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Politicians often speak of doom and gloom scenarios whenever the subject of their adversaries winning a given race arises. Republicans have made it an artform, though there’s something to be said of knowing when to pull back on hyperbole. Reince Priebus (pictured), the chairman of the Republican National Committee, criticized President Barack Obama’s economic record on Sunday, accusing Democrats who declared the country was moving in the right direction of living in a “fantasyland.”

Never mind the rampant obstructionism that has contributed to the weak economic recovery. We’ll just let Priebus enjoy that sweet, sweet, fantasy, baby. That said, the rest of his interview on “FOX News Sunday” was disturbingly delusional.

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The Hill recaps:

He cast the 2012 election in stark terms, bashing Obama as ‘fund-raiser in chief’ and suggesting the future of the country was on the line in November.

The fact is it’s not a question of can Mitt Romney win. The statement is, Mitt Romney has to win, for the sake of the very idea of America, Priebus said about the presumptive GOP nominee.

Mitt Romney has to win for liberty and freedom. And we have to put an end to this Barack Obama presidency before it puts an end to our way of life in America, he added.

The RNC chairman said polls showed that “people are tired of this president, they’re tired of his speeches, they’re tired of the words.”

Brother, can you spare a clue for the conservative?

For the record, this is an old talking point. Indeed, there were plenty members of the loonier sect of the Republican Party all too willing to speak publicly about the prospects of a then-would-be President Obama causing this national to spiral in to damnation.

Any day now, huh, you guys?

I understand Priebus needs to rile up the base in order to close the enthusiasm gap with their everything-but-enthusiasm-inducing candidate, but c’mon, no sense in pussyfooting: It’s a stupid sentiment to insinuate. So stupid that I imagine Priebus will fit in quite nicely with the rest of the conservative commentators soiling minds over at FOX News.

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A look at the president’s first year alone ought to negate this boogeyman promise Priebus is pushing.

How would a Mitt Romney administration look, though? Well, who knows, because Mitt doesn’t have much to say about that prospect. This is apparently a “smart” strategy, according to surrogates like former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour. However, even Bill Kristol warns against this strategy since FOX polls show that not many voters feel all that confident about Romney’s ability to handle the economy.

And watch out for the lightning strike: Kristol has a point.

Republicans can yell all they want about how awful four more years of President Obama may be to them, but that’s not going to do much in the way of swaying the electorate if the prospective alternative doesn’t offer a vision. Yes, no matter how much money Mittens raises.

I don’t think people are begging for another four years of this misery, Priebus said. And that’s what they’re going to be thinking about in November. Do we want another four years of this stagnant job growth, with a president that acts like he’s not living on Earth?

You can shout this out as much as you want, Mr. Priebus. In fact, shout, “boogie, boogie, boo,” each time that you do. Unfortunately, it’s not going to get Mitt Romney to the White House unless he’s on tour.

If Mitt Romney is to be President Romney to “save America,” he has to actually tell America why that is.

For his own political survival.

Michael Arceneaux is a Houston-bred, Howard-educated writer and blogger. You can read more of his work on his site, The Cynical Ones. Follow him on Twitter: @youngsinick

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