There were a lot of worries over the last few years that Obama's less-than-progressive track record was going to cause "enthusiasm" problems for support of the Democratic ticket this year.
Obama can thank the GOP for drumming up Romney "anti-enthusiasm" to counter that problem. Because between the GOP primary Race to the Right and some of the charming anti-gay, anti-abortion, anti-contraception, rapey-rape-rape, anti-99%, anti-47%, etc., etc., remarks coming from GOP leaders and candidates and prominent supporters this year, there was plenty of enthusiasm to go around for younger voters to keep Romney (et al.) out of office.
While this was bad news for Romney and the GOP, it's not exactly comforting for the Democrats, I believe.
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How Young Voters Became The Deciding Factor In The 2012 Election
NEW YORK — Mitt Romney lost the youth vote by a huge margin, and with it, he lost the presidency. Sixty percent of young voters who cast ballots chose to reelect President Barack Obama, against the 3…
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Agreed. A lot of young voters getting out to keep out Romney. Not because they liked Obama. I really hope Dems realize this and dont think they are all that exceptional.
Thus my final comment. An electoral advantage that requires on either the other side being demons or their being demonized is not sustainable … nor desirable.
Couple of interesting articles on the BBC
Obama is a Good President, he is just not a competent politician.
Killer quote
The Next Four Years
Note worthy quote
I have no doubt, @LH, that Obama is ambitious. Or that he has an ego. You simply do not run for President (twice), or the Senate, without some “fire in the belly.” Nor do you climb out of Chicago without being a “competent politician”.
On the other hand, I’m in agreement that he doesn’t seem to me to have a “selfish zest.” He’s not in it for him. He’s in it because he thinks he can do the best job. I think one can disagree with what he thinks his job is, or how he goes about it, or specific policies, but I find a lot of the personal criticism of him (the “angry black man” or the “snooty intellection” or the “anti-colonial crypto-Muslim Kenyan fanatic” or the “Marxist hater of all things American”) to be so off-kilter from my sense of him that it’s mildly mind-boggling.
I've seen a few – a scant few – young people not voting, under the pretense that it's a choice between crooks A and B.
It betrays a disheartening ignorance, but not a common one.
In my more cynical moments, I'll worry that it's between two crooks, or two pol beholden to their corporate masters, or two tools of the status quo.
But even then, there are always differences to be picked out between the candidates.