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People and Politics by Patrick Roberts

Mitt Romney still the favorite to win election despite polls - If he can somehow humanize himself he has a huge shot

Posted on Saturday, August 25, 2012 at 09:51 AM

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Mitt Romney

Despite all the negative press and the furor over abortion and Medicare the presidential race is still Mitt Romney’s to lose.

The latest national polls are all within the margin of error and while Romney is behind in most of them a good convention and a good debate performance should certainly see him elected.

He should be ahead. The economy, the one measure that is uppermost in most minds, is still pretty lousy. Unemployment is too high and there will be no significant relief in sight by November.

This is a center-right country and Republicans are usually better positioned to win presidential races as a result.

It is amazing to consider how George Bush defeated Al Gore despite the fine economic times under Clinton. The country leans right as its default position.

Given all that, the landscape is pretty much settled and it is overwhelmingly one that favors a challenger.

A wise old GOP figure told me last week that this election will end up one of two ways — a narrow win for Obama or a landslide for Romney.

It is easy to see why. If the issue becomes the last four years and how the economy has performed, Obama will lose badly. If it becomes how flawed a candidate Romney is then it is likely that Obama will hang on narrowly.
Obama is currently somehow staying afloat despite the bad economy and is trading heavily on the perception of him as a decent man trying to do his best in tough times.

He connects better than Romney who seems incapable of real human emotion or appearing in the least vulnerable.

A recent US Today poll noted that a “majority of Americans, 54 percent, believe Obama is more likable, compared with 31 percent for Mitt Romney, giving the president a 23 percentage point advantage.”

All of Romney’s career choices have ended up well for him and he lives a gilded life – but that is not what plays with voters.

They want someone who has a life pretty much like their own, full of struggles and emotion and setbacks and triumphs. It doesn’t matter that they are rich, just that they are normal.

Normal is not what Romney has succeeded in showing us just yet. He has appeared either too perfect or too robotic, lacking warmth and empathy. But given the nature of this presidential year, which is still utterly unpredictable, the race is still his to lose given that the economic fundamentals are not going to get any better.

This race is at best for Obama a 50-50 toss-up.

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Frosty38 | Sep 22, 2012, 10:49 AM EDT

BrianO where did you get that from he has not ever been poor. I guess you haven't ether . as far as the MS my sister has it. She is on new meds and is doing great. I lost a sister from breast cancer she was treated at the MAss General had no follow ups poor doctors no bone scans so i know what it like to have these struggles

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BrianO | Aug 28, 2012, 12:47 PM EDT

The author concludes"They want someone who has a life pretty much like their own, full of struggles and emotion and setbacks and triumphs." Romney has a wife with MS. and a Breast cancer survivor, sure no struggle there, They lived in a one bedroom apartment during their college years in boston since Romney donated his inheritance and wanted to make it on his own, you don't hear much about this because the majority of news outlets don't like the message. Romney's problem is he is brilliant, successful, and not as Ruthless as Obama.

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EphraimKibbey | Aug 27, 2012, 08:23 PM EDT

IF Romney wins, it will be because the GOP was successful in disenfranchising millions of voters in states all across the country. Between narrow ID laws and curtailment of early voting, the country may see a very reduced electorate November 6th. We will have to wait until then to see if they also use the tactic of limiting the number of voting machines in Democratic precincts. Why are the Republicans so UNAMERICAN that they believe it is OK to steal this election as they did in 2000 and 2004 and when will the TRUE Americans stand up for everyone's right to vote?

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eiriamach | Aug 27, 2012, 02:47 PM EDT

howareya, do you think we can be taken in by a lie, or do you really not understand the difference between an executive order and a LAW? The GOP voted down the Dream Act--TWICE! There's no hope of dealing with immigration problems without a huge change in Nov. elections. After the second "no" on the Dream Act, President Obama drafted an executive order to federal agencies. The order stops-- for two years-- departments of Immigration and Customs, Border Patrols, Homeland Security, etc. from deporting children and young people under age 30 if they meet eligibility criteria. Obama said clearly to the nation, "This is not amnesty. This is not immunity. This is not a path to citizenship. It's not a permanent fix. This is a temporary, stopgap measure that lets us focus our resources wisely while giving a degree of relief and hope to ... patriotic young people. It's the right thing to do." It was the best solution to a human rights problem that the President could enact without Congress killing it! If you want immigration FIXED, vote Democrat Nov. 6.

