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Does blame game matter to voters? What are voters in Washington County, Pa. thinking and we'll hone in on New Mexico in our battleground Friday segmen...
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Look around Ohio look around the country you'll see that lot of people are hurting.
A lot of people -- had some real tough times.
The other side.
We'll spend over a billion dollars on ads that tell you the economy is bad.
That it's all my fault.
That I can't fix it because I think government is always the answer.
That was a taste of what Buckeye State voters got yesterday from the two presidential contenders Mitt Romney talking that talking down president Obama's handling of the economy and he was in Cincinnati that President Obama in Cleveland talking down Mitt Romney's talking down of the economy.
And this is power play -- -- -- -- and Internet do I have good news for you.
-- battleground Friday and we're gonna go through three battleground states we're gonna talk a little bit about Ohio in this segment is the two candidates do battle in opposite corners of the state we're gonna talk about Pennsylvania.
With our friend Bill Hemmer later on talk about Washington County PA.
And how the youth vote is shaping up this year and then we'll talk about New Mexico and our third segment when we see again to use the big board so you have a lot to be thankful for today Internet chief among those things should be for -- Blake meant.
He's a former senior advisor to -- George W.
Bush.
He's a Republican strategist.
He is a Smart and charitable person he is also.
Professor at Georgetown University now that did you use out of the big east that do that poses no problems from day and then of course you also know and -- glad to see Christie sets her she's democratic strategist she worked for Al Gore.
She's in Ireland.
Is that not true this is not -- -- from.
You do you think that every time I do think that -- seemed like you should.
And just that good hearted for Alexandra.
I -- from Pennsylvania from me about -- -- well.
Are cute doubling in -- -- -- Christie is a democratic strategist and you can follow her twisty.
Christie NHC because it's new heights communication grass is her firm and you follow credit whiteman -- Are so.
We had these two.
Visions.
Laid out yesterday in Ohio.
Before Mitt Romney it's considerably easier because division that you must.
Articulate is that Barack Obama has a bad job at dealing with the economy the president had -- trickier task.
And ended up giving a very long speech it was theory -- It was 6607.
Words long.
Unusual for a campaign speech.
Said Christy let's start with you.
In terms of framing the debate how do you think the president did.
I think he did what he had to do I think that -- -- democratic messaging here drew Weston talks about how.
Democrats typically do very bad job of laying out a narrative we like to tops in the lengths of policy prescriptions that we don't actually like to tell the story of what came before -- and what's happening now how we got to every -- And he says you know we should think about it like it was a good children's bedtime story needs heroes it needs billions in needs -- plot line is -- that this is exactly the president was doing yesterday he was saying here's how we got to -- aren't here's -- situation is it.
But he's been saying that for a long time and you need this.
This message that really.
He accelerated in the head of the 2010 mid terms the car was in the ditch the Republicans are drinking -- -- either vote on somebody's answers all of us.
He's been on this for a long time this was a doubling down right.
That's and I again I think it's important that he has to do this because people need to understand not just -- that.
The situation we're in when he took office but what isn't happening ever since and what's been happening ever since is.
That he has been in.
You know I would say blocked at every turn by his attempts to put out -- jobs plan by Republican Party that has been united in wanting to -- in these efforts so I think that no matter how many times he's -- it cannot be enough for people to understand you know.
-- One person that the president didn't seem to be a big fan of yesterday was -- old boss George W.
Bush.
And to Christie's point he came out and build a narrative this is something he's been working -- it's the central motif of this campaign that video that they put out look like.
-- monster that just because it was enough to walk through but basically they describe the condition of the economy even as he was unveiled President Bush's portrait at the White House.
He did not miss the opportunity to say course by the way the whole world was on fire and everybody was terrified when I took office and by the way here's your picture.
Didn't think that George W.
Bush did a better job on the economy can't the president use that to his advantage well.
He did to get elected and now he has a record to stand there's no more George Bush to blame and I think.
There was never more clear distinction between where Obama want to take us and where Romney wants to take us.
The most important news for me at the speech was not what the president said what Romney said it was effective Romney.
Appeared.
In the same -- out at the same time.
Which he's showing now a little more being more aggressive and taking this president has an equal -- this year's -- being scared about I have an and I think it's very important for Romney to continue that -- if he's gonna win when you're taking on incumbent president you must be aggressive he must be risky.
