was nominated. The Obama team has already started airing negative commercials attacking Romney. Romney cannot wait; he must fight back now.
But Romney cannot afford to just air negative ads about Obama. He has to also introduce himself. And Romney has the extra burden of still trying to convince conservatives that he is their guy.
Our advice to Romney is to carefully select a GOP running mate who can make conservative activists feel comfortable, and then execute his general election campaign.
A list of running mates should include Rick Santorum. Obama was smart to choose Biden because he was older, more experienced, and fully vetted. Santorum fits this description. His selection also closes the primary session wounds that are still open.
An inexperienced figure such as Marco Rubio, while attractive for his ability to excite an ethnic voting block, is fraught with the same problems presented by the Palin candidacy four years ago. It is a step into the unknown.
Current polling shows that the race is a deadlock. The state-by-state count doesn’t break at this point for either candidate. If Obama can turn out 90 percent plus of the black vote and suppress the Christian vote, he wins.
Romney must hold the McCain voters and excite Christians and Catholics enough to put him over the top. Because he is a Mormon, this excitement is not a given. Romney should also be diligent in fighting voter fraud. Eliminating fraud could swing the elections in Ohio, Virginia, and North Carolina.
Romney’s best tool is Obama’s record. The economy is still sluggish. Real estate is still slow-selling, and Obama’s Mideast policy has been a disaster. Keep the focus on the Obama record, solidify conservative/Catholic/Christian support, and Mitt Romney should live the impossible dream.
Photo Credit : Gage Skidmore (Creative Commons)
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About Floyd and Mary Beth Brown
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Romney needs to convince the conservative base that HE IS conservative. Though I and many others have our doubts we will play with the hand that has been dealt. Present a truly conservative platform then demand that we the people hold you true to this platform. Romney must shout from the highest hill that another Obama term will be the end of our Constituonal Republic. Even with a Romney victory we will need DEVINE INTERVENTION. LSMOB. Lord save me from Obama.
Well, then if we end up with Obama again, you have deserved it. Your
vote will be wasted. Some illegal will vote for Obama.
Somehow, Mitt Romney, Joe Blow, someone needs to show Obama for what he is, a non-citizen who has no right to be our president. Obama being president is no different than letting someone from Russia, China or Mexico be president. The word needs to go out, let the non-knowing public know of Obama’s fraud, of which there are many. As it is, there are enough who know he is a fraud and do not care, for they think they got something to gain. Guess we need to ask our congressional representatives for help…., well, forget that, they believe he’s a real American, I got a letters to prove it too. Not only do we need to vote against this fraud, we need a new house and senate, Democrat or Republican, they all need to go. Romney better be our next president, anyone but Obama or we are in trouble…
I am sure if Romney wins the nomination we will see the Obama crew bring up stuff about Romney they have in a bag just waiting to make public. Mormanism will be first and foremost, but wait till you see what is brought up about Romney’s past. It will be a vey ugly and nasty campaign like never before! To think Romney will be POTUS makes me nervous. I never vote for the Party. Party means nothing tome. I vote for the person. I do not believe what any politician states or promises. Too easy to change their mind. I check their back ground, how they voted and what they believe in. I do not believe in polls. I think 6 months before any election all coverage should not be allowed until the election. There are people who listen to all the coverage and here a station predict that so in so is ahead and it looks like he can’t lose at this point, There are lot of people who hear things like that and say well no need to bother voting id sos is so has won or can’t lose. Do not take my word for anything! If you care do your own research. Seek the truth!
ROMNEY MAKES YOU NERVOUS!!!!???? ARE YOU DRINKING YOUR BATHWATER, IF ROMNEY MAKES YOU NERVOUS OVOMIT SHOULD SCARE THE SHYT OUT OF YOU…………..OVOMIT IS AN INSANE TYRANNICAL MADMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND I DON’T GIVE A CRAP WHO KNOWS IT, I WISH THE SOB WOULD READ THIS!!!
So do I, mspidge, so do I.. Love your PASSION..!
