will Barack Obama be re-elected?

[dead0man]

If he goes along with Congress, hammering everything through...No.

If he picks his battles wisely...Yes.

<snip>

So, barring any major events outside of his control, Obama will be difficult to beat.    

This.  I agree with the middle part too, just left it out to save bandwidth/space.

[dead0man]

The President doesn't control the economy.  It was true during Clinton, it was true during Bush and it will be true for Obama.  That's not say the President doesn't have an effect on the economy, he does and he has, but he can't make it go up or down through Presidential magic.  If the market is due to continue falling (it's not....probably) it will no matter what Obama does.  If the market is due to come back up (it is....probably) it won't matter what Obama does.

Blaming (or praising) the sitting President on how the economy is doing "right now" is what ignorant people do (that includes 98% of the talking heads on the television news).


edit-that's not to say your are ignorant or wrong.  The economy going up during Obama's Presidency will certainly help him get re-elected and provide more ammo for the ignorant ones that happen to favor Obama.