Frank Bruni NYT on Obama: He doesn't seem in command.

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

in spite of a most drawn out and bruising primary campaign in which Romney's opponents  launched a nuclear war on him,

Romney is closing the gap on Obama,

Romney is closing the gap among women voters,

Romney is closing the gap in fund raising.

My friends, this race is far from over.  As a matter of fact, this race has just begun.  

[BushKenya]

I agree with all of this!

[Jayhawker]

Hey, I'd be fine with Democrats sitting back and thinking they have this in the bag. Further increases our chances!

Obama will try to divert attention from the economy, but at the end of the day, that's what Americans will vote on, and he doesn't currently have a record strong enough to win.

[State Comptroller Atkins]

There's been surprisingly little change in the Obama-Romney polls since 2010 or so. Of course, this election wouldn't matter all that much if Romney would just be himself.

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

Hey, I'd be fine with Democrats sitting back and thinking they have this in the bag. Further increases our chances!

Obama will try to divert attention from the economy, but at the end of the day, that's what Americans will vote on, and he doesn't currently have a record strong enough to win.

In fact, Obama has already been attempting to divert attention away from his sorry handling of the economy, with his petulant and misleading Bain attacks on Romney, which, by the way, were not even factual, placing Romney at Bain years after he had actually left.

These attacks have backfired.  

[True Federalist]

Obama has a secret weapon tho: Donald Trump.

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

Obama has a secret weapon tho: Donald Trump.

Yes, I wish Trump would go to deepest, darkest Peru, with no communication devices, until December.

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

http://theothermccain.com/2012/05/15/distraction-tactic-backfires-romney-gains-in-polls-after-obama-gay-shift/

Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign strategy could be summarized in four words: “It’s Obama’s Economy, Stupid.”

Romney and his aides have made clear that they regard every other issue as a distraction from what polls — as well as common sense — indicate as the main concern of American voters: Jobs, the economy and the explosion of deficit spending under the Obama administration.

So when the news cycle last week was dominated by President Obama’s announcement of his support for same-sex marriage, this was viewed by Republicans as yet another attempt to distract voters from the economy — and thus, strategically, as another “win” for Team Obama.

Yet the first polls reflecting public reaction to the president’s endorsement of gay marriage show the move has, at least so far, backfired on the White House. A CBS/New York Times poll taken Friday through Sunday shows Romney leading Obama 46% to 43%, whereas a CBS/NYT poll taken April 13-17 showed the race a tie at 46%. This result verifies polling by Rasmussen Reports showing Romney moving ahead. Obama has clearly lost support since a month

[Secretary Polnut]

Sounds in line with the Romney strategy "look over there!!!!"

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

from his miserable handling of the economy:

1. The War on Women
2. Ann Romney's clothes
3. The Car Elevator
4. The Swiss Bank Account
5. Eeeevil Bain Capital
6. The Sudden Fascination With Mormonism
7. 50 Year Old High School Pranks
8. Ann Romney's horses

http://drawandstrike.blogspot.ca/2012/05/look-over-there-horse-looking-at-my.html

[HagridOfTheDeep]

9. Gay marriage
10. Dog on the roof
11. Romney wouldn't have got bin Laden

[Lief]

Yes, voters are only allowed to vote on one issue and that issue should be selected and framed by Mitt Romney. Got it, Winfield.

[Governor Scott]

12.

[NVGonzalez]

Congrats on the new job at the Romney campaign Winfield!

[True Federalist]

Congrats on the new job at the Romney campaign Winfield!

Nah.  I think he works for a SuperPAC.  The actual, official, campaign is not that trollish.

[cope1989]

http://theothermccain.com/2012/05/15/distraction-tactic-backfires-romney-gains-in-polls-after-obama-gay-shift/

Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign strategy could be summarized in four words: “It’s Obama’s Economy, Stupid.”

Romney and his aides have made clear that they regard every other issue as a distraction from what polls — as well as common sense — indicate as the main concern of American voters: Jobs, the economy and the explosion of deficit spending under the Obama administration.

So when the news cycle last week was dominated by President Obama’s announcement of his support for same-sex marriage, this was viewed by Republicans as yet another attempt to distract voters from the economy — and thus, strategically, as another “win” for Team Obama.

