Foreign Policy and the 2012 Election
Divergent Views of U.S. Goals and Strategies
At the beginning of the 2012 presidential election campaign, the consensus was that foreign policy would take a back seat to domestic issues for both President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney. During the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, in late August, speakers focused on attacking the president’s record on the economy and key pieces of his legislative record, such as the stimulus package and health care reform. The following week, in Charlotte, North Carolina, Democrats were quick to take credit for what they saw as Obama’s foreign policy accomplishments, but were more focused on his domestic agenda…