And you must be able to take on the president has an equal and I think he did that in Ohio.
Especially in a battleground states and that's the news for meeting -- -- Speed reading arm over the pronunciation and you can't say it ain't scared you say it's -- they say yeah please please please -- -- -- -- I wanna say it will letter word that right -- We're just we're just using some -- -- re education for you off OK so Doug Christie.
I -- today in -- by which you can get if you follow me at sea sparrow on Twitter tweeting out there every day for you a little love notes for the Internet.
But I wrote today that the president says forward.
He says that his messages forward we're gonna go forward.
But when you talk this much.
About backward anyway it's very hard to do and democratic strategist like -- horrible and Stan Greenberg and others from the Clinton wing of the party.
Are out warning the president and saying.
You need a affirmative vision for the future you need to articulate to the American people practical stuff that you can do to help turn the economy around.
Yeah I guess they say in politics if you're explaining you're losing the -- and I think a lot of people who.
-- -- and I think to a lot of people his.
Narrative the passing and you know there have been talking about sounds a lot like explaining it sounds a lot like it's -- -- yeah and so that's exactly what I think these and yet.
Democratic pollsters and strategists have been talking to him about -- that you need to -- out positive vision for the future.
I'm not I -- -- neither -- -- have right now I think -- the president -- and -- me and Mitt -- really actually and it done anything other than -- -- being.
Its -- policy prescriptions for the future.
Now this thing Brad it's this that for work.
The president if his bat it seems very clear is that if he can pull this off if he can find a way to get reelected.
Wins this he's increasing his own degree of difficulty by doing this but he's betting is that if he can do this he will have fundamentally changed the trajectory of the country that he will have.
Put to put to death the concept of the Reagan revolution and that that the country change direction very dramatically politically.
In 1980 it was it was a sea change for the country now Bill Clinton and George H.
W.
Bush and George W.
Bush.
Took it into a slightly similar direction with a different variations.
Now Barack Obama feels like if he can get reelected he will change he will change.
The course of history.
He will change the course of history begins reelected that's not gonna happen.
Distorting distracting and dividing is not a very good strategy for -- Distorting your opponent's records distracting from your own record and dividing the country when American class against another.
Is not a prescription for -- election the president has to be hopeful.
-- -- has to be encouraging to the American people that whatever he's been able to accomplish in the last three years he's going to double down on.
And -- success next week is the problem is he doesn't have any successes to trumpet.
In the last three have here.
-- get spanked by the supreme.
Sorry we will we will stipulate.
Christie's objection on all ground.
And adamant refusal you -- are -- and gracious and kind to make conference David thank you very much.
And and now for Yahoo! Internet because we're so crazy about shift.
Bill Hemmer is waiting up in New York to break down one of the counties that's gonna determine this election it will be totally -- She -- stick around.
I know I'm not voting more I'm not voting for a mom I don't know.
I personally don't trust him much but then I can see him.
Because I believe he's done the -- -- with the -- he was given.
You know he's trying to clean and make mass.
That is a case of the political debate that's going on in Washington County Pennsylvania county seat is Washington it's right they -- just southwest of Pittsburgh.
And Allegheny County down I 79 court or.
And it is one of the counties this guy and it's a swing county that's gonna help determine.
Who gets sworn into office.
On the twentieth of January 2013.
This is power play and you know why we are so lucky we are so lucky because we had to work.
At a place yet to be part of an organization that has very generous colleagues including Bill Hemmer.
Who you love to watch each day on America's Newsroom brother bill how we don't -- by vetoing -- -- to be back review.
We Iraq and the Internet pretty -- pretty steady today and I the question bill you are doing this wonderful series I love it so much as you travel around the country and listen to voters.
And you go to the -- go to these swing states you interact with these people you talk about the issues that matter to them it's totally great and I'm I'm so proud that we're doing that thank you.
But tell me first of all what what's the state of play in Washington -- -- What I thought fascinating Chris that I did not know before I went there -- the Washington County had not voted for a Republican.
Since 1972.
Richard -- Yet in 2000 they went for John McCain by 45 points over Barack Obama to make -- wonder why.
You know why -- such a traditionally blue county go -- in in one election.
And what we found is that the issue there is energy.
