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Why Is This Election Close?
Powerline ^ | 09/08/2012 | John Hinderaker

Posted on 09/08/2012 1:03:40 PM PDT by nhwingut

For a long time I have been predicting that Mitt Romney would get the Republican nomination, and that he would then win the general election. I have said that the election will be reasonably close–demographic realities dictate that all national elections will be reasonably close, for the foreseeable future–but not a squeaker; more like 2004 than 2000. Given President Obama’s dismal record, that seemed like a safe prediction.

But it now appears that the election will be very close after all, and that Obama might even win it. It will require a few more days to assess the effects (if any) of the parties’ two conventions, but for now it looks as though the Democrats emerged with at least a draw, despite a convention that was in some ways a fiasco. In today’s Rasmussen survey, Obama has regained a two point lead over Romney, 46%-44%. Scott Rasmussen writes:

The president is enjoying a convention bounce that has been evident in the last two nights of tracking data. He led by two just before the Republican convention, so he has already erased the modest bounce Romney received from his party’s celebration in Tampa. Perhaps more significantly, Democratic interest in the campaign has soared. For the first time, those in the president’s party are following the campaign as closely as GOP voters.

So the Democrats’ red meat, over-the-top attacks on Republicans apparently worked at least as well as the Republicans’ more positive, low-key approach.

On paper, given Obama’s record, this election should be a cakewalk for the Republicans. Why isn’t it? I am afraid the answer may be that the country is closer to the point of no return than most of us believed.

(Excerpt) Read more at powerlineblog.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: election; obama; romney
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To: Verginius Rufus

Amazing how a hard core Marxist Fascist, probable illegal President with a bad economy, bad foreign and domestic policies can be even competitive at this point.

Of course the gimmie’s will vote for more gimmie, the blacks will vote for O because he is black (which is racist thinking), the Liberals will vote thus due to their being long brain washed. The dead, illegals and imaginary will vote Dem as they traditionally do.

Truly, there are 3rd World Countries with far more honest elections than the USA.

The USA, under Dem leadership, has become a very corrupt and immoral Nation.

Daily, there is less and less for God to Bless.

Blue States in particular.


21 posted on 09/08/2012 1:32:19 PM PDT by OldArmy52 (Assume any Democrat with moving lips is lying. Any you will be right most of the time.)
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To: AC86UT89
Agreed. I have seen the ads.

Yep. Those ads are absolutely not going to move the needle. So generic and vanilla.
22 posted on 09/08/2012 1:33:02 PM PDT by nhwingut (Sarah Palin 12... No One Else)
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To: Verginius Rufus

“How about an ad which takes the line from the Democratic convention that “we all belong to the government”

Great idea. So much material, just using Dems’ own words and record against them, but Romney is wasting his ad money on puffballs.

Other than the ad that shows Bill Clinton (”This whole thing is a fairy tale”), I have seen nothing from Romney that hits Obama hard enough.


23 posted on 09/08/2012 1:33:11 PM PDT by AC86UT89
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To: beethovenfan

Don’t overlook the Bradley effect.


24 posted on 09/08/2012 1:34:07 PM PDT by Jedidah
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To: nhwingut

It’s close because we allowed our country to be invaded by millions of Mexicans. All the blacks and Mexicans will vote for Obama because they share his hatred of white people.


25 posted on 09/08/2012 1:34:16 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
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To: nhwingut
As late as October 26, 1980, two weeks before the election, Gallup had Carter 47 to Reagan 39.

Dukakis also led Bush in all polls until the final two weeks of the 1988 season.

I realize the demographics have changed but they haven't changed much since the 2010 midterm elections. And what about Wisconsin and the Scott Walker recall?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2905022/posts

26 posted on 09/08/2012 1:35:17 PM PDT by Brad from Tennessee (A politician can't give you anything he hasn't first stolen from you.)
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To: nhwingut
Three words: The Big Lie.

I do not believe it is as close as the MSM is saying. I believe the polls are rigged. I believe part of the whole "Bolshevik" ("Majority Party") meme is to convince the country that he can even come close to winning, when in fact, he is a dismal failure in every regard.

A turnip would have better fiscal policy, a toad would make a better general, and I bet he cheats at golf.

