How is Romney's campaign different from McCains?

[Mister Twister]

Seriously, he's being forced to defend Bush states and has to pretty much run the gauntet and win every current swing state of FL, OH, NC, VA, CO etc. Seems like the same map as 2008, except IN is in Romney's column, IA is more competitive BUT he has completely given up on PA. Once again, the GOP is on the defensive. This is so similar to 2008 it's not even funny.

[NHI]

As a Republican it's frustrating b/c this election at one point was easily winnable, but the momentum has largely been squandered. If Romney wins this (which he still might), then I expect it to be extremely narrow in both the electoral and popular vote.

In fact on both sides the chances of an electoral blowout are unlikely given the political climate.

[5280]

If Romney doesn't win in 2012, then the GOP can kick itself in the rear and TRY AGAIN for 2016.  The GOP in 2016 has a 75% chance of winning, and there is a wider selection of better candidates compared to the donkeys.

[Likely Voter]

If Romney loses, I assume (hope) the party will look back and realize the "all in on the white vote" strategy was flawed and hopefully analysts are right and it will truly never be tried again.

[Mister Twister]

http://electoral-vote.com/evp2008/Pres/Maps/Sep13.html

At least McCain was (barely) ahead at this point in 2008.

[Lief 🗽]

Yeah, McCain's campaign was much more successful. At least he led Obama at points. Romney has never led Obama, either in the aggregate of the national polls or in the electoral college based on the aggregate of state polls.

[Negusa Nagast 🚀]

Yeah, McCain's campaign was much more successful. At least he led Obama at points. Romney has never led Obama, either in the aggregate of the national polls or in the electoral college based on the aggregate of state polls.

Romney led Obama for a brief period in October 2011. Obama has had a lead for about 11 months now. Even Kerry led Bush for a time.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Ryan isn't the disaster that Palin was, and he doesn't have the 2008 economic meltdown destroying his chances, but Romney manages to have a trainwreck of a campaign anwyays.

[Indy Texas]

People actually liked John McCain.

Even people who were never going to vote for the guy could respect him. Republicans liked that he was a war hero. Democrats liked that he clashed with Bush on multiple occasions.

Even most Republicans don't like or respect Mitt Romney. They'll vote for him because of how much they hate Obama.

[morgieb]

Yeah, if it was an open race Obama would win a 400+ landslide. As it is though the economy will keep it close-ish until November.

The problem is likeability. People liked McCain, no-one likes Romney. However, because Romney didn't choose a fruitloop as a Veep, he's probably running a slightly better campaign.

[Niemeyerite]

If McCain was running in 2012, he could win. Romney can't. So, McCain>>>>>Romney

[opebo]

More money.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Am I the only person who thinks that a Gingrich/Huntsman ticket would have been potent? Thankfully we got a Gordon Gekko and a teenage boy as the GOP ticket.

[Ljube]

Am I the only person who thinks that a Gingrich/Huntsman ticket would have been potent? Thankfully we got a Gordon Gekko and a teenage boy as the GOP ticket.

I think a Gordon Gekko ad would be lethal for Romney.

I think that Gingrich would have been a better general election candidate, because I think he would have dominated in the debates.

[pbrower2a]

Am I the only person who thinks that a Gingrich/Huntsman ticket would have been potent? Thankfully we got a Gordon Gekko and a teenage boy as the GOP ticket.

Gingrich would have contradicted himself into a trap that President Obama could have exploited in due time. A VP candidate could have done nothing to stop that from happening. 

[morgieb]

Am I the only person who thinks that a Gingrich/Huntsman ticket would have been potent? Thankfully we got a Gordon Gekko and a teenage boy as the GOP ticket.

Probably. Gingrich's much too flawed to win a GE.

[Wisconsin+17]

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Man, ROMbots will never concede that McCain's numbers went up when he chose Palin.

[Lief 🗽]

And then back down when it turned out she was an idiot.

[Wisconsin+17]

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Right, like the DOW crash had nothing to do with it. Nope, all because of Palin.

[Likely Voter]

Here is one key way Romney's campaign is different than McCain's. He is fighting on a much smaller (and much more favorable to Obama) map



via http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1008/Spending_by_state.html

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

If Romney loses, I assume (hope) the party will look back and realize the "all in on the white vote" strategy was flawed and hopefully analysts are right and it will truly never be tried again.

Sadly, I think you're off by about 180 degrees. My assumption is that if Romney loses, a good chunk of the Republicans will decide they need to run a 'real' conservative, instead of 'fakes' like Romney and McCain. That, in turn, will likely lead to either a primary fight so bitter and brutal it makes the 2012 one look like a tea party (please forgive the pun), or to the nomination of a truly unelectable candidate, and possibly both.

[Wisconsin+17]

McCain spent 1.6 million on Michigan and Minnesota and just 300k on North Carolina and Indiana?

[Likely Voter]

Bear in mind mcCain was leading nationally in early September with a very big lead in NC. The above figures are from late September.  His campaign was slow to react to his collapse after Lehman. They were still spending on offense and expanding the map when they should have moved to defense

[Maxwell]

Am I the only person who thinks that a Gingrich/Huntsman ticket would have been potent? Thankfully we got a Gordon Gekko and a teenage boy as the GOP ticket.

Do you know how deeply hated Newt Gingrich is?

[SPQR]

Ryan isn't the disaster that Palin was, and he doesn't have the 2008 economic meltdown destroying his chances, but Romney manages to have a trainwreck of a campaign anwyays.

Exactly.
He is less likeable as a person but has a lot more money.

And Obama has lost the "young charismatic black guy" tag,but also the "one term unexperienced senator" one.

For the rest,you can say that pretty much 2012=2008 polling wise...WI might be closer,but honestly,any Republican should have been expecting something way better by now.