Obama in an Election Race that will go all the way to the Wire: Verdict of the third and final US Election debate by Donovan Reynolds Blogger and Independent Writer

Obama in an Election Race that will go all the way to the Wire: Verdict of the third and final US Election debate by Donovan Reynolds Blogger and Independent Writer

President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney had their final debate on Wednesday the 22/10/ 12 as a precursor to a two-week campaign that leads to US Election Day. So much was expected from them in third and final televised debate as they tussled for the political affection of undecided Democrats and Republicans as they tried to lay bare their foreign policy prowess. The venue for the verbal spar off was in Florida, one of the key battleground states, at Lynn University.

For Obama spin doctors the recession has ended, employment figures have slowly climbed and other indicators show the economy has improved. Spending by American consumers probably picked up in the third quarter, helping the world’s largest economy overcome a slump in business investment that is holding back the expansion. They point to the fact that the countries Gross domestic product rose at a 1.8 percent annual rate after expanding at a 1.3 percent pace the prior quarter, according to the median forecast of 66 economists surveyed by Bloomberg ahead of Commerce Department data Oct. 26/2012. It would be the first back-to-back readings lower than 2 percent since the U.S. was emerging from the recession in 2009. According, to the U.S Department of Labour Statistics: employment for 16to 24-year-old young persons in the U.S reached 19.5 million in July 2012:  Up from 2.1 million since April. 

In 2011, youth employment rose by 1.7 million from April to July. The July 2012 employment-population ratio for youth--the proportion of the 16- to 24- year-old civilian non institutional population with a job--was 50.2 percent, up from July 2011.
But there lingers among the US electorate a widespread sense of unease and dissatisfaction with the way things are going. The feeling is pervasive that the economic argument has to be won by the republicans if President Obama is to win a second term in office. 

Mr Romney, his vice-presidential running mate Paul Ryan, and the Republican Party in the run up to all three debates have had their campaign bolstered by big-spending patrons eager to dispatch Mr Obama to a one term political oblivion. They blame Mr Obama's policies for the ongoing economic malaise, and hope voters will overcome their fondness for and political investment in him. By pointing out that in his four years of government there is no significant economic achievement for the Republicans to crow about. But in my opinion neither Obama nor Romney has fully fleshed out their economic policies for the future, as doubts remains about how either Republican or Democrat would tackle the $15tn (£9.3tn) US debt.

There was a good deal of agreement during the debate on foreign policy between the two US presidential contenders at the third and final debate. They both agreed to defend Israel if it came under attack from Iran. In addition neither candidate appears to want to unleash another US military intervention in the region, though both clearly would not rule out the use of force.

Throughout the debate Obama rocked the governor and onetime Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints with spiky and sarcastic attacks on his credibility as a word leader. In fact, Obama got off the two best lines of the debate. One was clearly prepared in advance. He charged that Romney “has the foreign policy of the '80s, the social policies of the '50s and the economic policies of the '20s”. The other was apparently spontaneous. When Romney criticised cuts in the number of ships in the US Navy, Obama responded that times have changed. “We have fewer ships, but we also have fewer horses and fewer bayonets.” This I interpret as an attempt by the President to portray the Governor as inexperience and out of touch with American foreign policy needs.

But Mitt Romney went on the offensive by demeaning the President for not doing more to keep Americans safe by pointing out that Americans was three year closer to a nuclear Iran a usual scaremongering tactics often used by Republicans. A CNN poll at the end of the debate showed voters giving a 48%to 40% per victory to Obama. 
Meanwhile the right wing press and their pollsters a wash with money from big Republican donors must be planning a counter attack offensive as their campaign machinery roll out across marginal states for the next two weeks- trying to win the affection of the 11% of undecided Americans.

 For now Republican spin-doctors are inundating the left wing press and social media of medieval caricatures of Mitt Romney riding a world war one decor war horse pointing a bayonet. A word of caution to the Michelle Obama fan club – encourage her kiss in public and watch the daily gallop polls trough the corner of her eyes as on the final night of debate the fat lady only lip singed for President Obama the idea of a Black first lady kissing on the white house lawn infuriates the Sarah Palin and the Tea party fan club. This coming election may down in history as the closest political race in the history of the US. The last time cried on my couch in London as I watched Barack Obama  trounce Senator John McCain to become the first black president of the US this time around I am willing to froth from the mouth in anguish.