But if people believe, then the votes can be rigged, the ballot boxes stuffed, and the lies told, and people might believe those lies, too, even though no one they know voted for him.

Duh Won is an empty chair, and only the Muslims, the Marxists, the GiBLeTs, and the toadies in the media will show for him.

I even doubt, because he has solidly embraced so much that is anathema to decent blacks, that he has the black vote sewn up this time around--skin can't trump incompetence, especially for those with skin in the game, and if blacks want to be taken seriously in politics, a significant number probably won't vote for him this time around (If they even did last time instead of giving the 'correct' response to exit polls to avoid Being ostracized for voting for 'whitey'. YMMV.

27 posted on 09/08/2012 1:38:18 PM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing)
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To: Puckster

I hope you’re right.


28 posted on 09/08/2012 1:39:06 PM PDT by beethovenfan (If Islam is the solution, the "problem" must be freedom.)
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To: nhwingut

GOP-E and nothing else....


29 posted on 09/08/2012 1:39:06 PM PDT by yield 2 the right (2012, the election year that stinks!)
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To: beethovenfan

“(3) Lots of dead people and illegals voting (fraud)”

The dead might “vote” but they don’t answer polls.

Now, illegals might do both.


30 posted on 09/08/2012 1:40:18 PM PDT by jocon307
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To: nhwingut

I don’t believe Romney is behind. I have been talking to non-Black minorities who, 4 years ago, swore they would never vote for McCain because of the economy, and would vote for Obama. Now these same people are saying we have to get rid of Obama. These are small business owners- Hispanic, Indian, Korean.


31 posted on 09/08/2012 1:41:19 PM PDT by Krankor (Green-eyed lady, lovely lady, strolling slowly towards the sun)
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To: nhwingut

IMHO Republicans generally run on issues without regard to constituencies and Democrats have historically run on cobbling together different subset constituencies, e.g, blacks, hispanics, single white women, etc with promise of largesse.I think we have reached a tipping point now where these constituencies have grown numerically and proportionately so that they can create permanent majorities for Dems going forward.Just look at the speakers on the DNC platform and you have insight into the mix of constituencies that will cobble their permanent majority. I think we are at a point of balance now and Romney has a chance of winning but 4 years from now we may have reached the permanent Dem majority point at which time we will economically implode.


32 posted on 09/08/2012 1:41:23 PM PDT by chuckee
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To: AC86UT89

And just what have the Republicans done since taking over the House? My tax money is still being used to pay sky high salaries at National Public Radio of PBS, infested with “reporters” like Nina Totenberg whose story lines come straight from the White House. Why on earth do I have to pay for a tv channel when they have the same views expressed on MSNBC, which I despise and but for some government payback ad buys, it is at least privately run and its sponsors bear the losses because only a few left-wing kooks watch it. What are there — 600 cable stations; just how can they and not NPR/Pbs operate without government money?? Why is it that Boehner can’t defund even this idiotic and continuing waste of OUR money, funding jobs for people that consistently trash our views and crap on us? Is he too busy smoking, crying or is he just ineffectual?


33 posted on 09/08/2012 1:41:42 PM PDT by laconic
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To: ilgipper
"I thought the GOP left a lot on the table during their convention. They stayed focused on themes, not proposals. I understand waiting until after the dnc so you don’t give then a week to trash without opportunity to counter. I think they should have further directed obamas ideology while they had the cameras. I also feel their ads need to dig a lot deeper. Reminding people the economy sucks is not enough. They need to drill all the failures and clips of Obama and widen lying about recovery for the last 3.5 years"

I agree 100%. The reason Obama is even and not 15 points behind is the benefit of the doubt voters give Obama, combined with the un-challenged lies of the media - Obama was given a weak economy and Republican policies were to blame for that (both are false); Obama wants to compromise (no he hasnt and no he doesnt); the economy is getting better (no, its not, 2012 growth is less than 2010 growth); and the economy we have is not Obama's fault (oh yes it is); in particular the Clinton claim that nobody could have turned the economy around is pure bunk. So long as the Republican side doesnt go hammer and tong to challenge Democrat talking point BS, the Democrats will hang on to low information voters who will give Obama the 'benefit of the doubt'. that said Obama's real rock hard support is in the low 40s and convincing swayable voters could yield a landslide if done right.

