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« Stirfry
Obama's visit prompts questions
By Bertram de Souza (Contact)
Published July 8, 2012
It wasn’t just the selection of Dobbins Elementary School in Poland as the location for the president’s visit last week that prompts questions about Barack Obama’s re-election campaign in Mahoning County. There’s the comment from county Democratic Party Chairman David Betras about voter attitudes, and the misgivings of a prominent Youngstown businessman about the president that add to the narrative.
Why would the Obama re-election team select an elementary school with limited space for the president’s first campaign visit this season? Could it be that they weren’t sure about filling a larger location? Should the party worry that the predominantly Democratic Mahoning County will fail to turn out in the numbers needed to make up for the Republican vote in other parts of the state? But it isn’t just how many voters show up, but the margin of victory that’s important. Chairman Betras must ensure that Obama receives at least 65 percent of the vote.
A comment he made to Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Henry Gomez suggests that he’s not sure what the party faithful is going to do. “How do I say this nicely? Mahoning County has not elected an African-American countywide,” Betras said, on the eve of Obama’s visit to Poland. “Unfortunately for us, I think race may have a play in it.” Why would the chairman make such a statement on the record, even if it were true? Could it be that he has thrown in the towel, or, at the very least, is laying the groundwork for a less-than-desirable outcome in November in Mahoning County?
Finally, there’s Youngstown businessman Bruce Zoldan’s interview with Business Insider, in which he said that he has not made a decision on this year’s race, even though he supported Obama four years ago. Zoldan, who is a major contributor to Democratic and Republican campaigns, thinks Obama’s campaign strategy of pitting the rich against the poor is ill-advised.
President Obama has a lot of work to do in this predominantly Democratic region if he hopes to win the battleground state of Ohio.
Comments
The USA can not stand another 4 years of this socialist. I hope Mitt Romney picks Condy Rice of Bobby Jindal, I think either one could debate and make Biden look foolish.
The other day I was at the mall and I finally found a good place for Obama to start working in the private sector. There was a young man that looked like Obama doing a sales pitch to a white non hispanic maybe 16 year old boy. This salesman was doing these fade away jump shots and the kid bought it. Obama would do well with a referee uniform on selling tennis shoes at Foot Locker. He knows more about basketball then running the United States. Remember, he thought there were 57 states that made up this country. I'd bet he'd be employee of the month with his picture on the wall every month. I could also see him managing a store after he got some experience.
Managing a Foot Locker? That might ber above his pay grade. Plus he would need to stand in one spot to read off the teleprompter.
You guys are so critical and disrespectful of The President Of The United States.
Because he is the President, I only wish I could disagree with you, but I can't.
Recently I received another survey (and request for donations) from the DNC. For the first time ever, I tore the survey up and discarded it. The Democratic Party is not the same party of which I was proud to be a member. That pride was removed by the actions of the DNC and the current occupant of the White House. We must secure our borders, demand that our members of Congress do their job for the American people and rid ourselves of the welfare state government has created in order to enslave our people. We the people have the ability to once again restore the greatness of America and to reign in the insanity of our government. Party politics coupled with political correctness is continuing to sabatoge our way of life.