For me, the turning point in this election came during the first debate when the President took ownership of the phrase “Obamacare.” It is one of the most divisive issues for the President, and he took it head on. Good or bad, it was his.
Romney, on the other hand, avoided the phrase “Romneycare.” He highlighted portions of what he did for health care in Massachusetts, parts that had broad appeal, but he carefully steered clear of portions that either appeared too much like “Obamacare” or would alienate too many conservative voters. He hedged his bets, trying to find the middle ground that would appeal to the most voters.
In the end, I believe that many of the undecided voters may have broke towards Obama on election day because they knew what he stood for. They may not have been too excited about everything the President was selling, but at least they knew what he was selling. Initially I believed that Mitt Romney was guilty of John Kerry’s cardinal sin, the dreaded flip-flop. But over time I came to realize that this wasn’t the case. Romney never had a position to flip-flop. Getting elected was more important that having a position on an issue. Undecided voters couldn’t decide on Romney because he didn’t give them a firm position to decide upon.
