VIDEO: First Read Minute: A tale of two strategies

NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro discuss President Obama and Mitt Romney's strategies heading into the general election. Obama is running against the GOP, while Romney is running against Obama.

Discuss this post

Romney is running against Romney.

  • 8 votes
Reply#1 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 1:04 PM EDT

And losing.

Scott Walker, on the other hand, is on recall mission from God.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/146265545.html

  • 7 votes
#1.1 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 1:42 PM EDT

Romney is running against Obama.

Obama is running against the GOP ... against Congress, Bush, the Supreme Court, the rich, business / corporations, energy sanity, fiscal sanity ... against common sense, against everything that built America.

Obama is running from his failed, atrocious record .... nothing more than an out of his depth community organizer ... nothing more.

  • 6 votes
#1.2 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 1:48 PM EDT

CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling
Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto.

(CBS News) President Obama's approval rating has
hit the lowest level ever in CBS News polling, according to the latest CBS
News/New York Times survey. The drop may be partially attributable to rising
gas prices.

Just 41 percent of Americans approve of the job
Mr. Obama is doing as president, according to the poll, conducted from March 7
to 11. Another 47 percent disapprove of his performance, up from 41 percent
last month.

Mr. Obama's approval rating was 50 percent last month.
The average U.S. price of a gallon of gasoline has jumped
cents
over the past two weeks. The poll found that most Americans,
54 percent, believe gas prices are something a president can do a lot about.
Americans have historically felt that a president can control gas prices,
though experts attribute changes to a variety of factors, many outside of a
president's control. They also felt this way when gas prices spiked during the
administration of former President George W. Bush.

Attacks from the Republicans running
to replace Mr. Obama may be having an impact on his approval rating as well.
His disapproval rating has risen to 89 percent among Republicans (from 82
percent last month), and more independents now disapprove of his job
performance than approve. Though Mr. Obama's approval rating among Democrats remains
high, it has dropped seven points - from 85 percent last month to 78 percent
today.

Of the four remaining GOP candidates, former
House Speaker Newt Gingrich has hit Mr. Obama particularly hard on high gas
prices, promising on the campaign trail to bring down
the price to $2.50
.

Jim Ritterbusch, president of oil trading
advisory firm, told CBS News there are no quick fixes.

"It's become somewhat of a political
football," Ritterbusch said. "But none of the candidates or the
current president can flip a switch and drive gas prices down to $3 a
gallon."

Mr. Obama's job rating on the economy remains
about the same as it was last month - 39 percent approve, while 54 percent disapprove.
The economy and jobs remains the most important problem facing the country
today, according to 51 percent of Americans. Three in four Americans think the
economy is at least somewhat bad, including 30 percent who say it is very bad.
More Americans, 30 percent, say the economy is getting better; 24 percent say
it is getting worse. The public's economic outlook was slightly better last
month, when 34 percent said the economy was getting better. Just 20 percent of
Americans feel their family's financial situation is better today than it was
four years ago. Another 37 percent say it is worse, and 43 percent say it is
about the same.While his rating on the economy is about the same as last month,
Mr. Obama's rating on foreign policy has dropped 10 points. Now, just 40
percent approve of his handling of foreign policy, while 41 percent disapprove.
This is the first time since the killing of Osama bin Laden in May 2011 that
more Americans disapprove than approve of the job Mr. Obama is doing handling
foreign policy.

Amid speculation that Israel may consider
attacking Iran to stop its nuclear ambitions, Americans are split on the
president's handling of the situation in Iran: 42 percent approve, while nearly
as many - 39 percent - disapprove. Nineteen percent don't know.

CBS Radio News' Rob Mank contributed to this
report. Read the
complete poll (PDF)

Search the
CBS News poll database

This poll was conducted by telephone from March 7-11,
2012 among 1009 adults nationwide.

  • 6 votes
#1.3 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 1:55 PM EDT

He sure can organize the American Auto Industry. He sure can organize months of positive job growth despite the obstruction in Congress. He sure can organize revitalization in the housing market.

In the end he will also organize a nation to oust any remaining red seat in both the house and the senate.

