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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Democratic near panic in Washington as Mitt Romney bandwagon rolls -- Contrast in mood with happy Republicans is very evident as race closes

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Democratic near panic in Washington as Mitt Romney bandwagon rolls -- Contrast in mood with happy Republicans is very evident as race closes

Posted on Friday, October 26, 2012 at 08:01 AM

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Mitt Romney Republican candidate looking happy

Washington D.C: The contrast in confidence between Democratic and Republican supporters here in Washington is striking.

Our newspaper Irish Voice hosted our annual Legal 100 event here last night at the residence of the Irish Ambassador Michael Collins, and the talk among the well connected from both sides who showed up was all about the election.

There were many movers and shakers among the large crowd and the mood shift was evident.

Democrats frankly were grim. “It comes down to Ohio?” said a former prominent politician. “It did for Kerry in 2004 and he lost it right there and we could lose it too.”

“We have to hold Ohio,” said another stalwart and major fundraiser. “We have no hope other than doing that -- It looks like the ground game is the only way we can hold it.”

The main hope of the Democratic side seemed to be in that massive turn out the vote effort. “It’s not the economy stupid,” said one political leader, “it’s the turnout stupid.”

A Democratic foot soldier from Pennsylvania talked about the massive effort underway there. “We will add two points to the polls,” he predicted.

Read more news from the US Election 2012 here

Several referred to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s race in Nevada a few years back when polls showed him five behind, yet, because of his massive organization, he won the day.

Democrats frankly are reeling at how hard and how fast Obama appears to have fallen. The ABC /Washington Post poll on Thursday shows him three behind, a similar margin to several other polls.

At the end of September he seemed to be cruising to victory with polls showing him well ahead, now he enters the final week and a half gasping for his political life.

Republicans in Washington have a pep in their step. “We’re ahead in the national polls, no doubt about it and the state polls will adjust,” said one big campaign donor many years on the scene.

Obama wrote off Romney far too soon said another. This is a fifty-fifty election he said, it was always going to come down to that.

Obama’s attitude in the first debate clearly cost him dear they say. He was just not prepped enough thinking he would easily deal with Romney.

One person discussed a recent lunch with Bill Clinton saying there was no great wisdom there either, only a sense of deep frustration that Romney’s reposition had seemingly won over a large slice of the undecided.

Right now in Washington the GOP are confident, even cocky. The next ten days will tell whether that is justified or a celebration too soon.

Read more news from the US Election 2012 here

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BigDaddy | Oct 26, 2012, 07:42 PM EDT

So Murph, here goes. The mainstream media is corporate and corporations are not liberal. They exist to make money, no more. Now, I will grant you, that some members of the media are liberal but they do not own the media and if you don't do as the boss tells you to do, you don't have a job, do you Murph? So now that we know the truth about the media, what about you Murph? Do you believe that all corporate CEO's are criminals because a few are criminals? I don't think so. You attack anyone who doesn't agree with you and assume they are as dim as you are, correct?

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Murph46 | Oct 26, 2012, 05:48 PM EDT

No liberal media Candy Crowley(Moderator) damn near jumped out of her seat to answer a question of O'Bama during the debate.All you eejits who believe in no liberal media line up for some good swamp real estate!

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Smyrnian | Oct 26, 2012, 05:11 PM EDT

No lies. No "stolen" election. Elvis is not still living. JFK is really dead. The Loch Ness "monster" isn't real and, sadly, neither is Santa Claus. Get a grip Big Daddy. Oh, don't forget, there us no liberal media. Who knew? Also, great idea, let's limit one's ability to vote based on formal education level. That's a really good one.

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BigDaddy | Oct 26, 2012, 03:58 PM EDT

Pay attention to the photos of both candidates being published. Romney is seen smiling at all times and Obama looks sullen and grim. Forget any possible racial undertones, the media is in the tank for Romney because there is no liberal media. That is a fabrication of the corporate powers that own America; they did it to keep their dimwitted followers in the dark. The liberal media myth deflects attention away from all justifiable criticism of the corporate candidate. The "liberal media" lied about Gore, it lied about Kerry and now Obama is tied with Romney? Really? A fringe candidate with a fringe following is being made to look mainstream by a corporate media so when they steal another election, their followers will think they have won. Romney would be no more legitimate than Bush was and legitimacy is the key to what used to be free elections in America. At least that is what my polisci professors told me at university. But what do experts know in a country that values an 8th grade drop out's view as being equal to a PhD's understanding of a subject. We cannot be this stupid as a nation, can we? Will you let them steal another election without standing up and showing a backbone?

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Smyrnian | Oct 26, 2012, 03:38 PM EDT

Looks like Obama and his clear socialist agenda are toast.

