You're watching...

Do Super PACs help or hurt candidates?

Details

  • Description

    Our 'Campaign Insiders' weigh in

  • Duration 8:42
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Powerful Politics

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

Public campaign strategist to crunch the numbers are not ones and -- this week.

Because how do you really make sense of these two -- in the race for the White House look at this first we have the CBS New York Times bull.

-- which puts President Obama three points behind governor Romney really neck and -- because that's within the poll's four point margin of error but.

Contrast that for -- Fox News poll.

Where the president is -- points ahead of the governor clearly in the lead what's going on here.

Campaign insiders are here they have some theories let's bring a man.

-- show on Fox News contributor former.

Pollster for Bill Clinton package -- to a Fox News contributor and former pollster for president Jimmy Carter John absolutely -- -- former Republican congressman.

For New York gentlemen good to see who's always here let's start with the pollsters here there is it when he -- -- you're talking about.

But at ten points difference -- done right.

And what's going on great I think -- you have a race where both candidates have high negatives close to -- 45 to 50%.

Depending on the poll you have -- disillusioned.

Angry electorate.

And you have candidates who are not really talking.

About the main issue so far facing the country the economy jobs and stimulating and otherwise.

Tepid recovery so bottom line.

The numbers jump around a lot it's a tight race great pat how do you account for the disparate numbers here at ten point swing as -- point -- -- and I think down.

That said it you know part of -- because one poll suddenly -- -- -- increase in undecideds.

-- the poll doesn't look what's happening is I think -- is exactly right.

These candidates and yet be speaking what people want to their frustrations.

They both have problems with the electorate Romney has -- is actually -- improved his favorability.

But look what's happening underneath -- what's important.

The coalescing that's starting to take place -- -- the election definition is going to be that's what's important and when that happens in this race will stabilize.

Congressman you know politics is like a pendulum that swings back and forth.

We -- it see it.

Swing back and forth on a daily basis these days when you talk to people about who are you gonna vote for there are.

Well certain number that are solid.

You know problem voting for Romney -- -- Obama.

But then you find other people who genuinely do not know what they're gonna -- and that's why these polls are.

Our chain also a lot of voters haven't really focused yet I mean we are -- the primary we're focused on a lot of voters are not really you know really.

You know Doug I was looking at some other -- -- was a Gallup poll by the number of people who are voting.

Off for President Obama said that they are not this particular poll but -- said I'm just voting against Republicans who's a very small number right when he got to people why are you voting for Romney because I'm voting against President Obama Democrats.

Huge number.

Right key issue this election Greg is now a referendum.

On President Obama.

Now most presidential elections are referendum on the account -- it.

The but is that governor Romney has yet to define himself he's just now starting is I think we'll get to but bottom line people don't have a clear sense -- well.

At least this week congressman -- sort of been in to defining himself on the deaths.

Arguing that this is a president -- increase the debt by five trillion dollars almost doubling it.

In a short term in office take a look though at the Romney at what he would do day one here it is.

Wanted to Romney presidency.

Do you want president Romney immediately proves the Keystone Pipeline creating thousands of jobs that Obama -- President Romney introduces tax cuts and reforms that we -- -- President Romney yeah.

-- order to beat him.

And what do you -- stat -- -- -- your first I think it's a good at I think the three of us every Sunday with you for the last month we say the same thing which is Romney needs to stand for something not just -- candidate of the anti Obama has -- finally.

We see something hears it and it's a headline version but against -- stop.

Against Obama care and tax reform unspecified but at least it's something.

To talk positively this is what I'm gonna do instead of just we know Obama's been a bad president but let's see what were present Romney -- -- well.

What's what's good about it I think is the framing of saying.

And this does reflected Johnson we've been saying for weeks which is.

You've got to have a program here it's got to be more than 59 less than 59 points but this idea of -- what I will do this.

You know let's -- -- over duplicates of what he's a Smart idea it's not a vision.

No he's not as an articulated a vision and the way Ronald ray.

And here's his vision on on the -- take a look at this.

The death.

And that that is made up of every annual years deficits this president is on track by the end of four years to put in place as much public debt almost.

As all the prior presidents combined.

That's pretty powerful -- this is what matters with undecided.

And swing voters and independents -- bought this getting this issue back up front.

Running with that the -- is making bashing either it's a good idea congressman what do you I think it's a very Smart move and I -- all week and every public event -- did the backdrop instead of Romney for president was the debt clock and and and as pat said it's it's Tea Party.

And independent voters believe the economy is sick.

Because of the national debt Doug they're also plane you know sound bite to the president in these stats saga about reducing it and I'm -- reduce it I promise -- gonna reduce the -- They get that that clock right.

And this is a good.

Contrast for them.

It gets to -- central doubt that independents and swing voters have about the president and it says that governor Romney.

Will do something different it's the start Greg only the start of a good -- but it's the beginning at least it's -- -- aren't great for weeks and hasn't been there.

And we'll look our job -- -- say what's going on this week there and they're actually making some -- mostly work week.

I was gonna go to John Boehner -- what I wanna skip over that move forward to different subject these super taxes some of the ads that are being played we have a New York Times.

Friday headline of the general -- story.

-- you know pack back here it is the defeat of Barack Hussein Obama talked to a that's not to run an ad that is.

Where they -- a group of campaign consultants approached mr.

-- the founder of TD Ameritrade Bryant who's a billionaire who wants to defeat the president.

And they came to him with a budget of ten million dollars and an idea to run ads going after.

Reverend Wright and that connection and Romney said don't do it while Romney before we get to run you know we need to get to -- languages.

You have a -- like mr.

records we have Sheldon Adelson we have a lot of very rich.

People on both sides of the spectrum but definitely on the Republican side who.

Want to defeat the -- right and they're allowed with the super -- want now to put unlimited money -- The down side -- to downsize these consultants.

Com.

They are out to make money for themselves right that ten million bucks it would -- gotten from mr.

records -- they've gotten two million for themselves that.

There spraying a -- -- these rich guys what.

-- then that I think it makes a good point.

Bottom line if the messages that get the depths of the economy and these unregulated unaccountable super pacs.

Are attacking on fringe issues ultimately I think you look at her rob -- whether -- how this is this is an appeal by that that that plan.

To a donor was to -- like halted.

-- donors' emotions whether or not it helps win in November isn't the matter it's what they would like to see.

Some of them -- like seat but here's the point.

They're driving the campaign not to camp candidates one Romney jumped -- by the way -- fighting 2008.

You can make the case this should have been done in 2008.

Oh my god talk about the barn door being.

Close opener wouldn't whichever gonna start to -- -- -- but I kinda.

I think -- -- the first ministry quit as I did it used to be said that that -- sleazy car dealers sleazy journalists sleazy politicians and their sleazy campaign consultants and these two are the opposite end of the spectrum highest ethics patent Doug.

But in that profession there are people who prey upon these rich guys trying to get money out of a --