Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

What’s the October strategy for Obama and Romney?

Details

  • Description

    Penny Lee and Brad Blakeman on what battleground states are key for the candidates

  • Duration 9:06
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Editor's Picks

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

Right now because we have.

To my right -- Blake man who has served as a member of president George W Bush's senior staff specifically from 2001 to 2004 as deputy assistant to the president.

For appointments and scheduling.

And then we are also joined by penny Lee a former senior advisor to senate majority leader Harry Reid in Pennsylvania governor.

Ed Rendell our thanks to you both for joining us and so let -- have your starkly different takes.

On this same objective than -- we start reviewing the jobs numbers seven point 8% it finally went below that magic number that's got to be.

Something the Romney campaign views with some apprehension.

Miracle.

-- manipulation I happen to believe it's manipulation.

I think it's beyond.

Reason that.

With thirty days to go in the election the Obama people -- muscle.

The Labor Department to try and cooked the books on these -- brought you have no knowledge that they didn't know but well I I have history tells me.

That it we've seen -- almost it without.

Fail that they -- job numbers only to.

Revised those numbers of months afterwards and usually revised in and it doesn't reflect muscling taking place behind the scenes right -- I happen to believe.

I happen to believe they'll have people so did -- on the -- and on the history of the numbers that have been released by the Department of Labor.

That there is there is certainly something.

Terribly wrong with their calculations when they release a number -- favorable to the president only to.

Re released numbers months after that and they usually -- not in the president's favor of the usually provides upward we saw it almost in every month.

In the last year and a half when -- -- numbers only to be revised in OK in numbers that hurt the president.

-- we also heard Mitt Romney say today.

That were all the people that great numbers of people who were in the workforce -- time the Barack Obama was sworn in still in the workforce today.

The unemployment rate would be over 11%.

So these are not great numbers right.

-- -- -- -- -- that it is it is not the economy it is not to recover that that the president would like it at this point but he still is a recovery nonetheless.

And just it just to piggy back on and Brad had to actually -- let me.

Fifteen Bureau of Labor Statistics -- petitions decisions I mean these people are it in the -- is as much as.

Any do you -- they're not manipulate even want to.

How do you think this candidate they like everything having every every problem -- his reply to the numbers.

In the presence in the -- I think they think they think they do that all the time they.

The iron yeah.

Interrupt you both said.

That I personally as a reporter looked at this kind of thing not long ago.

And we looked at the comparable period under the Bush Administration the first term for 52 weeks and determine how many times.

The unemployment numbers were revised upward quietly later.

And it was roughly in parallel with the number of times we've seen in the Obama administration so so bottom line let's assume the numbers for just for the sake of our discussion to be genuine.

And not subject to manipulation.

This is it not important meaning in PR terms seen in terms of optics.

That the that the unemployment number finally did go below 8% which he promised and let's assume it stays at seven point eight.

What's the impact is it something the the Romney campaign can deal with for a while certainly we just heard from the governor you have to take the numbers in the context of the -- how they were delivering what they -- What it means is there's a lot more people who have left the job market completely for a lot of people -- are underemployed.

So if you take the under employed with the people would stop working -- 11% OK that's the real.

-- -- And the president said he is not satisfied on with with where we're at and we'll do everything he can.

To have to continue -- but the trajectory is what is important on the political side in the American public are starting to feel they have a lot more confident.

That this is the right trajectory and that is what the president is going to be.

And then he wouldn't be as you heard his talk with -- he is going to be projecting going for is that up on the right trajectory NASA people wanna see as.

-- notes the release of this data is is is not being in a vacuum and most specifically and most recently.

And the big event prior to the release of the -- it is the debate that occurred earlier this week and which by all accounts governor Romney won.

Penny why did he win.

He was strong he was assertive you know it's interesting that people say you know it was Romney -- -- Romney.

But I have to say after -- after watching not sure what I've just scheduler was that that he showed up you're not sure he's gonna change you -- is going forward so he was strong and he was -- -- he had.

