https://youtu.be/q4-r9X6Cua8
Watch video from the April 18 Lunch and Learn Event featuring John Geer, chair of political science, speaking on “Why the Tea Party is Obama’s Ace in the Hole.”
The typical view is that President Obama has been weakened by the strength of the Tea Party movement. While the Tea Party is formidable force in American politics, the truth is that this movement will help Obama win the presidency in 2012, not the Republicans. The Tea Party has forced the Republican Party to the right, away from the more moderate segment of the public that is so essential for winning a presidential election. The Tea Party’s pressure on the GOP does not, however, ensure Obama’s re-election. If the economy stalls over the coming months, moving away from what now looks like a modest recovery, we could easily see President Romney (or perhaps Santorum). But assuming the economy does not fizzle, the Tea Party will prove to be Obama’s ace in the hole.
Luncheon sponsored by Vanderbilt University, Office of Community, Neighborhood & Government Relations and Nashville Public Library.