One Great Debate Does Not Make a President

One of the only things that could have hurt Mitt Romney and his momentum after the 3^rd and final Presidential debate was dear old Mother Nature.

And did she ever rear her ugly head.

The devastation, deaths and severe blow to thousands of families was sobering and sad. The hearts of Americans (and many outside) were heavy last week. Hurricane Sandy was more damaging than we imagined.

Not only did Sandy give President Obama a “Commander in Chief” moment, but no one expected what came next – a heap of praise from Republican and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.  He toured the state with Obama and flew on Marine one, which had to have many Republicans shaking their head in anger.

Christie was one of Obama’s harshest critics and the keynote speaker at the Republican convention. He used words like “wonderful” to describe the actions of the President after the storm.  The worry was obvious when Rupert Murdoch wrote this on Twitter recently – “Now Christie, while thanking O, must re-declare for Romney, or take blame for next four dire years.”                    

I’ve always admired how Governor Christie was able to work across party lines, particularly with the Mayor of Newark, Democrat Cory Booker. Mark Zuckerberg credited both of them in his decision to give 100 million dollars to Newark schools. It spoke volumes about his character when Christie wasn’t afraid to give credit to the President.

Before the storm, I thought Romney’s chances were slim as Obama had a strong advantage in the Electoral College from the start. 237 electoral votes are on the side of the Democrats and if Obama wins Ohio (been leading consistently), he would be at 255– only 15 shy of the magic number of 270.  Winning one or two of the remaining swing states gives him the victory. See below for more specifics from an online article:

Obama began the general-election race with a base of 18 states plus the District, totaling 237 electoral votes. Romney began with a base of 23 states, totaling 191 electoral votes. North Carolina is tipping toward Romney and Nevada toward Obama, putting the president at 243 and Romney at 206.

Romney is making a late play in Pennsylvania and Minnesota and will campaign in the Keystone State on Sunday. Both states continue to lean toward the president, but Obama’s campaign has decided to send former president Bill Clinton to Pennsylvania on Sunday for extra measure.

Assuming those states continue to stay in Obama’s column, the president would need only 27 of the remaining 89 electoral votes to win. Romney would need 64 of the 89, which explains why Obama still has an easier — but by no means certain — path to an Electoral College majority. For example, he could win a second term simply by winning Florida, which remains competitive.

WashingtonPost.com Article

The Electoral College math just doesn’t add up for Romney. Needing 64 0f 89 remaining electoral votes is a tall task, especially with Obama having a modest lead in most current polls.

It didn’t have to be that way for Romney as he and his team ran a bad campaign. I talked about his difficulties in my October article called, “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late”. A passage is below:

Even some Obama supporters must feel for him as his last month has ranged from incredibly stupid (47% comment) to terribly unprepared (untimely attack on Obama administration’s foreign policy)….which was preceded by a snore fest of a Republican convention, where Clint Eastwood was the story on what should have been Romney’s night.

Before these “foot in mouth” stumbles, Romney offered very little of himself or his policies, yet was still in a close race with President Obama.

Too Much, Too Little, Too Late

Romney’s lack of strategy and stumbles had his campaign reeling in September and Obama’s re-election was looking very promising.

The upcoming (and first) debate on October 3^rd was his last chance to rescue the campaign and his light couldn’t have been brighter. He was masterful and crushed a non-enthusiastic Obama. He was now back in the game! A passage from my article on that debate is below:

Whether it was on Twitter during the Presidential debate or watching on TV after, words such as “not aggressive, “cool Barry”, “no passion”, “lack of fire” and “landslide for Romney” came fast and furious in describing this massacre.

And yes, it was a massacre.

The President didn’t come to play, was unprepared and failed to adjust in any way during the debate. Romney delivered boldly and beyond expectations. He was impressive.

Article = Anniversary Day Massacre

On October 4, Romney had the momentum on his side, and his standing among women improved tremendously; an area where Obama had a big advantage before the debate.

Obama did improve significantly in the final two debates although Romney had solid performances and still had the momentum.

And then Sandy hit and the focus came completely off of the challenger, went directly to the President and halted any momentum Romney enjoyed. Karl Rove (George W. Bush’s strategist) indicated that Sandy has helped Obama by being seen as the “Comforter in Chief”.

