Election 2015: Learning from Mitt Romney

I still remember the 2012 US Presidential Election, the two key candidates being Mitt Romney and Barack Obama.
That election was a veritable lesson in humility which followers of politics in Nigeria and elsewhere must learn from. Obama was coming to the end of his first term. The economic situation in America was deteriorating.
Unemployment was rising, manufacturing was collapsing and businesses were closing down. The housing market had crashed and people were losing their homes en masse. The price of goods was rising and there was a growing level of poverty and inequality not seen in the country in a long time. All Barack’s promises of “change” seemed to have evaporated.
Coupled with the above, the tea party was at its apogee, calling for the head of this “clueless” “socialist”, “stupid” leader. It was definite that Obama would lose the election. All opinion polls clearly showed Mitt Romney leading his opponent. A few declared the election was too close to call.
Mitt Romney was very sure of becoming the next President of The United States (POTUS) and Obama seemed consigned to the annals of history. Romney and his followers became cocky, arrogant, conceited and even started acting like he had already won the election. Romney’s body language at the election debates was condescending to his opponent Obama who he was so certain would lose.
On election night, as the results trickled in, Romney seemed to be in the lead. His supporters started to celebrate the end of Obama as champagne flowed. As the night progressed however, the story changed. Barack Obama was actually winning! Media organisations started to project him the winner and all of a sudden, the narrative changed.
At the end Barack Obama won the election – his re-election into office as POTUS. Normally his opponent is expected to demonstrate civility by conceding and congratulating the winner. Mitt Romney refused to call Obama to congratulate him.
Finally he appeared on our TV screen, eyes red, looking confused and defeated. He had to quickly re-write his speech – he was so sure of winning that he only prepared an acceptance speech. The possibility of losing the election did not occur to him at all.
Barack Obama won the election and was declared the winner. Today he is able to consolidate all the policies he started in his first term. Unemployment has fallen and is still falling, manufacturing is rising, new jobs are being created, the housing market is improving. America is experiencing a boom and renewed vitality.
The country is rising again.
There is a strong message here for the Nigerian presidential election candidates. The election is not won until all votes have been counted and a winner is declared. Celebrating an election win before voting has even started is evidence of human conceit. Members and supporters of the opposition need to take it easy. Abusing everyone who does not support their candidate, or who draws out a particular flaw or irregularity in the candidate is an act of conceit. Calling your opponent all sorts of names from “clueless” to “failed President” is direct abuse and encouraging or not discouraging your supporters from doing the same is a gross act of human conceit.
The Mitt Romney lesson is a lesson for all.