Presidential Campaign Light on Foreign Policy

Foreign policy is the poor stepchild of this election. All but ignored in the primary debates, it was an afterthought at the Republican National Convention, where the nominee elided the fact that troops were still dying in the nation?s longest war. And it received mere lip service at the Democratic National Convention (?Osama bin Laden is dead?).

Now, as both candidates head to New York City to give dueling addresses, it seems that neither will break any new ground.

Those who study foreign policy are disgusted by what has passed for discourse in 2012, even if they understand the politics. ?There is probably more vacuous posturing over foreign policy in this election than in any previous election in the last 20 years,? said Anthony Cordesman, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

But foreign-relations experts also understand an abiding truth: Campaigns go where the votes are, and they don?t seem to be in foreign policy in 2012.

Still, ?foreign policy has a way of intruding on the American political scene when you least expect it,? warns former Rep. Lee Hamilton, the longtime chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee who now heads the Center on Congress at Indiana University.

Some, like Clifford D. May, president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, say that if Romney does not use his speech to the Clinton Global Initiative to make a strategic case, ?it will be a big missed opportunity.?

But in a year when both candidates have passed on almost all opportunities to elevate the foreign-policy debate, he shouldn?t hold his breath. Read more

?George E. Condon Jr.

NATIONAL JOURNAL?S PRESIDENTIAL RACE REPORT

Colorado Remaining Red Among Blue-Leaning Battlegrounds
[National Journal, 9/24/12] Obama and Romney are fighting this week to claim Colorado?s key nine electoral votes ? a prize that represents a legitimate opportunity for Romney to win the race. The state went blue in 2010, but support for Obama has dropped off in recent years.

Obama: Ads Sometimes ?Go Overboard??NEW!
[National Journal, 9/24/12] In an unaired portion of his interview with CBS? 60 Minutes, Obama acknowledged that some ads from his campaign and supporting super PACs sometimes ?go overboard,? but said that?s part of politics. Meanwhile, both campaigns released new attack ads this week.?

Sheldon Adelson: Inside the Mind of the Mega-Donor NEW!
[Politico, 9/23/12] Mike Allen snags a two-hour sit-down with the Casino magnate who is pouring millions in campaign cash for Republicans. He explains his antipathy for Obama and says he doesn?t expect anything for his troubles, just ?two potato pancakes? because the last time he was at the White House, they ran out.

Romney?s Balanced Budget: Tall Order
[CNN, 9/24/12] Unless the economy grows much faster than the Congressional Budget Office projects, Romney would likely need to cut funding nearly in half across many areas of government in order to balance the federal budget by 2020. CNN breaks down where he would cut.

Axelrod: ?Not the Time? to Discuss Social Security Reform NEW!
[The Hill, 9/24/12] Obama campaign adviser David Axelrod in a Monday interview avoided laying out specifics on how the president would reform Social Security, arguing now is ?not the time? to talk about the details of reform.

Romney Refocuses on the Economy at Jefferson County Rally
[Denver Post, 9/24/12] It is little coincidence that Romney started his Colorado sales trip Sunday in Jefferson County, the quintessential swing county in a very much undecided state. During a rally, Romney told a crowd that he will revive the economy.

Romney, Obama Defend Economic Stances on ?60 Minutes?
[National Journal, 9/23/12] Romney defended his decision not to include specifics in his tax plan, saying that he will work together with people across the aisle on the details; Obama blamed his economic woes on the inherited deficit, two wars, and the Bush tax cuts.

Republicans to Romney: You?re No Reagan
[Politico, 9/23/12] The 1980 race between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan has become the Romney campaign?s go-to analogy as he struggles in the polls. But the comparison doesn?t hold up well under scrutiny: the electoral map was friendlier for Reagan, and the incumbent was more vulnerable.

Early Voting Forces Presidential Campaigns to Alter Tactics
[Los Angeles Times, 9/24/12] When election day dawns, more than 45 million Americans are expected to have already voted ? a record. This trend is altering the calculus of the campaigns, particularly in battleground states: The ad wars, for instance, are expected to reach maximum intensity by October 1. ?

Romney Heads to Swing State Ohio
[Real Clear Politics, 9/24/12] No Republican has won the White House without carrying Ohio, while the last Democrat to win the presidency without the Buckeye State was JFK. Both candidates need to begin closing arguments there this week, as early voting starts October 2, but Ohio is large, diverse, and fickle.

Jewish Dems Warn Netanyahu to Stay out of U.S. Election
[The Hill, 9/24/12] Top Jewish Democrats are standing behind Obama?s decision not to meet with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and warning the Israeli official to stay out of the election. Romney has been making a play for the Jewish vote, calling Obama?s decision ?confusing and troubling.?

Among Some Paul Ryan Backers, Disappointment in Romney Campaign
[Washington Post, 9/24/12] There has been mounting concern among Republicans in the past few weeks that Romney?s pick of Paul Ryan has made the bold, policy wonk Ryan look more like the vague, cautious Romney ? instead of the other way around. ?

Voter ID Battles Churn in Key Battleground States
[Charlotte Observer, 9/24/12] Six weeks before Election Day, states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and South Carolina are still wrestling over new voting laws. The Observer?s Jim Morrill takes a look at South Carolina?s new law, which a panel of federal judges will review on Monday.

Disgruntled Youth Slam Obama in New Romney Web Video
[BuzzFeed, 9/24/12] Romney is working to move the young people who voted for the president in 2008, and this new web video shows disillusioned youth discussing their frustration with the president?s empty promises: ?I didn?t vote for this.?

Romney Hits Obama for ?Very Inaccurate? Attacks
[National Journal, 9/24/12] Romney blamed Obama?s ?very inaccurate portrayals? of his positions for his trailing in key swing states, but said he relished the opportunity to explain his positions directly to voters during the upcoming debates. ?

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/presidential-campaign-light-foreign-policy-092439027--politics.html

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