"Romney Feels the Bain, But It’s Still a Close Race" by Michael Crowley at Time

[applegrove]

Romney Feels the Bain, But It’s Still a Close Race

By Michael Crowley at Time


Read more: http://swampland.time.com/2012/07/16/romney-feels-the-bain-but-its-still-a-close-race/#ixzz20qDO0fPL

"SNIP...........................................

So right now it feels like Obama is winning this fight. But as both Democrat William Galston and the Romney campaign itself note, the numbers show a neck-and-neck race. And there are reasons to think that Obama needs to finish the summer in something better than a tied race.

One is that the economy doesn’t seem poised to turn the corner. Recent indicators suggest that we’re in for more gross national blahs before job growth takes off again. And even if growth does pick up, Obama wants take two or three consecutive strong growth jobs reports to demonstrate that a real rebound is underway. There are only four more reports to come between now and election day, however. It’s almost too late for Obama to argue that we’re getting out of the rut.

The other reason Obama wants to gain a lead now is his short-term financial advantage. Romney’s ability to answer Obama’s advertising assault is limited by the fact that much of his huge fundraising haul consists of money which under federal law can only be spent in the general election. Many of Romney’s donors have maxed out on contributions that can be spent during the primaries. And while the primaries may feel long over, under election law they’re not concluded until Romney becomes his party’s nominee at the end of August. Once that happens, we could see something like the counterattack at Stalingrad. (It’s true that Republican Super PACs can mitigate this imbalance on Romney’s behalf, although they’re not yet firing at full power, either.) ABC News has a thorough breakdown of the particulars.

Romney’s advisers are heartened by Obama’s inability to break above a 50 percent support level and stay there. A political rule of thumb holds than an incumbent polling under 50 percent before an election will likely lose. Surely most voters have already formed a pretty clear opinion of Obama, leaving him with less room to grow than Romney.

..............................................SNIP"

[FirstLight]

1. okay WTF

this is like the third or fourth editorial that says this..."yes, Bain is a big bad deal, but it's STILL a close race"

how can that BE?????

[progressivebydesign]

4. because people writing the articles live in Manhattan, and are the 1%. n/t

[liberal N proud]

2. It's a close race is bullshit

The GOP and the librul media keep insisting the Presidential race is a dead heat.

I don't believe it is or was, but the republicans need it to be close to continue their scams. The Democrats just keep their mouths shut because it is good for fund raising and it make a win in November that much sweeter watching stunned republicans.

[progressivebydesign]

3. BS article. That "breaking 50%" was taken from a Rasmussen poll in March.

The dude is delusional, and they're outdated polls.. and right wing polls.

But fine, they can do that all they want, it keeps us hungry. Remember when they had McCain neck and neck with Obama in 2008?

This is a smear piece on Obama, that fool can't measure the damage this Bain shit is doing based on OLD polls.