Apr
17
Breakdown: Peggy Noonan | Obama Is Likely To Lose | April 14 2011
Submitted by Matt Beck on Sun, 04/17/2011 - 09:47
Peggy Noonan has an article in the WSJ this weekend that I think deserves a little closer examination. View the article here if you have a WSJ subscription, or on her blog here if you don't.
Her premise is that President Obama is likely to lose re-election. On that point I don't necessarily disagree; his numbers have been dropping, showing that he is vulnerable to events outside of his control, and I think forecasters are spending too much time thinking about the current crop of Republican contenders. Against a solid, middle-ground Republican like Huntsman, Daniels or maybe Romney the President's incumbency during a time of national distress can easily become a disadvantage.
And, indeed, that is what Noonan is getting at. She is advocating for the GOP to pull it's collective head out of its arse and to nominate a grown up. Good for her, and I hope they listen.
Nevertheless, Noonan's article is full of reasoning that doesn't stand up on it's own two feet.
Noonan begins the article by commenting on where things are right now with the President:
"The president is immersed in another stressed and unsuccessful spring after a series of losing seasons. Internationally, he’s involved in a confused effort that involves bombing Libyan government troops and sometimes their rebel opponents, leaving the latter scattered and scurrying. Responsibility to protect is looking like tendency to deflect."
