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Is Romney's lead the real deal?

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    Questions about Mitt's momentum

  • Duration 7:23
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Welcome to The Journal Editorial Report I'm Portugal with less than two weeks ago both President Obama and Mitt Romney hit the campaign trail hard this week stumping in the battleground states of Florida Iowa Ohio.

Wisconsin Colorado Nevada and Virginia.

Polls continue to show the race in a dead heat nationally and too close to call in no fewer than ten swing states but the Obama campaign and its media allies.

Are questioning whether Mitt Romney's recent momentum is real.

Joining the panel this week Wall Street Journal columnist and deputy editor -- -- -- assistant editorial page editor James Freeman.

Editorial board member Dorothy rebel -- and Washington columnist Kim -- -- -- camp.

When -- you weighed in in this debate -- just how real this Romney's surge which is -- -- going on for about two weeks is.

All of Paul and those two weeks what you've seen as one side increasing its advantage in -- the national polls in the -- staples that's Romney we've seen.

Money flowing into that side that's -- we've seen him improve -- -- at performance among independents and women.

That's from inside you know you can call it what you want in the media can say this isn't really momentum but I betting that the president -- wishing they had some of that non moment so yeah this is all on Romney's side at the moment.

-- -- And to that point that yes indeed the Obama campaign which has had some of that momentum because ultimately what's really going on here that I think the president is flat line.

You think he's hit a ceiling I think -- set a ceiling because for two reasons.

He is approval rating had hit a ceiling is far back is April this president has been -- 47 or 48%.

All through the year he has there's don't lift to the Obama presidency.

And now that he and Romney have come to -- and both the national and he's -- swing state polls you see no lift at all in the Obama campaign and the question is where's it going come from.

Well but here's the argument that they make James which is basically look.

We still ahead in Ohio we're still ahead in Wisconsin this is the Obama campaign were still ahead -- Iowa we're still ahead and what they called their firewall.

Andy eat anything even if you give them Romney all the swing states that to -- they think they're gonna win Virginia and North Carolina.

As well as Florida that's still only gets some two by 248 -- Colorado tutors 57 -- -- needs to seventy to win the so what about that firewall market.

Right a couple things about the firewall one is that you do have to question for example is Obama really ahead in Ohio when everyone seems to acknowledge.

Romney's big advantage among independents and then this is true of a bunch of swing states -- there there's a question about who's really ahead.

But the the other issue is look this is a well known incumbent.

Late in the race.

He's probably persuaded most of the people he's going to persuade and I think his campaign speeches an -- telling you that because it is a very fiercely partisan.

Ideological message that he's delivering as he travels to the swing states he's not talking to independents -- -- I get a a clip of that we wanna give you know straight should what changed yes pointed out.

It turns out about a five point plan governor -- got to one point one.

Folks -- the merits not get to play by the rules.

Middle and lower tax -- and you do outsource more jobs let Wall Street run wild.

And it doesn't plan sounds familiar it's because we try it the governor Romney -- this.

You know this plan isn't any different than the policies that led to the great -- that.

So in the final weeks of election.

He's counting on you forget what he's been peaceful.

He's open but YouTube will come down with a case.

What we -- -- probably -- Romney Asia but I've got -- you've got it so what it's.

What do you what do you think of that as well -- -- Think -- that -- -- -- -- looking at it we have to acknowledge the president is a very angry that.

That is it and it evidently in the past and since that debate.

All along but you know I don't think here's the thing he's always been such -- cool customers that's in his -- eight appeal to so many people would help them in 2008 -- John McCain who seems so frenetic with the financial crisis Obama.

Mr.

cool mr.

laid back looks like he's -- a crisis while you're saying this is a different all of.

On the -- when the sun shining reality.

Is very different what happened is that we've heard the mantra for a long time now we always knew this would be a close race.

Well maybe -- him listed but Obama -- did you have to believe inside that.

-- -- stuck up now -- -- and he began to understand.

This is reality he is in danger of losing and everything that supported him all of that sense of vast crowds -- to what happened yesterday in Colorado if you took a look at Mitt Romney's immense crowds.

That evoke the same tremendous passion that Obama had only it was Mitt Romney winning so you have this enraged president.

And it comes out he can't stop just as -- could not stop.

You can stop behaving inappropriately.

-- The president's campaign just put out this -- page pamphlet to new economic patriot that was a big part of this week basically saying look I do have an agenda responding to the Romney criticism that he doesn't for the second -- exactly and senior Democrats have been saying that because Romney has put out this substantive economic plan the president.

Actually had to begin defining his own.

He goes on the stump and does he talk about that no he does what we just saw on speech after speech.

I honestly think that Barack Obama.

Harbor some deep.

Personal animosity towards Mitt Romney he can't stop doing that even as his advisors say you've got to go another direction Kim what's the strategy here do you think that the Obama campaign is is working.

Well -- what they've been doing all along its class warfare it's -- at the argument has always them for Obama.

Yes things are not necessarily as -- as you would like them but we're making some progress and trust me.

The other guy will be much much worse so it's the argument stick with the devil you know rather than the one that you don't.

And that's what you're going to be hearing out all of the swing states is it's going to be playing officer and fear in the economic anxiety that people still feel today.

Trying to make the worry about what would come with a -- presidents.

Dorothy what about the argument that we hear from some of our friends on the left this is -- Romney's now surging because it's moderate meant.

These disavowed his it's well past.

-- -- desperation tactics.

As opposed to Obama this is not tactic he can't help that he has been destabilize he's making all these errors but those people.

Out there it is the last resort to say.

It's not real if you have it -- Nate Silver in the times -- have -- everywhere now and I think it will do no good fact I'm not going to be.

Changing moderate net change.

Now I think what.

Part of the success of that first debate that big Romney victory was -- finally to the delight of my conservatives and free market fans made an argument for economic freedom and he talked about the difference between.

The real economy that Mitt Romney participated in and succeeded in and -- -- -- economies of President Obama where you've formed favored an opera okay all right thank you all.

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