President Obama is considered by most to be a vulnerable incumbent. That is, his incumbency isn’t all he is going to need in order to run, and win, another term to Presidency. With the economy still tanking, unemployment still high, a weak healthcare bill, as well as the debt ceiling increase debate debacle, the President is not guaranteed another term. For many, including this liberal, the President has failed us. I, for one, know I have been looking elsewhere, including at Republican candidates for what I believe this country needs. If the President wants a second term, he is going to have to prove it, here’s how it can be done:

Reclaim the Media
During the 2008 Presidential election, President Obama owned the media. Stories left and right were attempting to not love the President. He had a good relationship with the media, That might mean getting rid of Jay Carney, the current White House Press Secretary, and bringing back former Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.Gibbs knew how to convey the message, and kept the press in their place, going as far as taking one journalists cell phone that rang during a press conference.

Stop Blaming Republicans
Pointing fingers needs to end. Fighting with Republicans is never going to transpire into anything good for the President. The GOP will simply make up so-called “facts” — be aggressive, angry and loud, until they win. Do not point fingers. Sure, the party of “no” could be reason to blame for many of the problems the President faces, but during the 2010 election, the President failed, massively, at saying as much. It’s too late to point fingers to the party of the “no,” the liberal base will get annoyed if the President does, the conservative base simply won’t listen, and anyone he blames will come back with enough fire and misinformation to confuse the average, independent voter. 

Hone the Message
During the 2008 election, the President did a great job at messaging. He was “change you can believe in” — we all knew his story, his quirks, his shortcomings. Lately, the Presidents message seems to be all over the place. We don’t know where he stands on many of his once important issues. The anti-war President continues the war in Iraq, his views on gay marriage are “evolving” and he stands by a healthcare bill that was nothing like what he originally wanted, especially with no public option. Sure, hope and change won’t work the second time around, but without a message of what his second term will attempt to accomplish, I’m not sure I can vote for him.

Be Smart
Everyone on the Republican side sounds pretty crazy. If Sarah Palin throws her hat into the ring, the insanity will get ever crazier. Despite everything, most of us can agree that the President is not stupid. He is an articulate, intelligent man, who is going to be billed as part of “Washington” and “arrogant” regardless of what he does. So, why not just play up his smarts? I often like to refer back to the West Wing, an awesome television show where Martin Sheen played a Democratic President. Right before the debate on the show, his wife cuts off his tie, forcing Barlett (Sheen) to get his “game on” — which he brings to the debate. After watching it, it’s pretty clear that President Obama needs someone to cut his tie off so he will get his “game on,” and bring his arrogant smarts with him to any debate, and to the entire election.