Tightrope - A Timeline

[Potus]

Megyn: We're now joined by the Architect himself, Karl Rove. Hello Karl, what A night.

Karl: Absolutely, Megyn. We've seen this closeness coming for weeks. After Governor Romney trounced the President in the first debate, defended his successful career during the town hall debate, and President Obama's latest boneheaded move in vetoing the Hurricane Sandy relief package.

Bret: It should be noted that the relief package offset the emergency spending with cuts to social programs and the implementation of Obamacare, which motivated the President's veto. Karl, how major of a role do you see Hurricane Sandy playing in tonight's results?

Karl: Well, Bret, the Romney campaign drew a perfect contrast with the President in light of the disaster. Governor Romney lent his mailing list to a number of non-profit organizations, contributed a portion of his own money, and had the added effect of being invited by Governor Christie to the New Jersey coast.

Megyn: Just checking in with the latest from Carl Cameron at the Romney headquarters in Boston. Carl?

Carl: Yes, Megyn. The Romney campaign have characterized the energy in the War Room as "cautiously optimistic." When we look at the map, we see that we're waiting on late results from the West Coast to get a final popular vote tally. Back to you, Bret.

Bret: Thank you, Carl. The current state of the popular vote is Governor Romney's 49.6% to the President's 49%. The Electoral College favors Governor Romney by 275 to 263. Governor Romney leads in Colorado by approximately 1,200 votes, which may be subject to legal challenge. The crucial battl-

Megyn: I'm sorry to interrupt, Bret, but we're now hearing from the Obama campaign that they'll be contesting the results in Colorado. Our Fox affiliate in Colorado has confirmed that lawyers from both campaigns are in Denver. Reaction from Karl Rove?

Karl: This is looking more and more like a clean Romney victory and they shouldn't let this one go for a second. As someone who's been through something like this, I just want Matt Rhoades and all the other folks in Boston that my thoughts and prayers are with them.

2012 Presidential Election Night Results

Republican: 266, 49.4%
Democrat: 263, 49.2%
Contested: 9

[tmthforu94]

Love where this is headed - how did the relief package pass the Senate?

[Potus]

Love where this is headed - how did the relief package pass the Senate?

Yes, a handful of Northeastern Democrats voted for it and filed a separate bill to undo the worst of the spending cuts. They desperately wanted the bill through and the money signed off on. The President did not oblige.

[Orthogonian Society Treasurer]

Interesting premise. Will be following.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I most definitely will be following!

[Abraham Reagan]

Go Mitt! I believe in America!

[Potus]

County Every Vote

On Fox News Sunday...

Andrea: Chris, the legal petition filed by President Obama's campaign is only asking for recounts in areas that supported the President. Governor Romney carried the state of Colorado by over 3,000 votes, which is why the President can't afford to have Republican precincts recounted. Recounts typically increase the existing lead. So, the President wants to widen his lead in pro-Obama precincts.

Chris: What is the Romney campaign doing in response?

Andrea: Our top priority is working with Secretary of State Gessler in making sure the state's recount laws are followed. Every single precinct, even Romney precincts, should be recounted if the President wants to sustain a legal challenge.

Chris: Ms. Saul, what do you have to say to the Obama campaign's claim that recounts should focus on minority-majority precincts in order to avoid disenfranchisement?

Andrea: Chris, this is Colorado in 2012, not Birmingham in 1963. If the President wants to tell Coloradans from across the state that making sure their vote is counted is a threat to the right to vote, then I'd be glad to let Colorado vote again and see if any voters have had a change of heart.

Chris: *chuckles* Andrea Saul, Romney Press Secretary, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming on Andrea.

[Potus]

Defending the Franchise

On This Week...

George: So, to many Americans, your challenge to the results in Colorado are not exactly convincing. Can you tell the American people a little bit about what your argument is?

Dan: Absolutely, George. Unfortunately, we have a long history here in the United States of not being particularly well-suited for guaranteeing the right to vote for Americans of color. Our basic claim is making sure that we've guaranteed the right to vote in precincts with a large minority population.

George: The Romney campaign insists that recounting certain precincts and districts violates Colorado election law. What say you?

Dan: Look, everyone is entitled to their own opinion but the President has made it crystal clear to everyone working on his campaign and to our attorneys that our number one priority is to make sure every voice, no matter the color of your skin or the size of your wallet, gets heard.

George: Dan Pfeiffer, everyone. Dan, thank you for coming on.

[Enderman]

Woohoo! Amazing timeline so far.

