Mitt Romney wants Republicans confident, President Obama wants Democrats scared

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The reality is that pretty much everything campaigns tell the press about how they’re doing is strategy.

...

The Romney campaign is emphasizing momentum. Confidence. Even inevitability. You see it in their post-debate spin: “Mitt Romney did well enough that for the first time in six years, Romney folks emailed, ‘We’re going to win.’” You see it in their electoral college spin: “Seriously, 305 electoral votes,” an anonymous Romney adviser told Politico.

...

The Obama campaign is emphasizing how tight it is. How hard they’re going to have to fight this one out. How possible it is that the president might lose. Their latest fundraising e-mail, for instance, reads as desperate. It’s supposedly from Obama himself, and the headline is, “Stick with me.” The first line is even graver: “I don’t want to lose this election.” Remember that this is coming from the campaign that won last night’s debate and clearly leads in the electoral college.

...

What you’re seeing here are two very different views of base psychology. The Romney campaign believes — and polling confirms — that Republicans are fired up to fire the president. They don’t need to worry about voter enthusiasm. But they do worry about voter confidence. If Republicans don’t believe they can win, they may not turn out to the polls. They don’t like the former Massachusetts governor enough to turn out on his behalf. So as they see it, confidence is their friend: Every Republicans wants to say they helped turn Obama out of office.

The Obama campaign believes — and polling confirms — that Democrats aren’t particularly fired up about the president. But they’re very fired up by the idea that Romney might become president. For the Obama campaign, then, voter enthusiasm can be squelched by voter confidence: If Democrats don’t think Romney can win, they may not be motivated to vote.

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The bottom line is that Boston fears scared Republicans won’t vote and Chicago fears confident Democrats won’t vote. And so, in this final stretch, Boston wants Republicans confident and Chicago wants Democrats scared. Keep that in mind as you read the spin.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/10/23/mitt-romney-wants-republicans-confident-president-obama-wants-democrats-scared/

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Black_Panther_Party_voter_intimidation_case

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Black_Panther_Party_voter_intimidation_case

You should re-read the article. That's not remotely relevant to the point being made.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

[quote name=' timestamp='1351017704' post='5774909]

You should re-read the article. That's not remotely relevant to the point being made.

He doesn't care. You know that.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

I thought Obama wanted Democrats scared? Looks like he did back in '08 anyways.

[mawilson 2,133]

[quote name=' timestamp='1351017311' post='5774888]

Remember that this is coming from the campaign that won last night’s debate and clearly leads in the electoral college.

Oh really? They won now, did they?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Oh really? They won now, did they?

The polls that Republicans loved so much after the first debate seem to say Obama won, yes.

[mawilson 2,133]

The polls that Republicans loved so much after the first debate seem to say Obama won, yes.

The only poll that matters is the one where people put their money where their mouth is.

As of this moment, Obama is down 5.9% since yesterday, Romney up 6.5%.

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The only poll that matters is the one where people put their money where their mouth is.

As of this moment, Obama is down 5.9% since yesterday, Romney up 6.5%.

I trust the psephologists at Gallup more.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

The only poll that matters is the one where people put their money where their mouth is.

As of this moment, Obama is down 5.9% since yesterday, Romney up 6.5%.

Here in P&R, the post debate polls seemed to matter quite a bit after the first debate. I guess they don't matter now that Obama woke up.

Funny how that works.

[mawilson 2,133]

[quote name=' timestamp='1351019588' post='5775000]

I trust the psephologists at Gallup more.

So why is Obama plummeting on Intrade if he "clearly" won the debate?

At some point the spread was 80/20, now it's 57/43. Romney never even came close to these levels until last night.

Here in P&R, the post debate polls seemed to matter quite a bit after the first debate. I guess they don't matter now that Obama woke up.

After the first debate, Romney had a 20% bounce on Intrade. So yeah, he won.

Obama won. It's laughable. Obama was a petty аsshole who used every single question as an opportunity to attack Romney.

Edited October 23, 2012 by mawilson

[Penny Lane 8,159]

After the first debate, Romney had a 20% bounce on Intrade. So yeah, he won.

Obama won. It's laughable. Obama was a petty аsshole who used every single question as an opportunity to attack Romney.

Of course he won the first debate. Nobody denied that. Not even Obama himself. It's nice when people can admit that the other guy did a better job. It's just funny when Republicans latch onto a poll that favors them and then dismiss that same poll when it doesn't.

Are you honestly complaining that one candidate attacked another candidate's opinions in a presidential debate? Did you cover your ears whenever Romney spoke? If you didn't, then you'd know that attacks went both ways. Like they always do.

Edited October 23, 2012 by Evylin

[mawilson 2,133]

Are you honestly complaining that one candidate attacked another candidate's opinions in a presidential debate? Did you cover your ears whenever Romney spoke? If you didn't, then you'd know that attacks went both ways. Like they always do.

Romney did as well, but only a couple of times. Nowhere near as much as Obama. Obama made the entire debate about Romney and his "wrong" foreign policy vision.

And I'm not complaining, Obama can do whatever he wants. I just think the never ending attacks made him look like a loser without a plan.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Romney did as well, but only a couple of times. Nowhere near as much as Obama. Obama made the entire debate about Romney and his "wrong" foreign policy vision.

I think you were watching through Romney-colored glasses.

Obama had to take the opportunity to make Romney look weak on foreign policy. But don't pretend like Obama didn't also defend his record (from Romney attacks on it) and get into his plan for the next four years.

It is amazing how two people can watch the same thing and see something entirely differently.

People seem to ignore when Romney interrupts Obama, but when Obama interrupts Romney and Romney says "I'm speaking!!", then the Republicans rejoice.

Romney can spend the entire time smirking at Obama while Obama is answering a question, but if Joe Biden smiles too much, he's rude and disrespectful.

Romney can lie, but Obama's lies are worse.

Romney can attack Obama (even on things that aren't true), and he's seen as aggressive (but not too much!) and confident and presidential. Obama can attack Romney, but that makes him petty.

So bizarre.

And I'm not complaining, Obama can do whatever he wants. I just think the never ending attacks made him look like a loser without a plan.

I would love to hear this "plan" people speak of. I've yet to hear Romney give any details about it, yet this plan is getting support. What will he do? How will he pay for it?

Edited October 23, 2012 by Evylin

[mawilson 2,133]

I would love to hear this "plan" people speak of. I've yet to hear Romney give any details about it, yet this plan is getting support. What will he do? How will he pay for it?

He will chew bubble gum and kick аss. Bring back the yee-haw foreign policy of the Bush years.