34 posted on 09/08/2012 1:42:16 PM PDT by WOSG (REPEAL AND REPLACE OBAMA. He stole AmericaÂ’s promise!)
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To: beethovenfan

There is one reason:

See there is a difference: The GOP’s sales point is we make things work. The Dems’ point is, they take care of people.

For a long time, there has been a clash between those two. The GOP makes jobs, the Dems take care of people. As long as enough people were working that tended to favor the GOP.

However we’re reaching a “game” point. Once there become more people dependent upon Government, it doesn’t matter how good (or bad) anything gets - it matters how government treats people at least until it all falls apart.

That is the setup this time around. The establishment candidacy is represented by Romney.

The dependent upon government side by Obama.

The problem with all this is: All of this is taking place in a larger game place: The world economy.

In the world economy now, the establishment is playing off the rest of the world, against America’s establishment.

This is the problem. Money is being made elsewhere for a few, who vote Republican.

The problem is, there are more and more, and more people who do not have a job anymore and are increasingly dependent upon government.

Thus here we are. Obama has nearly 50% of the American people now dependent upon government.

Our side meanwhile, isn’t providing jobs for enough people.

See: WE are supposed to be employing people. And we are not.

Thus: WE lose when unemployment increases.

Outsourcing is destroying the GOP.

Bring jobs back to America.

Stop. Outsourcing. So much.


35 posted on 09/08/2012 1:43:15 PM PDT by Cringing Negativism Network (America doesn't need any new laws. America needs freedom!)
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To: chuckee

Ironic things once we implode none of the dem constitency will get anymore money.


36 posted on 09/08/2012 1:44:11 PM PDT by scbison
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To: nhwingut

Mostly, because the public education system has spent decades dumbing people down.

But also, Romney was a lousy choice. Obama inspires his base, even though they are idiots. Jennifer Granholm was loudly cheered. But Romney has very little going for him, except the determination on the part of many conservatives and litertarians to vote for anybody but Obama.

Romney used every trick in the book to undermine Sarah Palin and to vilify Rick Santorum, New Gingrich, and the rest during the primaries, but he pretty much vanished back into the woodwork as soon as it was time to fight Obama.

Obama stands there and spouts stunning lies about how wonderful he is and how much he has done for our economy—but there is no one to show up these lies to the ordinary folks who don’t run around the internet looking for alternatives to the MSM.


37 posted on 09/08/2012 1:45:15 PM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: nhwingut
I am afraid the problem in this year’s race is economic self-interest: we are perilously close to the point where 50% of our population cares more about the money it gets (or expects to get) from government than about the well-being of the nation as a whole. Throw in a few confused students, pro-abortion fanatics, etc., and you have a Democratic majority.

Well, maybe. But don't forget about these folks.

They're All going to Vote!

Sarah Palin said it best, "It's Freedom or free stuff!" It's your call America!

38 posted on 09/08/2012 1:47:04 PM PDT by Art in Idaho (Conservatism is the only hope for Western Civilization.)
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To: Brad from Tennessee

Thank you. I knew about Regan/Carter but I didn’t realize about Dukakis/Bush. And that was AFTER he was, literally “in the tank” and after he gave that creepy response to the debate question about his wife being raped and murdered.

Although, that was a pretty smarmy question. If Dukakis had gone all Gingrich on the questioner’s butt, who knows where we’d be today?

I understand the lack of love for Romney, but aside from those who chose not to run (like Palin or Christie or whoever) which of the contenders would have been better?

Yeah, we THOUGHT some of them would have been better, Perry for example....but they imploded. That’s not Romney’s fault.

And let’s face it...it isn’t so much that Romney deserves to win (a case can be made for it, or course) but Obama DESERVES TO LOSE.

If the American VOTERS can’t see that with their own eyes, I don’t know who, how, or with what plan(s) could make them see it.


39 posted on 09/08/2012 1:49:33 PM PDT by jocon307
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To: nhwingut
"This" election? What election? The one that's still two months away?

Only one poll counts. If it does turn out to be close, that will be the time to ask. Until then this sort of question-begging serves only to demoralize. IMHO.

40 posted on 09/08/2012 1:49:57 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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