Political Gastronomica

A couple of days ago, a political consultant was talking to me over drinks at a Xmas event and I heard him muse that maybe President Obama might be thinking a “one-term and done” strategy.

Instead of trying to focus on the next election and triangulate (as Clinton would have done) making the next two years more about political pandering versus repairing our country, President Obama may actually think it would be a better the idea to announce – in the coming weeks – that he is not going to run for re-election.

Incredible thought? But, consider the benefits:

• President Obama would not need to expend all of his energy fighting the election battle for the next two years, especially when we need to focus on the matters at hand – in terms of the economy, job growth, our deficit, climate change, etc. Rather than pushing the political water uphill, he could focus on fighting the good fight in Congress.  Without an election looming over him, he could build upon the legislative victories he has accomplished and then continue to the betterment of his “legacy” – and our country’s future.
• With President Obama fighting on in Congress, it keeps him above the political fray and allows for other players like Sec. of State Clinton and VP Joe Biden to take the brunt of the battle of the election.  Both battle-tested and extremely experienced in running government, they would make for a powerful force.   Today, the Republicans are going to cause all sorts of problems to make Obama look bad as President for 2012; they would fall short of a Presidential election cycle where the Democratic President was pounding them on one side and the Democratic primary candidates would be hitting their standard bearer from the field of battle.

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