Day after day, week after week, new political popularity polls are released attempting to show which Republican candidates are leading the race to gain the GOP nomination for the 2012 presidential election.
These poll numbers are broken down into all types of questions and categories, i.e, which candidate do you trust the most, which candidate has the best chance of defeating President Obama or which candidate do you favor based on your age, where you live, race, income and many other identifications.
All of these polls and their findings are interesting, but the only poll that really counts is the one taken on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, only 11 months and 7 days from now: the presidential election.
The race among Republican hopefuls has been a roller coaster, and this pattern is likely to continue until after several state caucuses and primaries that will narrow the race to the top two or three most electable candidates.
The battle among GOP candidates will be intense but nothing like what the nominee will encounter in the head-to-head race with President Obama. Knowledgeable and seasoned observers say the presidential campaign will be the most costly in this nation’s history and also the meanest.
Republican primary candidates are spending millions of dollars in their battle for the party’s nomination, and the winner then will have to ask for additional support from many who already have made significant contributions to the favorites in the primary campaigns.
On the other hand, Obama will not have to spend any money getting the Democratic nomination, and some say his campaign war chest may total $1 billion. In his first race for the presidency, he raised a record amount of money and had a sizable surplus after winning the election. His opponent, Sen. John McCain, had far less funding and, according to several of his senior campaign strategists, he almost had to cut back on his campaign because of a lack of money.
Obama will have many millions more to spend in his quest for another four years in the White House — whoever his Republican opponent may be.
Also, Obama will enter the race with a far larger corps of volunteers who have committed their time, effort and money to support his election. In the 2008 election, Obama campaign leaders were able to call on this massive army of volunteers to move from one state to another if they were needed to beef up the Obama campaign. Obama, his campaign staff and his helpers raised his presidential campaign to higher levels of sophistication, execution and toughness. This will be repeated in the next 11 months, and the big question for Republicans is whether they can mount a successful, winning campaign even though the nation’s economic problems, the many failures of Obama to live up to his grand-sounding pledges and promises and his dismal record in numerous important categories, all should combine to help his Republican challenger.
The most dangerous and potentially costly thing for GOP leaders and, in general for all Republicans, would be to think Obama has been sufficiently wounded by his actions over the past three years that he is in a weakened position and will be easier to defeat in the upcoming election.
The fact is, he will be an extremely tough opponent, and he and his supporters will put up a fierce fight.
Obama has not been good for this country, and he has followed through on his 2008 campaign pledge to try to fundamentally change America. This country is at a dangerous crossroads, and it is frightening to think what four more years of Obama would do to this nation.
For this reason, it is hoped GOP strategists will put together a strong, well-planned campaign for their presidential hopeful. Republicans attending their national nominating convention should select the candidate who has the best chance to beat Obama, the candidate who can more than hold his own in any debate with Obama and who can present the Republican position in a strong, easy-to-understand, factual and motivating manner, a person who can look the TV cameras in the eye and energize and shoot straight about the dangers facing this country. Also, these strategists need to design and fund a powerful campaign to help Republicans hold onto or increase their majority in the U.S. House and win enough seats to gain a majority in the U.S. Senate.
This way, if Obama should win, GOP majorities in the House and Senate could defeat or slow some of Obama’s efforts to change this country in so many dangerous and harmful ways.
What happens in the next 11 months will determine the fate of America for years to come, not just four more years.
Comments
yourworstnightmare 2 years, 4 months ago
The Repelicans are their own worst enemies.
The rabid tea bagger base will do their best to ensure that one of the crazies is the nominee.
In doing so, they will virtually guarantee another Obama term.
