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Subscribe to RSSWASHINGTON-- Focusing tightly on their campaign's economy-first message, a pair of Mitt Romney's top advisers on Saturday dismissed recent efforts by the president to reach out to younger voters and the so-called "likability gap" between President Barack Obama and the presumptive GOP nominee with a simple argument: The 2012 election is not a popularity contest.
"This election is not going to be about who's cooler," Romney senior adviser Peter Flaherty said at a Washington Post Live Newsmaker Forum. "The question is going to be, who do you trust to run the economy?"
Eric Fehrnstrom, another top Romney adviser, also criticized Obama for his appearance earlier this week on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," on the University of North Carolina campus, where the president "Slow Jammed the News." Fehrnstrom said the president's performace was "off key," and showed inappropriate levity about an issue - the possible doubling of student loan interest rates - that deserved to be taken more seriously.
"You won't see the governor slow jam the news," Fehrnstrom said, not discounting the possibility Romney could appear on more late-night talk shows or even "Saturday Night Live," thanks to the ability of those shows to reach voters who normally don't follow politics as closely.
And while Fehrnstrom predicted Americans would "fall in love with" Ann and Mitt Romney as the election progressed, the advisers' downplaying of personal popularity in favor of an economic-competency argument is consistent with Romney's own recent comments on the stump.
"Even if you like Barack Obama, we can't afford Barack Obama," Romney said at a campaign event in North Carolina on Wednesday.
Romney's advisers also alluded to that trip to North Carolina - and other recent campaign events in swing states - as illustrative of how they see the electoral map playing out in November.
"There are a handful of states that we view as key to the outcome," Fehnrstrom said, in response to a question from the forum's moderator, The Washington Post's Dan Balz. While declining to lay out a specific "path to victory," as the Obama campaign has done, Fehrnstrom said the campaign's geographical focuses would not be a surprise to anyone who has followed their recent movements, and that New Hampshire, Ohio, Florida, Nevada, Virginia and North Carolina were all places where "the campaign will be waged."
Asked if there was any one reliably Democratic state that could be moved into the Romney column this fall, Fehrnstrom predicted that Michigan, where the former Massachusetts governor was born and raised, could flip from blue to red. They're familiar with the Romney "brand" there, Fehrnstrom said.
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Mitty needs some new advisors! "...a simple argument: The 2012 election is not a popularity contest." Really? You kidding me? The less popular candidate is going to win? Deep thinkers you've got there on your team, Mitt.
I guess that depends on what you mean by popular. It's more popular to have a job and affordable fuel than it is to have a president that can sing and dance. Having a job to pay for your student loan is much better than saving a $1000 dollars over the course of the entire loan (that's all it amounts to).
Mitt knows little about creating jobs but as a corporate raider he was very experienced at destroying American Companies, American Jobs and the Families of American workers.
When Mitt was Governor of Massachusetts he lowered the states job creation position to 47th. All of his experience is about losing jobs.
@ progie's \
The desperation continues have you ever thought of growing up. Have some one change your diaper an wipe your nose and go back to your crib little babies before you get a spanking.
41% approval rate even that is cooked up . just like U E rate is down at 8.3 its all convenient lies
the desperation is getting even more fervent than ever. in a way its sad to witness .. the big feel good moment is drawing to a close on January 20th 2013 it will be time to go back to work for all. No more lying around playing x=box , pissing in the sump pump cause you are to lazy to go up stairs to the bathroom, or you don't want your dad to get on your case about getting a job. and drawing a gov't sty-pen. You'll just have to earn a living rather than being handed a hand-out sorry the party's over after nov 6 you can sleep it off during the lame oduckma session on the couch for Christmas but then in Jan its time to restart the ownership of your own life's responsibility. don't cry it'll be all-RIGHT.
VOTE NOVEMBER 6th for prosperity! :) not sparsity :(
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This post appears to be as unbalanced as the writer.
Not a popularity contest? Do they not know how this whole "ballot" thing works...?
Yes, point understood regarding likability vs. competence. But no one has made a good case that Obama has failed to govern competently, especially when placed next to his predecessor.
(No, I *will* continue to blame the guy who tanked the economy for doing so, thanks.)
The Obama narrative is one of the child of a single parent rising to prominence through intelligence and charm. Romney's is one of a child of privilege continuing to live a life of privilege through a successful career of strip-mining wavering companies for assets. The places in his biography where he has actually produced something of lasting meaning and value... are the places where he most resembles Obama.
The choice isn't between the destruction of America and its salvation. It's a choice between actually investing in America's future- allowing the struggling to see doctors, stay in their homes, have a chance at going to college- or letting the richest and most powerful continue to consolidate wealth and power while strip-mining the country down to its last ounce of borrowing power. And claiming little to no loyalty to that country, no matter how many Made In China flag-pins they might sport.
