Collision 2012 : Obama vs. Romney and the future of elections in America

**From the bestselling author of __The Battle for America 2008__ and longtime __Washington Post__ correspondent, an inside view and analysis of the Obama-Romney presidential race** Four years ago, a bright young presidential candidate named Barack Obama campaigned on a theme of hope and change, and made history. Today, he finds himself in another bitter, divisive presidential race but without the buzzwords. Instead, an embattled president struggles with a dysfunctionally divided Congress, the controversial healthcare bill, a decade-long war, and a stagnant economy. Obama’s Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, former corporate tycoon and former governor of Massachusetts, faces his own controversies in the form of vague policies, fluctuating positions, and questions about his business practices in the private sector. Romney’s personal fortune and business background seemed at odds with the Republican base until he named Wisconsin congressman, Tea Party darling and fiscal conservative Paul Ryan as his running mate. Using sources deep inside both campaigns and on the campaign trail through primary and battleground states, __Washington Post__ correspondent Dan Balz writes with a keen political mind and a seasoned reporter’s ear. He traces the highs and lows of the Obama presidency as well as the ruthless Republican primary as both laid the groundwork for one of the most crucial, contentious elections of our time. __Collision 2012__ puts the race for the White House in context and explores just what the election means for the future of the democratic process and America. Four years ago, a bright young presidential candidate named Barack Obama campaigned on a theme of hope and change and made history. Today he finds himself in another bitter, divisive presidential race but without the buzzwords. Instead, an embattled president struggles with a dysfunctionally divided Congress, the controversial healthcare bill, a decade-long war, and a stagnant economy. The 2012 election was unpredictable, entertaining, and ultimately decisive, a two-year drama with a sprawling cast of characters and plot twists that kept even expert observers dazed and confused. In the end, Barack Obama defeated Mitt Romney by a relatively comfortable margin, but the story of how they got to the finish line is one of the most compelling in modern American politics. Collision 2012 tells the whole story in all its richness--Obama's political reawakening after the debt ceiling debacle in the summer of 2011; the long and often bizarre battle Romney survived to win the Republican nomination; the world of Big Data in Obama's Chicago headquarters, which produced the most sophisticated campaign int he history of presidential politics; and Romney's travails as a candidate often at odds with his own part. Rarely has a presidential race involved two candidates who came from such divergent backgrounds and who had such different worldviews as Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. The book draws sharp portraits of the two nominees, as Obama sought to turn around his presidency after his party's midterm shellacking in 2010 and Romney overcame initial doubts about his ability to win over "true" conservatives. Dan Balz, one of the country's premier political reporters, takes readers inside both campaigns during the crucial moments of the general election, from the summer battle to define Romney to the fiasco of the Republican's "47 percent" comment and the president's disastrous performance in the Denver debate, which breathed life into Romney's struggling candidacy. Before all that, Romney faced serial challenges as he tried to prove that he was not a misfit in a party dominated by the Tea Party and other religious and social conservatives. Rick Perry seemed straight out of central casting for presidential candidates until he imploded join the debate stage. Newt Gingrich repeatedly rose form the dead to challenge Romney in a series of bitterly fought primaries. Rick Santorum managed to turn three meaningless victories into a rationale to become Romney's last notable challenger. Cameos by Donald Trump, Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann, Tim Pawlenty, Paul Ryan, and Chris Christie provided both amusement and embarrassment for a part searching for its identity. The 2012 campaign played out against the backdrop of an economy still struggling to revive itself and of a changing America, where shifting demographics and deep polarization shaped both the dialogue and the outcome. New forces, including Super PACs and their billionaire contributors, the rise of Twitter, and the proliferation of polls and debates, set this election apart from any that had come before it. In telling this story, The Washington Post's Dan Balz draws on sources deep inside all the campaigns as well as decades of experience covering American politics. His reporting includes lengthy and revealing interviews with many of the candidates who sought the presidency. The result is an insider;s account of the decisions and strategies of the candidates combined wit a historian's perspective on the underlying forces that are reshaping the country. As a record of political theater and as a window into the struggle between where America has been and where it may be going, Collision 2012 puts the race for the White House in much needed context and explores just what the election means for the future of the democratic process. The 2012 election was unpredictable, entertaining, and ultimately decisive, a two-year drama with a sprawling cast of characters and plot twists that kept even expert observers dazed and confused. In the end, Barack Obama defeated Mitt Romney by a relatively comfortable margin, but the story of how they got to the finish line is one of the most compelling in modern American politics. Collision 2012 tells the whole story in all its richness--Obama's political reawakening after the debt ceiling debacle in the summer of 2011; the long and often bizarre battle Romney survived to win the Republican nomination; the world of Big Data in Obama's Chicago headquarters, which produced the most sophisticated campaign int he history of presidential politics; and Romney's travails as a candidate often at odds with his own part. Rarely has a presidential race involved two candidates who came from such divergent backgrounds and who had such different worldviews as Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. The book draws sharp portraits of the two nominees, as Obama sought to turn around his presidency after his party's midterm shellacking in 2010 and Romney overcame initial doubts about his ability to win over "true" conservatives. Dan Balz, one of the country's premier political reporters, takes readers inside both campaigns during the crucial moments of the general election, from the summer battle to define Romney to the fiasco of the Republican's "47 percent" comment and the president's disastrous performance in the Denver debate, which breathed life into Romney's struggling candidacy. Before all that, Romney faced serial challenges as he tried to prove that he was not a misfit in a party dominated by the Tea Party and other religious and social conservatives. Rick Perry seemed straight out of central casting for presidential candidates until he imploded join the debate stage. Newt Gingrich repeatedly rose from the dead to challenge Romney in a series of bitterly fought primaries. Rick Santorum managed to turn three meaningless victories into a rationale to become Romney's last notable challenger. Cameos by Donald Trump, Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann, Tim Pawlenty, Paul Ryan, and Chris Christie provided both amusement and embarrassment for a part searching for its identity. The 2012 campaign played out against the backdrop of an economy still struggling to revive itself and of a changing America, where shifting demographics and deep polarization shaped both the dialogue and the outcome. New forces, including Super PACs and their billionaire contributors, the rise of Twitter, and the proliferation of polls and debates, set this election apart from any that had come before it. In telling this story, The Washington Post's Dan Balz draws on sources deep inside all the campaigns as well as decades of experience covering American politics. His reporting includes lengthy and revealing interviews with many of the candidates who sought the presidency. The result is an insider;s account of the decisions and strategies of the candidates combined with an historian's perspective on the underlying forces that are reshaping the country. As a record of political theater and as a window into the struggle between where America has been and where it may be going, Collision 2012 puts the race for the White House in much needed context and explores just what the election means for the future of the democratic process From the bestselling author of The Battle for America 2008 and longtime Washington Post correspondent, an inside view and analysis of the Obama-Romney presidential raceIn 2008 a bright young candidate triumphed on a theme of change and hope. Four years later an embattled President struggled against an apocalyptically divided and divisive Congress, a war that won't end, and an economy that casts a dark penumbra over every spark of good news.His opponent, a well-heeled businessman who couldn't seem to stand on his own business record, withstood unexpected and extreme opposition to capture the nomination of a party whose main platform and principles with which he was historically and fundamentally at odds.The 2012 Election, once predicted to be a boring run at a popular President, took on a new urgency with the infamous 2010 midterm shellacking and equally infamous Citizen United ruling, and delivered drama and tension as the Republicans tried to reconcile the factions at war within their party and Democrats faced the tsunami of super Pac money flooding local and regional elections.As with his last book, The Battle for America 2008, Washington Post correspondent Dan Balz uses a combination of superb sources and long, deep reporting experience to take us both deep inside and far beyond Campaign HQs in Chicago and Boston. He tracks the nuances of Beltway politics and the thinking behind the scenes to show how Obama regained his footing, and to speculate about whether this election actually did anything to change the toxically poisonous atmosphere inside the Beltway, the increasing hostility and disenchantment with politicians outside, and the frightening effect of the torrent of money being poured out by special-interest groups beholden to no voter or law? Will there be anything in this election that will heal the political process in America?Special highlights include two much talked-about post-election interviews with Romney and Christie which have been making headlines, as well as a new afterword.