Yet the first polls reflecting public reaction to the president’s endorsement of gay marriage show the move has, at least so far, backfired on the White House. A CBS/New York Times poll taken Friday through Sunday shows Romney leading Obama 46% to 43%, whereas a CBS/NYT poll taken April 13-17 showed the race a tie at 46%. This result verifies polling by Rasmussen Reports showing Romney moving ahead. Obama has clearly lost support since a month

How can you say definitively that the strategy has backfired? First of all, calling it a strategy or a ploy is simply your opinion. Secondly, I can find a thousand articles that tell us Obama's support for gay marriage has actually unified the democratic base, even among black voters.

You need to be a little more level headed instead of a mindless Romney cheerleader. It's cool that you like Romney so much but you won't get any respect here if you don't try to analyze things more objectively.

[ModerateCoward]

Obama has a secret weapon tho: Donald Trump.

Yes, I wish Trump would go to deepest, darkest Peru, with no communication devices, until December.

Are you implying that Peru is a third-world country that has no communication? In case you missed it, I am implying you are racist.

[Reaganfan]

I actually read an article cited on a left-leaning political website that I'm fond of despite it's bias, that it does indeed appear that it's Obama off message, not Romney.

President Barack H. Obama consistently is off message. One day it's class warfare, the next it's war on women, the next day it's politicizing bin laden's death. I've heard some argue that Bush politicized 9/11. Indeed, 9/11 was a giant part of his Presidency, but you didn't see ads saying, "George Bush captured Saddam Hussein and John Kerry wouldn't have."

This is why I enjoy being a Republican so much. When I say what I truly feel, I often feel as though a majority of Americans agree with me. No matter how hard-hitting and slap-in-the-face blunt it may be, I always seem to be able to be free and clear with my beliefs.

On the other hand, it does seem that Democratic candidates, especially for national office, have difficulty being 100% truthful in their beliefs. This is why Barack Obama took so long to support gay marriage. Those of us who oppose it have been open and bluntly honest for years. You may disagree, but atleast we didn't cower to the slim minority of people who support liberal causes in fear of losing votes.

[Diabolical Minds Think Alike]

You made 4 threads.

There is a problem here.

[Proud Lieberal from Northeast]

Right... The Republicans are free to use purely ideological issues in every cycle, but when Democrats are doing it, it's deception

[bore]

I actually read an article cited on a left-leaning political website that I'm fond of despite it's bias, that it does indeed appear that it's Obama off message, not Romney.

President Barack H. Obama consistently is off message. One day it's class warfare, the next it's war on women, the next day it's politicizing bin laden's death. I've heard some argue that Bush politicized 9/11. Indeed, 9/11 was a giant part of his Presidency, but you didn't see ads saying, "George Bush captured Saddam Hussein and John Kerry wouldn't have."

This is why I enjoy being a Republican so much. When I say what I truly feel, I often feel as though a majority of Americans agree with me. No matter how hard-hitting and slap-in-the-face blunt it may be, I always seem to be able to be free and clear with my beliefs.

On the other hand, it does seem that Democratic candidates, especially for national office, have difficulty being 100% truthful in their beliefs. This is why Barack Obama took so long to support gay marriage. Those of us who oppose it have been open and bluntly honest for years. You may disagree, but atleast we didn't cower to the slim minority of people who support liberal causes in fear of losing votes.

Are you really saying in the same breath, that hardly anyone supports gay marriage and that Obama is only supporting it to get votes?

[Californian Tony]

This is called, you know, political campaigning.

[HappyWarrior]

Right... The Republicans are free to use purely ideological issues in every cycle, but when Democrats are doing it, it's deception

Also I find it foolish if someone is simply focusing on one issue, even if it is probably the most important issue of the day, it just shows Romney has no other plans that aren't economic.  His economic plans have been widely panned by most economists who aren't conservative by the way.  By that I mean most who are liberal, moderate, nonpartisan, basically any who aren't in it just to help Mittens get elected.

[HappyWarrior]

How many threads can you post saying essentially the same thing Winfield?

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Bore, I actually think that's a fair thing to say. Obama will get votes from supportIng gay marriage in that he was successfully able to distract voters from his crap record. So it was really a matter of what would lose him more votes... Unpopular social positions or unpopular economic ones. He opted to try the former.