Senators lament Romney’s loss
by Jon Gillooly
jgillooly@mdjonline.com
November 07, 2012 03:33 AM
MARIETTA — U.S….
Georgia
(Nov 7, 2012) —
Link To Article
http://mdjonline.com/view/full_story/20739619/article-Senators-lament-Romney%E2%80%99s-loss?instance=lead_story_left_column
by Jon Gillooly
jgillooly@mdjonline.com
November 07, 2012 03:33 AM
MARIETTA — U.S. Sens. Saxby Chambliss (R-Moultrie) and Johnny Isakson (R-east Cobb)
were not in the highest of spirits when reached a little after 10 p.m. Tuesday.
“The country continues to be a very much divided America,” said Chambliss, who watched
the returns from his hometown in Moultrie. “We’ve got to figure out a way to solve
our problems that don’t move us down the road of a socialist America, that we figure
out some way to make sure that true American values are still represented in the policies
that come out of Washington, but with a President Obama, that’s going to be very,
very difficult.”
Obama’s victory, Chambliss said, “shows that conservatives have got a lot of work
to do. We still have a strong voice. We’re still going to have in excess of 40 members
in the Senate, but we’ve got to figure out a way to move Hispanics and move all the
minorities in the direction of Republican values.”
Chambliss attributed Obama’s victory to his ability to paint Romney as an elitist
early in the race. …
Kerwin Swint, a political science professor at Kennesaw State University who specializes
in elections, weighed in at about quarter to 11 p.m., saying he assumed Obama would
win.
“An Obama win means that a majority of Americans are comfortable with sluggish economic
growth, high unemployment and higher taxes,” Swint said. “It also means that most
Americans are not particularly concerned with the money spent in the stimulus program,
the auto bailouts and Obamacare. This election means that a majority do not hold President
Obama responsible for the tough times we are experiencing as a country. Evidently,
most are not ready to give up on him. His performance has not been great, but it has
been ‘good enough.’”
Swint said Obama’s approval rating of 49 percent is about where George W. Bush’s was
in 2004 and is about 10 points higher than the approval ratings of previous incumbents
who were defeated for re-election (Carter in 1980, Bush in 1992).
“The President will look at this as a major victory,” Swint said. “Republicans will
have to regroup. In the short term, the President will have to negotiate an agreement
with Congress over the financial future of the country. Look for both sides to search
for areas of agreement to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff that the country could
face in the next two years. John Boehner once again becomes the face of the national
Republican Party and its highest-ranking elected official.”
A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the second-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 126 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.