I see they only managed two rightwingnut@!$%#tards to spam the last page this morning; that's way down from yesterday's effort.
Is it Fehrnstrom the man who minted the expression - etching policies after the elections? Good luck !
Etch-a-sketch watch:
1. Student loan interest-against-now for.
2. The Ryan Budget-for-now against in student loan/grant area
Stay Tuned
Yea sure..not coolness, the economy..let's se Mutt, you have been running for President how many years now????No consistent foreign policy, no coherent economic policy...let's face it you are neither cool, nor qualified!!!! Spin it anyway you want to a majority of Americans see you as nothing but a flip flopper!!!! By the way when are you going to stop hiding millions off shore and start paying YOUR FAIR share of taxes as an AMERICAN???? Bain buys up American companies then liquidates them and the jobs become outsourced...that's really AMERICAN... 'Let GM Fail' ... YOU have no plan...personally can't wait for November so I don't need to see your puss on the tube every night.
Bill -1145515
But surely odumbo was qualified LOL.
The GOP said the Bush election was about who would have a beer with Dubya. Now we have yet-another entitled rich GOP guy running, but he is as unlikeable as they come, so they say the opposite. Flip-flop much?
Haters! The election is about whatever we the people say it is and I don't think it "Mitt's turn." I don't see the economy being put through his chop shop.
One: Trickle down has never worked.
Two: Who says we should be satisfied with a trickle while the 1 percenters get a flood.
Three: I am sure not going to vote for the guy who has already stated he will give the rich an additiona 10 percent off on their taxes beyond what Dubya gave them. No Thank you!!
Romney is a corporate raider. He was paid big bucks by big corporations to send our jobs over sease..aprofessional outsourcer...YOU WANT THAT FOR PRESIDENT???
The election is not about the economy or who's COOL, it's about the Republicans getting back in the White house and starting the Bush years all over again. We will have WWIII if another Republican is put in charge. If McCain had been in charge we would not have had the Iraq war over but we'd have wars with Lybia ,Eygpt, Syria, and most likely a nuclear war with Iran. You cannot put a Republican in charge as they are WAR MONGERS. If there isn't a war,they'll fabricate one-IRAQ. President Obama -GOT BIN LADEN, Bush didn't. We don't need full scale wars to solve problems anymore, we need a President who has BRAINS and COMMON SENSE. He used the Navy SEALS to get Bin Laden -that's all that was ever needed. Elect a Republican, especially Mitt Romney ,who only knows how to fire people, and you aere guarenteed many more of our soldiers will die.
OBAMA/BIDEN -----2012.....the only sensible choice for the U.S.A.
Mr. Etch a Sketch needs to remember, not all the lines erase when the etch a sketch is flipped and flopped. Mitt is for something one day, against the same something the next day.
Do we want a flip flopper as our President? Don't think this country can handle it, as the tea baggers want to take us back, or so they say. What they aren't saying, how far back do they want to take us.
Is military force and force the head of Finance represented by the United States in the world are commensurate with the style of the presidency of civic associations which President Obama do it with the American presidency Is the style of the powerful merchant go to down to the small traders if approached from bankruptcy commensurate with America todayAre human rights and the community's commitment to the U.S. and non-discrimination necessarily mean that the black skin, which dominates the departments and the media on world eyes Is the next presidential election reflect these issues between segments of the U.S. civil and political
This election is sizing up to be just more of the same type of Washington DC gridlock, and that will prove to be THE WORST CASE SCENARIO for the American people. The only real way to break out of this political gridlock is for the majority of the American people to get together (like the politicians cannot), and strictly vote just for the candidates of one party. Right now President Obama seems like the most logical choice, but IT WILL NEVER DO ANY GOOD unless President Obama is willing to finally fix our MASSIVE U.S. TRADE DEFICIT with the rest of the world. This MASSIVE imbalance of trade in goods with the rest of the world has reached over $9.5 TRILLION just since 1987, and it actually goes back EVERY MONTH OF EVERY YEAR since the mid 1970s. Unless this becomes the ABSOLUTE HIGHEST PRIORITY of President Obama, it will be ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE to turn the rapidly declining U.S. economy around without digging the fiscal grave of the U.S. government in the process. Please see link below. - Rick Carter
http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c0015.html
PS - See Historical Series link on the left side of this recommended page above, in order to see figures which predate 1987.
PSx2 - If we don't fix what is wrong with our U.S. economy NOW (i.e., in the next 4 years), then after this 2012 national election NOTHING is really going to matter anymore.
Are you all just suicidal lemmings who cannot wait to die? If not, then figure out a way to come together on this, before it is too late for our once proud nation AND our precious world! The time is running out VERY FAST !!! - RC
When the democrat party takes over both houses, when the president is re-elected, then we can get down to fixing the economy. No more need to extend a hand in compromise, just push forward with whatever. It could not be any worse than what the republican party led us to.