This is -- countries you well know and they did not trust the new administration.
Fought to protect their -- protector energy to protect their jobs essentially which is when it comes down to the economy there in Washington County.
-- will bill hints at something.
I grew up on the border with Washington and Pennsylvania just -- just over the West Virginia line down there are so I know I know a little bit about that stuff.
And you talk about.
When we talk about energy and -- there's sort of two stories there right there's there's -- but there's also fracking a natural gas.
That's right and a lot of people frankly have have not explored fracking to the degree that it's happening in these parts of Western Pennsylvania.
The Marcellus -- which is about seven and 9000 feet of sediment or Iraq 79000 feet below the surface in the air.
It it it starts a new Yorker goes down -- PA west Virginian into the eastern portion of Ohio.
Fracking.
Takes place seven -- 9000 feet below what we found -- Our farmers who have while those fields literally for fifty years there -- now leasing their rights to energy companies.
To drill for oil and natural gas beneath the very cornfields.
That they've made their fortune off over the past several decades.
And some cases you're finding millionaires.
Born to these energy companies that are that now have the rights to whatever is beneath -- surface.
It's a fascinating story playing out there is however caution on -- And that is this you know they administration has pushed back in part on this and it will what you have essentially Chris is a giant -- That's locked in maybe five layers of concrete that literally goes down 9000 feet.
And the fear is it that casing were to break what would happen the water table.
Well the folk but it contaminated or -- possibly -- it.
If that's the case -- I think -- in the -- -- the entire process and all these states is frozen it has not happened to that degree just yet.
But -- the energy companies would tell you is that they drill so deep.
That the water table is out of the question.
There -- mile and a half below the cornfields.
So if there were something that happened there'd be a catastrophic or not that.
The water table what would would not be affected.
The environmental -- pushing back on that for a long time.
But the net results of all the fracking is jobs.
Yeah -- a lot of them that you should see these hotels at night they're -- with him every -- of the week and they have Halliburton trucks lined up one after the other it's an amazing thing to say.
Well it makes for better poker games the the question bill.
Is that watching together really one of the reasons that Washington County -- turned and turned into does that is as you say you've got those energy issues -- you have that the traditional.
Roots of that county which are are an energy -- extraction and agriculture and industry but another thing that's happened is that the I 79 quarter Pittsburgh has grown south on the I 79 court -- and now there's this substantial suburban population in the -- right.
That there is and that continues to grow its -- to head off a little bit by the economic downturn frankly Chris.
Vote when are reflected on McCain beating Obama 45 points in 2008.
At them but these are rural voters as you well know our own fox polling two or three years ago weeks ago rather early June.
Found that Mitt Romney among rural voters -- Barack Obama -- when he points nationally.
And now you start to see this strategy come and -- don't you.
Because it over Romney's going to try and reach these rural areas and drive -- voter -- early November and trying counterbalance what Barack Obama will have the president way out.
And the city populations.
And it over the -- team they're gonna try and offset that balance and in places like Washington County they've already proven that they can do it there.
As to whether or not they can increase the numbers from 2000 it is something we shall see.
Now you're you're from Ohio.
-- side and so this this question may be difficult for you but I got -- I laid on him.
What's -- user.
I -- -- kids who are -- there is a person who lives in Pittsburgh.
TV and they have a certain dialect.
That sounds something like -- is all going over there tonight.
You guys wanna go down in -- diary gals guys wanna go -- yes that that is correct and the whole point for the Romney folks isn't it that.
For those kind of voters these are a blue collar background traditional Democrats right but who have I shown some willingness to go Republican in recent years there in Washington county and Allegheny -- there and Bieber -- either in the the collar counties around Pittsburgh the -- vote is gonna matter a lot -- Mitt -- -- Certainly as -- it will and a and a significant way two of -- wants to win Pennsylvania twenty electoral votes in that state.
And Republicans have said and they can play -- that and that state George Bush tried and failed on two occasions in 2002004.
I don't know yet if Republicans are close with Romney right now to competing with.
Barack Obama because if you go to the other side of the state in the southeastern corner.
You know in the suburbs of Philadelphia.
That that there are so many votes to be mine down there and Obama didn't -- well in 2008.
Correct correct.
Well -- love you -- off little slice avalanche -- for folks so you -- I didn't millions doing that later away.