In any campaign, starting strong and maintaining momentum is of the utmost importance although closing can be meaningful. Also, a “Moment of Truth” can be helpful to a winning participant.

Romney started poorly and never made any inroads or progress in the heart of the campaign. Obama wasn’t impressive either although his campaign was strategic and focused, with no risks and very few mistakes. The Obama strategy was to paint Romney as “out of touch”, hoping his missteps would be his downfall.

Romney’s “Moment of Truth” was that first debate. It not only saved his campaign, it also gave him the sizzle he lacked all year long. Obama never really had one although one could argue that his final two debate performances were a mini “moment”.

Any planned closure by the candidates was made impossible as Sandy hit one week before the November 6^th election.  Both campaigns had to suspend, react and campaign on a fine line so as not to show any disrespect towards the victims of the tragedy.

Nobody wants to benefit from a disaster although there is not a much more powerful closing week than the spotlight of being President during a country’s time of need. Most polls were positive in how Americans viewed Obama’s handling of the storm.

Unfortunately for the Republicans, Romney is on record for questioning FEMA and the role the federal government plays in distributing funds to states in a disaster. He’s indicated that the power should be with the states and the private sector. That cannot be helpful to the Romney camp.

Could Romney still win? Of course although to do so, he would need to have an improbable run of wins in most of the swing states – a very difficult task, especially if he doesn’t win Ohio.

Here's what a sports columnist tweeted during the weekend:

“Can’t run one race to win nomination and then run a different race to win Presidency. This election is gonna be a blessing 4 Repub party.”

(Jason Whitlock on Twitter)

A prize this big doesn’t come easy. One great debate does not make a President.

My Electoral Vote Prediction: Obama 299 - Romney 239

Happy Gswede Sunday!

Looks like the Donkey will get 4 more years

An “Unclean” Dimly-Lighted Place

I don’t get embarrassed easily although this moment was memorable:

A few years ago, I needed an apartment for special guests that were visiting me in Sweden. Fortunately, a friend was kind enough to lend me his apartment, which I appreciated. Often, Swedes open up their home for a friend to use when they are away – something that has always impressed me.

Upon entering this dimly-lit apartment, neither my guests nor I noticed anything out of the ordinary although it was a gray day and they were tired after travelling overnight. It wasn’t long before I left and they got a few hours of sleep.

When they woke up, they got a surprise they weren’t expecting. The place was a mess. Dust, food crumbs and dirt were abundant and I won’t even mention the state of the bathroom or kitchen.

Taking the bull by the horn, they spent an hour cleaning the apartment as they couldn’t stay in such a dirty place. It became livable by decent standards, not by their standards as that would have taken most of the day.

Needless to say, I was embarrassed after hearing what they had to endure on their first day in Sweden. If I had known, I would have paid for a cleaner. They were gracious in how they told me although they said it in no uncertain terms.

Most people (and Swedes) I know, take care of their home in the same clean manner as we do. I assumed that this friend was similar. I’ll never make that mistake again!

I never mentioned to my friend what my guests had done on that first day and I didn’t have to. Unbeknownst to me, they had also cleaned the place the day before they left; making the apartment sparkle in ways I’m sure it never has. When my friend returned, he mentioned how clean the place was. I thought, “If you only knew”.

I’m hopeful that seeing his apartment in a clean condition may have helped to inspire him and his family to take better care of it.

It was a powerful lesson for me as I’ve rarely assumed in life but for some reason I did this time. Any place I’ve borrowed after has been checked thoroughly.

Thankfully, there have been no “Unclean” apartments since.

Happy Gswede Sunday!

You might know this proverb if you are religious - "Cleanliness is Next to Godliness"

13 lbs (6 kilos) Lighter….Healthier & Feeling Great!

It almost didn’t happen.

I was content with my body and eating habits although somewhere deep inside, there was always a small voice reminding me that I could do better. I ignored that voice in the past as my weight has rarely been a problem and my health has ranged from very good to excellent.

Then the inspiration came.

My wife decided to change her eating habits earlier this year and with a gentle push, I said to myself, “Why don’t I join her”.  It took less than 1 minute to decide and just like that, my life changed for the better. This was May 1, 2012 and I've never looked back.

