Can politicians still be "honest" with people when things aren't good and win?

[NHI]

I think in many ways Obama won in 2012 because he was being more honest with the middle class than Romney.  Obama was careful to present a long, hard slog on jobs and not to venture to close to happy days are here again territory.  Romney was promising the sun, moon and stars on the economy if only he were elected.  It was also a stroke of luck that there was just enough economic optimism in late 2012.  Romney would likely have won in either 2011 or 2013.

I agree with these points.