How hope and change became fear and inertia

In 2008, Barack Obama ran against the hated establishment. In 2012, he is the hated establishment

Edward Morrissey

We have seen the opening salvos of the 2012 presidential election, and the results have been stunning for Obama — and not in a good way. The vaunted Obama campaign organization that put together a miracle win in the 2008 Democratic primaries and then easily beat the Republican nominee has stumbled out of the gate. What happened? 2012 Barack Obama has to overcome 2008 Barack Obama, and it may prove an impossible task.

In 2008, Obama came almost out of nowhere to overturn the established order — first in the Democratic primary, and then in the general election. When he first announced his intention to run in January 2007, most people assumed Obama wanted to gain visibility and organization for a later presidential run. At that early stage, a year before the Iowa caucuses, most believed that Democrats would turn to Hillary Clinton as a salve for eight years of George W. Bush.

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Edward Morrissey

Edward Morrissey has been writing about politics since 2003 in his blog, Captain's Quarters, and now writes for HotAir.com. His columns have appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Post, The New York Sun, the Washington Times, and other newspapers. Morrissey has a daily Internet talk show on politics and culture at Hot Air. Since 2004, Morrissey has had a weekend talk radio show in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and often fills in as a guest on Salem Radio Network's nationally-syndicated shows. He lives in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota with his wife, son and daughter-in-law, and his two granddaughters. Morrissey's new book, GOING RED, will be published by Crown Forum on April 5, 2016.