I wrote this only a week after I started this lifestyle change:

Like many people around the world, I’ve been guilty of consuming too much sugar, and/or carbohydrates at times – things that can really drain a mind, body and soul. For the last 7 days, I’ve changed my eating dramatically, especially in regards to the sugar intake, which has been minimal.

I feel great!  My body feels lighter and I have a spring in my step – something I didn’t think was possible as I felt good nearly every day before this change. I realize that it has only been a week and any worthwhile change must be sustained although I felt compelled to get the message out, if only for the inspiration someone may be looking for.

http://gswede-sunday.blogspot.se/2012/05/healthy-gamechanger.html

It’s been close to 6 months and I’ve been consistent with my improved eating habits.  My life and body have changed in ways I never imagined.

• I can feel my stomach working for the first time. 
• I lost 6 kilo’s (13 lbs) and weigh the same as my collegiate days. In addition, I lost two pants sizes.
• With the severely decreased sugar intake, food tastes better and I don’t get as hungry as I did before, therefore I eat less.
• The nice jeans my wife bought me some years ago, never quite fit the way I wanted.  Despite loving the jeans, I only wore them a handful of times. Now, they fit perfectly. I never knew jeans could be so comfortable.
• I have more energy.
• Running is easier and more enjoyable
• I’ve never had a bad back or trouble with my knees although infrequently, I would have stiffness/aches due to my basketball playing days. Neither has bothered me once since May. 
  

I could go on. The best part is that I feel fantastic!

I’ve also decided to be a “Champion for Healthy Eating” so as to help promote healthy eating and be an inspiration for those who might need a push.  In Sweden, the UK and other parts of Europe, people are becoming increasingly overweight and I think most people know our dreadful obesity statistics in the USA.

Here’s what I wrote in mid May:

I'm even more inspired this week and officially challenging myself to become a "Champion for Healthy Eating". With the wide spread obesity in America and increasingly in Europe and around the world, we all have to DO SOMETHING to help fight this tragic epidemic.

The passage below about America is sobering:

"In 2030, 42 percent of people are projected to be obese, and 11 percent severely obese. Obesity is a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, which is 186 pounds for someone 5 feet, 6 inches tall. Severe obesity is a BMI of 40 or more — 248 pounds for someone that height." 

Article - Study on American Obesity 

In no way do I mean to sound preachy or convey that eating healthier is simple as I know that changing the emotional and/or addictive grip that food has on many people can be one of the most difficult challenges to overcome. I looked in the mirror and didn't like some of the bad eating habits I saw so don't be afraid to do the same.

http://gswede-sunday.blogspot.se/2012/05/will-you-become-champion-for-healthy.html

We all need to play our part if only for the sake of our children as they tend to follow the actions of the parents. If you are eating poorly, chances are that your children are eating poorly as well; and no parent wants to create a child who becomes dependent on bad food, thereby making the transition into adulthood extremely difficult.   

Remember, it’s not the kids fault when they are given unhealthy food.

For those who embrace healthy eating habits, I believe we can do more and be inspirational to family members and our inner circle. We cannot be afraid to nicely encourage those we care about. As is usually the case, it will be up to that person to make the change, although our love and positivity can go a long way.

This past summer, I was talking to one of my fitness mentors about the best way to promote healthy eating. Anytime I see him, I become inspired as his look and attitude sparkle with health!

His words were simple:

He said, “People will notice and be inspired by your actions George. Just keep eating well and exercising, and people will notice. That is the best thing you can do.”

I plan to do just that.

Happy Gswede Sunday!

My wife's amazing caesar salad.

Anniversary Day Massacre – Obama/Romney

Whether it was on Twitter during the Presidential debate or watching on TV after, words such as “not aggressive, “cool Barry”, “no passion”, “lack of fire” and “landslide for Romney” came fast and furious in describing this massacre.

And yes, it was a massacre.

The President didn’t come to play, was unprepared and failed to adjust in any way during the debate. Romney delivered boldly and beyond expectations. He was impressive.

It happens. Haven’t we all had bad moments or performances?  It probably didn’t help that this massacre occurred on an important day for the President – his 20^th marriage anniversary. It's hard to be at your best work-wise on such a special day.

