Moms Matter

The only Michele I'd want to see in the White House next November is Mrs. Michelle Obama -- having a chat with her husband, the President. As for the other Michele, Representative Bachmann, well, quite frankly, she is, in my opinion, the weakest link of the Republican candidates. Her views on immigration and abortion will only take us backwards as a nation. A candidate that wants to restrict these rights through constitutional amendments, repeal of precedent, or legislation would never get my vote. 

But it''s not looking good for Bachmann.

Recent polls show that Newt Gingrich leads as the favored Republican nominee -- though I would prefer to see Mitt Romney actually win the nomination. Romney trails Gingrich in the polls by only 4 percent; a relief considering he is also very conservative when it comes to issues I believe are important: women's reproductive rights and the economy. With Gingrich's on and off again staff, his questionable ethics violations, and K Street dealings, pundits are betting that Gingrich will self-destruct before the 2012 Election leaving more hope for Romney.

Romney fares better than his Republican opponents for two reasons. If Romney were to win the election in 2012, there is still some hope for women's reproductive rights. Romney is viewed by some as the most liberal of his Republican candidates when it comes to abortion. In June of this year, he refused to sign the anti-abortion pledge by the Susan B. Anthony List. And in 2002, he was quoted as saying that he "respect[s] and will protect a woman's right to choose. This choice is a deeply personal one." Since then, he claims to be "firmly pro-life"; however, his position on pro-life or pro-choice continues to be questioned by his opponents.   

In addition to having some liberal views when it comes to abortion, even a devoted Democrat like myself can recognize that Romney has the business experience and portfolio to help get our country out of the economic crisis we have been since before President Obama took office. Romney's successful business career and degrees in law and business (from Harvard, nonetheless) makes him the strongest of the Republican candidates.   

Despite Romney's success in the past, I still believe that President Obama is the best candidate to get us out of the economic crisis we are in. Since 2008, President Obama has taken aggressive steps to add 2.6 million private sector jobs back into the economy and continues to help put food back on the table for many families in America.  

With the Iowa caucus only a few weeks away, I am sure we will have a better sense on whether Gingrich or Romney will get the nomination. I'll keep my fingers crossed on this one. 

This post is part of a weekly conversation with each of our 5 Moms Matter 2012 political bloggers. Read the original question and find links to all their responses here: Which Republican Candidate Deserves the Nomination?

Image via Dave Delay/Flickr