STAR TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON - His lease renewed in trying economic times, President Barack Obama claimed a second term from an incredibly divided electorate and immediately braced for daunting challenges and progress that comes only in fits and starts.
"We have fought our way back and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come," Obama said.
The same voters who gave Obama another four years also elected a divided Congress, re-upping the dynamic that has made it so hard for the president to advance his agenda. Democrats retained control of the Senate; Republicans renewed their majority in the House.
It was a sweet victory for Obama, but nothing like the jubilant celebration of four years earlier, when his hope-and-change election as the nation's first black president captivated the world. This time, Obama ground out his win with a stay-the-course pitch that essentially boiled down to a plea for more time to make things right and a hope that Congress will be more accommodating than in the past.
The vanquished Republican, Mitt Romney, tried to set a more conciliatory tone on the way off the stage."At a time like this, we can't risk partisan bickering," Romney said after a campaign filled with it. "Our leaders have to reach across the aisle to do the people's work."
House Speaker John Boehner spoke of a dual mandate, saying, "If there is a mandate, it is a mandate for both parties to find common ground and take steps together to help our economy grow and create jobs."
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell had a more harsh assessment. "The voters have not endorsed the failures or excesses of the president's first term," McConnell said. "They have simply given him more time to finish the job they asked him to do together" with a balanced Congress.
Obama claimed a commanding electoral mandate — at least 303 electoral votes to 206 for Romney — and had a near-sweep of the nine most hotly contested battleground states.
But the close breakdown in the popular vote showed Americans' differences over how best to meet the nation's challenges. With more than 90 percent of precincts reporting, the popular vote went 50 percent for Obama to 48.4 percent for Romney, the businessman-turned-politician who had argued that Obama had failed to turn around the economy and said it was time for a new approach keyed to lower taxes and a less intrusive government.
Obama's re-election assured certainty on some fronts: His signature health-care overhaul will endure, as will the Wall Street reforms enacted after the economic meltdown. The drawdown of troops in Afghanistan will continue apace. And with an aging Supreme Court, the president is likely to have at least one more nomination to the high court.
The challenges immediately ahead for the 44th president are all too familiar: an economy still baby-stepping its way toward full health, 23 million Americans still out of work or in search of better jobs, civil war in Syria, an ominous standoff over Iran's nuclear program, and more.
Sharp differences with Republicans in Congress on taxes, spending, deficit reduction, immigration and more await.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
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I think that it's great that obama won a second term, but I also hope that he follows through with what he said he's going to do.
ReplyDeleteMatthew Hodek
Per. 3
I don't really like Obama or Romney. Although if i actually was able to vote I would have choose Obama. There were some good things about both of them, and there were some bad things about both of them. Good things about Obama is that he wanted to tax the higher classes more, and his medicare plan made it easier for my sister who has diabetes so that she cant get turn down by insurance people because of her condition.A bad thing about Obama is that he promised us all lot of things and only a few of them happen. A good thing about Romney is that he wanted the states to decide if they would allow abortion or not. one thing i didn't like about Romney at all is that he wanted to tax middle classes more than higher classes. So end the end I agree with Matthew on how I am glad that Obama was relected.
ReplyDeletei really didn't care who got elected. We just need someone to take charge and get the national debt down. Our were gana be called the United states of China. So i just hope Obama has a plan to do something about that soon.
ReplyDeleteMitchell Roberts
Per. 3
Obama got re-elected again huh. Well that wasn't a surprise to me, but it those fell like he barely did much in his first term. Hope he can deliver in the next.
ReplyDeleteP:3 P. Kevin Bouphasavanh
I hope his next term will go more plan then his last term. Hopefully Congress will work with him and just get out of this mess we're in right now. I hope the best for him.
ReplyDeleteRyan Tappe p7
Obama got re-elected that's not a surprise.He didn't really do anything in his first time.I honestly don't like Obama.He should do better,but i hope the best and i hope that he does better in his second term.I'd rather have mitt romeney be president.