Silly repelicans...
tbaker 2 years, 4 months ago
Beating Mr. Obama in the next election is not a foregone conclusion. If he is anything, he is an outstanding campaigner. For this next trip to the ballot box, he’ll also have to be a great magician. He needs to make some things disappear. Things like the fact he and his congress ran up more debt in four years than in the first two-hundred of the country’s history is not something easily hidden. A big chunk of the country will also want to know about the 9.1% unemployment rate and near nonexistent growth after billions of failed stimulus spending. This is way too big to hide, so some bogyman will be found to blame this on. All of Mr. Obama’s hypocrisy will be have to be concealed somehow. Drone strikes and GITMO are bad – if Bush was doing it – but it’s somehow OK if Mr. Obama continues the practice. Those who voted against raising the large Obama debt ceiling are bad political partisans, but those (like Mr. Obama) who not long ago voted against raising the smaller Bush debt ceiling were principled statesmen. Who’ll notice the irony of our President railing against the 1% who “need to pay their fair share” while vacationing at Martha’s Vineyard or Costa del Sol? Will anyone remember how he demonized those who buy a corporate jet as a waste of the people’s money — unlike vacation trips on a much bigger private jet paid by for the people? I don’t count the man out, but it’s going to be rough going for him. Making all this stuff disappear will take more than great teleprompter reading skills.
JayhawkFan1985 2 years, 4 months ago
I think it is funny that the so called conservatives are afraid of big government yet they are the ones that want to lock people up for even minor offenses. I think it is funny that the so called conservatives want government out of our lives yet they are the ones that don't support freedom of religion at least not for people whose religion differs from theirs. I think it is funny that they so called conservatives think there are too many government regulations yet they are the ones always pushing for more regulations for family planning services. They are not conservatives. They are reactionary hypocrites.
Agnostick 2 years, 4 months ago
You know, on second thought, "Guardian," I don't need your answer. It's immaterial to the truth of the matter.
The winner of next year's election will be the same person who won in 2008.
Who also happens to be the person who won in 2004.
As well as 1996... 1992... 1988... 1984... 1980... '76... '72... etc.
Can you wrap your head around that? Care to try? :D
Jim Phillips 2 years, 4 months ago
Can any of you who know what the Conservatives need and how the election will turn out next year let me know what the next winning lottery numbers are? I'll just quietly sip my Two If By Tea and wait.
ivalueamerica 2 years, 4 months ago
I can find a few reasons to be disappointed in Obama. I am not talking about the radical rights goofball lies like he is a socialist or he holds responsibility for the current economy, but I am disappointed in him for not being a stronger leader. I would never not vote, but my enthusiasm may have been less, until I looked at the alternatives.
Gnewt Gingrich wants to repeal child labor laws and make the poor work to earn their way though grade school. The list of his other problems would be too long to mention.
Cain thinks Woman should not squawk over some attention and feels he does not need to understand world affairs
Perry belong to a group that does not believe in separation of church and state.
Bachman..well she is just nuts and stupid.
Romney, while I do not feel religion is a exclusion or inclusion in ability to run for President, I do think that the Mormon faith is at least skirting the line between religion and cultism and has some very dangerous political and social views.
Santorum, I will let him speak for himself "The idea is that the state doesn't have rights to limit individuals' wants and passions. I disagree with that. I think we absolutely have rights because there are consequences to letting people live out whatever wants or passions they desire. And we're seeing it in our society."
Huntsman: Possibly the only candidate that could sway the moderate, therefore the GOP will eat him raw.
Ron Paul thinks children should be responsible for their own vaccines, that the fire department should be pay as you go..and hospitals.. and that sort of thinking only kills people.
I will vote for Obama for 2 reasons. 1. I do still believe in him even if my view of his leadership abilities are shaken, and 2. We can not let any of those loons destroy our country.
observant 2 years, 4 months ago
Step 1, get a candidate that's not a total joke.
camper 2 years, 4 months ago
Right now Ron Paul is the only one who makes any sense to me. Though I disagree with him, he is the only one I like right now in the GOP contest.
Right now the downside of balance of power is making thegovernment mostly ineffective. President Obama is the man I most like for the position, but he is dealing with congress. A congress that is lloking out for their next re-election bid, who flip flop on issues just so they can appeal to their base, and have been willing to sabatoge progress for their goal of placement in the executive position.
As much as I hate to say it, I'd rather have Paul elected to President and let him QB the situation rather than have President Obama re-elected with a Republican house where virtually nothing will get done via obstructionism an partisanship....and sabatoge.
The only other solution is to vote all Republicans out. President Obama has thus far done a commendable job of minimizing the recession, and actually doing an excelent job in foreign policy. And lets face it, he is a good executive on top of his game and on top of the situation. He is an intelligent man.
