Texas Insider Report: CHARLOTTE N.C. President Obamas aides stumbled during Sunday mornings talk shows when asked to respond to Mr. Romneys convention speech charge that Americans are not better off under Mr. Obama than they were four years ago. But after fumbling the predictable question the Obama campaign now says it will hammer home their answer during this weeks Democratic Convention: Absolutely."
David Axelrod Mr. Obamas long-time top campaign strategist told Fox News Sunday Morning Were in a better position than we were four years ago in our economy."
But Democrat Gov. Martin OMalley of Maryland answered no" on CBSs Face the Nation" blaming Republicans.
While 0ther Obama aides and surrogates equivocated Mr. OMalley provided yet another answer a day later saying Monday on CNN:
We are clearly better off as a country because were creating jobs rather than losing them. We have not recovered all that we lost in the Bush recession. Thats why we need to continue to move forward."In fact on Monday the campaign settled on a definitive answer of as Deputy Campaign Manager Stephanie
Cutter put it Absolutely."
Ms. Cutter described the economic scene four years ago and said Does anyone want to go back to 2008? I dont think so."
And speaking Monday to a rally in Detroit Vice President Joe Biden asked You want to know whether were better off?" by answering: Ive got a little bumper sticker for you: Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive."
The focus of the Obama Campaigns handling of that time-tested question after halting and contradictory responses from Democrats on Sunday complicated the White Houses effort to begin striking a set of themes the president intends to highlight in Charlotte and carry through Novembers general election.
It seeks to reenforce the case that Mr. Obama and his allies have made over the spring and summer that Mr. Romneys business career and wealth has given him advantages not enjoyed by regular people.
The Obama campaign recently began running a new commercial making the point asserting The middle class is carrying a heavy load in America but Romney doesnt see it."
Yet as delegates streamed in for the opening of the Democratic National Convention Tuesday Mr. Obama and his team were putting the finishing touches on a program requiring a different kind of political daring from the one they showed four years ago when Mr. Obama gave his speech in a stadium on a stage compared by some to a Greek temple.
During this convention President Obama aides say will attempt to negotiate a delicate two-step of 
convincing wavering supporters who are now being courted by Mr. Romney that they made the right decision in choosing him four years ago while also trying to build the case he has the country on its way to a sustainable recovery even if they do not always feel it.
But Republicans are already showing they were not going to give Mr. Obama a free ride.
convention than there was at theirs."
While Democrats are pointing to polls that show Mr. Romney appeared to get little polling bounce" out of Republican National Convention some Democratic strategists are conceding Republicans success in redefining a traditional Democratic strong point Medicare.
Democrats had assumed the issue would be a major political polling point for them but now many Democratic strategists acknowledge the Republican claims that Mr. Obama cut $716 billion from the program to pay for the ObamaCare Plan has at least partially neutralized the Democrats advantage and constrained their ability to emphasize Medicare as campaign message.
Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) seemed to acknowledge as much last week when she said of Republicans Confusion is the name of their game" adding that her belief was Democrats could regain the advantage. We dont agonize over that so were organized to make sure the truth is known by the public" Pelosi said.
Still other Democrats in Charlotte are expressing concern over the fact that Mr. Obama continues to push potentially contentious issues here supporting gay marriage ending the military policy known as dont ask dont tell" and easing the threat of deportation for many young immigrants in the 
country illegally which are all expected to be highlighted as well.
The evaporation of much of the excitement of 2008 if perhaps inevitable given the prolonged economic recession partisan infighting in Washington and the reality of unmet expectations worries the White House which recently sent Mr. Obama on a tour of college campuses to try to inspire young voters again.
And Mr. Obamas convention strategists have choreographed a program that now includes a video version of Mr. Obamas logo overlaid with silhouettes of people looming over the often-empty Time Warner Cable Arena since Monday. The Americans Coming Together" theme is emblazoned throughout the Charlotte Convention Center.
Where the main priority for Mr. Obamas team four years ago was to prove he could be president this year it is to show he is connected to the middle class.
While this convention will be less about stagecraft and more about the arguments designed to woo back Mr. Obamas straying supporters aides privately fear a gloomy monthly job report immediately following the presidents acceptance speech.
The timing of Augusts Jobs & Unemployment Report could not be worse for White House. The report will be released Friday Sept.7th at 8:30am EST less than 10 hours after Mr. Obama finishes his Convention speech.
convincing wavering supporters who are now being courted by Mr. Romney that they made the right decision in choosing him four years ago while also trying to build the case he has the country on its way to a sustainable recovery even if they do not always feel it.
But Republicans are already showing they were not going to give Mr. Obama a free ride.
The president can say a lot of things and he will but he cant tell you that youre better off" said Mr. Romneys running mate Congressman & House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan in North Carolina Monday trying to keep the campaigns focus on the Obama record of the last four years.Ryan and the Romney Campaign held a rally Monday in Greenville N.C. where Ryan noted Simply put the Jimmy Carter years look like the good old days compared to where we are right now." Obama aides counter that over the next three days they would show testimonials of Americans helped by Mr. Obamas policies hammering home the success of his auto bailout and the benefits of his health care overhaul. Were not running from our record which were proud of" Mr. Axelrod said in an interview adding Were also going to burnish the choice its fair to say there will be more discussion of their ideas at our
convention than there was at theirs."
While Democrats are pointing to polls that show Mr. Romney appeared to get little polling bounce" out of Republican National Convention some Democratic strategists are conceding Republicans success in redefining a traditional Democratic strong point Medicare.
Democrats had assumed the issue would be a major political polling point for them but now many Democratic strategists acknowledge the Republican claims that Mr. Obama cut $716 billion from the program to pay for the ObamaCare Plan has at least partially neutralized the Democrats advantage and constrained their ability to emphasize Medicare as campaign message.
Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) seemed to acknowledge as much last week when she said of Republicans Confusion is the name of their game" adding that her belief was Democrats could regain the advantage. We dont agonize over that so were organized to make sure the truth is known by the public" Pelosi said.
Still other Democrats in Charlotte are expressing concern over the fact that Mr. Obama continues to push potentially contentious issues here supporting gay marriage ending the military policy known as dont ask dont tell" and easing the threat of deportation for many young immigrants in the country illegally which are all expected to be highlighted as well.
The evaporation of much of the excitement of 2008 if perhaps inevitable given the prolonged economic recession partisan infighting in Washington and the reality of unmet expectations worries the White House which recently sent Mr. Obama on a tour of college campuses to try to inspire young voters again.
And Mr. Obamas convention strategists have choreographed a program that now includes a video version of Mr. Obamas logo overlaid with silhouettes of people looming over the often-empty Time Warner Cable Arena since Monday. The Americans Coming Together" theme is emblazoned throughout the Charlotte Convention Center.
Where the main priority for Mr. Obamas team four years ago was to prove he could be president this year it is to show he is connected to the middle class.
While this convention will be less about stagecraft and more about the arguments designed to woo back Mr. Obamas straying supporters aides privately fear a gloomy monthly job report immediately following the presidents acceptance speech.
The timing of Augusts Jobs & Unemployment Report could not be worse for White House. The report will be released Friday Sept.7th at 8:30am EST less than 10 hours after Mr. Obama finishes his Convention speech.