From the bestselling author of The Battle for America 2008 and longtime Washington Post correspondent, an inside view and analysis of the Obama-Romney presidential race

Four years ago, a bright young  presidential candidate named Barack Obama campaigned on a theme of hope and change, and made history. Today, he finds himself in another bitter, divisive presidential race but without the buzzwords. Instead, an embattled president struggles with a dysfunctionally divided Congress, the controversial healthcare bill, a decade-long war, and a stagnant economy.

Obama’s Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, former corporate tycoon and former governor of Massachusetts,  faces his own controversies in the form of vague policies, fluctuating positions, and questions about his business practices in the private sector. Romney’s personal fortune and business background seemed at odds with the Republican base until he named Wisconsin congressman, Tea Party darling and fiscal conservative Paul Ryan as his running mate.

Using sources deep inside both campaigns and on the campaign trail through primary and battleground states, Washington Post correspondent Dan Balz writes with a keen political mind and a seasoned reporter’s ear. He traces the highs and lows of the Obama presidency as well as the ruthless Republican primary as both laid the groundwork for one of the most crucial, contentious elections of our time. Collision 2012 puts the race for the White House in context and explores just what the election means for the future of the democratic process and America.

From the bestselling author of The Battle for America 2008 and longtime Washington Post correspondent, an inside view and analysis of the Obama-Romney presidential race Four years ago, a bright young presidential candidate named Barack Obama campaigned on a theme of hope and change, and made history. Today, he finds himself in another bitter, divisive presidential race but without the buzzwords. Instead, an embattled president struggles with a dysfunctionally divided Congress, the controversial healthcare bill, a decade-long war, and a stagnant economy. Obama’s Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, former corporate tycoon and former governor of Massachusetts, faces his own controversies in the form of vague policies, fluctuating positions, and questions about his business practices in the private sector. Romney’s personal fortune and business background seemed at odds with the Republican base until he named Wisconsin congressman, Tea Party darling and fiscal conservative Paul Ryan as his running mate. Using sources deep inside both campaigns and on the campaign trail through primary and battleground states, Washington Post correspondent Dan Balz writes with a keen political mind and a seasoned reporter’s ear. He traces the highs and lows of the Obama presidency as well as the ruthless Republican primary as both laid the groundwork for one of the most crucial, contentious elections of our time. Collision 2012 puts the race for the White House in context and explores just what the election means for the future of the democratic process and America. An analysis of the Obama-Romney presidential race places it against a backdrop of political infighting, a decade-long war, Obama's controversial health-care bill, and a stagnant economy to offer insight into the race's more contentious aspects.--Résumé de l'éditeur