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The 'Campaign Insiders' discuss the bad timing of a grim economy and its effect on the presidential race
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Good morning I'm John lovely day here for campaign insiders with my co host cohorts and friends.
Doctor -- -- her long time -- term political consultant.
And mr.
-- could tell.
Also longtime political consultant pollster and I see -- of the future and political thing it won't.
Who -- -- nothing former nothing wrong.
We have a lot to cover since last summer with you we have a new jobs report on Friday which to say the least was a very disheartening and discouraging.
Event for the American people.
And for the political scene.
Eight point 2% but with a three of us believe the bigger thing in the jobs report.
-- the revisions for march and April also went down so.
It's three months and overall GDP -- regime need to be more went down to between two and two and a half for total of 100 Q when did you want -- seven when it wants them but but the projection for the years to two and a half percent so even though we're technically not in a recession we're heading there.
Were heading there were slowing.
At the worst time.
For president Obama's reelection campaign the last thing you want to -- going into the fall with the deteriorating economic situation and Europe is falling apart which is only gonna drag us down more China's slowing down.
The whole thing is a bad -- That didn't go ahead -- using doctor -- doctor -- thank you so much.
Former congressman.
The is on us -- no no no no it's just the statement of fact.
Yeah well that's more -- like -- are trying to.
He here's what I would say here's what I think the serious point it is.
You look at the economic news that you and -- we're discussing and there's not a ray of hope in -- for Obama.
Moreover the Obama campaign.
Has no overarching strategy they have negative ads they have state by state good news that they're trying to roll out but there is no overarching strategy.
And given that there is as we were talking yesterday on campaign insiders and John you made the point impacted.
That the campaign itself appears to be a -- and with the report today I don't know if either you guys thought.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- This is that picture of the White House that is basically adrift.
And I think that.
With Romney having a message not a full message -- we made that point.
Yesterday as well that he doesn't have an alternative vision for the journal editorial over the weekend.
But bottom line.
The White House is.
Appointed to ahead in the real clear politics averages but trending downward.
With calamitous economic news pushing their vote down vodka and I think that's.
You know the economic this is this you know every spring we've had -- we have -- you know this whole spring of hope and early summer draw.
That you'll we've been saying all year I've said since January.
Since -- first we have the winner optimism if you will.
On the numbers put up to 250 and they said we were -- to GDP and the White House is saying the economy back -- won't look at the last few years.
Well this couldn't -- that this could be watched the timing couldn't be worse they seem to be -- prepared for.
The news and as we have said on the show -- So much of the election is -- going all of world events and those markets and the problem of the crisis in Europe is not getting better it's getting.
Worse although the Obama administration understand -- -- Big the German.
Prime minister -- -- -- through to.
-- stimulant Angela Merkel yeah our involvement in respect but you know this is this is and when you -- about the Obama campaign.
They're back with more negative attacks make you wonder why didn't start but these one on Romney's record pat.
Doug has told us off the -- and we finally got it is.
The time to say a little bit yesterday.
On Fox News Channel that if you -- -- know that inside the Obama campaign this is separate.
From axle rod and older arguing over correct which was axle rod allegedly interfering with the Justice Department.
And he wanted to make it clear -- holder I never did it and don't you dare say I did that's.
A government thing when he was working in the White House what you've heard is there's chaos in Chicago at the high culminating with the -- Both those points on first I think -- pat and I were both for the White House one thing was very clear.
We had a lot of influence and a lot of access but -- we didn't have was influence control or even access to the policy making.
Process we were political advisors not governmental advisors and the line was very clear and on foreign policy it was clearer still.
There was a report which I'm sure -- saw John.
In the times that axle rod attended the terror Tuesday meetings where the president would go.
Target by target -- I want an Al Al lucky I want him to -- model -- who we killed about exactly and and Emma and I can tell you when I was working for Clinton.
-- little Sandy Berger was assigned as the national security advisor and he was deputy at the time to make sure that none of the political team.
Interpose their views into -- into politics -- that that's what one point two is a campaign to your direct question that is a draft.
That is divided.
And that is.
Absolutely.
Appearing to be without message -- direction.
Is one that I think.
Is in crisis have various.
How to tackle and -- I -- because we have a comment from -- snow that fits exactly where we're talking about well let let me just say that.
You know I never was in -- in the -- -- well ever.
I had a lot of concluded that the best of -- discussions or at least access.
Because nothing that helped at all I mean I kept begging for good news and I kept getting worse and things like -- capital would you call that.
But I mean you you use it -- back cut off -- actual -- denies it but you know this is.
