In the latest issue of TIME, now available to subscribers on tablets and the web, Republican John E. Sununu argues the debt debate and subsequent S&P downgrade have critically damaged President Obama’s re-election effort, while Mark Halperin makes the case that Rick Perry’s entrance into the presidential race has things looking up for the White House:
Obama is enjoying an August political mini-comeback—simply by reaping the indirect benefits of Perry’s candidacy. The Texan’s entry makes it more likely that the Republican-nomination battle goes longer, gets uglier and forces Romney (still seen by the White House as the most likely, most dangerous general-election foe) further to the right.
Pick up a copy on newsstands Friday or subscribe to read the issue online.