Under normal circumstances few Americans watch the presidential circus. They just vote - or mostly, they do NOT vote. Few are involved, passionate or even interested enough to show up at the polls. But the first presidential debate drew over 67 million viewers and the Vice Presidential debate drew over 51 million. Why?
Hope or/and Change
Because this election year we are looking at a clear distinction in governing styles between Romney/Ryan and Obama/Biden. And because the electorate is about as unhappy and unconvinced as it can be that governance is anything more than spending our tax dollars on getting more votes with callous disregard for the consequences to hard-working Americans.
People were looking for Hope - the one thing they thought that Obama represented four years ago. That being said, he still has that icon around his neck, and for many, it will continue to ring. But for the disillusioned, the under or unemployed, those who have lost their homes or are in foreclosure, people who have seen their net worth drop by a quarter - many think this is the "new norm." Some - among the undecided, uninvolved and undeclared - are looking for a reason to hope. They watch the debates with an eye to the future, what's in it for me? or what's in it for my children? Do we see a road ahead with failed schools, poorly performing educators, bigger classrooms, shrunken Universities? Do we continue to see lawmakers vote state workers and themselves higher pay and benefits? Do we see more corporate handouts that fund unions and bosses, banks and Wall Street, with funds that end up in the pockets of CEOs and Union Leaders and leave the worker's in the hole? Do we continue to struggle in the maize of insurance companies, a situation that has gone from the best in the world to the most broken, with more people uninsured and health care more out reach than ever? What about the failed foreign policy that berates our ally Israel and elevates Muslims, who so viciously attacked us on 9/11 here and now, abroad? What of the endless lies and cover-ups - is the truth ever going to come?
And worse, what about this uncivil partisanship that rips the country apart, making whole areas of industry, states and cities where people cannot even state their political preference without facing political blacklisting? What happened to an open mind, civil discourse and compromise?
These Debates
Biden came back and used that tactic with a vengeance! He never let Ryan get a full thought out and he had the help of the moderator, who also ripped on Ryan. Ryan did extremely well for two-on-one! BUT - he lost.
Both said a lot of things that the fact-checkers are not buying. Do Americans care? Not really. Only us political junkies rip apart the details of budget, medicare or Benghazi.
What matters most is how people PERCEIVE things - and how did they perceive the debate? Women who are not "true believers" (meaning, affiliated with a political party) by and large turned it off. Yelling and interrupting and rolling eyes and inappropriate laughter do NOT play well with people. It looks like bullying - because it is. Old Joe was establishing his Old Joe-ness credentials. He did well and he established that he is an old, mad, entrenched politician who thinks he DESERVES to be Vice President - and that this business of getting ELECTED- is just a waste of his time!
So, why did they watch in such large numbers?
I do not believe that it is because Americans are happy with the current administration and the direction that the country is going in. They are not. They are trying to find some minuscule reason to vote for either one or the other candidate in the hope that somehow, something will change.
What did this accomplish?
I do not think that many people were swayed either one way or the other, but it won't take a lot. I believe that Scott Rasmussen is correct. The famous pollster says that it is a "begrudging" switch, from one to the other in a close race - that made this so-called 'surge' for Mitt Romney.
The fact that I support Mitt Romney and that I have worked hard this year in many capacities does not make him the winner just coz they said it was so, so many times. Mitt Romney does NOT have a secure lead, and the race is still breathtakingly close.
Given that there are two debates still to go - I believe that they may indeed, this time, sway voters. Like the famous Nixon/Kennedy debate in 1960, this may be the most important thing.
The Libya Factor
The death of our Ambassador and three other Americans in the terrorist attack on the Embassy in Benghazi is really getting headway. Will it make a difference? Its possible. During the Nixon/McGovern campaign, Nixon won EVEN THOUGH WATERGATE WAS HAPPENING!
It was still small, but as a kid in High School growing up - I was using the issue of the missing minutes in the tape in speech tournaments the year before the November election. I worked for McGovern; I went door-to-door canvassing for him. People slammed the door in my 14-year-old face stating that Nixon was not guilty. He resigned a year later after being reelected in a landslide.
Maybe there are no parallels because we have the New Media vs. Old Media. Unfortunately, I think the New Media is not trusted by the majority and unless it is endorsed by the MSM, no one is listening.
And worse, there has to be tweeted, 5-second soundbyte to reach people. No one READS the paper, except old guys (like me); and most of us do not wait to watch the evening news.
October Surprises
In a tight race like this, October surprises are common things. I'm sure the Administration and its surrogate Super Pacs are doing their damnedest to find something that will stick to Romney-Ryan. And I know the same is true of the GOP ticket. I remember when Bruce Herschensohn ran against California State Senator Barbara Boxer, a woman who should never be allowed to speak or hold public office - The race was so close - and an operative accused Herschensohn of frequenting strip clubs. He lost. That's all it took. And of course, GOP candidates are held to higher standards. Who cares if someone goes to a strip club? The inflamed electorate, after the press gets to them. The candidate had made one visit on a double date with his girlfriend because the other couple had insisted. The other couple was working for Boxer... And they took pictures.
This election is going to be fraught with overtones of election fraud in every area, be it 'same-day registration," online registration, voter ID requirements - Its going to be horrendous. I have joined the Election Integrity Project to poll watch and to do the hard work of validating ballots after the election. I know I will be slammed by the press for it, but I don't care. This is the most precious privilege of a Democratic society, and I aim to protect it.
Contrary to the media-induced fog, the truth is that most fraud occurs in Democratic-controlled districts, and represents entrenched political interests, be it he Rainbow Coalition, ACORN or La Raza. Anyone who has read Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals understands how this is done and why there is such a full-court press against anyone who is a whistleblower. Think "Lance Armstrong doping scandal," and you will see what we are up against. Entrenched political machines and entrenched politicians that "own" whole districts...
Conclusions
What will happen? Don't get complacent. Keep moving it forward, because this is a nail biter. Which
Think the fourth quarter of a tight football game. USC vs. Notre Dame. Its 21-21 and Notre Dame has the ball. They fumble. USC gets it on the 40 yard line. Are they gonna run it or kick it? They run it. Third down. One yard to go, they fumble. Here we are.
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