In summary we are in a lame duck situation. Nothing is going to get done unless we go with one party. I happen to prefer the Democrats, but right now there is a bunch of terrible people out there, both sides who are not civil servants but just a bunch of bafoons doing what they need to do to get re-elected. Playing on our fears mostly.
For this reason I also like OWS. I feel bad that we have left the younger folks such a mess to clean up. I also identify with the Tea Party sentiment tho I agree with virtually nothing they say or whom they support.
its_just_math 2 years, 4 months ago
The literary challenged natives seem to be panicked that The Saviour of Mankind is likely going to go bye-bye in less than a year, well, except for a lucrative speaking tour.
Flap Doodle 2 years, 4 months ago
... ... ... (from a source)
Mike Ford 2 years, 4 months ago
memo to the other side here.....with a brain transplant the GOP might have a chance... with tolerence the GOP might elect a Morman company gutting healthcare proposing frankenstein lookalike from Massachsusetts or a smooth talking intelligent sounding decepticon who once was an ambassador to China.... Do you people honestly think you will win with one of your godlican ultimatum or else people who couldn't think themselves out of a paper bag? I'm having fun waiting for the hem of your political party to split like torn pants.....keep having GOP debates....it's better comedy that Stewart or Cobert.... nothing better than following up a GOP debate with the new Beavis & Butt-head episodes....what's funnier? the Beavis cried episode or Boehner crying?
camper 2 years, 4 months ago
I'm sure everyone gets the idea. Palin and Bachmann have some pretty bad comments too. The list goes on and on. http://youtu.be/e9bvreW08X0 http://youtu.be/NrzXLYA_e6E
camper 2 years, 4 months ago
Then you got Perry looking bad: http://youtu.be/kTNjhcyx7dM
Alceste 2 years, 4 months ago
http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/buffett.asp
Warren Buffett, "I could end the deficit in five minutes. You just pass a law that says that any time there's a deficit of more than three percent of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election. Yeah, yeah, now you've got the incentives in the right place, right? (Laughs)
So, it's capable of being done. And they're trying to use the incentive now that we're going to blow your brains out, America, in terms of your debt-worthiness over time. And that's being used as a threat. A more effective threat would be just to say, 'If you guys can't get it done, we'll get some other guys to get it done.'"
The only problem: the people who would have to pass such a law are the same people who would lose their jobs. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Two years old, but oh so true:
Congressional Reform Act of 2011
No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.
Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.
Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.
Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.
All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term's), then go home and back to work.
If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive the message. Maybe it is time.
THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!! If you agree with the above, pass it on.
camper 2 years, 4 months ago
http://youtu.be/RiXPLmbrefI http://youtu.be/KAGGpK7bSWc
Pretty bad if these are some top GOP candidates.
kernal 2 years, 4 months ago
Strong campaign? I'd say more like intelligent campaign - like that's going to happen.
JayhawkFan1985 2 years, 4 months ago
Dolph, why do you want to be part of the republican great leap backward? Kansas has been dominated by Republican politics for 150 years. Look where we are. The states that are doing well are not states like Kansas. Also, the country has always done better with a democrat president beginning with FDR. finally, this is the most progressive city in the state. Don't you know your own market? No wonder circulation numbers are dropping...
woodscolt 2 years, 4 months ago
"Obama has not been good for this country, and he has followed through on his 2008 campaign pledge to try to fundamentally change America. This country is at a dangerous crossroads, and it is frightening to think what four more years of Obama would do to this nation."says the dolphster
There is an opinion that is loaded with fact filled supporting evidence. Oh, I forget, the dolphster has been a newspaper man his entire life and knows his opinion is fact just because he said it. Funny he doesn't remember how disastrous the Bush Regime was even though we are still living the consequences. Dolphster has enough money to pretend things are pretty well with bush. Unfortunately some of us don't have that financial cushion like he does. We have to keep suffering from Bush no matter what semantics Dolphster gets to pretend along with. Halloween is over, stop trying to terrify people with your wacked out bs. Go have a cold Koch or two, adolph, and quit trying to terrorize the people who buy your paper.
beatrice 2 years, 4 months ago
Large pot of donations and a huge corp of volunteers. Gee, maybe a whole lot of people who aren't posting on the LJWorld site or writing its editorials feel Obama isn't so bad for America after all.
