Battleground states still in play

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He -- we've been doing this now for three weeks in this is our third let's bring in our special panel from three key swing states.

Round Christiansen political writer and columnist with the news and observer of Raleigh, North Carolina.

Joseph how -- senior editor of the Columbus Dispatch in Ohio and from Milwaukee Wisconsin Craig Gilbert Washington bureau chief for the Milwaukee journal sentinel.

Gentlemen thank you very much for being here wanna start going around the horn first do you Robin North Carolina the real clear politics average of polls down there.

This is the average of five latest polls has Mitt Romney -- 49 point 8% to 46%.

This is a lot closer than actually were many Republicans thought it was going to be at this point.

When north -- kind of curious battleground states we don't have the it had the presidential candidates here.

President -- has not been here since the convention in Charlotte.

Governor Romney was here once when he met with the reverend Billy Graham.

The Republicans had hoped to put the state.

Out of play but this summer.

But that hasn't happened governor Romney does have small lead here but it's within the margin -- most recent.

The most recent polls.

But even without the candidates this has been there's a lot going on here.

There's been seventy million dollars of TV ads have been spent here.

There's a heavy heavy ground game here including hundreds of people from nearby southern states have come in here to work for both campaigns.

And DeWitt lots and lots of surrogate so even if we don't have the candidates here -- have -- watts.

Friday for example Jill Biden's coming in here.

Today before the election Michelle Obama's coming in here so we're having a tremendous amount of campaigning that's been going on him.

OK Joseph let's go to Ohio it seems to be ground zero the real clear politics average -- there are nine holes included in -- 48 point 9% for President Obama 46 point.

6% for Mitt Romney it seems like.

Almost every day there's something new out of Ohio what do you -- -- on the ground there.

Well I'm like North Carolina.

Candidates have been in my house for -- that -- you literally have become paths and they will be here through the weekend.

Obama will be here Monday Columbus with -- and Bruce Springsteen so.

They're pulling out all the stops what I hear on the ground is a very close race I straw poll today that I really trust.

That has a dead even.

And I think the candidates now.

Are in the posture of going to their bases because there are only about two -- from the voters here who are undecided.

So they've got to gin up turnout among their partisans.

The end as in North Carolina and everywhere there.

Hundreds of volunteers here.

Doing that I expect we're gonna see is another 2% election here.

If Romney loses the presidency because he.

Loses Ohio by 2%.

He will wake up every day for the rest of his life regretting that he did not choose senator Rob Portman of Ohio as his running mate.

Then -- also regret that the New York Times editorial that was entitled.

Let Detroit go bankrupt.

If Obama loses by 2% here.

It'll be for the simple reason the magic is gone after the drudgery of four years.

After having governed for four years.

The the independence the young people even the Republicans.

Who ran into his arms in 2008 now have to be coaxed to do that and that's what the Obama ground game is all about funeral in Ohio.

Yet to be ferried in -- Title of that editorial but you're right about the focus -- special -- in the northern part of your state.

Like Toledo Democrats are focusing on that -- come back around of that joke Craig Gilbert down enough.

In Milwaukee.

Wisconsin.

The real clear politics average four of the latest polls.

A President Obama 50% to -- 45%.

But boy you hear Republicans talk about it it seems closer than.

Again if thumb is Mitt Romney wins Wisconsin by half a point he'll be glad that he picked Paul Ryan as his running mate.

Com but it's a tough left for Republicans I mean they've they've had this string of victories -- huge victory in 2010 big recall victory they've got Ryan on the ticket they're very organized.

The Republican base is extremely motivated in Wisconsin but they're fighting a lot of history in this this is the only.

State among the top nine battlegrounds it's voted -- democratic six elections in a row and Obama -- -- by fourteen points last time around so.

There is a scramble for Wisconsin prison Obama's gonna be here three times in the final week of the election Mitt Romney will be back.

Tomorrow it's his first visit actually since August and so.

You know that's one question lurking here is -- you know the Republicans -- -- some mixed signals about their confidence in Wisconsin they have not.

Kind of flooded the zone here with the candidates the way -- W bush did in 2004.

Com but we certainly expect a close and competitive election.

Hey Joseph back in Ohio you know a lot of people talk about enthusiasm.

What what are you seeing in in the state of Ohio enthusiasm -- Well before the first debate I've felt that Obama had almost -- this election away but any move the first debate in.

Since then -- so momentum turned with Romney and has stayed with Romney.

It's a little bit hard to say how the hurricane.

Has impacted that -- kind of -- pros the -- in place.

But.

I honestly believe there's less enthusiasm -- time for Obama for sure.

-- and certainly Romney has more than McCain had in 2008.

The machine -- North Carolina rob what about the machine on both sides.

What we've had one point four million early voters already which is which is ahead of 2008.

The a -- organization never closed up shop and and since 2008 and and then this is that -- critical mistake like North Carolina.

I'm one of the things that makes North Carolina.

Interesting is that it has the largest African American population.

Many of their out of that they have -- battleground states.

Okay last word Greg machine and now Wisconsin.

Jail what was -- is the highest turnout state of all these battlegrounds and it's also very organized engaged.

Mobilize -- we've all been watching over the last two years so I think.

Both sides can and know how to maximize their -- it'll be a test for Democrats because clearly people are not as energized as they were four years ago but com.

I think we're gonna see is sky high turnout I think it'll remind people of 2004 which is a very close it collection.

And you guys want to make predictions for your states.

Have to look -- anyway for his crickets chirping here okay.

-- out -- Joseph Greg thank you very much we really enjoyed these panels thanks a --

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