As I was watching in the early morning hours, thoughts of another massacre were swirling in my mind. The year was 1985 and the day is appropriately called the “Memorial Day Massacre” – the first game of the NBA Basketball Finals between my beloved Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics.

A description is below:

The 38-year-old Abdul-Jabbar, in particular, slogged up and down the court, while his counterpart in the pivot, Robert Parish, seemed to motor effortlessly from one baseline to another. The Lakers' old warhorse seemed to be not one but many steps behind. He finished the day with 12 points and three rebounds, while Magic pulled down only one board. The famed "Showtime" running game had been slowed to a crawl. 

And the Celtics? They raised a huge red welt on the Lakers' scar from the previous year with an overwhelming 148-114 win that became known as the Memorial Day Massacre. Scott Wedman hit all 11 of his shots from the floor, including four three-pointers. But it was Ainge who lashed the whip hardest, lacing in six straight buckets at the end of the first quarter to finish the period with 15 points. 

"It was one of those days," Celtics coach K.C. Jones said, "where if you turn around and close your eyes, the ball's gonna go in."

Article on "Memorial Day Massacre

Video Clip of First Game of 1985 NBA Finals

As an avid basketball player and fan of the sport, Obama should be well aware of this lopsided game. On Wednesday night, Obama was Kareem Abdul Jabbar…..never quite finding his rhythm.

Romney performed like the Celtics on Wednesday evening.  He was confident, strong and had a Gordon Gekko type Swagger. Like the Lakers, Obama was pummelled by the super energized Republican candidate. The debate wasn’t even close.

Fortunately for the President, this moment should serve as his wake-up call, just as it was for Kareem and the Lakers.

Kareem went out the next game like a man on fire with 30 points, 17 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 blocks. The Lakers won game 2 by a score of 109-102. The Lakers took a stand and never looked back. And to my pure joy, we won game 6 in Boston and the NBA Championship!

I don’t think anyone doubts that Obama will come back with a focused strategy, much more intense and ready to do battle in the two remaining debates. He didn’t get to where he is by being passive and unwilling to fight.

The President had it easy in the 2008 debates against John McCain as all he had to do was show up; his rock star status made it tough for anyone to compete against him. Mitt Romney is a different bird (no PBS pun intended) as he proved himself to be a sharp and capable debater.

Like the Memorial Day Massacre, Obama’s poor performance could be a blessing in disguise.  With a formidable and highly disciplined campaign team to help him, the Obama who everyone expected last week should reappear in round 2.

Romney will have to step up his debate game even higher in order to match an energized Obama. The confidence Romney has gained from his stellar night cannot be taken for granted or make him overconfident.

The President is in the driver’s seat as he still leads in the polls and should have incredible motivation. It’s his game to lose.

Obama’s Anniversary Day Massacre might just be the jolt he needed to finish the campaign forcefully and secure his re-election. If not, Romney will credit last Wednesday night as his “Moment of Truth” in becoming the 45^th President of the United States.

Happy Gswede Sunday!

(www.newyorker.com)

Mitt Romney – Too Much, Too Little, Too Late

One of Gordon Gekko’s famous lines in the movie Wall Street was:

“Well, in my book, you either do it right, or you get eliminated.

Mitt Romney hasn’t been doing much right lately.

Even some Obama supporters must feel for him as his last month has ranged from incredibly stupid (47% comment) to terribly unprepared (untimely attack on Obama administration’s foreign policy)….which was preceded by a snore fest of a Republican convention, where Clint Eastwood was the story on what should have been Romney’s night.

Before these “foot in mouth” stumbles, Romney offered very little of himself or his policies, yet was still in a close race with President Obama.

Too Much

In a private room with top fundraisers, Romney offered words about 47% of America that would come to haunt him:

“I’ll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives”.

Instead of sticking to his safe talking points, he said too much in May 2012.  Didn’t Romney or his team know a basic rule of politics? - to always speak as if the world is listening. The owner of that hidden video camera must have been jumping for joy.

When two competitors are in a close race (like the candidates in summer), it’s important for each person to maintain a nice flow and not do too much to upset the balance. The Obama campaign understands that and is highly disciplined.

In addition, attacking Obama on foreign policy before the facts were known about Libya showed a severe lack of preparation. As the Benghazi crisis was unfolding, Romney criticized the current administration for making an “apology for American values”.

