The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

2012: Still A Muddle

Posted on | April 27, 2011 | 3 Comments

by Smitty

Rich Galen at CNSNews contrasts BHO with predecessors’ approval ratings at this point in their first administration. Carter was doing about 10 points worse. The interesting point is that BHO’s approval equals that of the Gipper:

The best example is Ronald Reagan whose 43 percent matches Obama’s current rating. Reagan, let us remember, went on to win 49 states in his re-election in 1984 against the Democrats’ dream team of Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro.

On the other hand, Dr. John Pitney, professor in the school of government at Claremont McKenna College in California, sent me a great annotated bibliography of press pieces about how weak, how late-starting, how little-known, how futile it looked for Democratic candidates at about this point in the 1992 President cycle.

Yes, and I must admit that my non-regard for Mr. Ruling Class Bush41 bought me eight years of Bubba:

It is true that Clinton was aided and abetted by Ross Perot who mounted a furious third-party candidacy and who, in spite of not winning any electoral votes, got nearly 20 percent of the popular vote.

While H.W. would probably not have won anyway, Perot’s candidacy clearly cost Bush several states, much as – eight years later – third party candidate Ralph Nader likely cost Al Gore a victory in Florida and we know how that turned out.

So, when you hear the office know-it-all state with absolute certainty that they can divine the outcome of the Presidential election in November 2012 because of the polling in April of 2011; smile, nod, stir your coffee, and walk back to your desk.

Perot was proto-Tea Party. 15 years ahead of his time. No blog support.
What I like the most about this notion of unpredictability is that there is hope for repeal of Amendments 16 & 17, plus that atrocious Federal Reserve Act during their centennial in 2013.
While the current efforts of Paul Ryan &c are not nothing, the fact that they are not addressing the roots of Federal over-reach is worrisome.

One thing we do have to look forward to is the Left nattering on about how 2012 is the most raaaaacist election ever. To paraphrase the Instapundit, the country will get past raaaaacism when the people on the Left perpetuating the raaaaacism finally desist from the raaaaacism.

Category: Election 2012

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