Will Rope A Dope Be President Obama's Reelection Strategy?

President Obama's campaign slogans for 2012

It was worse than we thought

We were in a ditch, but now there’s just a few bumps in the road.

Save Medicare; don’t throw grandma off the bus or over the cliff

A woman’s right to choose

I’m from the government; we’re here to help you

Tax the rich; class warfare

Cut Defense

Get out the vote; No questions asked!

Mobilize labor, trial lawyers, environmentalists, feminists, African Americans, Hispanics, the youth

Chicago Rules

Community organizing

Demagogue

Demonize Big Oil

Demonize big banks

Demonize Wall Street

Demonize Doctors

Demonize Big Pharma

Immigration Reform

Don’t change horses in mid-stream

Stay the Course (Oops; that was Reagan’s).

He’s the One.

Obama got Osama

We eased the administrative burden on business; no longer will spilt milk be regulated as a toxic spill.

Obama saved Detroit. Most Americans don’t care about Detroit anymore, but it will play in Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio

Harvard

$1 billion campaign chest

Hope and Change becomes Hope and Experience

Obama saved or created XXXjobs

Don’t elect the inexperienced, weak, right wing extremist candidate of the Republicans

It’s all Bush’s fault

Attack! Attack! Attack!

They will toss everything out, poll, focus group to see what sticks.

But will the old playbook succeed?

The main strategy until now is Rope a Dope. The Democratic Congress did not propose a budget before the 2010 elections. If they won, it wouldn’t matter. If they lost, it would become the Republicans responsibility. They will then attack the Republicans’ proposals, as with Congressman Paul Ryan’s proposal to stabilize Medicare. It may have worked in the recent NY 26 Congressional election when the Democratic candidate won by making Medicare the issue. However, she won by a plurality of 48%, while a three time loser as a Democrat ran as a Tea Party candidate and split the Republican vote. Winners write the rules, so Rope a Dope won one.

Alternative B:

If unemployment continues to rise, declare victory and step aside