Since this was the first debate I’d seen for the 2012 campaign, it was a good experience. I had not seen Michelle Bachmann or Rick Perry speak in a debate, but I did see them speak on TV during and after the Iowa caucuses, and they were not impressive from any angle. I was hoping for something better in this debate, something that would prove that one of these candidates had it in him to beat the incumbent President on D-day.
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| This state could well be the game- changer in this election !! |
The debate was far from striking. Only two candidates, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul, spoke with enough calm and conviction that befits a President. Rick Santorum looked utterly helpless; his personality is not made for debates and speeches I guess. Newt Gingrich made a fiery start, but could not sustain the momentum throughout the debate. Here are the pros and cons of each candidate, based on what I’d seen in the debate, and on what I’ve read about them before:
Mitt Romney:
Pros:
Ø Skilled at debates, knows how to turn every point into his favour (as was evident in this debate)
Ø Has served as a Governor of a predominantly Democrat state (Massachusetts) and was highly praised for his leadership
Ø Enjoys a front-runner status after coming 2nd in the 2008 primaries
Ø Has a pan-American appeal; leads National polls conducted by various sources
Ø Might be able to attract moderate votes using his past-record
Cons:
Ø Perceived as a Wall-Street President, because of his previous work at Bain Capital
Ø Not that appealing to the traditional conservative base
Ø Has not yet released his taxes, raising unnecessary suspicions
Rick Santorum:
Pros:
Ø He is very conservative, and has a solid conservative background. His mild-natured personality can be appealing to the traditional conservative base
Ø He has been a long-serving senator and hence has a record to talk about
Ø He is quite young and does not portray a negative attitude
Ø He has won the Iowa caucuses (by a very close margin though)
Cons:
Ø He cannot attract the moderates and the independents, if he wins the Republican nomination. Obama would have a easy time defeating him
Ø His mild-natured face doesn’t make him look good when he tries to speak forcefully
Ø He lacks conviction, and thinks that his conservative credentials are enough to win
Newt Gingrich:
Pros:
Ø Enjoys good support among members of his own party
Ø Can expect endorsements from many political quarters once he wins a few states
Ø Solid Republican Track record in the Congress; Former Speaker and Current Chief Whip
Ø Pan-American appeal
Cons:
Ø Although he is appealing to the conservative base, he has a weak family history to show (2 divorces) which might play a big role if he is nominated to face Obama
Ø He has not put on a good showing so far (4th in Iowa and New Hampshire) and desperately needs a win to get the desired momentum
Ø His record can be easily attacked as he has been a Washington-guy for most of his life
Ø Temperamental and annoying (totally personal opinion)
Ron Paul:
Pros:
Ø Consistent track record – with no change in ideals and position over many years
Ø Long-serving member of the US Congress
Ø Strong grassroots campaign (similar to that of Obama in the 2008 elections)
Ø Huge fan following among the youth in spite of his age
Ø Legally sound, uses the constitution as the basis of all his arguments
Ø Will be able to attract the independent voters to a great extent, which could be a game changer in case he is nominated (or as a VP candidate)
Cons:
Ø A Libertarian Radical who wants to shake up the system
Ø Lacks appeal among the traditional conservative base
Ø Lacks appeal among core-Republican voters as his ideas are less Republican and more Libertarian in nature
Ø Age could be a major issue if he is nominated as a Republican Candidate, even though is as fit as a fiddle (Age was a major issue in 2008)
Ø Has a limited yet consistent Pan-American appeal
I tried to add as many pros and cons as I could, to make the post seen as fair as possible. As the race is just two states old, the next state will play a vital role in deciding who goes on and who quits. Two states, two people quit. Hoping for another good news after South Carolina :)
Varun Reddy.
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