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Rove: Obama's ugly campaign fits an ugly record

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    Karl Rove on 2012 war of words and voters favoring Romney on the economy, but finding Obama more likeable

  • Duration 7:35
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What are you looking for in a presidential candidate someone you really light or perhaps someone who you think can manage the economy.

Right now it looks like -- split.

-- going to the latest USA today Gallup poll when asked which -- is perceived as better an academy 51% said governor Mitt Romney 41% said President Obama.

But when asked which -- is perceived as more alike above 60% said President Obama and 30% said governor Romney.

So would quality is more important for presidential candidate seeking to win.

Now that's just one of the questions we asked Karl Rove.

Yeah it's great to see you Greta.

I first -- bare knuckle fight that's going out between the two the two campaigns.

Obama strategists said David Axelrod said on Wednesday that day governor Romney and his friends in the super pac world we're to blame for the public perception.

That -- Obama is trying to win ugly that's paraphrasing what he said your thoughts on that.

That's -- since last October November the Chicago -- Obama headquarters gave a series of interviews to reporters which they explain their strategy was to quote kill Romney and quote.

And on May fifteenth they began their campaign with a couple of days a day or two a positive ads and Enqvist can quickly shifted over to.

Slamming Romney over outsourcing.

Attacks were so outrageous and so over the top city even Democrats like.

Cory Booker and governor Ed Rendell and newspapers like the war should post hardly a supporter -- Republican or conservative candidates.

Decried the Obama tax abortion post was so forest right -- editorial calling the attacks quote -- and quote.

So I I like I like had -- trying to sort of blame it -- -- -- can remain on somebody else but.

Frankly this is how President Obama has been running and how it will continue to run and frankly the only way can run -- you can't run for president.

For reelection if you got a record like he's got and made that -- -- resorted these kind of tactics as a result.

Explain these numbers to me that the cancer essentially tied nationwide.

Which would you prefer to have would you prefer to be ahead to do what -- like ability which is -- -- President Obama has.

Hard to do one of would you prefer that says the country thanks to the back of the -- people -- polls thinking your better manager of the economy which is better and why.

Well this year is an issue I think -- would be that -- better you better to deal of the economy because that's the issue that people are deeply concerned about we have.

Had 8% unemployment for 41 months.

And that's the longest period since world war six Jimmie since the Great Depression we get.

You know nearly thirteen -- people out of work week.

We we are who we're in bad economic shape last year one point 9% economic growth and slowing to one point seven in the first quarter people are deeply concerned about -- They're gonna whether they're ever going to be able to retire where there -- going to be able to put food on the table whether -- kids are gonna have jobs whether they're gonna have jobs so I'd rather have that.

But that's not to say it isn't a strength I had that readily admit it's a strength of president.

Obama is liked by so many people they just simply disagree deeply with -- a lot of what he's done.

And it is a question word of the independents fall on that dependant in independents care more about who they light of what they think Comanche -- better.

Well here's the problem for President Obama.

When it comes to the economy independents look very much like Republicans and when it comes to like ability they look less like Democrats.

Than they should that is to say they are less favorable towards the president.

Then Democrats and and look a lot more like Republicans when it comes to the rating the president poorly on the economy so.

Is the president is losing among independents today in virtually every public poll that's out.

And that's a problem because he won independents in 2008 by an eight point margin over.

Over Senator John McCain said to be losing them today shows a big shift among independents.

Politically what does said.

Governor Romney hoped to achieve -- what is his goal as he embarks on this set.

Foreign trip now ice in London he's headed on Israel to Poland and then backed -- state.

What does he hope to achieve politically.

Well a couple of big macro things one is he wants to emphasize the role that he played in saving the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake.

He was invited by the international Olympic committee to be in London and this will give him a chance to sort of -- case.

This important amount of public services and import record public service that he gave.

For three years as the volunteer chairman -- of the Olympics second allows him to look presidential he's going to be visited and I think probably well received in both Poland and and and it Israel as well as in great britney's -- be meeting with the leaders of government leaders of political opposition in the country's.

And I suspect particularly in Poland they're gonna roll out the red carpet for him after all -- very irritated with President Obama you may remember that the polls.

Had the -- jerked out from underneath them early on in the Obama administration.

When the president unilaterally -- to -- an important treaty.

Regarding anti missile defense systems.

That we're going to be deployed in Poland and miss her at the polls a lot because -- president did it without consultation.

And they've gone through a lot of pain in order to get these agreements approved -- in place and he jerk the rug right out from -- -- and he's got problems in Israel as well I would suspect to warm welcome.

In Israel for Romney and this will serve as a good sort of domestic.

Final if you will.

You know people -- -- -- polish Americans in Cuyahoga County.

Ohio or in the Pittsburgh here the Philadelphia area.

Who pay attention the fact he's gonna meet -- -- coalesce whom President Obama refused to me with as you know also present Obama originally.

The other -- round I thought that full and so would meet with that.

President Obama might run on -- Well -- -- you know either way it -- happen and he's going to be meeting with Mitt Romney we also have the situation recently in Poland where the president basically.

Called -- Nazi death camps polish concentration camps and this upset the polls mightily who.

-- kids keenly about having been the victim of Nazi oppression and and violence during World War II so there's -- give my chance to be both presidential by meeting with foreign leaders -- -- on the stage emphasizes some teams of America's.

Exception was -- but it also have some domestic political implications both of visits to Poland and Israel.

Right now that the but but that people -- a very upset was that gaffe -- made.

But how does it translated to votes here in the United States for governor -- -- Man and it it was a terrible -- in but do you have they'll be -- by everybody the next three or four months but.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- this was a big one though this is this is a matter of great sensitivity to the to the polls and for good reason and it was put on top of something else which was the president dismissed them.

But treating them so cavalierly in the opening months of -- of his administration all this question of the radar systems for European missile defense so they're -- they were already there -- you know with a little bit of a chip on their shoulder for good reason and now they've got a bigger one so.

Look -- in the greater scheme of things these things don't determine elections -- visit to Poland is not gonna sway the entire election but will have a -- positive impact -- strong.

Large polish American communities like you know outside of Detroit Michigan America -- Cleveland Ohio or Pittsburgh or Philadelphia.

And it'll have a positive impact to be felt and heard in those communities same with a visit Israel and this this will be a very important voting bloc.

You think about this if what Mitt Romney only gets the same percentage of the Jewish vote in Florida.

That President Bush got -- 04.

It would cut.

Barack Obama's winning margin in Florida about 13.

That's how proud port in the block the voting block kids.