WEAK in Revue for MSN, Obama lies again and again, and the liberals lap it up like good little "lap dogs" should(those that missed being BBQ'ed that is). You want EPIC "flip flop", how about Obama saying "if I cant get unemployment below 7%, I will be a 1 term President"? And despite after using every trick of "liberal new math", and despite all the stimulus spending and debt, over $5 trillion(with a T) and not even using the TRUE U6 numbers, unemployment went down 1% from 8.2% to 8.1%. And what do we get from your "fearless leader", slow jammin' the news with little Jimmie Kimmel, and Obama at college "camp-pie" channeling Reverend Wright, "somebody say amen". And if you liberals reseached and educated yourselves on this latest "crisis" about "college loans" about to double in cost, you would find out the 2007 Democrat controlled Congress and Senate lowered loans and put in the Bill an "automatic increase" to happen in 7/2012 right in the middle of an election, even though they could have made the reduction of loan costs permanent since they had majority of votes. 1% lowering of unemployment, more people on foodstamps in the history of this Nation, no plan on Energy prices except to demonize fossile fuel, his wife Moochele globe trotting on taxpayers dime and buying $2400 cocktail dresses for the State of the Union speech(probably Target right), and you liberals claim Romneys "out-of-touch" and not "cool" enough to be President. Google search the definition of progressive liberal, if it doesn't say it it should, gullable, pathetic, fool, idiot, hypocrite, lame, blissfully unaware, easy mark, without ability to think for oneself, and so on and so on.............................
LOL....I just read that Mitt's advisor, the one with the infamos etch-a-sketch line now says the auto bailout was Mitt's idea!!!! Wow, doesn't he even know what Mitt has been saying....that the auto bailout should never have been done....LOL!
Bet next the top advisor will be saying Mitt was part of Seal team 6!!!!
Wasn't the last line of this article great? They anticipate getting Michigan...serious denial. An auto industry state, another industry Mitt was ready to chop and dice.
I rest my case, "blissfully unaware", you people crack yourselves up, pathetic......
Back at you.
If you vote for OBAMA, your either BLACK or just plain stupid. This fool is destroying AMERICA. He embraces making PEACE with the TALIBAN! Which will include the U.S. paying them and providing job training so they can return to their MUSLIM tricks.
VOTE HIM OUT IN NOVEMBER
how is obama destroying our country?
Hello Jake Darnell,
Please stop the name calling, race baiting, and speak the truth. You have no facts in your comments. We are all Americans regardless of your affiliated political party. Obama is not destroying our country. Obama has kept this country from sinking from bad policies of the Bush Administration.
too bad the economy is getting better. also too bad that england and spain both did the austerity thing and both are back in recession. dont hear faux noise talking about that now do we.
You are right it is not a popularity contest. However, social contact and relating to other shows the real human being. It gives you an idea on how they may govern. Simply, Romney is total fake and only seeks to govern in the manner that will protect the rich and poor and middle class will suffer the consequences.
This strategy has already been done. Romney looks desperate. Just tell us what your economic message it?
If you want to write about politics, please join the
You will never hear his message on the big three networks or CNN - and certainly not on MSNBC. They are all about being Obama cheerleaders and they continue to decide what youu people are allowed to know. Better check out Fox News if you want to hear both liberals and conservatives discuss issues so that you can make an informed decision. And I don't believe that all liberals just vote for the one that can give the the most dole, so some of you do deserve better.
ODD how Obama always get thrown softballs.
What exactly is his take?
I love how he pretends he is not part of the 1% while he rips the rich apart.
Obama is now worth 10 million +
Can anyone tell me how he went from flat busted broke running from bill collectors on bald tires to 10 million in decade....
Corruption of course.
Look in this guys closet and you will find all sorts of jailable offenses of the kind Duke Cunningham is now serving a sentace for.
All politicians should under go a security clearance screening before being allowed to run for office.
For sure Obama would fail would Mitt as well?
Romney should look desperate,,,, The Tea Party has driven the GOP too far to the right to come back, he's the only moderate left & Romney can't even come back to the center
Romney had to jump off the radical cliff to get the party nomination
And radical leftists like Obama, Lousi Farrakhan, George Soros, Joe Biden, and Rev. Wright have driven the Democratic Party so far to the left that no Independent could vote for such Marxists.
We don't need another ideologue in the White House. Romney has proven that he can work with both sides f the aisle as he accomplished so mnuch in Massachusetts with a legislature that was 85% Democratic. ANd he has shown ability to clean up corrupt and incompetent organizations and streamline them for efficient production - something desperately needed in that bloated wasteful federal bureaucracy.
Except of course, presidents don't "run" the economy..
Just sayin'
""This election is not going to be about who's cooler," Romney senior adviser Peter Flaherty said at a Washington Post Live Newsmaker Forum. "The question is going to be, who do you trust to run the economy?""