The rope-a-dope is a boxing fighting style commonly associated with Muhammad Ali in his 1974 Rumble in the Jungle match against George Foreman. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rope-a-dope

            One of the important things for new and complacent voters to realize is that the current candidates for the President of the United States are two of the most achieved individuals for all of us to select from.  While it is no secret who I am going to vote for, I think it is extremely important that many of us, regardless of whom we are going to vote for, not get so worked up over the polls (those studies which suggest that one candidate is leading or falling behind by so many percentage points) http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/26/politics/battleground-polls/index.html.

            I shudder to think that because Governor Romney appears to be falling behind in the polls, that those who would have ordinarily supported him, would now not do so because of the polls.  The most recent and supposed damage to Governor Romney is the hidden video that reportedly captured Governor Romney speaking to his supporters.  In that video (http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/09/secret-videoromney-priv...), Governor Romney is supposedly captured dismissing 47% of Americans who pay no taxes, and who play victims, and take from the government.  He is heard to have said that he is not concerned about those people, that he can’t win their votes.  While this video has and perhaps will continue to dog Governor Romney, he has history on his side, especially in politics. 

            I would also shudder to think that those who were considering voting for President Obama would now sit this out as well because the polls indicate that he is leading.  Don’t be fooled, and don’t be complacent.  There are more than 30 days to go, and the worst is yet to come from the closets of both candidates.  Politics is dirty game, and someone has got to loose.  Don’t depend on polls to tell you who is going to win. 

            Never mind that Governor Romney has chosen as his running mate Paul Ryan Congressman from Wisconsin, or that Governor Romney may cut the Healthcare Program now called Obamacare by the Republicans, and that was modeled after Romney’s own healthcare program in Massachusetts.  Anyone who knows politics, knows there is always a trump card.  Experienced, savvy politicians play coy, keeping their cards close to their vests, so to speak, or, play victims themselves, hoping actually that their opponents will pounce on them. Thus, making their opponent out to be a bad guy for taking advantage of them.  I compare this political battling to the philosophy of none other than the Greatest himself, Muhammad Ali. 

            It was in a fight with George Foreman (October 30, 1974) that Ali was able to play the victim in the ring, taking a number of punches, (actually a lot of punches) from George Foreman, the World Champion. For what appeared to be a sure-fire win for Gorge Foreman, turned around as Ali took many of the best of Foreman’s punches until about the 8^th round.  By that time, Foreman punches were wild and pretty much ineffective against Muhammad Ali.  From perceived victim to subsequent champion, Ali ended the fight with two final blows that put Foreman to his knees.  Although Foreman was able to get up, it was too late to answer the mandatory count and Ali won.

            Can this kind of battle occur again?  Yes it can, and it should be noted that history will tell us upon our research how elections are lost more so on the eve of an election rather than at the voting booth, or despite all of the debates and negative advertising that occurs over the 18 months of campaigning.  Elections are often lost by a last minute set of robo-calls that cast negative dispersions on a candidate in the lead; or that prevent another candidate from making a run-off or, a news story that presents questionable information regarding an incident that neither took place, or the information is so distorted, that voters don’t care to get to the bottom of the truth. In short voters either stay home, or vote for the another candidate.  What can we do?

            For those who are going to vote for Governor Romney, stick to your guns. He might still pull this election off.  Personally, I believe that he has something up his sleeves.  Politics seem to offer very little refuge for those who are willing to depend only on voters to do their homework. 

            For those who are going to vote for President Obama, I say the same thing, stick to your guns, because there is no such thing as a sure thing, in horse racing, nor in politics.  I believe that he too has something up his sleeves.  For the president, if history holds true, he will need something up his sleeves in anticipation of a counter-punch, right-cross, an uppercut, an elbow to the back of the head, and possibly a bite to the ear, if he wants to win.  President Obama now has a record, and it is a record that his opponent can either beat him with, or that speaks to his accomplishments for his first term.  But, only we who are registered to vote can make that final decision.  Don’t fall for the Rope-a-Dope.

            I personally see Governor Romney as not being in touch with the middle class, or the poor.  But the fact that he is in the running, regardless of the supposed gaffs that are associated with him, or where he stands in the polls, I would not count him out, and I believe that this race is too close to call.  Again, don’t fall for the Rope-a-Dope.

Vote November 6, 2012.