It Wasn't The Economy, Stupid!

WASHINGTON, Nov 9 2012 (IPS) - Twenty years ago, Democratic pol James Carville immortalised the phrase Its the economy, stupid in explaining how former Arkansas governor Bill Clinton would unseat President George H. W. Bush, who was riding high off his smashing military victory in the first Gulf War. Now, 20 years later, pros in both parties appear to agree that It was the demographics, stupid that best explained how President Barack Obama defeated former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, despite four years of hard economic times and a nearly eight-percent unemployment rate. Read more: Source

Of course it wasn't the economy but voting demographics were a result of Romney's failure, not a cause. Romney lost because he ran a terrible campaign, and Obama got a little help from a Hurricane at the perfect time (I am not saying that he would have lost without it, but it helped him).

There is no reason a challenger can't win with 7.9% unemployment, which is higher than last month, an economy that is growing slower than it was last year or two year ago, a national debt that is 50% higher that it was 4 years ago, and Government spending at the highest levels since WW2.

He didn't do enough to show constrast between himself and Obama and didn't take the chance to clarify his plans.