Face it the fat republican lady has sung. And she's off-key.

  • 9 votes
#1.4 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 2:01 PM EDT

He sure organized one awesomely efficient campaign in 2008, too. I know, I saw it first-hand. He organized the hell out of first Hillary Clinton and then John McCain, both of whom - on paper at least - should have been able to mop the floor with him.

And that one was just the warm-up.

Romney can't even organize his own stump speeches. And his handlers seem to be having a hard time organizing Romney.

  • 7 votes
#1.5 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 2:17 PM EDT

Bryan E., PA

He sure can organize the American Auto Industry.

Pretty moronic .....

You realize that Chrysler is now owned by a Italian company, right?

And really, giving a company $49.5 billion that they will never fully pay back, giving then $14 billion in future tax breaks, paying people $7,500 / $10,000 of tax payers dollars to buy each of their signature cars .... is a great success story?

GM being number one? BFD considering when their primary competition is devastated by a tsnaumi ... the fact that they wouldn't be number without their cars made in China, Mexico, Canada ....

He sure can organize months of positive job growth despite the obstruction in Congress. He sure can organize revitalization in the housing market.

Do you live in Canada?

Real unemployment, even according to his own CBO, has it around 10% .... after SPENDING $5 TRILLION .... AFTER THE RECESSION ENDED 3 YEARS AGO!

Heck his own guy that stated unemployment would not exceed 8% now says it won't get below that after 4 years!

In the end he will also organize a nation to oust any remaining red seat in both the house and the senate.

What a mindless, delusional ankle humper.

  • 6 votes
#1.6 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 2:23 PM EDT

Riddle me this, Bobby --

Since you seem to be the numbers guy, tell me exactly how much we would have spent in federal unemployment insurance, alone, irrespective of all other losses, if GM, Chrysler, and Ford would have gone under.

Then expand your answer to include the unemployment insurance that would have been payable to all of the employees in satellite industries who also would have been displaced by those disasters.

And then expand your answer to include the losses suffered by Walmart, K-Mart, Target, Kohls, Best Buy, grocery stores, department stores, restaurants, hardware stores, drug stores, and other businesses who sold goods to all those employees who were displaced in the above scenarios.

And then expand your answer to include all the unemployment insurance that would have been payable to all the employees laid off in THOSE businesses.

And so on, and so on, and shooby-dooby-do ....

And you have some crazy idea that your taxes would have been less if the automakers had gone under?

As Albany Joe might say, AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA

  • 4 votes
#1.7 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 3:01 PM EDT

Excellent, Anna Molly! Why is the GOP consistently stuck in reverse?? A broken drive shaft?? ;-)
Obama/Biden 2012

  • 3 votes
#1.8 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 3:26 PM EDT

Here's a number for ya genius .... $933,823.53.

That is roughly the cost to the American tax payer per GM employee!

Again ... Ford made it on its own and Chrysler is now Italian.

Regarding bankruptcy .... an attorney that doesn't know it is not a death sentence?

The Texas Rangers had never even won a play-off series in their franchise history, went into bankruptcy and came out to go to their first World Series the SAME YEAR ... NOW TWO YEARS IN A ROW!

What about American Airlines ... why no crying, why not all the blather you posted, from over them?

Anna, leave the stupid replies for the stupid libs ... you are better than this (I think).

  • 5 votes
#1.9 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 3:27 PM EDT

Seriously. Are you sure you really want to float that position?

Any garden variety idiot knows that, if left to the private markets to obtain either debt forgiveness or capital to continue operating, the carmakers would have failed. No one was forgiving and no one was lending, not even Bain Capital.

But then again, you're no garden variety idiot.

By the way, provide a cite for your number, please ... because otherwise, JoAnna asked me to tell you that it's plagiarism -- either that or pure fantasy -- and even if you have a citation, you still didn't answer the question about what the comparable costs would have been if the carmakers had failed, so your number, even if accurate, is meaningless.

  • 3 votes
#1.10 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 3:55 PM EDT

Rachel Maddow has been spot on for a long time now about the Karl Rove "I'm rubber, you're glue strategery."

