DarkSteven
Posts: 28072
Joined: 5/2/2008 Status: offline
|
1. Romney will win the GOP nomination. That's a given. Based on the last few weeks, he's been steadily inching his way forward, and winning solidly if not spectacularly. The huge question is, when will he wrap it up? Both Gingrich and Santorum are not showing any signs of resigning in the face of overwhelming odds. It is a huge matter because Romney needs to spend as much effort/time/money as possible in the general, and he can't do that till he wins the primary. 2. Romney's VP selection is unclear. Romney's needs at VP are huge and no one person will meet them all. Palin will bring some pizzazz to the ticket as well as social media savvy, but her negatives are too strong. Rubio could bring some pizzazz and Florida, but he's a Cuban-American and somewhat out of step with the Hispanic community at large. Santorum would bring the conservatives but lose independent support. Paul would bring the libertarians and some conservatives, as well as a good organization, but he's weak with independents and I suspect he's not up to the rigors of a full campaign. Gingrich is incredible at negative campaigning, finding and exploiting opponents' weaknesses, but his negatives are huge and I suspect he'd be unwilling to be second banana. I wonder about odd choices like Olympia Snowe or Jan Brewer. 4. The pundits are all wrong. They keep bemoaning Romney's weakness in the South and in the very demographics that he will win in November. He may be less conservative than Santorum/Gingrich, but the people that don't like him sure don't like Obama. Romney will win the South and the solid red states like Utah and Idaho. Obama will trounce Romney in the same demographics that Romney is now winning, the East and the coasts. 5. The campaign will be negative. Obama will begin trying to be positive but the GOP ads will try to tear him down. Romney's just got too many negatives to avoid tearing him down. 6. Obama will reprise his efforts to mobilize grass roots support among college students, minorities, etc. He'll also develop a massive social media presence. I expect his organization to dominate Romney's. 7. Romney's been spending all his campaign contributions trying to fend off Santorum. Obama's been stockpiling his. He will have a huge advantage in money. All in all, I expect Obama to win as convincingly as in 2008.
_____________________________
"You women.... The small-breasted ones want larger breasts. The large-breasted ones want smaller ones. The straight-haired ones curl their hair, and the curly-haired ones straighten theirs... Quit fretting. We men love you."
|