The Republicans will, reluctantly, nominate Romney, and he will lose by a large margin, possibly larger than McCain's loss. This will at least be a step further than his father, George Romney, achieved in his run for president in 1968, who lost the nomination to Nixon.
Keith 2 years, 4 months ago
Another prime Saturday editorial from Mr. Simons, under thought and over wrought.
JohnBrown 2 years, 4 months ago
The problem with the Republican Party is it is no longer the Republican Party. It's been taken over by the John Birch Society: "Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice". But it's not 'Liberty' they really want. That's why Brownback used Big Government to regulate Planned Parenthood out of existance. If you're for 'Liberty" then you would want people to have the FREEDOM to decide for themselves whether they want to use the services of Planned Parenthood.
WE see examples all over America of so-called 'extremists in the defense of liberty' using Big Government to force people into certain ways of behaving.
It is extremism, but it's not defending Liberty. It;s the American Taliban: "do as I say or I'll kill you".
olddognewtrix 2 years, 4 months ago
This seems to be just another wingnut outburst by Mr.Dolph. The Republicans have dedicated themselves to obstructions that they hope will sink Obama's presidency. WRONG CHOICE!
tange 2 years, 4 months ago
It would have to be "staged," as clearly there is no substance.
jayhawkinsf 2 years, 4 months ago
Suppose it's Obama vs. Cain or Romney or Perry or Gingrich. Suppose the voting public is less than enthused with that kind of matchup. Suppose voter turnout is even lower than some of the low numbers we've experienced in past contests.
At what point does voter apathy become an even greater threat to our democracy than say an invasion from a foreign power? Given the likelihood of those potential match-ups, it may be time to hunker down, batten down the hatches. Where are the Democrats and Republicans taking us? Where are we letting them take us?
Richard Heckler 2 years, 4 months ago
Bringing republicans back into the republican party would help enormously just as booting those posing as republicans which is the lions share. Let's do both.
Conservatives and republicans are not the same animals. Conservatives are the animals while Republicans are the Fiscally Conservative Socially Responsible human beings.
Richard Heckler 2 years, 4 months ago
Warren Buffett: The Super-Rich Have Been Coddled Long Enough By A Billionaire-Friendly Congress
Read more: http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-08-15/politics/29963964_1_higher-tax-tax-rates-job-creation#ixzz1e9vuh7B4
In an op-ed in the New York Times Monday, the Oracle of Omaha calls on Congress to ask him and other "super-rich" Americans to contribute more to the federal government.
Buffett called for the immediate increase in the tax rate for those making more than $1 million, and for a new, higher tax bracket for those making more than $10 million — including dividends and capital gains.
And to those who argue that higher rates hurt job creation, I would note that a net of nearly 40 million jobs were added between 1980 and 2000," he writes. "You know what’s happened since then: lower tax rates and far lower job creation."
Buffett also called on the so-called "Super Committee" of 12 members of congress tasked with $1.5 trillion in deficit cuts to exceed that, in order to restore the nation's confidence in Washington.
He said Congress seems bent on protecting him and other wealth Americans from taxes as if "we were spotted owls or some other endangered species," but added they can do their part.
My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress," he writes. "It’s time for our government to get serious about shared sacrifice."
jayhawklawrence 2 years, 4 months ago
"...who can present the Republican position in a strong, easy-to-understand, factual and motivating manner, a person who can look the TV cameras in the eye and energize and shoot straight about the dangers facing this country. "
I think we know what the Republican position is already and we are not buying.
The greatest dangers facing this country are the Republican candidates running for office.
How about finding a moderate Republican candidate and running that person. I am getting tired of watching Mitt Romney tap dance through this campaign trying to appease the hard right crazies while at the same time losing all his credibility as a leader.
The strategy of attacking everything Obama does has worn thin for most Americans. If the election were held today, Obama would definitely win.
