Barack Obama is probably having a great time watching the GOP debates. Anyone would get a kick out of seeing his two rivals diss and rip each other apart. The 2012 GOP primary is getting uglier by the day. After Newt's affirmation in South Carolina, Romney needs to show that he still has what it takes, as he's becoming yesterday's frontrunner. It's like when a new baby is born, and the older child feels less loved and craves attention. But it would be absolutely absurd to compare the GOP primaries to little children.
After the heat in South Carolina, the race has moved on to the sunshine state, Florida. The candidates -- Romney, Gingrich, and Santorum -- are making their case for state Republicans, trying to convince voters that they are the most conservative, righteous, and fit candidates, who could beat Obama in November. Florida Republicans are conservative. One could assume that not much has changed in two years with Republican politics, and I would not be surprised if Gingrich wins. In the 2010 GOP gubernatorial primary, the current and Tea Party-backed Governor Rick Scott beat Bill McCollum, Florida's Attorney General, by three percent. McCollum is an establishment Republican, much like what Romney is assumed to be, and Rick Scott rode the Tea Party wave, which Gingrich is trying to revive in Florida, and make the case to GOP voters that the wave is still relevant and key. This primary will be a very competitive primary, with dozens of character, record and personal attacks that the Obama 2012 campaign would love to write down and save for later.
It is generally accepted that the race is now between Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney. Both candidates are from different backgrounds and times. They are completely different and no one would ever expect them to be in the same spot, let alone running against each other. But political races do a great thing and now they got to meet each other, and put each other's pictures on their dart boards. Santorum, who is pulling a Huckabee (see 2008 GOP Primary), is still campaigning on his conservative platform, but like in South Carolina, he probably doesn't have the momentum or money. His glory days were left in Iowa. Ron Paul announced that he is not even going to campaign actively in Florida, but might consider popping by for the debates. Paul is building on the more Northern caucuses and primaries where he is more accepted. Even if spreading his libertarian message upon American means forgetting about Florida, Paul would do it. But it will have a cost.
These four Republican candidates are forgetting that they have one big common enemy -- Barack Obama and his 'liberal' government. But like any primary, they get sucked in to the drama and get carried away and would say anything to attack the fellow Republican and opponent to get votes in the primary. The attacks in primaries are usually character and record attacks, for the policies are usually the same. Everyone knows that character and personal attacks are big in America, and if a candidate did something wrong that will cause drama, for some reason, people would sometimes vote for character over policies. These personal attacks -- ones that Obama was skeptical in 2008 to use against Hillary, but when he did, he won -- are wonderful for the Obama campaign. He sees the two men vying for the job that he has, ripping each other apart like there is no tomorrow. Aside from personal pleasure, Obama watches them argue and diss each other, causing themselves to look like they are loosing legitimacy, while Obama is the only adult in the story who is trying his hardest for the American people.
Obama had the luxury of using the best stage for any campaign speech, at his State of the Union Address. His address, which called for unity and hard work in America, spoke to all Americans, like any presidential address should. Obama's address was a great campaign speech, laying out his policies and stating the positive facts of his administration, while admitting some facts and numbers that could be better. This campaign speech was hidden in an eloquent official Presidential address, something Obama can feel safe with. His address went safely and smoothly, and probably had the most viewers of a speech by any candidate so far in the race.
President Obama and his campaign can expect a long race. Some say that this race might end at the convention, but that's too early to call. The race might not end at the convention, but it will end sometime before the summer, and for the next six months, Obama can safely focus on being the president, working 24/7 for the American people. I'm sure the Obama campaign and the White House will very much emphasize Obama's hard work and dedication. Obama has the luxury of unofficially campaigning across the country with the Presidential seal on the podium making his case. When there will be a clear GOP candidate, Obama will get up and use his billion-dollar campaign to ruin the GOP and their candidate. It will get dirty, every candidate can assure you that. At this rate, with the GOP candidates smearing each other day and night, Obama might pull this off with a positive campaign, because when he'll need to attack a Republican, everything is going to be old and taken.