'After my election ...'

In President Obama's overheard comment to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev about missile-defense negotiations -- "After my election, I have more flexibility" -- it is of no small significance that he so casually forwent the subjunctive tense. I should think this was no mental slip on Obama's part; he is, simply, as confident of his own reelection as I am.

Every bloody day on the brutal GOP campaign trail brings Mitt Romney one day closer to a Goldwater-like calamity -- a concreting political reality with which Obama can now reassure foreign leaders. And if I were Mitt? Obama's private confidence would rattle the hell out of me.

Comments

[Alli]

But its really not private. He's been asked if he thinks he's going to win re-election and each time he's said, "yes". I guess most people thought he was just trash talking.

[AnneJ]

And if Mitt Romney wins the nomination, but loses the election, I don't want to hear any right wingers whining that they did not go far enough to the right and that's why they lost. They have the opportunity right now to nominate a true right wingnut if they want to in the form of the detestable Rick Santorum. I think even they realize that they can't have Ricky and expect to beat Obama as well.