[spence]

Originally Posted by scottw

when you are doing a decent job, inspiring hope isn't essential to getting re-elected....

when you are doing a lousy job...well...you say stuff like this

AP Interview: Obama Says Romney Holds "Extreme" Views | RealClearPolitics

Actually Obama appears quite lucid in that article. He's also exactly right, on big issues like abortion, immigration, health care etc... the GOP platform has taken a hard right stance which compared to Romney's history is quite a radical shift.

this election will be about changing vectors....we know where the current vector is taking us and consistently 60% don't like the current vector RealClearPolitics - Election Other - Direction of Country
....which means that the guy resposible for the current vector in large part is going to have to convince most of the country that it makes sense to continue on, despite the lack of any substantial improvement now or on the horizon for the important indicators, or he's going to have to convince a majority that the vector proposed by his opponent will be worse...that'll be a tough sell, particularly if the current economic/employment vector continues to slide...

I don't believe people assign the current vector to Obama, they're smart enough to understand the issues that face the country are much, much larger than the past 3+ years.

I also don't believe most people think the country needs a big ideological shift but rather just basic governmental responsibility. This is independent of party...

-spence