So, who's predictions were right about the Elections?

 In 2009 I wrote a long winded article about what let to Obama's victory over Clinton first, then over Mc Cain. Last August I revisited that article and updated it in prevision of this year's Presidential elections, adding my personal take and prediction on who might win the White House this time around depending on what may or may not occur shortly before election day. I copy-pasted the Paragraph that spells it out and I must admit that until yesterday I didn't think that I was right with prediction, so here it is:

..."People want to know who has the best plan moving forward. As things stand, I'd say that unless the conservatives wake up and put out a detailed, step by step plan, clear and simple enough to understand, it's a toss up. On the other hand, if they focus on demonstrating, in a very concise and understandable way, how they are proposing to resolve today's woes, it's their election to lose. Their message must be simple enough so that the Lay-Man can make up its own mind whether it could work or not without relying on some Pundit in the media to put it in words he wants to hear but doesn't trust. Then it will be a landslide for the conservatives. If there are any doubts about how to move forward and if the economy expands ever so slightly and/or unemployment figures drop below 8%, then Obama will most likely be re-elected by the narrowest of margins but re-elected nevertheless. However, if History repeats itself, meaning, if poor economy will work in favor of the "Challenger", then Romney will be elected. Poetic reversal of roles just 4 years later, isn't it?"...

So it would appear that redefining  how to compute the unemployment rate was enough. I must admit that I overestimated the US Electorate, I truly thought they would see through the numbers manipulation. How can on call someone in the middle of the day in a survey and ask them if they are currently working, and if they say yes, take that for a fact. I mean, it is the middle of the day and you are calling them at home. Grant it, I work from my home office, but you wouldn't get me on the phone on my home phone line during work hours... well that's another story altogether.

Let's do some Monday morning Quarterbacking then. What was it that won the President's reelection? Or better yet, what was it that lost it for the Former Governor of MA? In my humble opinion, the electoral team. The President's Team, led by  David Axelrod, was ruthless from day one, it never stopped. Then didn't pick up from where they left off in 2008, they kept going full speed every single day for the past 4 years. The Campaign Chief oversaw every statement that came out of the White House, he spoke more for the President on important issues than the President himself or even the White House Spokes Person. The Spokesperson's boss, wasn't the President it was Axelrod himself. He's the one who responded to deep probing media questions every time the President was vulnerable, not just in the past year, but even during the first 2 years of the Presidency. Axelrod led a formidable campaign team, ruthless, calculating, extremely knowledgeable of its electorate. He knew everything there was to know about anyone who might even consider a fleeting thought to re-electing the President and his team zeroed in on that voter and never let him/her go, till election day.

Facing that Powerful machine, was the same timorous team that led McCain Campaign all the way to defeat. It seemed that Romney had finally the wind in his back the last few weeks of the campaign, particularly after the very first debate. I thought, that's it, keep up the pressure that way and don't let up till election day. But for some reason, Romney let up, he eased back, didn't bring up the Benghazi fiasco, he was more concern in looking Presidential that pointing out how Un-Presidential Obama had been and was till the last day. Was it over confidence, the fear of appear petty, racist, vindictive? Maybe, but that was a fatal mistake. Pettiness, revengeful and playing the race card didn't bother Obama and his team on bit. At the end, he won and Romney lost. That's one thing Monday Morning Quarterbacking doesn't change: The final score of the game.

So congratulations to David Axelrod for a brilliant Strategy, extreme flexibility and amazing capacity to adapt to the worse possible situation. Mr. Axelrod is extremely savvy and would make one formidable CEO and/or Military General. Congratulations also to President Barrack Obama. Let's pray that he will lead this wonderful country back to greatness. I truly wish this administration the best, for the best of the country. Like it or not, he is the President and the one that must lead. The question is: Will he Lead? He has not done so yet. The good news is, that there are no more re-election goal in the horizon for him, so he will finally be able to stop campaigning and start governing. It took 4 years, but better late than never right? May God bless the President and guide him and his team and may God bless the United States of America. There is trouble ahead and we need a steady hand at the helm to see us through the Super Storm brewing on the horizon.