I am beginning to become scared that Romney/Ryan will win. Can smart people please post here and say reassuring things to convince me that he won't?

if romney does win though... i mean, what does that say? about people?

Assuming they've heard Romney's fundraiser speech and agree with its content? I'd argue that it means they're content with watching people who feel that they're entitled to precious commodities like food/shelter/healthcare die in the streets like dogs (except that we'll probably eventually have some human equivalent of animal control so we don't have to expose ourselves to that).

Also that they aren't aware of their own situation - if everyone who doesn't pay income tax AND the Democrats vote for Obama, it'll be a landslide.

election fraud & voter disenfranchisement via Voter ID & various other shit is still the Romney path to the White House and should still strike fear into your heart if you're pulling for the President. There is lots of devious shit in FL, OH, et al, for example this -

http://www.thenation.com/blog/169284/ohio-early-voting-cutbacks-disenfranchise-minority-voters

romney takedown by david brooks today in the nyt would have been great if i didn't want to jump out a window every time i read david brooks.

cuz i can hear his voice when i read his columns and it makes me shiver.

Brooks is Very Sad today.

Yeah, I think Brooks has finally gotten fed up with Mittens. I was surprised to see him unload on him like that.

This is key, I think (one of the reactions quoted by Sullivan):

My initial sense was that this video wouldn’t hurt Romney any more than “bitter clingers” hurt Obama. But “bitter clingers” came in April 2008, which gave Obama a lot more time to recover before Election Day.

Pretty much anything that happens in April is long gone by November. But even if Romney's video is only a story until the first debate, that's about a quarter of the time left until the election.

Felt really good to delete a couple people from FB last night after they posted links to the video and said how great it was to have someone finally speak "honestly" and "tell the truth".

"This hurts me more than it does you, Mom." (Just kidding!)

lol! Actually one was an uncle, but I'm pretty sure he hid me a long time ago.

Really feels (I'm sure to Romney too) like he's lost all control of the campaign narrative. Everything he says now, people are primed to go, "Jesus, did you hear that idiotic thing Romney said?" Of course, he does keep saying idiotic things, but people in presidential campaigns have gotten away with saying idiotic things before. He just can't catch a break -- I think in a lot of ways because he's not in any way a likable guy. Liberals don't like him, conservatives have never liked him, "independents" don't like him, the media as a whole doesn't like him. If he didn't have a terrible economy to run on, he'd be down by 8 to 10 points.

Somebody yesterday pointed out that the media dislikes him already, and that this doesn't affect that one way or the other. Disagree somewhat. There is that mushy part in the middle (CNN an example) that will gravitate to one of two stories: a getting-closer election (preferred choice) or, if not that, a train-wreck. Yesterday points them in the direction of a train-wreck. And with six weeks to go, if you're trying to catch up, having that mushy swath in the middle receptive to the getting-closer story can only help.

i dont think 'the media' really has that much effect on peoples votes at this point

Directly, no. But I do think the way you're covered has a more general effect.

unless you count horrible tv commercials as "the media"

Blake Hounshell ‏@blakehounshell
Barely trying. MT @ByronYork: Romney has no public events today. Had one Monday, none Sat/Sun, one Friday, one Thursday

romney givin up

declare bankruptcy

I watched the clips again this morning and, wow, what a difference in confidence, diction, and tone. So this is what speaking to your base does.

Directly, no. But I do think the way you're covered has a more general effect.

Yeah I think the general sense that "this guy's in a tailspin" gets across even to people who aren't paying attention to the outrage-of-the-day.

I don't think stuff like this particularly changes minds but voting is about enthusiasm, not just whether you identify red or blue. If Romney keeps morphing into Mr. Burns/Nixon with the media shitting on him daily it's definitely going to effect his ability to JAZZ people.

I watched the clips again this morning and, wow, what a difference in confidence, diction, and tone. So this is what speaking to your base does.

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, September 18, 2012 10:23 AM (16 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

romdawg has a lil experience pitching rooms full of rich guys

during the bush era conservative pals would say "fuck you" to anyone saying "so y' still like bush?" but a good number just plum forgot to vote in 2004

Maybe amazing is the wrong word.

i dont think 'the media' really has that much effect on peoples votes at this point
--max

Don't believe this at all.

very few people would be so openly flaky as to change party affiliation three months before an election, but they maaaay not buy the t-shirt

not very many undecided voters are watching cable news or reading editorial pages 6 weeks before an election

Willard is saying things that are pretty explicitly unpresidential.