Mark Thompson 2 years, 4 months ago
Ho, hum. Another column that suggests the only reason Obama was elected was because of his massive war chest and superior organization. All that does is minimize those who voted and will vote for him to mindless pawns swayed by the most flyers left on one's doorstep. I voted for Obama, but I was seriously considering, even leaning toward, McCain when he became everything he stood against. He pandered to the far right, even allowing them to pick Palin to run with him. Sorry, couldn't follow through on a vote for him at that point.
The Democrats AND the Republicans both share significant blame for where we are because nobody has the courage to stand in the middle, pointing out the fallacies of the extremes of both sides. Absolving the Republican party of their share of the blame is irresponsible for someone who likes to think of himself as a journalist. The Republicans don't seem to understand that their best chance of success next time around is to jettison the Tea Party mentality and reach toward the center. The party that first recognizes this will be the one that takes control of the next few elections.
mloburgio 2 years, 4 months ago
Remember voters, republicans want to end social security, medicare, medicaid, public investments in education, transportation and science research, cut huge holes in the safety net, and dramatically cut taxes for rich people, while raising them for everyone else. But there’s one thing it didn’t do. It did not balance the budget — not for nearly 30 years anyway
its_just_math 2 years, 4 months ago
"It wasn't Obama who drove this nation to the edge of bankruptcy."
Kool-Aid? Actually, you're correct. Obama did not act alone; it was Obama, Pelosi, Reid and a Democratic congress circa 1/09-1/11.
Les Blevins 2 years, 4 months ago
It wasn't Obama who drove this nation to the edge of bankruptcy. It was a glib Texan with a swagger and a smirk if I remember correctly. Congress is the big threat to this nation now, because they oppose everything Obama and the dems are trying to do to set things right. That's why 91 percent of us say they disapprove of Congress and not President Obama. Mr. Simons should quit listening to the Koch brothers and watch the news from time to time or lambast the governor here in Kansas for what his wrecking crew is doing.
nugget 2 years, 4 months ago
Let's see, on the right side of the world who would we like for president?
A guy that couldn't beat a fifth grader in naming the countries of the world (OK, there are at least two of them, actually) Oops? An airhead wacko Christian conservative tax attorney who worked for "the other side" most of her adult life and is married to a guy that can pray gay away? A guy that was cheating on his wife while beating Clinton over the head for the same?
Or a Mormon? Quite frankly, the fact the Romney isn't the Tea Party darling is exactly the reason why Democrats, moderates and many Republicans will vote for him. But he'll say anything to get elected.
The rest of the field, it's a race to the bottom of the barrel. The scary thing is that one of those fools has a chance of being the party's candidate.
cowboy 2 years, 4 months ago
The current crop of candidates is an accurate reflection of the complete absence of any intelligent life on planet GOP. When you entire philosophy consists of a few jingles and war hoops you are rightly exposed as buffoons in any extended debate.
Gandalf 2 years, 4 months ago
"Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, only 11 months and 7 days from now: the presidential election."
Teapub self-destruction day.
its_just_math 2 years, 4 months ago
"...larger corps of volunteers..."
How does Daddy pronounce "corps"? We know how he pronounces "corpsman".
I breezed through your article fairly quick Mr. Simons, where is any reference to 90% of the intellectually bankrupted media pushing yet again for a second Obama term? Maybe I missed it. We've seen them trash each GOP candidate-----one by one. The corrupt media wants him in there again, the economy and unemployment be damned. They enjoy his brand of Democratic Socialism. It's in their blood.
Ever heard of "The Journolist"?
notaubermime 2 years, 4 months ago
The only way to defeat Obama is with a moderate candidate. You can talk money, volunteers and anything else you want, but the general public will not vote for Perry, Bachman, Cain, etc.
blindrabbit 2 years, 4 months ago
Repubs. need some more viable candidates, a few possibilities in cages at the Topeka Zoo. As a progressive republican I can no longer vote for the current bums row now occupying and destroying the GOP.
grammaddy 2 years, 4 months ago
Love the headline, but don't they need a viable candidate first? Good luck with that.
Kate Rogge 2 years, 4 months ago
Woo-hoo. I think the biggest danger to America is the extreme right-wing of the Republican party, Mr. Simons, and I'm writing a check to the 2012 Obama campaign fund right now. Thanks for reminding me that money talks.
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