|
March 18, 2012 - 06:28 AM How Would an Attack on Iran Influence the Election? Attacking Iran is one of the options being discussed by the United States and Israel to stop its potential development of a nuclear weapon that could be used to attack Israel. Among the many repercussions of such a decision would be its effect on November's presidential election. While high gas prices could hurt President Obama's reelection chances, a "rally round the flag" effect could help him get reelected.In the 2008 presidential election, military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan was the main topic most of the year leading up to the election. In the month prior to the election, though, the Great Recession hit and the economy became the main concern of most voters. In 2012, could the reverse become true? Will economic concerns be on the minds of Americans most of the year only to pivot to foreign policy as America goes to war, or a proxy war through Israel, with Iran? High gas prices are one possible consequence. "Just from a political perspective, do you think the president of the United States going into reelection wants gas prices to go up higher? Is there anybody here who thinks that makes a lot of sense?" Obama joked at a press conference last week. A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll shows that already high gas prices are taking a toll on Obama's support. About 65 percent of respondents said they disapprove of the way Obama is handling "the situation with gas prices," and a slight majority, 52 percent, said they "strongly" disapprove (margin of error is plus or minus four percentage points). Chip Saltsman, director of Mike Huckabee's 2008 presidential campaign, believes that high gas prices will prove to be a major weakness for Obama. "It is his Achilles heel," Saltsman said on "Fox News Sunday." "Gas prices are a daily reminder for people when they're having problems in the economy, when they have to spend 80, 90, 100 dollars to fill up a truck when they're going to work. If he ... |