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Did Romney catch his 'stride'?
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WSJ's Peggy Noonan on campaigns
- Duration 8:08
- Date Nov 6, 2012
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WSJ's Peggy Noonan on campaigns
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Seven weeks ago.
Taking a look at the Romney campaign.
It looked very different from the way in which it closed out the selection.
And Wall Street Journal columnist and former speechwriter for president Ronald Reagan Peggy Noonan.
Called for an intervention.
In that campaign as she got a lot of flak for this column because she was not easy on the Republican candidate.
At the time she wrote quote -- needs to get serious here and be serious and fight.
She continue -- Reagan in 1984.
Used to put out his hand come to come walk with me come -- come help.
Whatever is happening in your life.
Again that was seven weeks ago.
Watch this web -- released by the Romney camp just yesterday.
The passion of the human spirit the greatness of the human spirit.
It is really something which cannot be overstated.
This is something.
Which makes America the unique nation that is.
Whenever we draw on that spirit we ignite the spark within.
America can rise to any occasion.
This necessary.
Peggy Noonan joins me now she's a Wall Street Journal columnist and former presidential speechwriter.
Peggy welcome back your thoughts.
-- Megan -- I'll tell you I just think we are living through one of the great political moments of modern.
American history.
This is really big.
It appears to be really close we'll find out in a few hours but I am fascinated by.
The number of people who follow politics for a living who very actually and I honestly don't know what's gonna happen tonight so that.
That just kind of fascinates me in general let's might earth thought I guess.
You're you you write a column -- posted on Monday posted yesterday.
That's you had a conversation with John Dickerson of CBS news and slate and that he said to you.
Before the last presidential debate that he thought maybe the American people were quietly cooking something up something we don't know about.
You wrote I think they are and I think it's this.
A Romney win explain that.
Well I just gotta feeling -- -- -- for a little while I'm out that something is.
Going on out there may be and it is the best way to explain it to myself and away in the past 24 hours as -- that.
Well the day that that I get all the anecdotes and one.
Distinguished flying about this campaign an unusual thing.
Is that we have all been so overwhelmed by data.
Battle ground.
Polls national polls local weighted polls all of this stuff it in a way in my mind has gone back to.
Let's see what the humans are saying and all I get.
Is a sense that.
The Republican.
Base.
Its many constituent.
Parts has in some way maybe in the past ten days -- few weeks.
Started to come together again and they're going to come out.
I also see now this is from polls the number of independents who appear to be breaking for Romney.
You talk to Democrats who were feeling sympathetic I'm just thinking.
Something is going on there on the Romney side that that's where the dynamism is that that's where.
Something is breaking it's just the way I am seeing -- you read your piece about how he appears to have caught this -- you say.
Something old is roaring back this is interesting because.
You were very critical of him and his campaign.
Not so long ago but you've seen -- shift.
Talk about that.
Well and I didn't even know that it was seven weeks ago.
That I had -- critical I felt that the Romney campaign it feels almost done on gracious or almost a little off point to say it.
Eight today.
But to go back I -- the campaign was on focused.
That it was relatively joy -- that it wasn't speaking to the big issues of the time.
They just hadn't come together and I must say the past week or so.
Even as we've all been distracted by the still warm and we've been distracted by the polls I look at the Romney campaign and I see these.
Wonderful rallies where people are genuinely excited.
Icy Mitt Romney having 88 closing case are closing argument.
That has.
Dynamism and some joy.
And and holds together as a statement this is what I will try to do this is not I'll try to do.
One of the greatest things I think he's in the past few days by the way Megan is.
I am not gonna spend any time blaming my predecessor.
You know I'm just gonna move on I'm getting get in -- -- gonna do my work.
So so.
I know what I'm saying is a little amorphous but I can't help but think the dynamism is on the Republican side not on the democratic side I respect Scott Rasmussen so much.
And I know he's very honestly thinks.
This is too close to -- but oddly enough in -- too close to call.
I'd put my money on Romney who I wouldn't -- -- What's happening on the Obama side of this of this race because you you -- another piece and obviously -- -- -- appears that we Regis up all the time and you said.
Look you know in the wake of the storm.
Hurricane -- may -- may be some folks will be looking for the status quo.
And then you said.
Something -- effective or maybe they will look at the president and realized he couldn't stop the oceans rise.
Yeah I'll tell you it I know that that it it was I mean it's -- to say something as.
Very.
Damaging is as what we're calling cold Katrina up in New York.
It's it feels I'm fortunate to look at it the political sense but we all know politics is part of life.
The storms slowed up.
The Romney campaign in a way by taking all attention on to the president from -- -- the storm and it's sort of slowed up Romney but at the end of the day I think it's a wash for President Obama I don't think it doesn't -- thing.
For him and I then also the situation in New York is turning a -- grammar.
But in -- I think overall there's been a kind of cool remnants.
And showing closeness.
And profound negativity.
To -- president's campaign.
I don't think if it turns out he is the winner I don't think it'll help him govern.
I think it will almost make it more difficult for him to work with Republicans -- -- -- anything together.
But you look at a picture of a Romney rally now it looks happy.
An Obama rally feels a little bit different.
You finally said that you suspect both Romney and Obama.
Have a sense of what's coming and you think you can see it in the candidates faces in your experience.
Is that true.
You know.
Candidates are not stupid people they are there because they are pretty Smart.
And -- I think often have an intuitive sense of what's going on I can remember in 1992 saying seeing.
President George H.
W.
Bush struggle.
With the idea that he was going to lose towards the end two.
The governor of Arkansas.
You can sort of see it and to me.
Romney certainly looks peaceful like someone he knows someone who knows he gave -- his very best.
And he has no personal regrets he really worked it worked it hard.
But he also seems.
Joyous and happy and the president does not to me it's possible I'm reading too much into that stuff but that's how it looks to me.
Peggy Noonan thank you so much for your thoughts.
You may -- I hope to talk to you later we -- -- --