EDITORIAL - Positive over negative

People can debate for days about the results of the recently concluded US elections and argue about why Barrack Obama won and Mitt Romney lost. They will cite statistics, extricate data from demographics, and grapple with unfathomable truths behind electoral voting.

 They will share experiences and why they still worked or did not work this time. They will wonder why Florida continues to move closer to becoming like the American Philippines. They will summon the occult, see shapes in the clouds and otherwise take the name of the Lord in vain.

 But the real reason why Obama won and Romney lost is the very reason that nobody ever considered in the first place because they got too preoccupied with the nuances and forget to see the obvious.

 And so the elephant in the room in this case was nothing more than the simple triumph of the positive over the negative, of telling it as it is and keeping the faith, instead of pointing out the mistakes and failures and yet come up short with the solutions.

 Going into the campaign, Obama clearly had the heavier baggage to carry on his shoulders — a shot economy, a tax dilemma, and a not-so-appreciated health care program. Romney, on the other hand, had the luxury of jumping onto Obama’s back to weigh him down even more.

 But the problem with Romney, which he never saw to the very end, was that in trying to weigh down Obama on his shortcomings, he forgot he still needed to point out a clear direction to which he wanted America to be heading.

 Romney’s was a classic case of all rhetoric and no substance. Sure he succeeded greatly in pointing out where Obama fell short, but he failed to show how he, if given the chance, could pick America up from there. In short, he was loud on the problems but quiet on the solutions.

 In the meantime, Obama never flinched from the weight of his shortcomings. And he kept the great advantage Romney failed to grab from him — it was his feet that were on the ground and could take him to where he wanted. Romney got his free ride but had no say on the destination.

 And so, while Romney flailed about screaming about Obama’s mistakes, Obama kept plodding on, monkey on his back and all, reciting to himself the mantra that everything will soon be over if he just kept the faith and kept walking. That was all America needed — to stay the course.