ReplyDeletechelsey jensen p7
I think that it was wrong that Obama won President again. I don't like that he won again. I think that gas prices will go up again. I agree with Chelsey that we should of had mitt Romeney to be President.
ReplyDeleteAshleyotto p2
Good... now pass government healthcare like in Australia- they spend about half as much per person overall on healthcare. That would be the best solution. Legalize gay marriage nationwide too- the time is right. Get rid of the electoral college and change presidential elections to single transferable vote. Switch congress to proportional representation and maybe third parties will become viable. Pass laws protecting internet freedom from laws like SOPA and PIPA forever. You can do it Obama!
ReplyDeleteAndrew Hagen Period 3
*half as much per person as the US.*
DeleteI forgot the US bit.
I am rather disappointed that Obama won the election. He hasn't done much besides raise the national debt. The senate hasn't passed a budget in 3 years. Then we complain about the political gridlock in Washington but then keep everything the same.
ReplyDeleteKeegan O'Donnell P3
I am going to be completely honest, I didn't really care who won the election. The one thing I did care about in the election, is that gay marriage be passed. I believe that if someone loves someone of the same gender they should be able to marry each other. I don't think it will affect anyone that isn't gay, so they should not care.
ReplyDeleteJared Streiff
P2
This does not surprise me at all that Obama won the election. The election shows how "public opinion" and "moral beliefs" are voted over accomplishments and economic standing. I could write this whole comment on how scarey it is with him being president. Or I could be "politically correct", and I could say that his unique way of leadership could be better in simple ways like: having the country be better off then it was before him being leader, he could actually do something beneficial for our country, or anything where good is the outcome. Any speaker could stir up a crowd about the good things that "could" happen, but only a good leader could make these good things become a reality.
ReplyDeleteJonas Fisher, Period 2
During this whole election Romney and Obama were just trying to make the country more complicated. Why can't you just change one thing at a time? And Obama probably won't even keep one of the new ideas going. The whole gay marriage thing, I'm with it and then I'm against it. So right now I dont really care who is president because I honestly think they wouldn't make this country any better than it is right now.
ReplyDeleteMcKenna Butler, Period 2.
I think that if Romney were president he would care more for the rich then the poor. Obama on the other hand, I feel doesn't care who you are. He would help you out either way. That's why I'm glad that Obama won and Romney lost.
ReplyDeleteChenise Ehlers P2
I'm glad Obama won. Sure, he's not a perfect person, but a president is a leader not a messiah. He's done much good that people try to look away from; on his first day in office he signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Play Act, he repealed Don't Ask, Don't Tell, he gave us a starting point with universal health care (which we should all agree we need), unemployment is DOWN since the beginning of his first term, he has built better relationships with other countries and so much more. Things are honestly better now then four years ago, and in the long run I think Mr. President will do even better. (START WITH THOSE DRONE STRIKES OKAY, SIR? THEY HAVE TO STOP.)
ReplyDeleteShelby H, Period 3.
I was happy to hear that President Obama was re-elected. He care's about the "little people" who make less than 150,000 a year and is trying to bring back the middle class which is sadly diminishing. I know it seems like he's all talk with no action, but he is dealing with our Congress and no one seems to agree in that area of government. Romney concerned me because I don't think he's ever had to really struggle with money in his life, and I don't think he really cares about the lower classes which make up a large percent of our Nation. Romney also didn't seem to care a lot about education and was all about business. People can't really lead a business without a decent education (Yes I know I bring this subject up but it is a factor in my household). I hope America can "Move Forward" and Obama can help us retain the status of "The Greatest Nation in The World." I think he can; we just need to help him as a nation.
ReplyDeleteMolly M. Per. 3
I was a little disapointed when I found out Obama won the election. He didn't do anything really good in his first term, and he didn't keep the promises he made. I hope Obama is going to be better at keeping his promises and putting alout of effort torward getting out of debt in his second term.
ReplyDeleteGuinevere Hennrikson p.2
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