Donovan Reynolds is a Blogger and Independent Writer. He is a British based Social Worker and Human rights Activist. He has an interest in Politics, Culture, Human Rights and International Development issues.Readers of this blog may add their comments or critique at the space provided on this blog .Or alternatively they may e-mail him at dannygerm63@hotmail.co.uk/  or dannygerm@twitter

Obama Trounced in First face off and Needs to Up His Game in the Remaining Debates: By Donovan Reynolds Blogger and Independent Writer.

The first Pre- US election publicly aired political debate took place last Wednesday with both President Obama and his Republican contender Mitt Romney having two separate visions for the economic future of the US. With an economic double dip recession looming in the backdrop of the next presidential cycle. The importance of these debates reflects not just the closeness of the race but the politics at stake. More than in most US presidential contests, the candidates embody clear alternatives, between a larger, more interventionist state and a stripped-down, market-oriented one.

In his manifesto pledge President Obama has unveiled a plan to cut the national debt by about $4tn over a decade. The strategy hinges on eliminating wasteful spending in government programmes like Medicare and generating revenue by ending some of the Bush-era tax cuts for high-income households and closing tax loop holes. The plan also includes troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, imposing spending caps for future overseas military operations, and a $32bn cut on direct payment to farmers over 10 years. In a nut shell Obama proposes the reduction of federal spending on the US armed forces and the more prudent budgetary control and a raising of taxes on the wealthy individuals and corporations.

Romney's proposed approach to creating jobs hinges upon less regulation, a balanced budget, more trade deals to promote growth, and cutting the corporate tax rate to 25 from 35 per cent. He has also proposed replacing unemployment benefits with an unemployment savings account, as well as repealing the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law that gives the federal government new powers to regulate Wall Street after the financial meltdown of 2008 Romney says his private sector experience as CEO of Bain Capital makes him an ideal candidate for job creation. In response, the Obama campaign has accused Romney of heading a carpet-bagging corporation that destroyed domestic companies, sent jobs overseas, and forced bankruptcy onto a number of firms.

Glued to my television set in the UK and deprived of my early night sleep -from the very beginning of the 90 minute debate, Mitt Romney looked comfortable and prepared for the debate. He appeared relaxed someone totally in charge of his brief. President Barack Obama on the other hand looked exhausted and exasperated he was thrown onto the defensive throes for most of the encounter. He missed some open goals, at one point. Mitt Romney queried whether the President's assertion  that companies get a tax break for shipping jobs overseas, saying that after 25 years in business: 'I don't know what you're talking about. I need to get a better accountant'.

President Obama failed to use the debate at that stage to highlight once more that his opponent is a multi-millionaire who last year paid a tax rate lower than most average Americans, so probably has a pretty good accountant. There was no mention of the '47 per cent' video which has damaged the Romney campaign so badly, and only a passing reference to the auto industry bail out. This was an insipid, uninspired and uninspiring performance from a sitting President who four years ago energized a country and a generation with his message of hope and change. That allowed Mitt Romney to appear calm and in control, even Presidential.

Realistically, the first political debate certainly won’t win Mitt Romney the US presidency. Political campaigns are about stealing momentum: and at the very least Obama’s has been checked. In the next two debates, he needs to come out fighting, and show not just the mastery of detail that he was at pains to convey at the debate with Mitt.  The magical passion, zeal and charisma that won him 2008 election will have to return sooner than later. One thing is certain from listening to the debate-Mitt

Romney is right back in this race after a terrible month coloured by his 47% gaffe. But it’s far from over for President Obama as the polls still have him in the lead. The expectation by Democrats is that Mr. Obama will now doubtless practice more seriously for the second debate on October 16. Its more informal, “town-meeting” format will test both men’s ability to connect with real voters: Mr. Romney especially scores low in polls when voters are asked if he can empathise with their lives. So a word of advice to my  jittery face book Democrats: tell your trounced candidate Obama –less showing of public affect with Michelle in Public outings. Advise him that he has to recapture the political fighting spirit of 2008.

Donovan Reynolds is a British based Jamaican Social Worker,Human Rights campaigner  and Independent writer.He is a blogger with an interest in politics ,culture and International development issues.Feel free to give feedback on the space provided below.Alternatively you may respond by e-mailing him at dannygerm63@hotmail.co.uk ,dannygerm@twitter  or on his facebook link