Sometimes, a few iconic
images come out of a presidential campaign. More likely, the images we think of
now will be forgotten in a few short years. When historians look back on the
2012 presidential campaign, will they take the time to note Joe Biden’s cue
ball comments about a soldier who lost his life? Probably not. But I suspect Big Bird might make the cut.
Speaking of debates, I think there are a couple of memorable images. From the town hall debate, you see the implied aggression by both contenders in this shot with each pointing their fingers. Didn’t they ever learn that it’s rude to point? I found Obama staring down Romney in the third debate to be unsettling.
On to more serious topics, some of
the most haunting images this election season are related to the 9/11/12 Benghazi attack on our consulate. The night time images of a burning embassy
are striking, but not quite as striking as the burned-out building from the
next day or the bloody handprint on the wall. Both of these images represent a
colossal failure of leadership, as I suspect we’ll learn in the coming months.
And who can forget Clint Eastwood’s
empty chair monologue from the Republican National Convention? In retrospect,
Clint’s interrogation of the empty chair was a fairly accurate representation
of President Obama’s four years of failure. For anyone who immediately
identified with the empty chair analogy, the response to the Benghazi terrorist
attack wasn’t much of a surprise.
As they say, past is prologue.
Everything that came before leads naturally to the culminating events of the
2012 presidential election. It appeared in late October that Romney was moving
confidently to victory, as seen by the crowds like those at the Red Rocks Amphitheater
in Colorado.
In the end, there is one image
worth remembering. This single image – a map very similar to the one painted in 2008, blue penetrating the red heartland of America like a knife. This last image summarizes the entire story of the 2012 election more than any other.
"The Heathen Republican" has been included in the A Sunday Drive for this week. I hope that this helps to point even more new visitors in your direction.
ReplyDeletehttp://asthecrackerheadcrumbles.blogspot.com/2012/11/a-sunday-drive_11.html
Why the map does not describe "red penetrating the blue heartland of America like a knife"? In the end the Dems won so shouldn't they get credit for representing currently what American stands for? In other words, what do we have elections if not to reveal which ideas are currently preferred by majority?
ReplyDeleteGrod said: "In the end the Dems won so shouldn't they get credit for representing currently what American stands for?"
ReplyDeleteThat's a claim with a huge asterisk. Lets look at the four major national fields of voting. The Democrats won the Presidency... slightly. The won the Senate... strongly. The Republicans made strong gains in governors, and also in the House.
"In other words, what do we have elections if not to reveal which ideas are currently preferred by majority?"
Nationally, we don't have that at all. Only in California and several other states do you have votes on ideas. Nationwide? We have votes for individuals, where personality, character, the person's record, and how well they photograph often trump ideas. And when you get in the voting booth, that's not an idea on the ticket. That's a man.
Romney's rope-a-dope in that third debate looks like a monstrous mistake in retrospect. Agreed?
ReplyDeleteI think he needed to fight Obama on everything just like the first debate. A election like this was about the economy and Obama made the case that republican policies caused the problem, and why go back to what caused the problem. looks like there was also a lot of voter fraud
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wnd.com/2012/11/did-this-dirty-trick-get-obama-elected/
Always remember that the empty chair has a better record on the economy than President Obama.
ReplyDeleteDuring the last four years, the chair has lost no American jobs. During the last four years, President Obama has lost hundreds of thousands.
It is going to take him a long time to catch up with the chair.
Brian: Voter fraud? The Dems and their allies in court fought hard to keep voter fraud in the voting booth during this election. They whined about "supression", but the only thing being suppressed was fake votes. Nonetheless, they prevailed in many states ensuring that voter fraud would be a factor.
I live in Minnesota we have same day registration I asked how a judge that was taking a break how many people had voted today she said around 1600 last time she checked then I asked how many people same day registered she said I am not sure maybe one third. In Minnesota all you need to same day register is someone to vouch for you and nothing else we usually have a 84%+ turnout but with those rules no wonder why
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