It's true that he's empty on "I'll drone-attack the Jonas Brothers" yuks.

i dont think 'the media' really has that much effect on peoples votes at this point

The US media doesn't cover or affect shit that's worth shit.

i honestly can't fathom someone being an "undecided voter" in the first place. I can see random shades of blue and red debating whether they're actually going to get off the couch, but not in regards to who they'd vote for.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d5/Swing_vote_08.jpg/220px-Swing_vote_08.jpg

yeah i kind of figure anybody who actually says "gee, i dunno" has to be really ignorant and vain. Somebody who says "convince me" with their arms folded.

I personally love the reaction from the frothing right-wing base: "yup, that's right, glad someone's finally saying it out loud." Just as I loved it when the base loved his pick of Ryan. Because everything that excites the base turns off the middle (and, I suppose vice versa, but this isn't the year for that).

Good luck with that strategy, GOP! Tell large swathes of the electorate that they're not worth your consideration, and irredeemably beneath contempt. See how well that plays in a democracy.

Caveat: yeah, as has been said repeatedly, most people who care about politics have long since decided how they're going to vote; there aren't a lot of persuadable people in any case. I'm the first to admit that I'm not persuadable; I have no understanding of the psychology of anyone who IS persuadable, so what the hell do I know about what will change minds?

Last I read, Obama still ahead in several swing states, undecideds down to 2 percent. Aside from Obama's "clingers" in April vs. Romney's "47 percent" in mid-Sept., Obama generalized/snarked in passing, Romney's percentage is implicitly a social map, the perfect opening for refutation (also a vision, rallying some of the troops). Also of course this is another situation where "the media" has to follow viral Netclipz, see how far they go. Also see some conservative sites getting sick of Fox putting the spin 'n' shine on Romney gaffes, with paid contributors/analysts who are also on the Romney payroll.

Again, I don't think anyone saying that the tone of media coverage over the last six weeks might matter--especially to someone playing catch-up--is suggesting that voters will actually change their minds. It's more the enthusiasm level mentioned above. If you're a Republican who wants Obama out, but doesn't like Romney at all and sees his campaign getting hammered every day, that can't help.

and at this point recognizing romneyshambles doesn't require watching cable news or reading opinion pages -- it's the lead story on aol.com

might matter re actually going to the polls, standing in line in November, considering how many Republicans/Reagan Democrates I know who are also working stiffs and/or old.

"Democrates" a typo, not snark

Even Jonah can barely find a silver lining here.

not very many undecided voters are watching cable news or reading editorial pages 6 weeks before an election

― max, Tuesday, September 18, 2012 10:34 AM (49 minutes ago)

maybe not but what about reading newspaper headlines while at the coffee shop or talking to people who are following the race? there's kind of a general noise level about romney not being in control of his campaign and these gaffes are just stocking obama's pantry for the debates. romney is clearly not unflappable in public and I'm wondering what sort of verbal wilding he's going to engage in when face to face with his opponent.

kind of hoping Romney bursts into tears at the debate

kind of hoping Romney bursts into tears flames at the debate

more likely: slight but visible leakage of sawdust/oatmeal (uncooked)

kind of hoping Romney bursts into tears flames america the beautiful at the debate

Romney flames / Ryan tears vs Romney tears / Ryan flames, hmm that is a poser.

(probably the latter, as we'll never hear of Romney again, but Ryan will be back as an "intellectual" / actual pres. candidate)

kind of hoping Romney bursts into tears flames america the beautiful the dance of joy at the debate

Has the debate schedule been set?

Yup

http://www.2012presidentialelectionnews.com/2012-debate-schedule/2012-presidential-debate-schedule/

Hahaha! The final presidential debate is in Boca Raton!

"Governor Romney, a few months ago you were talking to a few folks around here at a fundraiser..."

i'm still scared! i just hate mitt so much.

I just hope Obama brings up Bain bailouts whenever Romney brings up gov't entitlements.

uh Boca Raton is the Democratic heart of Palm Beach County and one of the places whose residents voted mistakenly for Pat Buchanan in '00.