2012 Essays

Closing the Deal for Romney and Obama

Mitchell, Lincoln A.

The challenge for the Democrats is to find a way to keep Romney hostage to the far right of his party even after he has sewn up the nomination. As long as Romney is worried about his right flank, he will continue to participate in the extremist discourse of the Tea Party and others on the far right, making it easier for Obama to carry the center and the election. The White House, either deliberately or not, drew the Republicans into the destructive contraception discussion. If the Democrats are able to do a few more things like that, Obama probably will be able to close the deal.