I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO PASSIONATE ABOUT A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ALL MY 50 SOME ODD YEARS OF VOTING, I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO FRIGHTENED FOR MY FELLOW CITIZENS, MY CHILDREN AND MY GRANDCHILDREN, THIS IS TRULY THE TIME FOR PASSION AND THESE KNOT HEADS THAT INSIST ON WRITING IN RON PAUL’S, NAME WILL ONLY END IN DEFEAT, AND THAT SNIVELING, SNOT NOSED PIECE OF FILTH WILL GIVE US NOT ONLY 4 MORE YEARS OF MISERY, BUT WILL DO A EXE ORDER TO STAY IN POWER AS LONG AS HE WANTS, HE WILL BE THE SECOND KIMDONGWONG OF KOREA, WITH ABOUT THE SAME IQ, AND INTELLIGENCE, AND DISPOSTION…………..OH, AND IT WILL SHOW YOU EXACTLY WHAT KIND OF PERSONALITY IT HAS…………..ONE OF THE DEADLIEST………….A PIT VIPER!! WE ALL NEED TO GET FIRED UP AND START PUSHING BACK!!!
Yes mspidge this illegal, phony lying POTUS has been scaring the shyt outta me and continues to so. The peole who worship him also scare the shyt outta me. I have good reason to be nervous about Romney. Research him and you will see why. I am writing in Ron Paul. There are a few things I disagree with Ron Paul but he is the most consistant I disagree with him less than the other candidates. BTW, No I am not drinking my bath water, because I take showers.
SORRY, BUT IF YOU DO THAT YOU WILL DEFINITELY USHER IN ANOTHER 4 FOR THIS UGLY, VICIOUS, NASTY,MONGREL DOG EATING ANIMAL!! THIS THING ISN’T FIT FOR MAN NOR BEAST, AND SHOULD BE ISOLATED IN A CAGE FOR THE REST OF HIS ROTTEN LIFE. THAT’S EXACTLY HOW CLINTON BEAT BUSH SR. BY THAT IDIOT ROSS PEROW(SP)??
Actually, all the mud slinging that was going on in the primaries should have given the Obama team all the material they need.
Romney IS Hussein.. No one realized so far that the NDAA is JUST as good for Romney as it is for the illegal Muslim THUG..?
Chantal_designer,
With friends like you, who needs enemies. Are you taking reelection funds from the Obama adminstration? If you aren’t, you should. You are very effective in his campaign.
Care to Expound?
Chantal_designer,
Your hate filled rant speaks for itself.
I do not see a “hate filled rant” but perhaps you can direct me to it?
I don’t view Romney as an underdog. I view him as a WINNER who can and will dislodge the outrageous fraud we have in the White House.
Screw Romney…I will write in Ron Paul in if he dose not win nomination http://www.youtube.com/user/tmotofga?ob=0&feature=results_main Ron Paul Revolution!
*guns and roses
sorry link did not work…
*buy brass
right on target pat henry.everyone i know and thats a lot of people are all voting for ron paul,don,t listen to the media tv/radio/newapapers and any polls or what some bloggers are saying that ron paul isn,t a choose.believe me,don,t listen to any of it.ron paul is winning big time,why do you think the media is ignoring him and pretending that he doesn,t exist,because he has a humogous following.believe me.he,s winning. and they can black him out,all the want.we the people by me haven,t listened to any media tv/radio/newspapers and any polls in a long long time.we know they are all bought and paid for by the treasonous traders the media.god bless ron paul,sheriff joe and cold case posse and all american veternas,and all american citizens.one nation under god
YES..! Dr. Ron Paul 2012..!!
CHANTEL……….. IF BY ANY CHANCE HE WINS THE PRIMARY OF COURSE I WOULD VOTE FOR HIM, ALL YOU WILL DO IS SPLIT THE TICKET, IF YOU DO THIS. YOU WILL JUST BE REPEATING HISTORY OF CLINTON AND BUSH SR., PLEASE DON’T DO THIS…………ROMNEY CANNOT, I REPEAT CANNOT BE WORSE THAT OVOMIT, IF FACT NO ONE SINCE hitler!!!!!!
I was a bit surprised, [perhaps I shouldn't have been] by how many Ron Paul picked up.. The stinkin’ media is not reporting this.. the man has THOUSANDS of supporters whereas Romney can barely count a few hundred..
Also, Dr. Paul is quite concerned about a possible False Flag.. He must be awareI am not scared of the *&^%#, Muslim, but of his moronic supporters..
