Luntz Focus Group Split on Romney's Debate Performance

NEWSMAX ^ | 10/23/12 | Greg McDonald

[Clint N. Suhks]

A focus group of undecided voters appeared to be split over Mitt Romney's debate performance on foreign policy Monday night, with some saying he failed to distinguish how he would do things differently from President Barack Obama and others saying he finally came across as more "humane and relatable."

The group, appearing on Fox News' Sean Hannity show along with Republican strategist Frank Luntz, declared Obama the overall winner of the debate when the two candidates stuck strictly to foreign policy and military issues.

But when the debate veered into economic policy as a national security issue, most in the focus group said Romney was more credible than the president.

"Mitt Romney . . . is capable of taking this country and turning it around. And once we have that, we'll have more security. We need that security," said one woman in the group.

"The reality of the situation is foreign policy is secondary to our dreadful economy," a man in the group said. "And Mitt Romney has a plan to improve the economy. Obama does not."

"It's Obama's Achilles heel," added another group participant.

"Mitt Romney is aware that the economy is the major issue, so he keeps bringing it back to that because that is what appeals to most voters," another voter agreed.

In summing up the consensus view that seemed to emerge from the group, one man said, "I think the president did well tonight. I expected him to do well, he did well on the foreign policy. But I do agree it's not about the foreign policy in this election, it's just about the economy."

Asked to weigh in on how Romney came across to them in the debate, one woman voter offered this view: "Wall Street-driven. Certainly not a well-rounded leader."

[matginzac]

Agree...as often in the past, they will sit it out and not exercise their responsibility as an American citizen...

[snoringbear]

Re-read my post jar head. I did not use the word carry. I stated issue. What happens after that, depends on the individual. However, in my day everyone carried some type of blade. Comes in handy for a myriad of things besides skewering the opponent. Ps, if necessary, have a friend read this to you. Just having a little fun with you, don’t take this too serious, lol :)

[Gritty]

I find the hand-winging, belly-button-gazing of the precious "undecideds" (aka "Luntz's Dunces") more than a little annoying. I find it alarming.

Anybody paying as little attention to what is going on around themselves as they do should simply stay home and not bother trying to figure things out. They are driven strictly on feeling and emotions and are incapable of rational decision.

Instead, they should ruminate endlessly to themselves whether they want chocolate or vanilla ice cream for dessert and leave important civic duties like voting to the adults.

If they were being herded into boxcars, I suspect they would assume they were going on a free vacation instead of to the gulag.