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BigDaddy | Oct 26, 2012, 03:34 PM EDT

The post that refers to Greg Smith's book was not written by me.

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BigDaddy | Oct 26, 2012, 03:31 PM EDT

AOD, I am going to assume that you are a real person for a second. Do you know how stupid you look for trying to belittle someone for still being pissed off about a coup that took place 12 years ago when your name indicates you might be someone who was still pissed that the British took control of his nation over 900 years ago? Being of Irish descent, you sicken me with your stupidity and how it reflects on the entire culture. But let's assume that you are one of those paid by the RNC to troll websites and put out the BS they would prefer people believe. The NYT idea is a joke. You cannot lie and make it true. Fortunately for you, this site doesn't allow links or I would would show the world what a idiot you truly are. The news consortium that went to Florida to investigate proved just the opposite of what you claim. But the besat part is where you call me a liberal. I am a great grandfather, a Republican but, first and foremost, an American who is pissed off about the corporate take over of my nation. And I think all thinking people know what actually happened to JFK. If you wish to continue this, feel free to make an ass of yourself as I will certainly feel free to eviscerate you in public when you do.

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BigDaddy | Oct 26, 2012, 03:18 PM EDT

Thank Goodness for some of the great replies below..... Mitt Romney wants to take our our nation into a new age of backwardness. Romney/Ryan would like to reduce taxes on the wealthy and get rid of "big government" (no one really knows what that means other than destroying unions and getting rid of everything the government does except for the military), his tax plan has proven that the middle class will take this burden. He wants to demolish medicare, medicaid and the affordable care act thereby pushing more of a financial burden on the middle class. His social agenda is horrible... he is against gays period, he is against women and fair pay, he is against stem cell research, his environmental policy will create record levels of pollution because he DOES NOT believe in climate change (even though 97% of scientists do)...he has an actual history of loading companies with debt and allowing them to go out of business..... after the 2008 collapse we want to actually put into office a man who made money during the collapse and supports the institutions that got us where we are?? Read Greg Smith's book called "why I left goldman sach's".... it details the actual deceit from the top to the bottom of these bloodsuckers on our economy and romney is one of them, ryan is an actual lifetime "big government employee" what a hypocrite

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MichaelJTully | Oct 26, 2012, 02:44 PM EDT

Myth Romney says he has a 5 point plan, over here in the emerald isle where we believe in leprechaun's, the end of the rainbow, and the pot o gold, we had a man with a 5 point plan. Sure as yesterday was the day before today, we voted him in, and low and behold, he threw the 5 point plan out with the baby. Wish you guys and gals out there make the right decision, or we are all fooked.

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hollabackgurl | Oct 26, 2012, 02:43 PM EDT

Anyone who calls President Obama a Marxist or a Socialist ought to have their right to vote restricted due to mental incompetence.

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louro | Oct 26, 2012, 02:04 PM EDT

For dear life, I cannot conceive how people who are not Republican Party paying members would want to vote for a man who wants planes to have windows opening. He "looks happy" today's title: is that a reason to vote for him? Disabled veterans and veteran widows are those he will deny any welfare. But when they were needed to go and do the dirty job, they were heroes. These people will not look happy if he took over.

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wjb1tex | Oct 26, 2012, 02:01 PM EDT

"jerrydonovan | Oct 26, 2012, 11:45 AM EDT Whoever said that the Democrats are worried about losing Ohio clearly is not very bright when it comes to politics"---------------------------------------------I guess that all the TV commentators including those on MSNBC concede that the Dems are concerned about losing Ohio. And clearly Obama is spending a lot of time there for someone who has it wrapped up. He may or may not win Ohio and that is the opinion of virtually all the people in politics who must not be very bright.

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lokionline | Oct 26, 2012, 01:59 PM EDT

At this point it is all hot air. The only poll that matters now is the one on Nov 6.

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MariettaGator | Oct 26, 2012, 01:25 PM EDT

I am also an Irish Catholic, one that hasn't voted Democrat since the incompetent Jimmy Carter. Obama is the same as Carter, except he lacks any sort of moral compass whatsoever. I will happily cast my vote for Romney.

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PhlutiePhan | Oct 26, 2012, 01:15 PM EDT

As an Irish Catholic Navy veteran in Missouri, I have begun a Novena (9 days) that the good Lord will intervene in the moral morass that was once the U.S. Republic. JFK as well as RFK inspired a nation. Now, we have a Marxist takeover of the Democratic Party with unlimited abortion. Obama must be beaten and then the Democratic Party revitalized in a conservative image along the lines of Stuart Symington and Jerry Litton of Missouri.

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