“” Palin was just freshly introduced to the nation.
So was 0bama. And that didn’t stop him from amassing more votes than any other presidential candidate in history.””
Obama was the fortunate recipient of some gifts: People had grown tired and disenchanted with Bush, a bad economy most in the country blamed on Bush and Republicans in Congress, a sympathetic MSM. You make it sound like it was all Obama’s personal appeal, charisma, etc. when indeed the McCain/Palin ticket had very little chance in this one against any Democrat with the headwinds they were facing. Believe that IF the economy is still bad in 2011/2012 more and more people will put the blame on Obama, which evens the playing field. The MSM would still be in Obama’s camp, but if the job market has not recovered by 2012 that will be of less consequence for that election.
Bush didn’t make people vote for 0bama.
They voted for him by the millions because it was a feelgood personal statement for them to vote for the first black candidate to run for president.
0bama will have his own record to answer for in 2012, and it will be bad. And there just won’t be the thinly veiled affirmative action Hopey-Changey message. But still don’t underestimate how much his race will continue to be a huge motivational factor behind his support, even if it isn’t quite as ‘historic’ the second time around.
Perhaps 0bama will run his campaign on being the first black man to be REelected president...