#hi

Obama won the presidency on the strength of his message and the skills of the messenger. Now the talk of hope and change feels out of tune when so many Americans are out of work, over-mortgaged, and worried that life will be even tougher for their children. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#children #even #feels #his #hope

One of Obama's most impressive attributes is his quiet confidence: Voters sense that he is comfortable in his own skin, a dedicated father and friend who won't waste time with the phony rituals of Washington. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#comfortable #confidence #dedicated #father #friend

Part of the problem is voters know relatively little about Romney. And some of what they know about him complicates his task: Romney has a history of flip-flopping on issues, he's extraordinarily wealthy, and he can be tone-deaf about what moves voters. He just doesn't seem comfortable in his skin. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#comfortable #complicates #extraordinarily #him #his

Political consultants are pugilists, masters in the dark art of negativity. Which is why it's surprising to hear Democrats such as Steve McMahon and Republicans like Rich Galen urging their presidential candidates to be more, well, positive. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#candidates #consultants #dark #democrats #hear

White House operatives went to great lengths to show Obama shifting focus from wars abroad to domestic issues at home. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#domestic #focus #great #home #house

President George W. Bush won reelection in 2004 largely because he was seen as comfortable in his own skin, while rival John Kerry was viewed as a flip-flopping opportunist. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#bush #comfortable #george #george w #his

Republicans would have preferred the court overturn the health care bill, an act that would have underscored Obama's biggest liability - the perception among voters, including those who like and trust him, that he has been ineffective. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#among #been #biggest #bill #care

Say what you want to say about the rest of his presidency, including his tone-deaf response to Katrina and a war waged in Iraq on false pretenses, Bush connected with Americans in the aftermath of 9/11 because he looked as frail and unforgiving as we felt. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#aftermath #because #bush #connected #false

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is the most influential woman in Washington - for what she has accomplished and for what she may yet do: win the presidency. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#clinton #hillary #influential #may #most

The fact that Obama is getting criticism from the left and the right might reflect his understanding of the underlying political dynamics. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#dynamics #fact #getting #his #left