If folks don't remember what Dubya/Rove did to Ann Richards, I'm sure they remember what they did to John Kerry -- Paint your opponent as having your flaw first before they can attack you. Dubya evaded the draft so falsely attacked a decorated vet, now known as Swift-Boating. There was no honor in it, and in fact was a most vile thing to do. Unfortunately it worked (well and having a brother as governor in Florida and having a right-leaning SCOTUS rule against the popular vote).

So fast forward to the present and full knowledge of the Rove/GOP playbook of dirty tricks, and good ole Romney thinks he can use this tactic for 2012. Two problems with it: 1) Romney has so many flaws that he has to accuse the president non-stop; and 2) Romney is pitiful at using the tactic, not just overuse, but it only works if there appears to be at least some grain of truth to it.

Romney is such an idiot he can't even use the playbook properly. He's pissing into the wind. Who want's a POTUS with GOPee-soaked pants?

The difference between the campaigns is the president will NOT be Swift-Boated, so comes out immediately and strongly with the truth. Romney has some 'splainin' to do as to why he is a better candidate, without the "I'm rubber, you're glue" attacks. Romney doesn't have a reason why he should be POTUS and never will.

Obama/Biden - 2012!

  • 3 votes
#1.11 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 3:57 PM EDT

Seriously. Are you sure you really want to float that position?

Seriously. That is your rebuttal?

The unions would have been hammered into a functional aspect of operations .... that was the main problem - the real issue for libs and Barry's voting machine .. the problem $63 billion will mask until after the elections / a few years.

JoAnna asked me to tell you that it's plagiarism -- either that or pure fantasy -- and even if you have a citation, you still didn't answer the question about what the comparable costs would have been if the carmakers had failed, so your number, even if accurate, is meaningless.

Are you really an attorney ... you can't figure that out?

Sheesh ... how did you ever score enough on an SAT much less an LSAT to get into school?

    #1.12 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 4:18 PM EDT
    Reply

    Obama is running...away from his massive failure of a record.

    • 7 votes
    Reply#2 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 1:30 PM EDT

    Your ignorance is showing. Don't conclude that what you don't know doesn't exist. You are overlooking more than 98% of the world.

    • 5 votes
    #2.1 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 1:42 PM EDT

    Obama is running...away from his massive failure of a record.

    Without Fox talking points, please explain this statement. I don't think you can.

    • 7 votes
    #2.2 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 2:06 PM EDT

    The Leftiest have poor memory, have already forgotten that the Democrats controlled the Congress the last 2 years of Bush therefore complicit in quarrys economic misfortune, Obama was Junior Senator although absent for the most part, then blame Bush is pure hypocrisy, and to say that the economy was worse than what I expected is cynicism.

    • 4 votes
    #2.3 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 2:26 PM EDT
    Reply

    Hey Bobby McDee ---

    Learn to read more news buddy!

    Til next time.

    • 8 votes
    Reply#3 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 1:34 PM EDT

    I cant remember ever having hear such moronic B.S.? He is trying to blame the President for all the failure's of the GOTP. What a baffoon! I wouldn't vote for Rummey to be the President of his own fan club! There will be those that believe the lies tho, you just cant help them to see the light. I will try tho, OBAMA/BIDEN 2012

    • 4 votes
    Reply#4 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 1:49 PM EDT

    If you need help seeing the light, Google "Obama lies" They are there in full view.

    • 2 votes
    #4.1 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 1:54 PM EDT

    Rocco-#'s,

    Google "Romney lies" you'll get a lot more reading material.

    • 6 votes
    #4.2 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 2:15 PM EDT

    Rocco -

    You can Google "ELVIS IS ALIVE!!! He's working at a 7-11 in Wisconsin with Hitler and Amelia Earhart!" and get results, too. That doesn't make it any truer.

    • 6 votes
    #4.3 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 2:34 PM EDT

    Thanks Joanne, Tell that to spencer.

      #4.4 - Thu Apr 5, 2012 3:40 PM EDT
      Reply
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