How is the economy driving the presidential race?

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Well it's happening now but let's steal a slogan from 1992.

It's the economy stupid that was from the Clinton vs bush campaign it's the slogan the Bill Clinton rode to victory and it still holds true today.

According to this new Fox News poll 28% of Americans say the economy is better today than it was in 200845%.

Say it's worse.

-- 6% say it's about the same.

Governor Mitt Romney hammered President Obama on the economy during a recent campaign stop in Jacksonville.

Must.

Be said this he said.

Right here on election eve in Jacksonville he said I'm gonna go through the federal budget.

Line by line.

And ending programs that we don't need.

And making the ones we do need work better and costs less has the honor that promise.

No it sure has not.

So.

-- media coverage reflecting americans' concerns.

Let's bring in Judith Miller a Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter author and Fox News contributor.

Also -- this Kirsten Powers a columnist for the Daily Beast and a Fox News contributor.

And -- who what when you look at those web poll numbers that we had up earlier I mean it was Ronald Reagan who won the election by saying asking the question.

Are you better off than you were four years ago.

It's almost two to one in this poll that people say no I'm not.

Well and that's what makes this is what it is gonna make this a very competitive election for Barack Obama and in a lot of holes he's neck and neck -- Romney and it's because the economy isn't doing as well as a lot of people would like it to be doing.

However it's not -- enough for people to be unhappy with Barack Obama they have to feel like.

Mitt Romney is gonna do a better job and so you can't just look at this numbers and think -- -- that means Barack Obama's not gonna get reelected because that's not right it really is.

Okay there a lot of people that are unhappy with the direction of the country but what's Mitt Romney gonna do to change that -- -- and and that's the challenge I suppose for the Romney campaign.

Judy -- people why economy most voters seem to like they they think.

Barack Obama is personally likable.

And the question is how is he handling the economy and would -- Mitt Romney do a better job.

Right and that is exactly what this race is going to come down to.

Despite the efforts at the moment of the Democrats to kind of shift the conversation.

It's amazing the way the president dominated the news this.

In the past couple of weeks with social issue agendas important ones like gay marriage but the fact the matter is -- Romney was out there trying to get.

The country back on the track in terms of worrying about what he wants them to worry about which is the economy.

And I think the board he succeeds in doing that.

The greater success he's going to have because the record even though it's it's better than -- some of his detractors would like to too -- acknowledged.

Is not what the president himself said it would be.

And I think Romney's just going to hammer away at that point the difference between what Obama promised and what he's delivered that's that's.

I think issue we're examining here -- to me is does media coverage you know reflect what's really important I -- the Washington Post we talked about this last week the Washington Post.

-- that huge article to Mitt Romney's behavior.

As a high school student.

Is that Jermaine is that what we should be focused on is that -- the media should be focused.

Well -- an idea that the media's ever focused on things that are important to you know -- -- I think that's a major issue across the war and are they really focused on the things in the world that are the most important things and I would say.

Know how how is that why the card -- and your populous.

I at least they know you could they actually it Meet the Press at you which one and gotten married and divorced.

-- but that I think that the criticism that I'm hearing a lot was saying while.

Barack Obama is -- getting all this coverage for his position on gay marriage and really they should be focused on the economy and that I disagree with because.

It is a historic thing that the president.

That's -- first president to come -- in favor of gay marriage.

I think that if Ronnie even as a candidate -- come out in favor of gay marriages and changed his position it would have garnered the same kind of coverage so I.

I think that that's normal -- that's being covered that way.

The accusations unity it is that the president is trying to divert attention from the economy and and make us talk about anything else.

Well I think there is a certain amount of that I mean if if if if you felt that the economy might not be your strong point wouldn't you like to -- you -- attention.

I think that a lot of conservative media.

People are upset with affect the success than Obama has had in steering the conversation to.

Noneconomic issues that as -- -- says I have to agree with there.

This was a kind of major.

Issue and a major events -- it deserve coverage it got it now.

Romney is -- got less coverage you know he's he's the president he's got the bully pulpit.

Every time he goes some place it's comer he's going to automatically get covered and that's.

That makes the bar fairly high for Romney and we will continue to talk about it in segments like it is Judy Miller -- powers thank you both.

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How is the economy driving the presidential race?

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