That should read, "Come on, Obama. How about a little differentiation?" Romney has had his tagline emblazoned on all his primary political signs for over a year if not more. Obama is now on number four or five with this latest one put forward in just the last two weeks or so. I didn't even bother to read anymore after that.
I am in the camp that says BS on this idea that Romney needs to shoot off some fireworks right now. One commenter mentioned Clinton and Dole and how Clinton had it wrapped up by the convention. Compare the economic numbers between then and now and it is apples and oranges.
And since when has Charlie Cook been a consistent successful political odds maker? Only when Dems are clearly in the position to win.
Obama is burning through cash, thrashing around, making all kinds of Romney-is-rich-and-has-money-in-offshore-banks-and-pioneered-outsourcing statements. Romney is willing to take a few hits while folks are not focusing and the polls stay relatively even. Romeny's getting soundbites that aren't just a year or two or three old but four months before the election.
As to John Kerry: I will never forget the interview with Tim Russert when Kerry was asked about his congressional testimony and his wild anti-troop stereotyping statements. In what was surely off-script, Kerry first joked about how his hair style had changed before half-hardheartedly claiming that he may have exaggerated due to passion or what not.
Anyone that saw that probably now thinks of a more recent similar example by Obama when he first went before reporters - and the waiting nation - after the horrific massacre at Fort Hood and proceeded to thank officials for a "great conference" and gave a couple shout outs, brimming with a grin, before furrowing his brow and talking about the massacre and "not to jump to conclusions."
I don’t care for Romney but I have to say so far he
has run a well oiled campaign. I certainly hope
he has some surprises to throw coming up.
Obama seems to be flailing and failing.
It’s not a sure thing but how could anyone in their
right mind vote for him again? Wait, ok, so most of
them aren’t in their right mind.
Yeah? What is it? He hasn't reached me yet, and you know why? His team has failed to position him with the American people.
Unless one is a die hard Romney fan, all they know, is that he's the last man standing in the Republican primary, and that he was once Governor of Massachusetts. Oh, and he's got boatloads of money.
None of those perceptions were created in the minds of the public by the Romney campaign. So far, they've failed to sell a core message and persona that defines him for the people. That's what's meant by positioning. It's a marketing technique, and if Romney's people don't understand that tech and use it, they'll soon find their man irretrievably defined by events and the other side.
So far Romney's lucked out, because the Obama campaign is equally inept at defining their man.
If both sides are waiting for events to define them and their opponents, they're shooting craps.