A panel of educators and leading journalists discussed the economy, President Barack Obama's chances of re-election and the merits of Republican presidential candidates' platforms in Moore Theater prior to Tuesday's Republican presidential debate. College Trustee Morton Kondracke '60 moderated the discussion, titled "Leading Voices: What's at Stake in the Republican Debate."
Panel members included David Shribman '76, executive editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Joseph Rago '05, a member of The Wall Street Journal editorial board and 2011 Pulitzer Prize winner, Associate Dean of the Tuck School of Business' MBA Program Matthew Slaughter and government professor Linda Fowler.
Kondracke, who also served as executive editor of Roll Call, began the discussion by asking the panelists about the endorsement of former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., by Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., that day in Lebanon. Panelists discussed the potential effect of the endorsement, along with Romney's endorsement from Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., on the debate and the candidates' overall campaign strategy.
Each of the panelists said the endorsements would help solidify Romney's position as the frontrunner among the current Republican field.
"I think the laying-on-hands of Romney is really important because there's been a huge sense of dissatisfaction among activists, conservative journalists and especially donors with the current field," Rago said. "I think that if there were someone better than Romney, Christie would have endorsed him."
Kondracke also asked panelists what they believe voters are looking for in a presidential candidate. In each of their answers, panelists discussed the need to address the poor state of the U.S. economy. Both Fowler and Shribman addressed voters' need to understand the true origins of the recession, which Shribman traces back to former President George W. Bush.
"The main tenets of Obama's economic policy save the economic stimulus came from Bush," Shribman said.
Shribman also mentioned Romney's economic plan specifically and criticized the dissonance between his proposal for economic revival and the voters.
"Romney may have a 9 million-point plan, but there is not a soul on Earth who is passionate for him," Shribman said. "[Former President Ronald] Reagan had people for him people who identified themselves as Regan people but Romney does not."
Kondracke pointed out that Obama's approval rating hovers at around 40 percent. Abysmal polling numbers has led many pundits and citizens alike to conclude that he will not be reelected in November.
Based on the standard criteria political scientists use to predict re-election probability including presidential ratings and the gross domestic product all political scientists agree the general election will be a close race, Fowler said.
The number of votes that separate the winner and loser in the November general election may depend on which Republican candidate is nominated, Rago said.
Kondracke also asked the panelists what type of questions individuals should ask the candidates at the debate.
Slaughter emphasized the importance of asking Republican candidates how they plan to build "the millions of jobs America needs" particularly in manufacturing and how they plan to achieve this goal in a sustainable manner, a question that Shribman agreed is of utmost importance for voters given the persisting economic downturn.
Voters should also press candidates on how to increase the productivity of institutions like health care and education, according to Rago.
Fowler, meanwhile, suggested that someone should ask how to best redesign the U.S. military's approach in a way that is more effective.
When Kondracke asked the panelists about the implications of the "almost universal denunciation" of the pastor who slurred Mormonism while introducing Gov. Rick Perry, R-Texas, last week in Washington, D.C., Rago replied that he did not think the lack of a response from the Perry camp will bode well for his campaign. While Perry should have denounced the pastor in order to avoid seeming like an "anti-Mormon bigot," the Texas governor failed to adequately address the issue, according to Rago.
"I think it reflects the larger problem of his campaign that it stood up in just a few months and doesn't really have its legs yet," Rago said.