But the good thing chaos problem let's highlight another thing you have -- it plots and in the White House who was the hit me of this team.
He's the he's -- pressure you have -- rob the strategist in Chicago -- what's so.
And I think there's probably war going on it -- there's always a problem -- in the campaign in the White House anyway.
But given the distances I think there's probably right -- about.
But what would Doug had told us a couple weeks ago when the -- things started surfacing with the Cory Booker.
Interview that.
They specifically were arguing over whether to do this paying their line of attack OK so Heather -- says.
-- thank you and send us your comments but she says the -- attack didn't work.
Now the Massachusetts governor attack is failing.
What attack -- Obama team use now.
Now for so we don't know what the Massachusetts governor attack just fail likely -- -- and it that is a very legitimate line of inquiry.
Well this goes to and there's a follow up to that -- the buzz saw today we achieved with all the quotes it's on it's an on line -- -- forty.
32 of all the quotes from all the candidates it -- in twelve bombs are once you've been on Romney's record.
In Massachusetts.
I would have thought -- been better off starting with a but it also highlight something on the wrong.
Which is their campaign with is not -- doesn't seem to understand that it is not the mirror.
In the mirror it it's not the same as the -- -- again let's just attack attack attack that's all they do -- didn't primaries.
They've got a little bit but not much but they have never done anything establish your record -- -- patient himself leaving themselves open.
This counting on what they're doing which is counting on a bit.
And just you know what I call -- dare to be -- him is very deadly if they work on the other hand it.
Mean I mean -- let's quickly let's quickly take a look and these polls are gonna put up and start with number five the Ohio numbers.
These are real clear politics so they average all the polls so they try to get the bias out.
Now obviously all these polls are done before.
Friday's job report so we're gonna put them up was put up number five Ohio they go.
Romney has now moved ahead in the real clear politics before these bad job numbers two points -- and that's gonna make the point.
Look at Obama's -- -- 44 and then we'll keep going let's go to number eleven.
Which is going to be Iowa Nevada and Colorado last week by NBC Marist poll.
Look at Obama's number the incumbent president 44.
In Iowa 4846.
In Colorado one more in number thirteen.
It's going to be Florida Virginia.
And North Carolina these are new or.
And again look at Obama is ahead in Virginia.
He's behind in Florida North Carolina but he's -- 44 point 84740.
Thought that your point about that.
They are the point is is that all of these state polls suddenly the flood of data shows Obama.
Slipping they don't -- Romney gaining.
We we.
All of this a little bit in the undecided going up because what's happening is people who Obama Romney hasn't closed the deal it's very worrisome.
But I'm starting to think that just look at the Obama number Virginia which -- the state -- probably matters.
Polls competitively is the one we have the highest percentage forty -- going to tell him 47 and -- use of words so you know everything else is under forty -- Right and and John -- -- go through the implications of all this for the Electoral College.
The real clear numbers about 234.
If I remembered.
About 170.
It's it's about sixty points but.
If you factor in these polls is being a harbinger of where the national race is going given Gallup.
And Rasmussen is national numbers and you take Florida.
-- where -- -- know North Carolina and Iowa -- lot of -- -- unbelievable over Iran moving them over to run the whole or in part -- just take.
Florida Ohio.
And North Carolina hello to -- Or -- and he he's close about 22230.
This race is effectively.
A tie in the Electoral College but the -- point is the one.
That pat was beginning to develop -- Which is the voters are moving to undecided they haven't gone to Romney because Romney hasn't given them a reason to go -- his direction.
But Obama has not made it compelling argument.
You know right now it is an article in the New York Times this mark Lubavitch about how similar in personality education have that's.
Star Trek all the stuff Obama and Romney are as people.
Their campaigns are so some -- you neither one wants to go positive thing I love.
Going that you will understand let me just say this I think that they are so overrated to some places and analysts felt like you know won't -- -- But uneasy veteran but I want to say -- there's a different.
Between riot act.
That's exactly right and there is in particularly in a presidential race matters in conceptually.
There's no big threat they're all tactical strategies.
The the other thing is some of -- back to being perspective support.
Is Bill Clinton's role in putting a torpedo with other Democrats Q you mentioned this to begin with John.
Cory Booker.
You've added Rendell you've had Steve Rattner Steve Rattner Deval Patrick the ball Patrick -- we've -- -- -- that for other reasons because you can make -- -- but it is -- but anyway.
The these people are dissenting.
There is it part of the democratic party's descending from -- from these attacks on on capitalism on equity.
And in them and and and Bill Clinton -- put a torpedoing this when he attacks -- Romney is supremely qualified to be president and a -- in there.
