By Amelia Brodka Student Writer On Aug. 31, USC Annenberg's Center on Communication Leadership and Policy co-hosted a discussion in which a group of panelists dissected the potential direction of the 2012 election. “Road to the White House 2012: Politics, Media & Technology,” featured Robert Stutzman, former Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications for Arnold Schwarzenegger, Matthew Rodrigues, former Western States Regional Director for the Obama for America Campaign, Anjali Nastear of USC College Republicans and Aaron Taxy of USC College Democrats in a discussion moderated by Dan Schnur, director of USC's Unruh Institute of Politics and Asher Feldman, editor in chief of the Daily Trojan. “The image left after debt ceiling (negotiations) is someone who doesn't know what to do, someone who isn't leading,” Stutzman about President Barack Obama, adding that Obama's popularity has plummeted this summer. “People are afraid.” The panelists agreed that both parties are looking for an aggressive candidate with a strong personality. However, “none of the candidates seem to fit the term,” Stutzman said. In an atmosphere of debt and job deficit, the democrat voters will not be motivated to “run on hope,” as they did in 2008, Schnur said. In an election in which the economy is the biggest issue, Nastear feels that Republicans have the upper hand. When people are disillusioned with a president, they are likely to move further and further away, Nastear said. “People are moving towards the right and looking for people like Perry who are going to fight for us.” Stutzman said presidents are victims of circumstance, adding that they  will get the blame whether they deserve it or not. Taxy added that Obama hasn't communicated that he “saved America from a great depression.” In predicting the Republican presidential candidate, Stutzman said, “Perry might be able to excite the base, but Romney will pull more independents.” If Perry becomes Obama's opponent, said Taxy, he will have the advantage of being seen as the job creator for the work he has done in lowering the unemployment level as the Governor of Texas. Obama's success in regaining support from democrats “will be all about the unemployment index,” said Stutzman, adding that Obama's opportunity for a turnaround depends on whether he can shave close to 2 points off of the national unemployment number. Taxy said that Obama will “reinvigor his base” by shifting back into “campaign mode” with “a fire in his belly” that will remind people why they liked him in the first place. “Road to the White House 2012: Politics, Media & Technology,” is a weekly series presented in partnership with USC Dornsife College’s Unruh Institute of Politics and USC School of Policy, Planning & Development’s Bedrosian Center on Governance and Public Enterprise. Join Morley Winograd and Mike Hais, co-authors of Millennial Momentum: How a new generation is remaking America in a discussion moderated by CCLP director Geoffrey Cowan on Sept. 7 at 12 p.m. (lunch at 11:30 a.m.) in USC's Tutor Campus Center Forum, room 450. Center on Communication Leadership and Policy Unruh Institute of Politics