I Hope Jeffrey Lord is Right

I sincerely hope Jeffrey Lord is right when he says that President Obama will not be re-elected.

I don't discount the idea that the seeds have been sown for Obama's defeat. Yet it remains to be seen if those seeds will blossom. After all, the election is still more than 18 months away and it is simply too soon to write Obama's political obituary. I believe we lull ourselves into a false sense of security by adopting a mindset which cannot and will not consider the possibility Obama could win in 2012. Obama might not be competent at governing but he is more than competent when it comes to organizing people and money. Moreover, Obama will have most of the media in his corner once again. While we conservatives should plan for victory we should also plan for defeat. All possible outcomes must be considered including ones not to our liking. The worst thing you can do is to underestimate your opponent especially one that previously prevailed over you.

It is undoubtedly interesting to see both Lord and Eric Alterman compare President Obama to Jimmy Carter. But if Obama is going to be likened to the Man From Plains then I think one ought to ask where is Obama's Ted Kennedy? If a Democrat were to challenge Obama in the caucuses and primaries I would be far more inclined to agree with Lord's declaration. A formal challenge to Obama within the Democratic Party would reveal some very deep schisms over his agenda. While President Obama has been criticized from the Left on various matters I don't think the disenchantment is such that Democrats are prepared to ex-communicate The Anointed One. At least not yet.

After Carter was defeated by Reagan in November 1980, The New York Times concluded, "On Election Day, Mr. Carter was the issue." If Mr. Obama is the issue in November 2012 then Lord's prediction will come to fruition. But as we all know at lot can happen between now and then which could cast President Obama in a positive light. And even if that doesn't happen then his allies in the media will see to it that the light shines on him brightly regardless of our state of affairs.

I am not making the argument that President Obama can't be defeated. He most certainly could. But this is hardly the time to be running a victory lap when we have yet to reach the starting gates.