By Dave Andrusko

The eight pro-life Republican presidential candidates shown prior to the debate Wednesday sponsored by NBC News and POLITICO.
Three headlines I think help put into perspective last night’s Republican presidential debate and what is anticipated to come out of tonight’s umpteenth presidential speech on the economy.
From the stridently pro-abortion Mother Jones magazine: “6 Hot-Button Issues the GOP Presidential Hopefuls Dodged in the Debate.”
From a headline over an Associated Press story this afternoon– “It’s all about jobs: Obama to appeal to Republicans for help, blame them if there’s no action.”
From Gallup on Wednesday “Obama Approval Sinks to New Lows Among Whites, Hispanics: Blacks’ support remains high, but at 84% ties record for monthly low.”
One of the six “hot-button” items is, not surprisingly, abortion. But moderators Brian Williams of NBC News and John Harris of Politico didn’t ask about abortion. So how could Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, Congressman Ron Paul, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, former Speaker Newt Gingrich, and businessman Herman Cain–all pro-lifers–be accused of having “dodged” the issue?
The article itself, written by Andy Kroll, concedes the point, but the drift is as clear as it is mistaken. Both Kroll and the headline writer believe it will redound to the detriment of the Republican candidate if his or her position is known. That is flatly wrong, but this recurring myth is a source of comfort to pro-abortionists who believe if “only the public knew…”
By the way, choose your own winners and losers, but that was one rip-snorting debate.
As for tonight’s speech to Congress, the second headline beautifully captures the malevolent spirit of President Obama’s approach to governance. Throw out a proposal, much/most/all of it known in advance to be unacceptable to Republicans, and then announce he is the adult in the room and the Republicans are the petulant children for not agreeing. But the public has long since wised up to that thread-worn tactic.
Which is only one of many reasons for headline three. Hispanics overwhelmingly voted for Obama in 2008. Obama enjoyed a 75% job approval rate among Hispanics in February 2009 (later reaching as high as 82%). Now it is 48%, “close to the national average,” writes Gallup’s Lydia Said– 41%.
As for whites, in February 2009 Obama enjoyed a 58% approval rate. It’s 33% now.
