Machiavelli on Obama and Romney

SR: Thanks for speaking with me again. Tell me, what do you think of our two candidates for president?

M: Why do you ask? What does my opinion matter? 

SR: You have a reputation for being manipulative, deceitful, and power hungry, so I thought it would be interesting to see what you think of these two politicians.

M: I will take your remark as a compliment, and answer this way: these two candidates are certainly my equal in political skills. I admire their ability  to change their positions and adapt to public opinion, split and divide the populace into interest groups, and then play on the feelings of each group to unite as many voters behind their side by giving a negative spin to everything the opposition says. 

SR: Would you give the edge to Romney or Obama?

M: It's hard to say, because it's impossible to know when a candidate is speaking for himself,  and when he is expressing what his advisers tell him to say. I would probably give the edge to Obama  because of his  proven ability to divide and conquer the American public.

SR: Why do you say that?

M: Look at  how skilfully Obama has undermined the Catholic bishops, using Catholics like Biden and Pelosi to speak against  the Church, and promote him as the candidate of the working class. Also, Obama's use of Catholics, especially disgruntled nuns and the Kennedy family, to give speeches against Church teaching at the Convention is masterful manipulation.  

SR: What about Romney's choice of Ryan, a Catholic, to be his running mate? Isn't Romney doing the same thing? 

M: Not exactly. It is a smart political move for Romney to have a Catholic as a vice president, since Obama has one as his vice president. But there is a difference. Ryan may turn out to actually believe Church teaching, whereas Biden is a dyed in the wool Democrat all the way, and nothing more than a cultural Catholic. Biden and Ryan may cancel each other out, because Catholics on both sides can use the one they want to justify their preference for the Democratic or Republican Platform.

SR: Hmm. I hadn't thought of that. So, do you think the Catholic vote will be the decisive factor?

M: No. It never has been, in spite of all the pronouncements and declarations of bishops. There is no reason to think Catholics will start listening to the bishops now.

SR: If the election took place today, who do you think would win?

M: I'd probably give the edge to Obama, since he has the liberal press and the media in his pocket. But the election is still far away. There are many other factors to consider. For example, the economy, the Mideast, Israel and the Palestinian problem, Afganistan, Pakistan and India, Iran and its drive for nuclear power, world-wide terrorism,  scandal and corruption here in the states or elsewhere, etc. Anything can happen anywhere, anytime, to sway pubic opinion one way or another. And it is impossible to see what that unpredictable event might be. 

SR: So we wait and see?

M:  Of course. Enjoy the entertainment. Politics continues to be the most expensive soap opera big money can provide!