Two Opposing Visions of America Following the Conventions

Traditionally, Democrat and Republican conventions do not have a significant impact on the American elections. The candidates of each party benefit from a little rebound in the polls after the rallies, with very few consequences to speak of.

But there are some exceptions.

In 2008, the arrival of Sarah Palin, as John McCain’s right-hand woman, marked the beginning of the decline of Republicans, as the press questioned the abilities of the ex-governess of Alaska. Democrat Barack Obama knew how to give Denver a glimmer of hope, which dominated the entire end of his campaign.

This year, the tremendous defeats in Tampa and Charlotte will at least have allowed one thing perhaps: to clarify the choice offered to American voters.

In any case, that was clearly the meaning behind Barack Obama’s speech in Charlotte and, afterward, the majority of commentators agreed that he had achieved his objective.

For 40 minutes, Obama repeated again and again that his vision of the nation was not the same as the Grand Old Party’s. Positioning himself as a more realistic president and focusing on his experience, he also depicted an America far different from the Republican ideal, accused of being old-fashioned.

In order to clearly spell out the intention displayed by Mitt Romney, of allocating new tax exemptions to the richest, he drove home the message that, essentially, he does not want a future where we would impose debt on the middle class, the retired and students.

Admittedly, the statement was a little too much, but it has to be recognized that the speeches that we heard in Tampa were far-removed from the ones in Charlotte, with constant calls for a reduction of the role of government and an ode to an America that succeeds without the intervention of the state.

Yesterday, various Republican strategists admitted additionally that Mitt Romney would certainly have to adapt his strategy a little for the last few weeks of the campaign and would no longer be able to get by on condemning the Obama administration alone. He must highlight the differences between his vision of America and that of the current occupant of the White House.

On the evening of September 6, Obama assured a passionate room filled with applause that it is the “clearest choice in a generation.”