Domestic Issues Trump Foreign Policy In Presidential Race
Since the Vietnam War, Republicans have played offense by casting Democrats as weak on defense and national security. Now that thread of argument has largely unraveled.
If President Obama has had any success in the public’s eye, it has been in foreign affairs.
The war in Iraq has wound down; the administration has set a timetable for extricating the nation from an increasingly unpopular war in Afghanistan; and, as Vice President Joe Biden points out at every opportunity, Osama bin Laden is no longer among us. Even the aerial campaign in Libya, which had some Republicans (and even Democrats) grumbling about the lack of congressional involvement, went well enough that few Obama opponents bring it up anymore.
In an era in which domestic politics, and particularly the struggling economic recovery, have come to dominate our national debate, it’s unlikely that Republicans will make Obama’s foreign policy a central part of their argument this fall. Read more
--Reid Wilson, Hotline editor in chief
@HotlineReid
NATIONAL JOURNAL’S PRIMARY REPORT
Ohio Governor Endorses Romney NEW!
[Cleveland Plain-Dealer, 4/19/12] Ohio Governor John Kasich formally endorsed presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney Thursday, ending his 8-month-long endorsement hold-out. Meanwhile, Romney campaigns in Ohio today--a state that isn't safe for either for the former Massachusetts governor or the president.
Romney: 'I Will Stop the Attack on Fellow Americans' NEW!
[National Journal, 4/19/12] A day after President Obama said he wasn't born with “a silver spoon in my mouth”--a quip seemingly aimed at Mitt Romney--the presumptive GOP nominee had a response, saying that the president “likes to attack fellow Americans.”
Romney to Deliver Commencement at Liberty University
[Wall Street Journal, 4/19/12] Mitt Romney will deliver the commencement address next month at Liberty University, a Christian college in Lynchburg, Va., founded by the late televangelist Jerry Falwell. The address is yet another sign that Romney is looking to shore up his support with evangelicals and other conservative Christians.
Rubio’s Vice Presidential Freudian Slip
[National Journal, 4/19/12] Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has said he'd say no even if Romney asked him to be VP. But in an interview at an event kicking off the University of Phoenix/National Journal Next America project on Wednesday, Rubio slipped from his narrative.
Santorum Wants to Be Seduced
[Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/19/12] So why the delay in a Romney endorsement? For one thing, Santorum has a $900,000 debt to settle and he’s also trying to leverage a role at the convention in Tampa. But maybe he’s looking for a little sweet talk and some commitment first. A Santorum aide said Wednesday that they'll meet with Romney sometime in the next few weeks.
The Business of Ending a Presidential Campaign
[Businessweek, 4/19/12] Bottom line: It’s hard! Bill Clinton last ran for president in 1996 – and yet he owes bills for a disputed $319,000. His wife owes $245,000 to a consultant. Rudy Giuliani owes a whopping $2.6 million to various people. John McCain actually has leftover money he has yet to disburse. And right now, Gingrich has $4.5 million in debt.
Gingrich Secret Service Detail Still Costing Taxpayers
[The Daily Caller, 4/19/12] Even though by his own estimation he has very little prospect of winning the Republican nomination, Newt Gingrich is still costing the taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars a day with his Secret Service detail on the campaign trail.
Cookie-gate! Romney Questions Whether Locally Baked Goods Came From 7-Eleven NEW!
[Huffington Post, 4/18/12] Maybe Romney thought he was being complimentary when he questioned whether some cookies made by a beloved Pennsylvania bakery actually came from a 7-Eleven. Regardless, the store’s owner was none-too-pleased (“Let him eat cake next time”), but everyone else seemed to laugh it off. And now, 7-Eleven has responded, New York magazine reports.
Poll: Obama Still Quite the Ladies’ Man
[National Journal, 4/19/12] According to a new poll published Thursday morning, a big lead among women voters is fueling a slight advantage for Obama in the early phase of the general election contest over Romney.
Is Obama In Trouble With Young Voters?
[The Atlantic, 4/19/12] A new poll shows that Obama has the support of less than half of 18-to-24-year-olds and only leads a generic Republican candidate by seven percentage points, indicating he may have trouble with a demographic that turned out in full force for him in 2008.
Gingrich: Rivals’ Twitter Debate is ‘Utterly Stupid’
[National Journal, 4/19/12] Gingrich used the recent Twitter spat between top aides to President Obama and Romney to rally his supporters, chastising the debate over his rivals’ controversial histories with canines.
How Romney Learned To Love Twitter
[BuzzFeed, 4/18/12] Romney's campaign has jumped on Twitter recently to go on the attack against Obama and have successfully managed to shift the conversation away from potentially problematic details of Romney's message.
The Ron Paul Video Game: Fight the Fed!
[Wall Street Journal, 4/18/12] Love your presidential politics but disappointed with the lack of punching, boss battles or Super Mario-style side-scrolling action? One supporter of Ron Paul has the answer: a video game featuring the 76-year-old presidential candidate. Sorry, you can’t play it yet – it’s still in development.
Romney: No Greek Columns For Obama This Time Around
[National Journal, 4/18/12] Romney offered a blistering assessment of Obama’s first term on Wednesday, saying that the president might want to skip the Greek columns for his second acceptance speech -- “He is not going to want to remind anybody of Greece.” Romney also slammed Obama on Fox News Wednesday night.
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