The question should be, will we any better off if he does? Romney is more of the same hope and change! There’s not a nickles worth of difference between the two! If there was, the lame stream media wouldn’t already have him prematurely winning the unfinished primaries,
Other than Obama spent 5 trillion bailing out all of the to big to fail. and trying to pick winners and losers with his green energy failure’s, not to mention Obama Care
Romney is running against an incumbent who has a lot $$ and political support, don’t give him and slack. If Romney is selected his first big step will be the VP issue. He should not even consider Rubio, who has a lot attention and press almost crowning him as the presumptive Republican Part VP. Eligibility issue bars Rubio on Constitutional issues: see link below:
GOP ‘superstar’ for VP faces eligibility questions
National Archives document casts dou…http://www.wnd.com/2012/04/top-gop-choice-for-vp-faces-eligibility-questions/
Just so we get rid of Obama……….I refuse to believe that American citizens will do
such a stupid thing again………..an unknown Communist/Marxist blowhard no one checked
out – who’s illegal to boot. Someone who paid a million or more to hide everything about him.
ladyswiss,
With Obama’s plans to fix the election and use tax payer funds to buy his way in, who can defeat him? I wish it were not so………………..
..& YOU attack me, asking whether I take “reelection funds from the Obama adminstration?” A first year psychology student can easily ascertain [from the above comment] WHO might support Hussein; YOU needed to be reported, old gal..!
Chantel_designer, old gal !!!
No, Chantal, ABO all the way. Reported for what? Obviously, you are using hate (I thought that was an Obama tactic — sorry if I misread you) in an attempt to destroy everyone that YOU don’t agree with — EVEN IF IT WILL HELP ELECT OBAMA!! I even support your guy above Obama.
There needs to be such an overwhelming groundswell of straight Republican ticket voting this November that not even Soros’ Spanish vote counters can come up with enough fraudulent votes to counteract our victory.
AMEN..However.. where there is a clear choice the emcumbant (sp) must go… TEA..will be sweet in november..
*Bushmaster 5.56mm
Rubio is NOT a NATURAL BORN CITIZEN, and I will not vote if Romney pulls that crap!!!!!
I have a e-copy of the UK birth certificate of OBAMA, officially presenting the fact that he was born in the East African Protectorate of Kenya (before Kenya was a sovereign nation by the way, so the Hawaii birth certificate has another error “Kenya” is not yet a country in 1961).
President OBAMANATION registered for college in California as A FOREIGN STUDENT. I believe it was Occidental College. He registered under the name Barry Soetoro (Sp.?).
Should the Establishment succeed in disenfranchising the electorate by cheating Ron Paul out of enough delegates to win the nomination, myself and many others have sworn to write in Ron Paul unless he runs on another ticket. We absolutely will not vote for their bleached-out Obama whom they’ve been trying to cram down our throat since ’08. So folks without whatever percentage of us there is who agree with me, (the media would have you believe that it’s 7-12 %) Oromney will absolutely lose. Don’t waste your breath trying to convince us that we have to join the log cabin republican conga line behind him in order to save the country from Obama. It ain’t happenin’. I don’t disagree that the country needs saving from Obama and his cabal, I just know Oromney ain’t it. And Ron Paul IS. So if your #1 priority is getting rid of Obama, then you need to join those of us who will not change our vote and reconcile yourself to having a constitutional republic once again. Of course, if your #1 priority is dancing the night away in the conga line and bloodymindedly trusting the establishment again, then I’ll see you in the FEMA camps..
You have got it sooo right…I’ll be in the mid-west fema camps..mi., ind. ill…area..if I’m not dead..Cheers ..
*practice makes perfect groups
Not “CAN” he beat Obama. He “MUST” beat Obama!!! At this point it does not matter who the Republican nominee is!!
Those that do a write in vote on election day are taking away votes from whomever the Republican candidate is!!
Think about it……………
I AGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Maybe, but who wants the same trash coming down from the government….Ron Paul 2012
Unfortunately, I do not believe Romney can beat OBAMANATION. I truly believe the only man who could have beaten OBAMANATION was Riclk Perry. He was condemned for “dumbness” on TV. Who cares? His beliefs were mainline GOP. He would have had a staff that could read and write. The man could have beaten OBAMANATION hands down. He is the only one who could have done so. He would have carried the Soiuth, the West, the Senior Citizens, the Veterans, NRA members, and the ladies. He could have beaten OBAMANATION into the ground.