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howareya | Aug 27, 2012, 12:28 PM EDT

I was willing to give Obama a chance at the beginning. But what I have seen of him makes me very afraid. I hate the way he pushes through his agendas. Like the Dream Act he just pushed through without going through Congress!!! The debate on whether it is the right thing to do or not is irrelevent right now...It's the way he is doing things that is totally wrong!!!!! And his health care bill that was pushed through at the nth hour with nobody reading the whole thing!!! I just don't like it. Sorry but I no longer trust Obama! Not too wild about Romney either but we have a poor choice all together.

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FastEddy | Aug 27, 2012, 10:37 AM EDT

"Humanize"? How about because he is human? "It is amazing to consider how George Bush defeated Al Gore despite the fine economic times under Clinton. ..." And that would be because AlGore is such an obvious fascist. (Bush not so obvious.)

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TheNetherlands | Aug 26, 2012, 01:06 PM EDT

Depending whose side your on is the pseudo belief that Romney is in the lead, as an ex Mass resident who couldn't afford to live in the state I grew up in anymore and moved out when Romney was governor can happily say I am one of the Blue staters who helped the state of Nevada go from Red to Blue and will be doing it again!! I think Obama is great and can't wait til obama care comes in since I am without health care and Nevada is one of the worse states to live in without it.

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McNamara31 | Aug 26, 2012, 11:15 AM EDT

aherlowglen Spoken as a true priest with God in his heart, and not a political party as Dolan has chosen. I agree this is a dangerous game that Dolan is playing and he can't see the long term ramifications through his bravado.The GOP already had Karl Rove to manipulate the votes of good christian people, we don't need Dolan doing the same. Have you seen the fire and brim stone commercials airing on catholic tv, aimed (my opinion) at scaring the elderly with the fires of hell?

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surfsidetx3 | Aug 25, 2012, 10:55 PM EDT

Al Gore lost because of Ralph Nader. Al Gore won the popular vote. Had I been in Dade county Florida I would have turned out a 5,000 plurality in that county alone for Gore.I would have made sure every Jewish lady was escorted to the polls. With my great NJ political training I could make Texas democratic. Republicans need 40% turnout or less to win Texas. They could easily be usurped. Adolph Rove, given his nazi lineage, would be shocked that a democracy awakens like a sleeping tiger.

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Nicomax | Aug 25, 2012, 09:05 PM EDT

I continue to question why those with persistent low incomes and net worth in states like West Virginia, Tenn., Arkansas, etc. continue to vote for swells like Romney, and now Ryan, who have little interest in their being able to climb the economic ladder? These unfortunates also depend to a large degree on public institutions such as schools, hospitals, transportation, parks, etc., all of which the Romney/Ryan/Rand ticket want to curtail.

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McNamara31 | Aug 25, 2012, 07:58 PM EDT

Win the election, or buy the election? Because he certainly bought the GOP primary.

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boydshield | Aug 25, 2012, 07:45 PM EDT

Some one on Romney's staff or a close friend, PLEAE send this to him!

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boydshield | Aug 25, 2012, 06:40 PM EDT

The Democrats have to be a lot better to win - unfortunately that's just how the US is beyond the coast. Romney has made some terrible errors on abortion, Medicare, tax returns and foreign tax havens and yet he is still neck and neck. The Republicans have also got huge amounts of money to spend on ads. I'm afraid they will win.

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aloistmartin | Aug 25, 2012, 06:21 PM EDT

The Idea for Romney would be to Re-Humiliate Barack Obama. All Obama`s success since Romney`s entrance into the Presidential Race, have come as a result of having someone but himself, ( Or George Bush ? ) to blame for the County`s Social, Economic, and Diplomatic Woes. I. Think Ronmney`s Choice of a Running mate further to the Right than himself, proves Mitt is trying to re-establish the link between Administration Dis-Satisfaction, and the rising tide of Right Wing Reactionary-ism. Looks like an All Or Nothing effort from Mitt Romney. He will iether take advantage of the Class War Polarization Crisis, and draw a clear line in the sand, between himself and the Liberal Party; Or face the fact that America simply is not ready for the South ( Or Jesus Christ ? ) To Rise Again ?

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1661996usmc | Aug 25, 2012, 05:42 PM EDT

Fortunately Mitt can't "Humanize" himself. He's too arrogant to to lower his superiority complex.

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