You can get these guys and you know one other thing of course is that we should be thankful to all the answers for -- the Perot he very important a staple of American ethnic -- that we should we should all -- our captive about Rolla rock.
And rolling rock well that's good it's good if you know I -- you -- I I'm glad I'm an -- like man myself but you know for those who like rolling rock that's cool.
Bill people should watch tonight he's back he's going to be special report or any other time today they can catch them.
1 o'clock with meg and we're gonna -- that that and we had on our program with -- bit earlier today you make a great point by the way -- watch these rural areas in Pennsylvania.
As they trail off in -- West Virginia.
And also southeastern Ohio maybe they make a difference in November or -- I bet they will bill we're so grateful -- and keep up the great worker this stuff Chris.
Okay all right Internet I should tell you that you're pretty funny and you have some good stuff.
Much but I cannot read but I can read this.
-- scribbling says at some point in this is referring back corporate segment at some point it would be nice to actually hear something from the president that reflects a real plan.
Romney needs to do this -- and here's the answer -- for Romney the trend is his friend as long as he is it as long as things are going this way is very little incentive to do much other -- prosecute Barack Obama but the president to your point right now -- a lot of people who say that the time has come for them to get serious and make that happen.
OK so that's that gets more of what you have to say I will get two more excellence when we come back is when we do.
We're gonna talk about another swing state we're gonna look at the big board on New Mexico which is key to President Obama is western strategy will be great so stick around.
That was President Obama campaign and in -- -- New Mexico.
Back in March 121.
And why was he there well it may be that with five electoral votes New Mexico is key to president Obama's western strategy.
As he looks to replicate his success in -- mountain west.
In 2012 this is power play welcome back.
And -- my good fortune to introduce you now to Michael Coleman he is the Washington bureau chief.
For the Albuquerque journal Michael welcome thanks thanks.
Okay so we snuck in yesterday.
Or the other day to the big board bill that we use Bill -- favorite toys we got to the big board and we looked at how New -- is gonna vote itself to frame the discussion let's take a look at -- what I had to set.
Back to another battleground Friday on power play as we break -- -- does in battleground states that in all likelihood are gonna get to decide who gets sworn into office on January 20 2013 Barack Obama for a second term Republican Mitt Romney and we're looking at how these states are gonna vote get this taken in and get a touch here on the big board now we've already done North Carolina and Michigan that's a tough state for the blue team for President Obama in North Carolina tough for the red team in Michigan.
As they try to overcome a long voter history.
But let's go out west now shall we and let's look at the states that are central one of the states that are central to president Obama's reelection strategy that's New Mexico right here because New Mexico Colorado and Nevada are the three states that are the linchpin to president Obama's strategy because let's take a look.
It 2008.
So you see these three Blue States in 2008.
Those states are not that many electoral -- that there enough he believes to offset states that he may lose back east.
That includes North Carolina that we already talked about.
In Virginia there's enough out there.
To keep him in business if that goes that's why New Mexico even though it only has five electoral votes it still matters a great deal for team Obama.
It's insurance so here's what happened in 2008.
Bit.
That's a big that's a big win especially when you compare it to 2004.
And a small win for George W.
Bush Al Gore won here in 2000.
The narrowest of margins imaginable just really a handful of votes but we -- here in 2004 this is short of what we expected to be sort of what you expect to see.
-- but when we look at 2008.
And we see this changing margin.
It's easy to explain why.
And here's why.
Is that.
You have this quarter of the state in if you want to talk about the population of New Mexico and how it works most the overwhelming majority of the population is here.
In Albuquerque and Santa -- in this metropolitan area.
Now the rest of the state has a tremendous amount.
Native Americans has a tremendous amount of Hispanic population also had and that's very good for Barack Obama.
But it also has a pretty considerable Mormon population that's good for Mitt Romney.
And people in the country generally vote Republican people in the city generally vote Democrat so when you have this broad expanse of rural area but Romney can expect to hold his -- out there.
But the battle of course comes down here and sure Albuquerque insurers say in effect are very likely to go for Barack Obama but.
And this is the big but in this is where everything hangs for Mitt Romney credit here in -- Leo camp.
No we don't look at -- -- -- -- look at Santa volcanic which is home to Bernal Leo now.