Some very deliberate about -- which he made the president did not.

I don't think his closing statement with his distilled as it needed to be -- didn't -- the message about what he was going to be -- failing is that is that a staffing failure.

Yeah I can -- I can't I was in in the room so I I don't know how it was.

It was Peter -- statements are probably -- and I don't know that he has been known to write his speech is what I'm not I can't say for certain whether or not he wrote that -- final speech but.

I think -- could say they were a bit disappointed his energy was low.

He didn't seem to be as engaged as it as he has been in past debates so.

It was a moment to shine for Mitt Romney -- I think it -- -- game change and everybody thinks.

Our isn't going to say it is I think it -- Republicans do better.

They made and still stay energized inning to Asian made -- -- OK if I hope this guy he's now so that he actually is that this isn't competent is.

Their -- any theme or set of things that the Romney campaign can do to.

-- Two par -- this debate victory into a real palpable.

Difference in polls and in the outcome on Election Day.

But Romney came in and penny gave a very honest assessment I'm not gonna gloat about his about his victory.

There's a lot this gonna take place between now and Election Day that is for sure but one thing that I would impress upon the campaign -- Romney speaking on filter directly to the camera.

More than thirty or 62.

Commercials it seems to be very effective.

And if I were advice in the campaign which I'm not.

I would say by fifteen minutes -- I'm -- time on state television which is less expensive than the national by.

Speak directly to the people in the battleground states and tailor that message to the stage for delivering that message and I think it will be very very effective.

The fact of the matter is when Romney's able to talk.

Uninterrupted -- -- he seems to get his message more crossed and sound -- penny.

We should be expecting markedly different performance from President Obama when the -- next -- I really think probably yes and okay -- political but it it's also a different format from what I understand is going to be in a town hall format -- which is.

At traditionally has played more towards the president's.

Strength.

I think you'll see it empathetic qualities especially -- -- and similar to what we saw with President Clinton when he was in that town hall you know I feel your pain.

I expect some moments such -- that we're -- -- as one of the things that was lacking with the president's debate performance.

He didn't -- any habit -- do you bring him back to you know stories where Mitt Romney from his almost his first answer was about.

Who he'd seen on the trailer are related to a very personal -- I think -- Tennessee.

And those kind of -- it -- out there warm.

We only have about -- ninety seconds left Trevor dean chats with us if President Obama claims he has strong support this election would be a close race.

Trevor this is a close relationship my most accounts it's going to stay that way.

Brad did what do you expect to see from President Obama in the next debate let's point out one thing by the way Mitt Romney threw the sharpest -- -- the debate.

What the closest to the -- of an allegation of corruption.

When he made reference to the president's campaign contributors receiving green stimulus falters.

Mean.

Should we expect like treatment from the president should we expect to hear about Bain and outsourcing all that sort of think well I think if he tries to overcompensate this a town hall we have to answer the question is directed to you by the person.

Who's giving the question.

If the president tried to -- compensate for poor performance I think you'll have another poor performance as penny correctly points out the town hall means that you have to connect with a person.

Who's who you're responding to but also use that to connect.

To a broader audience Ronnie has to listen to the question and answer the question.

If the president makes a misstatement go after the president on that question ten seconds from each -- -- the vice presidential debate is coming up what should we expect any.

I do not think we'll be hearing -- let -- -- -- Let us hope it stays on script whatever you -- that the staff has been briefed and prepared -- -- does stay on there -- a script which we expect ten seconds.

What I think it's gonna be must see TV you have two I got to really interesting people different people.

Debating each other and and I what I expect from -- -- to be very factual.

And very knowledgeable.

I think that Joseph Biden by all accounts is searching non Linear speaker.

That he could actually frustrate and perhaps just befuddled.

A character like Paul Ryan who is all about his numbers in his mind Pacificare -- he has to make sure that he's -- just looking young because one of the things you are hearing any audio system which is is -- how he really is young right and that's something that is gonna be there front and center with an older.

Statesman I think any alien Bradley couldn't stay --

Load More