Can Obama be beaten in 2012?

CNN ^ | February 10, 2011 | Ed Rollins

[neverdem]

With less than a year to go till the Iowa caucus on February 6, 2012, the conventional wisdom is that President Obama is vulnerable, but there is no Republican who can beat him.

In a new CNN poll, 26% of registered voters say they will definitely vote for Obama and 37% say they won't. If you add in those leaning one way or the other, it turns out that 47% will probably or definitely vote for Obama and 51% probably or definitely won't.

What does a poll like this mean with more than 20 months to go to Election Day? Not much! The hardest thing for pundits like myself and other talking heads is to say "I don't know."

The easiest thing is to argue that a poll says something and that only we who have our heads buried in polls can interpret it. Well nobody knows what you, the electorate, are going to think in the months ahead -- or what events are going to dominate the national and international agenda.

The safest bet is that Obama will be the Democratic nominee. You can go to the bank on that one. And my counsel is to stay away from betting this far in advance on the Republican side. Unless you're privy to divine inspiration, the best thing to do is to watch the process evolve.

One thing that you should know though is there are some extremely competent candidates who I believe will run -- and that whoever wins the GOP nomination will be a formidable opponent for Obama.

Unlike past Republican races, there is no establishment candidate or heir apparent who automatically picks up the mantle. From 1952 until 2008, every Republican presidential ticket -- except 1964, the year of Barry Goldwater -- included a Nixon, a Bush...

[SatinDoll]

Of course he can be beaten. All anyone has to do is tell the truth about him.

[fhayek]

From 1952 until 2008, every Republican presidential ticket -- except 1964, the year of Barry Goldwater -- included a Nixon, a Bush, or a Dole.

So, in 2008, who was the Nixon and who was the Dole? I thought it was a McCain and and Palin, but I am just a simple soul from the country, so, I could be wrong.

[TheThinker]

We’ve got some good candidates in the House. We just need someone competent and normal. Those are two things Obama is not.

[unkus]

Of course he can be beaten. All anyone has to do is tell the truth about him.

---

Exactly right! Another thing: 0bama’s true colors are showing more by the day. But the MSM will continue to coveer for him.

[Lazlo in PA]

Unlike past Republican races, there is no establishment candidate or heir apparent who automatically picks up the mantle.

Really Ed? The way the establishment is pushing the hell out of Romney you could fool me. "Walking Around Money" Rollins needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

[re_nortex]

So, in 2008, who was the Nixon and who was the Dole? I thought it was a McCain and and Palin, but I am just a simple soul from the country, so, I could be wrong.

I surmise the phrase "until 2008" may have been an exclusive range, notionally expressed in code as:

[1952 2008).

[Bigtigermike]

Bingo!!! Like Sarah said to the question: Can a Republican beat him in 2012, and if so, who? "Yes, someone who will draw a sharp contrast Obama is now a very polarizing figure. In the battleground states, he's polling at 40% or below. The country is rejecting his agenda" Why do you think you can beat Obama? In 2012, Obama will have what he did not in 2008: a record in office. Americans have seen over the past two years what that record is and what he really stands for. My vision of America is diametrically opposed to his. He sees America as the problem. I see America as the solution

[patriot08]

It’s looking bad with what’s showing up on the radar as the most likely Republican candidates.

[Names Ash Housewares]

Obamunism is being rejected like a bad organ transplant.
It isn't compatible with America.

He's lost and burned bridges with many swing voters he suckered in to voting for him.

All it takes is a few percent.

Any competent republican can beat him. Now, what happens if we have the PeROT factor again? That has me concerned.

[neverdem]

"From 1952 until 2008, every Republican presidential ticket -- except 1964, the year of Barry Goldwater -- included a Nixon, a Bush, or a Dole."

So, in 2008, who was the Nixon and who was the Dole? I thought it was a McCain and and Palin, but I am just a simple soul from the country, so, I could be wrong.

There's a meaning of until that means before the time specified.

[SatinDoll]

I suspect that none of the Republican hopefuls have done any research on Obama. Too bad. He is rotten fruit and ready to be flattened.

The first one that goes ‘balls to the wall’ is going to get the nomination.

To Hell with what the MSM thinks!

[toddausauras]

If Palin runs, just sit back and watch Obama’s nightmare materialize.

[BIGLOOK]

I wonder....if some of the state's elections officer will call into question his eligibility to be on their respective states' ballots. If so, the court battles over the eligibility issue will disrupt his campaign and bankrupt the DNC.

But who will be bankrupt first? US or them?

[AnotherUnixGeek]

All anyone has to do is tell the truth about him.

It'll take a lot more than that - people have been telling the truth about Obama since 2007. Running against an incumbent is hard, running against an incumbent and a hostile MSM is even harder. Obama is currently barely losing to the ever-popular "unnamed candidate" in the polls, but the actual race will be against a real person who'd better be prepared to stay on-message and run one hell of a campaign against the Democratic machine and a press determined to keep Obama in office.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

The Republican Party needs candidates that have the ability and burning desire to put the democrats perpetually on the defensive, and to challenge them on all of their own issues. The democrats need to be identified as racist, anti-intellectual, non-progressive, anti-personal freedom, and the party that wants to take away the nest eggs and the health care of the elderly. Every tactic the democrats have used over the past several decades to scare the elderly and other groups about the intentions of the Republicans needs to be preemptively appropriated by the Republicans.

I'm not talking about a ‘fire and brimstone’ angry approach, but more like what Reagan did when he used the line “There you go again”, essentially treating the opposition as untrustworthy and poorly informed children lacking maturity and understanding.

[sushiman]

Obviously , a lot can happen between now and the 2012 election . If I were a betting man , I would bet that Obama is re-elected . Those who got the community organiser in the WH are not finished destroying what’s left of the USA . The Republicrats make me almost as sick as the Democans ( thanks MS ) . The 2 party system sucks bigtime , to put it mildly .

[Impy]

Does a bear fornicate in the woods?

[maddog55]

There’s some neighborhoods around here he’d most certainly get beaten in !

[MagnoliaB]

Did anyone poll the dead, nonexistent and illegal voters that got him elected the last time?