Oh, who could Romney's VP be? Ryan again?

[Potus]

Do you approve or disapprove of President Obama's job as President?
Approve......43%
Disapprove.....51%

Do you believe Governor Mitt Romney or President Barack Obama is the rightful winner of the Presidential election?
Romney.....47%
Obama......45%

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Barack Obama?
Favorable.......48%
Unfavorable....49%

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Mitt Romney?
Favorable.......47%
Unfavorable....50%

These numbers show a significant decline in the President's approval rating following his veto of the Hurricane Sandy aid package and challenging Colorado's election results. This drop in job approval was accompanied by a marked decline in favorable opinions. This poll also shows that most voters believe Mitt Romney is the next President of the United States, which does not bode well for the President if he wins the legal battle and is elected to a second term.

There is much good news for Governor Romney in this poll. Not only do most voters believe he is the next president, Governor Romney has undergone a significant increase in favorable opinion. The poll also provides circumstantial evidence that most voters believe that Governor Romney would do a better job as President than the incumbent.

[Potus]

I should go ahead and note that the Senate is still 53-47 in this timeline. Romney's stronger performance nationally flipped Montana, Heitkamp losing 51-49, and significantly narrowed the margin in Massachusetts. Warren was defeated following her endorsement of President Obama's veto of the Sandy aid package. Warren narrowly lost with Brown receiving 49% to Warren's 48%.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I should go ahead and note that the Senate is still 53-47 in this timeline. Romney's stronger performance nationally flipped Montana, Heitkamp losing 51-49, and significantly narrowed the margin in Massachusetts. Warren was defeated following her vote against Sandy aid package. Warren narrowly lost with Brown receiving 49% to Warren's 48%.

Warren wasn't in the Senate at that point? How'd she vote on the Sandy aid package?

[Potus]

I should go ahead and note that the Senate is still 53-47 in this timeline. Romney's stronger performance nationally flipped Montana, Heitkamp losing 51-49, and significantly narrowed the margin in Massachusetts. Warren was defeated following her vote against Sandy aid package. Warren narrowly lost with Brown receiving 49% to Warren's 48%.

Warren wasn't in the Senate at that point? How'd she vote on the Sandy aid package?

I'm a dumb. Sorry!

[Potus]

Court Orders Hand Recount of Minority Precincts;   Military Ballots Called Into Question

A Colorado court has ordered a hand recount of precincts with at least 40% minority population. This order comes as a major victory for President Obama and his re-election as they look to close the gap in the last battleground state of Colorado. The Romney campaign has expressed concerns over how this effects the status of the statewide automatic recount that is expected to strengthen Governor Romney's margin in he state.

Karl Rove, the architect of George W. Bush's two successful presidential campaigns, has already decried the ruling as an outrage and is pushing the Romney campaign to petition for a hand recount of all precincts in order to guarantee fairness. "Your vote shouldn't count more because of what neighborhood you live in," Rove said.

Meanwhile, a shipment of 8,000 military absentee ballots arrived past the absentee ballot deadline. This creates an uncomfortable legal situation for the Obama campaign. A Military Times survey showed earlier this year that Governor Romney led the President by a more than two-to-one margin among military voters. "If I were the Romney folks, I'd be breathing an enormous sigh of relief at the arrival of these ballots. And I'd be praying for their inclusion," said Brit Hume, a senior Fox News contributor and elections expert.

[Potus]

Denver, CO- Our men and women in uniform should not lose the right to vote because they choose to serve. This is a moral principle that must be respected.

The President's decision to challenge the legitimacy of eight thousand military ballots is a politically motivated disgrace. We at the Romney campaign call on the President to recognize the legal distinction between military ballots and regular, civilian absentee ballots. In doing so, the President will join with Governor Romney in protecting the sanctity of the ballot box for our nation's greatest patriots.

Given the political motivations of the ballot suppression, the Romney campaign are filing a formal legal request to rescind any barriers to having the military ballots in question counted and the results certified upon counting.

[Potus]

Bret: Welcome to America's Election Headquarters. Breaking news this afternoon coming out of the Colorado recount. Fox has senior campaign correspondent Carl Cameron on the ground in Denver. Carl?

Carl: Yes, Bret. There are two major news stories breaking with regards to the recount. After the Obama campaign's hand recount was upheld in accordance with the state's recount laws, the Secretary of State's office announced that Governor Mitt Romney's lead in the state has been cut more than in half, down to 576 votes, a shadow of the Governor's former lead of approximately 1,200 votes.

