From Unicorns and Rainbows to Devils and Dragons

Almost sounds like a Harry Potter plot line, but it's the strategy shift you can expect from the Obama campaign in 2012:

Chris Matthews hosted a discussion with his guests regarding what President Obama might have to do in order to appeal to independent voters and get re-elected[.] While some on the panel suggested it will be difficult to get young voters out in the same numbers as in 2008, New York magazine's John Heilemann warned Matthews that this time around in 2012, the "hope" is very much gone and Obama's strategy will be the "politics of fear."

Heilemann predicted, "The core difference between 2008 and 2012 is going to be the politics of hope, which we saw in 2008, versus the politics of fear in 2012. They won't call it that, but so much of this campaign in terms of driving turnout among all these groups, is going to be about making the Republican alternative totally unacceptable.

Unfortunately, the squishy middle is easily influenced by emotional messages, so no matter how bad Obama is there's always "hope" he can persuade them to once again set aside logic and reality for some idyllic future under The One.