Õbãmá Has His Work Cut Out, But Can He Do It??

[privateinvestor]

Obama has his work cut out for him on the political map
By Chris Cillizza and Perry Bacon Jr., Published: June 9
Officials from both parties are already focusing on roughly a dozen key states in preparation for next year’s presidential election, as Republicans view a group of states won by President George W. Bush in 2004 but Barack Obama four years later as fertile territory for a GOP comeback because of public concern about the economy.

The emerging electoral map illustrates a dynamic even Democrats privately concede: Obama’s path to victory will be narrower than it was in 2008 when he scored a 365-electoral vote victory over Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) thanks to a massive fundraising edge, Bush fatigue and a struggling economy. There are many states, such as Indiana, that Obama could lose that he won in 2008, but few he could shift the other way.

“The (Obama) map is going to be smaller than 2008,” said one Democratic fundraiser who has been briefed by 2012 Obama campaign officials.

Taken collectively, the battleground states represent the cross pressures facing the two parties as they look forward to the 2012 election. In Florida, Nevada, and Ohio, the economy continues to lag badly, presenting the Obama political team with a major challenge.

In Virginia, liberal-leaning transplants from the northeast and young voters fuel Democratic optimism. In New Mexico and Colorado, burgeoning Hispanic populations will force Republicans to grapple with their continued struggles in the Latino community.

Republican National Committee political director Rick Wiley argued in a recent memo that those six states, as well as three others — Indiana, Iowa and North Carolina — that both Obama and previously Bush carried in 2008 and 2004, respectively, have moved away from the president.

As evidence of the GOP’s momentum, Wiley noted that since 2008, Republicans have won a Senate seat, four governor’s races, seven state legislative chambers and 17 House seats in those nine states combined

“His (Obama’s) path to re-election must go back through those states, but his prospects there are far from certain,” wrote Wiley. “In only two and a half years, his position in those states, and in many others, has deteriorated dramatically, and Republican strength is in plain view.”

Obama campaign officials have touted Georgia and Arizona as potential states the president did not carry in 2008 but could in 2012 because of growth in the Hispanic population. Latinos grew by 46.3 percent in Arizona over the past decade and now comprise three in every ten state residents, according to the 2010 census.

In Georgia, the Hispanic population increased by an eye-popping 96.1 percent over the last decade; Latinos now account for nearly 10 percent of all Peach State residents. ((Bill Clinton, in 1992, was the last Democrat to carry Georgia in a presidential race; Clinton won Arizona in 1996, the last Democrat to do that.)

“Our focus over the next 500 days is building the strongest organization possible in all states that might potentially be in play in 2012. Not only are we building that organization in states the President won in 2008, but were also engaging the grass-roots in states that may emerge as pickup opportunities,” said Obama campaign manager Jim Messina. “This campaign will not be built around one state.”

But Obama’s public appearances, which are designed in part to place him in key states as often as possible, illustrate that he is largely on the defensive, visiting states he won in 2008 but are in peril next year.

Speaking at Northern Virginia Community College Wednesday, he joked “I come here often enough that I think I should be getting some credits.”

The president will make stops next week in Florida and North Carolina, along with a Tuesday appearance in Puerto Rico, which could help him appeal to the growing population of people from there who live in the United States, particularly in the Sunshine State.

In North Carolina, the state’s significant African-American population — roughly one in five residents are black, according to the 2010 Census — coupled with a significant college-age and young-professional population give the Obama team hope that he can re-create the coalition that made him the first Democratic presidential nominee since Jimmy Carter to carry the Tar Heel State.

It’s a sign of the White House commitment to North Carolina that it chose Charlotte as the host city for the 2012 Democratic National Convention. On the other hand, officials in both parties privately say they expect Democrats to effectively concede Indiana to the GOP.

Obama’s challenge should be not exaggerated. Even as a series of reports showing the relative weakness of the economic recovery have bolstered Republican strategists’ confidence, the president’s sweeping victory in 2008 poses a significant challenge for the GOP.

Obama carried 28 states and the District of Columbia in 2008. His electoral vote total marked the highest point for a Democrat since Bill Clinton’s 1996 reelection, when he won 379.