As we now know, the attack in Libya took the lives of the US Ambassador and three other Americans. Even some Republicans (media and politicians) were critical of Romney’s statement.  This moment was a classic case of striking out while going for a home run, when all Romney needed to do was keep hitting singles.

Too Little

Romney has offered broad yet unspecified plans of his strategy for America, along with letting the Obama campaign define his image.

In addition, he has failed to inspire, a key ingredient in winning Presidential elections – just ask Reagan, Clinton or Obama.

A)    Low Taxes, Less Governments and Creating Jobs have been central themes for Romney. With a tough USA economy and circumstances dire for millions, one has to think that voters (especially undecided ones) want to here more specifics in order to be persuaded to the Republican side.

B)    Romney has seemed uneasy talking about his Bain Capital background and financial success. Since the Obama campaign has done a very good job painting him as “out of touch” with effective advertising, it’s hard to fathom why Romney doesn’t proudly extol his past experience. He has lived the American dream so why not promote that to all Americans? One should never be bashful about hard-earned success.

  

C)    Since Romney was a businessman most of his life, the savvy political instincts never seem to come forth.  Maybe he is trying to be something he is not (i.e. appealing to his conservative base), which in life or politics isn't a good thing.  Romney seems like a decent man although his authenticity rarely glows.

Romney has given potential supporters too little to be inspired by.

Too Late

Romney had his chance to shine yet never seized the day with a positive game changer or “wow” moment, therefore not putting any real pressure on a sitting President, vulnerable because of the bad economy.

Despite the lack of sizzle, he was in a good position against Obama before convention season. Instead of riding the wave with singles and the occasional double until November 6, his mouth has put his campaign into disarray.

Offering “Too Much” in the form of unwise words lately, preceded by “Too Little” of Mitt to start with = Too Late.

Could Romney still win the Presidency? Of course.  Only a fool would believe that the race is over as one never knows when a damaging story or event could undermine Obama. The President has taken a significant lead in many states including the all important swing states because of Romney’s missteps, but that could change quickly if Romney gains some momentum.

However, the beginning words to the song by Johnny Mathis and Denise Williams are perfectly suited for some Obama supporters, as they are singing them already:

Guess it's over, call it a day
Sorry that it had to end this way
No reason to pretend
We knew it had to end some day, this way

(Too Much, Too Little, Too Late)

One would think the former capitalist in Romney would display more of the boldness of Gordon Gekko as they are cut from the same cloth (i.e. making money from distressed companies). As a former CEO, one has to think that the boldness is there.

Gekko always played to win and never lacked confidence.  Mitt needs some of that swagger; particularly in Wednesday’s first debate.

Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer wrote a column recently advising Mitt to “Go Large”:

Mitt, he’s right. You need to make some Power Moves as you cannot rely on luck at this point.

Do it Big and Do it Right and Do it Now…..or you will be eliminated.

Happy Gswede Sunday!

 Mitt Romney needs some Gordon Ghekko Swagger. (en.wikipedia.org)

September 11, 2001 - LUCK Kept Him Alive

On Tuesday, many will remember that horrific day in 2001, especially those of us who were in NYC that morning.

Here's a passage I wrote 4 years ago about a man I played basketball with on a weekly basis:

Many people were fortunate to be absent from their job on that fateful morning for a variety of reasons. One of those absentees was a member of my gym. He worked for the firm Cantor Fitzgerald which lost the majority (over 600) of their employees that day. He was playing in his weekly Tuesday morning basketball game which didn't end until 8am. He was on his way to work when the first plane hit. I wanted to ask him how he felt to be alive but the moment never felt right. Two of his colleagues (nice guys) who often played basketball with me at the gym were in the office that morning and never came home. Fortune smiles on some and frowns on others.
 My article from 4 years ago (Sept 11, 2001 - Pain, Giving, Renewal)

I was thinking of him lately as if not for the LUCK of that basketball game, he would have surely been dead.

Many of us probably don't attribute our success to luck although it is difficult not to see how important luck really is.

-- Wasn't I lucky to be born with a basketball talent? I think so. Yes, I cultivated the talent and made the best use of it to get a college scholarship although luck played a large part. Without the luck of basketball along with the luck of having a great mentor and parents, my life wouldn't have been nearly as interesting or exciting.

