Anyone actually think that at night and when alone, Romney thinks "I'm screwed?"

[sg0508]

It's one of those things where everyone puts on a smile and a brave front.  We've all done it at work and in tough environments where we know things are not very good, but given some of the state poll numbers, especially in states where you would expect Romney to be well ahead now (NC for example) and he's not, Bain Capital and the tax return issue...I wonder if at night, Mitt is just looking at this entire thing and saying, "I'm screwed". 

For a country in this much trouble financially and otherwise, and yes, we are in big trouble, the fact that in the electoral college, the incumbent is far ahead in basically all key states at this point in the year, that is just bad news.

[Napoleon]

No, as evidenced by his campaign expenditures.

[memphis]

The man has an unimaginable fortune. I think he's very happy.

[Vosem]

It's too early. If this is what things look like at the beginning of October (or later), Romney can start worrying. This is the middle of the game, and Obama's advantage is only two pawns or so. It exists, and it must be factored in, but it is not insurmountable.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Mitt Romney is used to getting what he wants, so no.

[Lincoln Republican]

NO!

[LastVoter]

Mitt Romney is not concerned about winning this election, either way he is rich.

[Joe Biden 2020]

No, and he shouldn't be.  He can still very easily win.  Remember, most people still aren't paying attention to the race, yet.  Bain Capital will wear out, but unless we get some better jobs numbers and the economy starts turning around, the economy will not wear out.  The only two things that can solidify Obama into the next four years would be the economy turning around and the conflict in Syria coming to an end with the death or capture of Assad.  So far, this election has not been about foreign policy, but if Assad goes down before October, Obama can start touting his foreign policy with the notion that he has a good record of taking down giant tyrants(see: Bin Laden, Mubarak, Ghadafi, and Assad).   Foreign policy could quite potentially save Obama's re-election.

[NVGonzalez]

Mitt Romney is used to getting what he wants, so no.

[Reaganfan]

Not at all, actually. I'm rather confident of victory.

[Warren 4 Secretary of Everything]

Not at all, actually. I'm rather confident of victory.

Even though in the one state that every Republican since 1960 has to win to take the White House, the only poll that had Romney ahead was Rasmussen and he's fallen by 4 points there. You're still confident. Ohio is leaning more left right now than Iowa.

[opebo]

No, his chances about the election are still excellent (nearly equal to those of the president) and as many have already pointed out he is already a demi-god (rich).

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The thing is that after all this, he is still in the hunt shows quite the contrary. Whether or not Mittens Romney is taking the oath next January will be entirely determined by strategies that his campaign engages in from here on out. Even the various troublesome issues that are bedeviling him such as Bain, the autobailout and outsourcing can be turned around provided they are handled properly.

[7,052,770]

Not at all, actually. I'm rather confident of victory.

Well that's a 180 from last week. What changed?

[pbrower2a]

It's too early. If this is what things look like at the beginning of October (or later), Romney can start worrying. This is the middle of the game, and Obama's advantage is only two pawns or so. It exists, and it must be factored in, but it is not insurmountable.

Things have been very stable to now, and for President Obama that is good. Barack Obama has always been a cautious campaigner, the sort who lets the other fellow make a grievous mistake. His campaign has been slow to expose the business record of Mitt Romney because he is not a populist by nature.  He is not going to risk the populist practice of making wild promises that come back to bite him. If things stay as they are,  then President Obama wins the popular vote about 49-47 with minor parties taking the slack... and President Obama winning  about 310 electoral votes.

At this stage Mitt Romney had better be gaining; time is running out about a month before the unions start getting out the votes and the Obama campaign starts working the college campuses for new young voters. Romney has shored up all the predictable constituencies of the Hard Right. That will not be enough.

The Obama campaign would avoid discussing Bain Capital if there were little to it. It's not only taxes and Swiss bank accounts; it's also business ethics. The foundation of the Romney campaign is that he will do what is necessary, as shown by his record as an astute (if ruthless) businessman to solve budgetary problems -- like shake up a government excessively fat and complacent and perhaps privatize some federal activities. If his business ethics are suspect then one might have some questions of whether his cronies might profiteer from some of the shake-up or downsizing of the government.

...Mike Dukakis was doing fine until the escape of furloughed lifer Willie Horton set in for a couple of weeks. Then the Dukakis campaign crashed. Considering how badly the Democrats think that Mitt Romney's stay at Bain Capital can fail the stink test, I can see how badly things can go for the Republicans.

Note that I used the plural for Republicans. There is more at stake in this election than the re-election of the President: maintaining control of the Senate and winning the House. Down-ballot  candidates of the Democratic Party are going to need some help if President Obama is to be effective as President in a second term.  

...Oh, by the way -- in chess even a one-pawn advantage is usually enough to force a win on a game between masters. Good chess players may sacrifice a pawn or two to shatter a defense and create an opening to the King... but that sacrifice had better work. If it doesn't work the advantage goes to the defender who can then have the means for a powerful counter-attack.   Likewise an incompetent chess player might make too many early captures of pawns with an over-active Queen that is then exposed to attacks with developing moves that a good chess player makes. The biggest early weakness on a chessboard is the king's bishop's pawn which only the king can defend -- and you do not want to force the king to be a defender. I hone in on it early if I get a chance against a weak player. I castle early in an effort to take away the opportunity for an easy attack.