In 2o12, if Republicans were able to win all nine of the states that Bush carried in 2004 but Obama claimed in 2008, it would reduce the president’s electoral vote total to 253 — below the 270 he would need to win a second term. But, if Obama was able to win Ohio, for example, he could lose the eight other states and still be re-elected.

Staff writer Aaron Blake and staff researcher Lucy Shackelford contributed to this story.

[privateinvestor]

But Obama’s public appearances, which are designed in part to place him in key states as often as possible, illustrate that he is largely on the defensive, visiting states he won in 2008 but are in peril next year.

"on the defensive" that is being too kind to Obama and I submit he is on his butt big time...due to the economic slowdown, debt reduction fiasco, unemployment, three wars, and etc, and etc...IMHO


BTW why has the Obama administration ignored requests by the Republican congressman Rohenbacker R CA to have Iraq repay some of the $billions of our tax money spent to rebuild that country..

[deziloooooo]

"BTW why has the Obama administration ignored requests by the Republican congressman Rohenbacker R CA to have Iraq repay some of the $billions of our tax money spent to rebuild that country..
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Iraq right now is in a difficult situation. Our Military would like us to stay in some form in country..combat Brigades. Iran wants us out badly, and what ever Iran wants from us, have us do means we should seriously consider doing the opposite.

Iran is very influencetial in Iraq politics. There are large groups of Shia who look to Iran for leadership and support. They, Iranians, strongly supported the young cleric al Sadeer, who spent a few years in Iran, who was very anti American in his speeches, actions and supporting violence against the central Government of Iraq, as well as the US forces, and he is back in Iraq and very influential.

It seems by polls the average Iraqui on the street want us out, feel no love for us, not with standing the removal of Hussein and his party from power

The deaths of the children, the military, the civilians in the hundreds of thousands that they blame on the American incursone as well as the damage to the infrastructure, looting of the museums, all these acts are blamed on us..whether they are all true or not..that isn't the point, we as a country and a people are not appreciated, we are wanted to be gone from their country.

Their PM might want us to stay as well as some of the military, but he is under pressure from Iran, al Sadeer, his own people to not extend a welcome to stay beyond our time to go, even suggested by some, that he fears for his life iife he did so, ask us to stay for a while.

With all that, to ask Iraq for repayment of $ spent there, especially as there is a large group of Iraquis who are demanding that WE Pay THEM for the damage done to their country by our actions..I can understand Obama not pushing the Iraqui's for payment..we would never get it, and to upset them more, what's the purpose?

We as Americans might feel we did a good thing there, however , that is NOT how the average Iraqui feels..anything but.

Possible the good Congressman from California, "Republican congressman Rohenbacker R CA " hasn't a clue as to what the attitude of the Iraqui's are..was he one of the Congressionals who was ordeered out of the country when they brought this subject up?
That was not why they were there, but they seemed to P off the Iraquis, meddling into foreign relationships, face to face which are actually the responsibility of the State Department, under the direction of the POTUS on policy, and the POTUS , his responsibility...especially when actually face to face with foreign leaders on their turf..

In Congress, on the floor, in Congressional hearings, that is one thing, in another country face to face, out of the blue to bring something so delicate up, that , IMHO, is beyond their, congressionals, perogative..and I guess the Iraquis felt that way too, ordering them out of the country.

[deziloooooo]

This may be the best we get if that , as far as forces remaining in country..Iraq.
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.....Admiral: US commando team should stay in Iraq

By LOLITA C. BALDOR - Associated Press | AP – 2 hrs 18 mins ago
......WASHINGTON (AP) —

The admiral tapped to be the new commander of U.S. special operations forces says a small commando force should remain in Iraq after the end of the year, when all American troops are scheduled to leave.

Vice Adm. William McRaven is telling a Senate committee Tuesday that while Iraqi leaders have not formally asked for some U.S. troops to remain, it would be "mutually beneficial" to keep some special operations forces there.

McRaven's nomination to head U.S. Special Operations Command is being considered by the Senate Armed Services Committee. He has spent his career in special operations, and was a key leader of the U.S. Navy SEAL team operation that killed Osama bin Laden in May.

The roughly 46,000 U.S. troops in Iraq are set to leave by year's end."

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