Several recent presidential polls have shown Mitt Romney narrowing the gap with President Obama. And a CBS/New York Times poll released Wednesday offered further evidence: It found the two men tied at 46 percent support each.
Even more revealing: This came despite the fact that voters appear to like Obama personally much more than they like Romney: The president’s favorability stood at 42 percent, compared to just 29 percent for his GOP challenger.
That's likely to be a concern for Team Obama, Joe Scarborough said.
"What the Obama people are looking at right now is the fact that Mitt Romney’s likability numbers are in the 20s,” said Scarborough, “and yet their guy is still tied with him in most polls this week. That is a disturbing trend for the White House.”
Romney has begun to fine-tune his message around the reality that most Americans seem to think Obama’s a decent guy.
“Even if you like Barack Obama, we can’t afford Barack Obama,” he told a crowd yesterday. “It’s time to get someone that’ll get this economy going and put the American people back to work.”
Scarborough thinks that’s the right message.
“Republicans’ best line of attack is not calling Barack Obama a Communist or a racist or a Marxist. That does not win national elections,” said Scarborough. “What wins national elections is saying, he’s a good guy. He’s a great father, he’s a great husband…he's just wrong. He’s wrong on the economy, he’s wrong on foreign policy, he’s wrong in all the important areas.”
Scarborough added: “That’s a much smarter tack than most of the Republican Party’s taken over the last three, three and half years, trying to demonize a man that most of America likes.”
Obama, meanwhile, is starting to subtly remind voters about Romney’s privileged background. “I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth,” he said yesterday in a speech, drawing an obvious contrast with Romney, whose father was CEO of General Motors, then Michigan’s governor. “Michelle wasn’t. But somebody gave us a chance.”
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Quite the Romney cuddle-fest. The reason that Obama is tied with Romney, has nothing to do with who is more well-liked, and the panel knows it. It was curious that the flip of Joe's statement, that the Obama team can't understand why Romney is so close while so not liked, is also ludicrous. The same could be same for Obama, that with so many who hate him and such a laggard economy, why is he competitive against Romney? The economic conditions are what matters. If the economic trends continue, Obama's position will strengthen. If the conditions weaken, Romney's position strengthens. If things stand pat . . . it's better to be liked.
Did they include the women vote? Because Romney has lost that big time. Every day he says more and more to push women away and we have a long way to go and I am sure he will say more. While at one point I like Ann Romney and thought of her as an everyday person...I have changed my opinion after she cried that her feelings were hurt about Hilary Rosen's remark about stay at home Moms but two days later said...I was not upset...I was pleased...it was a birthday gift to me and it made me happy. So much for my original opinion...it is now down the drain on her. She and Romney are alike...out of touch but she hides it bettr than he does.
To Mr. Scarborough...the republican party cannot take back all that they have said in the past and are continuing to say. Too much to forget especially since they see no threat in Ted Nugent's remarks. If it was a democrat who said that...they would be demanding an apology from Pres. Obama. However, they can say and do anything i.e. Allen West's remarks about communism in the dem. party...no aplogies here..double standard. Not only did Mr. Romney solicit the support of Ted Nugent and is now denying it..once again...Mr. Nugent called Hilary Clinton a whore at one point and said some disparaging remarks about Debbie Wasserman Schultz.....yet the republicans do not see the disrespect to these good women?????: This is why I left the republican party....they are not the same people they once were...they have become bitter, hateful people and while calling themselves Patriots....do not fight for the middle income but only the upper income....what I remember in history about Patriots...is they fought for the little guy.
if they are tied goes to show you how stupid people are .the G.O.P.(GROUP OF PHONIES)ARE only for the rich and big oil.
All bets are off this year. Who would I rather sit down with over a beer? Obama. Who understands pop culture like I do? Obama. But this may be the year where the country says, Mr. Romney, we don't personally care for you too much, but we think that 1) you are better equipped to turn the economy around and manage the deficit or 2) Mr. Obama, you don't seem to be able to find a way out of this mess. This may actually be the time when being privileged - having scads of money - will actually be beneficial. I mean, Romney has proven that he can successfully manage vast sums of money. That maybe, just maybe, he will be able to make the hard decisions based upon what will get us out of this mess - not what might get us out of this mess and ensure a chance for re-election.
Personally, I am not thrilled by either choice. I don't personally like Romney - I don't get him. I don't dislike Obama - I just think that, with his political philosophies, he happened to be elected at the wrong time.
Government is not the answer - government has become the problem. And it is our fault. We have allowed them to spend beyond our means. We have allowed them to be reckless with OUR money - not their money - OUR money. If we overspend in our daily lives and live beyond our means, if we constantly rob Peter to pay Paul - eventually it catches up to us. We have allowed them to represent themselves and personally benefit - not represent our wishes and our needs. We all have (or have had) parents. The government is not our parent. They do not get to decide what is best for us when they are supposed to do our bidding. It is time to issue eviction notices to the lot of them. It is time to take back our supposedly representative government. It is time that we insist that those that we elect understand what compromise means. Our government is not a playground, it is not a sandbox, and that is the way our elected officials have been acting for over the past ten years.
ide rather have a beer with romney and see his car elevator.
yeah? no.
I won't vote for Romney. no way, no how
try your spin again.