Bret: Any reaction from either of the campaigns on that news?

Carl: Not quite, Bret. This story is only a couple minutes old. It's developing alongside a story of 1,100 absentee ballots being discovered in the heavily Democratic Denver County. The ballots, say election officials, were appropriately postmarked but were misplaced during the counting and canvassing process.

Bret: They just found a bag of absentee ballots laying around, Carl? What bearing could this have one the military ballots?

Carl: Well, Bret, I'm no legal expert but the difference it seems to me is that the military ballots are postmarked past the deadline while these votes aren't. The courts will have to determine what is and is not included in the final certified count.

[Potus]

Postmarked Absentee Ballots Included in Count; Splits Approximately 69-31 for Obama

In a devastating blow to the Romney campaign, the state of Colorado has deemed the properly postmarked absentee ballots discovered in Denver County admissible in the final tally of votes in the state. The results of the ballots appear to have split with 759 votes for President Obama and 341 votes for Governor Romney.

The Romney campaign had a guarded response claiming that the inclusion of these ballots signifies once again that the eight thousand military absentee ballots ought to be included in the final count.


ROMNEY LEAD: 98

[Potus]

Adams County Board of Elections Completes Hand Recount

Adams County, CO- The Obama 2012 team are proud to announce that the Adams County Board of Elections has completed their final hand recount of results. Adams is home to a significant minority population, though not large enough to trigger the hand recount ordered by the courts.

Adams County, when fully counted, has shifted the results in Colorado toward the President by 129 votes, putting the President in the lead.

Once illegal ballots are invalidated by the courts, we are confident President Obama will be re-elected.

OBAMA LEAD: 31

[Potus]

Expect a ruling on military ballots in the morning.

[Abraham Reagan]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME LIVE THE THE TRAUMA AND DISSAPOINTMENT OF 2012 AGAIN! DO THE RIGHT THING!

[Warren 4 Secretary of Everything]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DON'T MAKE HIM LIVE THE THE TRAUMA AND DISSAPOINTMENT OF 2012 AGAIN! DO THE RIGHT THING!

[Potus]

Military Ballots Suppressed

The Romney campaign has been devastated by a Colorado court ruling to suppress over 8,000 military ballots that were postmarked after the absentee due dates.

"Men and women in uniform complete a different application to receive a military absentee ballot," said a chief legal adviser to Governor Romney, "that's an indication that they're governed by separate rules than civilian absentee ballots."

The Obama campaign quietly celebrated the ruling, not wanting to appear jovial after throwing out ballots for 8,000 troops. It is unknown at this time if there are any remaining legal options for Governor Romney to pursue.

OBAMA LEAD: 31

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Of course, 3 colorado electors could abstain from the EC vote and make it 269-266-3, leaving Obama just 1 EV short of victory and throwing the election to congress.

[Potus]

Do you approve or disapprove of President Obama's job as President?
Approve......40%
Disapprove.....54%

Do you believe Governor Mitt Romney or President Barack Obama is the rightful winner of the Presidential election?
Romney.....56%
Obama......43%

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Barack Obama?
Favorable.......43%
Unfavorable....54%

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Mitt Romney?
Favorable.......50%
Unfavorable....49%

Do you feel that that the Obama campaign has conducted its legal contest in an ethical or unethical way?
Very Ethical...12%
Ethical......10%
Unethical...28%
Very Unethical..26%

Our latest poll fits into a larger trend over the course of the legal battle in Colorado. The discovery of new ballots, the conflict over a selective vs. universal hand recount, and the suppression of over 8,000 military ballots by the Obama campaign has devastated the public's opinion of President Obama. Every metric of the national mood has shifted against President Obama as Governor Romney registers his first national net positive opinion since 2011. Meanwhile, the foundation of the President's re-election strategy, his likability and empathy, represented by his "Opinion of..." numbers, have taken a severe nosedive to being 11 points underwater.

The public also believes that the President is not doing enough to help Hurricane Sandy relief and focusing too much on his struggle for political survival. Our focus groups have provided context for for President's abysmal -14 job approval spread. Without the passage of a Sandy relief bill, the President has issued a number of executive orders shifting federal resources to help. These orders have been largely starved of media coverage, given the ongoing Colorado  legal conflict.

Focus groups conducted by SurveyUSA suggest that many Americans believe the President is actively stealing the election. If the President's triumph in the legal arena holds, public opinion does not appear to support an Obama second term.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Ugh, Obama is not pulling any punches.