Back in the 1983, before he ran up a half-million dollars jewelry tab at Tiffany’s, an up and coming Republican politician named Newt Gingrich founded the “Conservative Opportunity Society.” It’s now clear that 2012 could be a conservative opportunity year for Republicans. Will the party seize this opportunity — or blow it?
So much for the conventional wisdom that nailing Osama bin Laden boosts Barack Obama’s re-election chances. The economic recovery stalled, gas prices are high, Europe is in financial disarray, the novelty of Obama’s (spotty) soaring oratory is gone, and political polarization has led to gridlock and partisan polemics overkill. A debt ceiling debacle looms. Meanwhile, the nation is peppered with voters disappointed in Obama’s job performance as they themselves can’t find jobs or find their jobs being deep-sixed.
Another piece of conventional wisdom died Monday in New Hampshire. Democrats dismiss the seven Republican rivals who debated there at their own peril. The debate showed some folks focused on issues who weren’t caricatures even though Tea Party and religious right influences were clear nobody offered a serious job-creation plan.
One winner: Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who showed he could focus on his economic message, avoid talk show political culture rhetorical overkill, inject humor and not sound like he was vomiting up prepared responses.
Still, being a politically nimble “pragmatist” was once a plus but not in today’s GOP climate that demands ideological purity. Romney is a former perceived moderate Republican and contributor to what Gov. Tim Pawlenty once called ““Obamneycare.” His fellow Presidential wannabes held their political fire on him Monday night. This won’t continue. Also: Jon Huntsman will soon be in and, most likely, Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
The second winner: Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, who flawlessly re-introduced herself to a national audience and clearly is trying to expand her support base. She came across as a Tea Partier who did her homework, showed polish and pizzazz, and didn’t talk in Tweets, snark sound bytes, or Facebook entries like you-know-who from Alaska who wasn’t there.
A big loser:Sarah Palin who by her absence again raised the issue of whether she is willing to do even part of the serious traditional prep work required to get a Presidential nomination. Bachmann has now branded herself as a Palin substitute – with substance.
The biggest loser:
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Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.