The deal is this while you get out into this part of -- of -- -- you're out you're in the country you're you're back out.
Mountain desert and all of that good stuff but down here there's a -- or that connects Albuquerque down here to -- effect this is a suburban swamp and it's the only part of the state.
That looks like what Mitt Romney likes to do.
Which is score well with moderate suburban voters that's the key in almost every state for him.
But certainly in New Mexico -- places all the importance on Sandoval county.
In the community of colonel Leo that's in there because while he can expect.
To do okay down here and may be okay over here in Santa -- Albuquerque it's in effect.
For goodness sakes if he wants to win he's got to find a way to run up the -- here with these same kind of suburban voters that -- that you see you around the rest of the country.
So on election night.
Be very easy for you.
To tell what's gonna happen in New Mexico just watch Sandoval county you'll know the answer before anybody else thanks -- watch and we'll see in a second.
And -- -- that I know really what he was done a lot of stuff about I think that's.
My woman that's what interstate is that that court where there that I was notified I -- yeah.
I -- -- so that's why there is the battleground right.
Absolutely there's -- there's a huge population.
Concentration and that part of the statement but the one thing -- -- -- -- analysis I think is worthless if you go to southern New Mexico you know Roswell Carlsbad right very conservative party's -- and you look at you know what bush in 2004 for example that you agreed to -- a lot of his support.
We have a very popular conservative congressman Steve -- down enough on stays very conservative he is very conservative and you know -- probably brings people and -- and I'm I'm sure that you know if Mitt Romney spent some time and in Mexico going to be down there and trying to get those southern New Mexico and -- other ranchers and he said more rural -- libertarians and yeah being -- -- not huge fans of the federal.
Government run down there.
And that you have today.
News relates to your statement politics there's the president comes out.
And is today announcing.
Change and immigration and deportation policies as they're now going to exempt younger.
Illegal immigrants from his from deportation -- I'm sure that the president is thinking about Hispanic voters in Nevada Colorado but also -- -- yet.
Course that this huge and I you know New Mexico as the largest.
Popular Hispanic population per capita the united states of any state.
So every presidential campaign is always focus on Hispanic -- -- New Mexico it's not a monolithic vote necessarily don't always vote the same way.
But I would imagine a policy like that is gonna resonate well with our Hispanic and the most is that Hispanics or Democrat.
And so that they -- I can only help them.
-- and that but the question of course is.
How will -- play with those moderates on that point -- -- or those folks that they may not like it -- -- -- -- question like -- -- is not a monolithic vote in the past bush has done very well with Hispanics in New Mexico we have a very popular Hispanic governor -- and I like to -- exercise is not -- this pistol -- former prosecutor right -- and she's she's a real tough -- She is and -- his -- and stay in Mitt Romney just named her to be co chair of his national -- steering committee.
So you know he -- he's doing the -- -- look at the numbers and and I figured that maybe he can she can help him -- -- -- some enthusiasm among Hispanics and -- is it different now so what's the -- say -- there's been much early polling in -- -- -- got a lot -- of -- pulling these -- national polls it's anywhere from Obama's -- anywhere from seven.
21516%.
Right some people so early it is fairly as a people right in Mexico -- a battleground.
I think -- little bit -- and I think it's faded somewhat of a diminished battleground like you were -- and show him in every electoral votes should count and a close race.
And Republican president gets -- done well here in the past since I don't -- religious -- and you've got a hot senate race and you're gonna go on so they're right yes Heather Wilson former congresswoman who served five terms the Republican.
And current congressmen and Martin Heinrich -- running and there's going to be a ton of money in a ton of effort poured into that race.
So that also have reverberations throughout camp and he's.
Are okay Michael thank you very much for -- on.
-- for us today -- we have to go away for the weekend we we we have to say -- so we should say that he ends we should all have a great weekend we'll see got a permit any Brothers but.
We can tell you this on the hunt with Jonathan Hunt is waiting for you on the other side.
And now as we like to do every day we want to leave you with the word from our -- -- It's.
-- as the man who said the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the twentieth century was.
Not the Holocaust the Second World War who knows the -- The collapse of the Soviet Union his ideas to rebuild -- strength.
And Syria is a part -- things in strategic terms and he is not susceptible.
To the kind of chiding him pleading him believing that you get out of the State Department.
