Former Iowa congressman weighs in from Texas

“You can’t beat somebody with nobody. To date no one has emerged as a strong candidate on the Republican ticket. Secondly, don’t underestimate the Obama crowd. They took down one of the best political machines that Washington has ever seen, the Clintons.” — Jim Ross Lightfoot, July 20, 2011

Former Iowa Congressman Jim Ross Lightfoot, a Republican, has written what he calls an “op-ed” about the 2012 race.  Lightfoot ran for the U.S. Senate in 1996, losing to Tom Harkin and in 1998 he ran for governor, losing to Democrat Tom Vilsack.  Lightfoot was a farm broadcaster at KMA Radio in Shenandoah, Iowa, prior to his multiple-terms in congress.  He is now living in Texas – but his musings don’t mention Texas Governor Rick Perry once.  Or do they? Read on:

A Republican President in 2012
Jim Ross Lightfoot

Republicans seem to be very confident that they will be able to unseat Mr. Obama in the 2012 elections.

As usual every talking head on TV, talk radio host and highly paid political consultant is offering his/her opinion on who will win. Well, I am none of the above and live in the Piney Woods of east Texas, not exactly a hot bed of political pundits or considered a mover and shaker in National politics.

However, current Presidential politics seen through the prism of a personal political career that was launched with a grass roots effort never before seen in Iowa (1984) and the filter of nearly thirty years in and observing the political wars provides a view far different from what people apparently are seeing inside the DC Beltway.

The prevailing argument is the economy is bad and people traditionally vote their pocketbooks. Usually, bad news for whoever is in the White House.

Not so fast in jumping to that conclusion.

You can’t beat somebody with nobody. To date no one has emerged as a strong candidate on the Republican ticket.

Secondly, don’t underestimate the Obama crowd. They took down one of the best political machines that Washington has ever seen, the Clintons. They did it with so-called “community organization”.

Republicans have never been very good at grass roots organization, at least not at the caliber and level of the Obama machine.

Take heed Republicans, Obama will beat you and you will never know what hit you because his type of organization operates will below the usual political radars.  Don’t believe it? Ask Hillary and Bill.

Think the poor economy will be the determining factor in the Presidential race?

Throw your conventional political thinking in the trashcan. You are dealing with something new and entirely different from anything you have faced in the past.

The Obama machine is not of traditional political values and/or activities. Obama followers are more of a cult than political activists. They are enamored by the MAN rather than any political dogma. If you don’t believe it just go sit in a mall or other public place and listen to the conversations of his followers.

Their faith is in HIM and his promises, not necessarily the Democratic platform.