-- Hard to see how Bill Gates wasn't lucky to be born into a well-off household where he could play with computers at his leisure during his childhood. If he came from a poor household, it is highly unlikely that he would have been as successful.

-- Wasn't it luck that someone took a chance on an overweight black woman named Oprah early in her career? With the ratings war and beauty (just look at CNBC) being more of an emphasis for women today, it's hard to imagine a 2012 Oprah getting that lucky break.

Oprah and Gates made the absolute best of their fortunate situations although luck cannot and should not be discounted.

-- If Barack Obama hadn't lost that 2000 Congressional race to Bobby Rush, is there any doubt that there wouldn't be a President Obama? Luck.

-- In 1982, I asked an older mentor (was married before) to come to my community pool as I noticed  there were plenty of friendly and single ladies. He met a kind woman and they hit it off immediately. They moved in together within weeks and will be celebrating 30 years of marriage soon. They have been a perfect match! Hard not to see the luck in that moment.

If you are not a believer of luck in your success, maybe this quote from a famous writer might give you some food for thought.

"People really don't like to hear success explained away as luck, especially successful people. As they age and succeed, people feel their success was somehow inevitable. They don't want to acknowledge the role played by accident in their lives. There's a reason for this. The world doesn't want to acknowledge it either. Don't be deceived by life's outcomes. Life's outcomes, while not entirely random, have a huge amount of luck baked into them. Above all, recognize that you have had success, you have also had luck. And with luck comes obligation."
(Michael Lewis - Author of MoneyBall)

If I had the chance to go back to any of our basketball nights after 9/11, when we sat together exhausted after fun competition, I would ask the aforementioned man one question:

Don't you feel like a Lucky Guy after 9/11?

Happy Gswede Sunday!

http://elliesworld-blog.blogspot.se/2012/09/the-fight-for-freedom-i-have-no-idea.html

Being “Average” was OK Before...(No Longer)

Throughout my life and career, I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by many individuals who are above average.

Whether they possessed wit, charm, grace, intelligence, grit, diligence, empathy, toughness, relentlessness, street smarts, confidence, social skills, determination, mentoring qualities, common sense, nuance, thick skin or a passion for those less fortunate…..they all had one common thread called “Success”.

They were not average in any sense of the word. Maybe more importantly, most perfected the art of having fun with their accomplishments.

It’s been a wonderful gift for me as I’ve been motivated to be as good as I could be in my career, as a human being and as a parent. Even when I have fallen short, there was never a lack of inspiration to get me back on track.  I also realized early on that by being around successful people and/or having quality mentors, would not only make life more enjoyable but also benefit me immensely as I chased my dreams.

The aforementioned thoughts surfaced because of a great article I read earlier this year, written by author Thomas Friedman. A passage is below from his column “Average is Over”:

Yes, new technology has been eating jobs forever, and always will. As they say, if horses could have voted, there never would have been cars. But there’s been an acceleration. As Davidson notes, “In the 10 years ending in 2009, [U.S.] factories shed workers so fast that they erased almost all the gains of the previous 70 years; roughly one out of every three manufacturing jobs — about 6 million in total — disappeared.”

With the way technology has rapidly blossomed and will change even faster in the future, it’s important for everyone (especially our youth), to embrace change and develop more than one set of skills.

Another passage:

In the past, workers with average skills, doing an average job, could earn an average lifestyle. But, today, average is officially over. Being average just won’t earn you what it used to. It can’t when so many more employers have so much more access to so much more above average cheap foreign labor, cheap robotics, cheap software, cheap automation and cheap genius. Therefore, everyone needs to find their extra — their unique value contribution that makes them stand out in whatever is their field of employment. Average is over.

The link to this timely and insightful article is below along with the author’s parting words:

In a world where average is officially over, there are many things we need to do to buttress employment, but nothing would be more important than passing some kind of G.I. Bill for the 21st century that ensures that every American has access to post-high school education.

NY Times Article - "Average is Over"

“Average” might have provided a good life for someone before although one thing we can all count on is that it won’t anymore.

Happy Gswede Sunday!

Gswede was "Above Average" in Basketball, thus securing a 4 year college scholarship! Along with Education, sports can take one a long way as well if one is willing to "Put in the Time".