After 3 months of negative ads from President Obama GOP challenger is raising his game
By Karl Rove
Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C. Wednesdays Gallup poll had President Barack Obama & Mitt Romney essentially tied with Mr. Obama at 47 and Mr. Romney at 46. Thats good news for the challenger: Mr.
Romney has absorbed a punishing 3-month Obama television barrage that drained the incumbents war chest. Historically undecided voters tend to break late for the challenger.
Mr. Romney and his campaign have also raised their game.
After Mr. Obama declared on July 13 that If youve got a business you didnt build that Mr. Romney went on offense saying the following
Tuesday in Pennsylvania that the notion entrepreneurs didnt build their businesses was insulting.
Wednesday in Ohio Mr. Romney attacked Mr. Obama for not having met with his Jobs Council for six months.
Thursday in Massachusetts Mr. Romney belittled the White Houses explanation that the president had failed to do so because he has a lot on his plate.
The following Tuesday in Nevada before the Veterans of Foreign Wars Mr. Romney
criticized Mr. Obama over cuts in defense and veterans care.
Each time Mr. Romneys message was delivered in the morning and dominated the days coverage. That change appears now to be standard procedure for Team Romney.
Last week Mr. Romney began laying out a crisper shorter economic agenda. His Plan for a Stronger Middle Class is built around five priorities:
- Promoting more domestic energy
- Cultivating skills for economic success
- Making trade work for America
- Cutting the deficit and
- Championing small business (including tax and regulatory reform and the repeal of ObamaCare)
It also compares the candidates records in office. Jobs home values and family income rosewhile budget deficits and unemployment declinedin Massachusetts under Mr. Romney whereas all these measures are in the wrong direction under Mr. Obama.
Though it will require more detail persistent explanation and defense this is a better foundation on which to fight the election than last years unwieldy 59-point plan for economic jobs and growth.
Mr. Romney is also tougher. When Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid alleged that Mr. Romney
went years without paying taxes Mr. Romney didnt ask for an apology. He responded to this smear by challenging Mr. Reid to put up or shut up.
Mr. Romney also began running more positive ads. The election will not be won just by highlighting Mr. Obamas failures a job better left (mostly) to outside groups.
Because it can put the candidate on camera the Romney campaign is better positioned to reassure voters that he has a plan to create jobs reduce spending and make America more prosperous. This is vital since both sides have pushed up their opponents negative ratings to the high-40s.
Mr. Obamas numbers are driven by the bad economy so theres little he can do. And those who strongly disapprove of his handling of the economy vastly outnumber those who strongly approve.
Mr. Romneys task is less difficult: Voters are asking if he is too rich to care about ordinary people has a real economic plan that makes sense and is both strong and presidential enough.
Thats why Team Romney appears focused on making certain his first presidential decisionpicking a running mateis done right and rolled out properly.
And then there is Mr. Romneys convention speech which needs to be powerful. More Americans will watch it than any other election event except the debates. (In 2008 more than 38 million Americans watched the two candidates acceptance addresses.) This will be Mr. Romneys best moment to provide insights into his character share the values that guide him and lay out a growth agenda.
Among other things Mr. Romney should talk about his fathers modest upbringing his wifes illness and his wealth. Americans know nothing about the first little about the second and
(courtesy of Team Obama) much about the third. Mr. Romney can show more of his personal side which would reveal a man of enormous decency and good character.
Mr. Romney will be on strong ground defending free enterprise as a system that rewards initiative hard work and sacrificeand in doing so creates widespread prosperity that he will seek to extend to every corner of the nation.
Theres likely to be a modest short-lived bump in Mr. Romneys polls after his convention speech. Ignore that. In this close election the real benefit will be in the impression information and values that remain with swing voters wholl make up their minds late and decide the election.
