The RPs Debate Presidential Leadership: Rod Jetton Responds

Jeff is so right about the difference between presidential races and state races. It is much easier for one candidate to have the resources to buy those down-ticket races.  

 

While we have been asking about how a candidate is perceived by disinterested voters, I do think we should remember that the opposing campaign also has a chance to impact those perceptions. A good media buy with cutting ads can hurt a candidate. What the Bill Clinton camp did to Bob Dole in 1996 is a good example. 

 

I also want to say that if Romney wins the primary and faces Obama, the question about who you want to have beer with is hard for voters to answer. 
Obama is not a guy people want to have a beer with any more than Romney is. 

 

The advantage Romney may have over the likability test is at least they respect or maybe trust that he knows how to produce jobs and they might want to have a beer and talk about that.

 

Obama has looked inept to most folks. He asked for the job, and said he could fix things, but to average voters it’s worse. Blaming Bush doesn’t work because they don’t like him either and think they are both inept. 

 

Obama has to pray that the economy improves, and he can claim he fixed it, hoping maybe voters will buy it. If that doesn’t happen, then they probably give Romney a chance to fix things.