Political observers, distracted by the Republican primary, have overlooked major weaknesses in the campaign of a lazy President Barack Obama, the editor in chief of
The Washington Free Beacon says in a column published today.
The editor, Matthew Continetti, writes that Obama's campaign this year pales in comparison to the one he ran in 2008. Not that his campaign was that strong then, but Continetti says Obama now is saddled with a background of failures and falsehoods that threaten his re-election bid.
Obama's first presidential run was buoyed by his promises of "good government" that projected a "squeaky-clean halo over his candidacy." Among them were pledges to operate within the system of public financing, to run an open government, and to forbid lobbyists from serving in an Obama administration, Continetti writes. Consequently, Obama harvested $750 million for his 2008 campaign, the most money raised by any candidate for office in American history.
"Obama is a pro at delivering empty promises," Continetti writes. "Since the launch of his presidential odyssey, he not only has reversed course on public financing but also on the individual health care mandate and the public option and the release of sensitive documents pertaining to interrogations."
Continetti also lists other Obama flip-flops, such as his granting of lobbyists waivers to serve in the administration, his failure to close Guantanamo, and his refusal to open numerous records to public scrutiny.
Still, Obama's supporters, despite some griping, stuck with him. "This lack of serious intra-party criticism encouraged the Obama political team to become lazy," Continetti writes. Thus, he failed to prevent pension and benefit reforms and his unpopular policies, such as those on stimulus and healthcare, brought down his approval ratings.
"But the pledges lasted only as long as they were politically useful," Continetti says. And this year, the donations are drying up. "He has $140 million so far, suggesting that it will be hard for his campaign to match its 2008 numbers, much less its ridiculous rumored projection of $1 billion," the editor writes.
"Right now, the media are content to focus on Republican infighting," Continetti says. "They are happy to assist Obama in the suggestion that Election Day 2012 will somehow decide the future of contraception in America.... At some point voters are bound to wonder what a second Obama term will bring."
Indications abound that Obama's campaign is nowhere as strong as we have been led to believe. Among them, Continetti says, are "declining fundraising, suspect supporters, and the absence of an affirmative message." All this because Obama has gotten sloppy.
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