Comments about ‘Robert Bennett: Is the presidential election over?’

No question that the GOP is disappointed with its candidate. It is difficult for the GOP's right-wing base to be enthusiastic over Romney, the "inventor" of ObamaCare as a funny clip from "The Simpsons" circulating on the Web points out.

And moderates in the party, represetned by Christine Witman to Olympia Snow to Jeb Bush, are uncertain how Romney will act in office -- will he cater to the party's destructive right-wing (implementing social austerity measures while boosting military spending), or will he take a more pragmatic and successful approach as he did as governor in Massachusetts to build concensus and solve problems.

The broader public wishes the "old" Mitt from his Massachusetts days was running rather than this inauthentic conservative one that seems to want to distance himself from his previous political successes as governor (implementing RomneyCare, raising "fees" instead of taxes to balance Massachusetts' budget, supporting civil rights for gays, etc.) to play to his right.

The prediction is that Obama will win, Democrats will win more seats in Congress, the Tea Party's influence will fade, and the GOP will have to compromise for the good of the nation.

Polls are not to be trusted, unless they show your candidate winning. Then they're the Holy Bible.

Ignore polls from any news organization. They have their own agenda, and it's not reporting news.

The poll that counts is on November 6th. Make sure your voice is heard.

There seems to be a slow erosion in Mitt's support over the last several weeks. Mitt has not run a good campaign against a vulnerable opponent, he was a 50, 50 shot as recently as the end of August.

Three factors have led to Mitt's decline. The lackluster RNC convention made people ask "if he can't run a more inspiring convention, how can he run a country?". The nomination of "let's cut Medicare" Paul Ryan has made the elderly very hesitant to continue supporting Mitt, and polling among those over 65 is showing weakening support for Romney. The coup de grass has been the video that keeps on giving, the famous 47% tape which plays into every possible Romney, negative stereotype. Americans are naturally conservative, but we can't abide someone who is cold, and uncaring, someone we can't TRUST.

So let's see: moving in Mitt Romney's direction this week were Georgia (from "lean" to "safe"), New Hampshire (from "lean" Obama to "toss up"), and both New Mexico and Pennsylvania (from "safe" to "lean" Obama).

Moving in Mr. Obama's direction: Oregon (from "lean" to "safe"), Wisconsin (from "toss up" to "lean"), and Arizona (from "safe" Romney to "lean" Romney).

Mr. Obama's "safe" Electoral College votes total went DOWN to 196. Mr. Romney's "safe" Electoral College votes INCREASED to 159.

Romney is a dead horse (Dole&Kerry) being run against Obama to keep him in office. Romney will not talk about any issues that will win the election for him. In fact, he is in favor of them. Tyrannical issues such as the NDAA,CSPA,forcing people to buy health insurance if they don't have pre existing conditions,Continuing that evil piece of legislation known as the patriot act,fast and furious,the DHS buying 1 billion rounds of ammunition. If he ignores and supports things like this, he will lose the election.

nonfactor issues like job creation won't beat Obama. He would have to dig down deeper if he was a real candidate which is obviously not the case.

@Stephen Kent Ehat
Safe and lean status varies depending on which place you're looking at. For instance, I use Real Clear Politics which uses 5 point leads as the threshold to get lean status, 10 point leads for likely and 15+ for safe. RCP has it at Obama 179 and Romney 150 for safe/likely states but 5 point leads are rather large in a race that has not shifted all that much in months. Adding in states where candidates have 5 point leads (the leans states) makes it Obama 265 Romney 191 and makes things much more dire for Romney. The tossups are Virginia (Obama +3.4) Colorado (Obama +3.2) Nevada (Obama + 4.0) Florida (Obama +3.0) Iowa (Obama +3.5) New Hampshire (Obama + 3.0) and North Carolina (Romney +0.7), Romney basically has to sweep them all, or somehow make up a 5+ point deficit somewhere else (presumably Ohio since that's the closest at Obama +5.5).

I have been watching Rassmussen pols all year. They are the one poll that is very biased toward the Republicans! They might be be respected by the republicans, but that does mean they are correct.

The media are full of articles attacking the polls today. Polls are not perfect, and you can't forget to factor in the margin of error when reviewing any results. Still, the polls have accurately predicted who becomes president since the 1930s (when you look at the poll results this close to the election). So, yeah, Romney is done.

The Rasmussen is the #1 poll in accuracy. Polls are going to become much more accurate a few days before the election. Otherwise some pollsters may have some egg on their faces. NO matter what the debates do the media will not give an inch on Romney. However I think Obama has a slight edge so get ready to pay more taxes.

Why is it that Republicans STILL keep trying to make Mitt Romney into a Resurrected Ronald Reagan?
And even looking at his dreadful polling numbers even invoke the Carter/Reagan numbers as some sort of last bastion of hope?

Look --
Reagan was a BIG Tent Republican, who'd be considered a Liberal RINO in today's GOP.

If you want to sweep America by nearly 500 electoral College votes like Reagan did,
you need to drop the fringe puritan Tea-Party,
Be Inclusive - not Exclusive,
Become a Big Tent, Blue Dog Democrat, Party of YES,
coupled with answers to questions and detailed plans as to how WE [ALL Americans] are going to rally behind and get there.

or

let the Tea-Party turn you into the forgotten party of has-been Whigs.

it is over and barry will be going back to chicago

The media is so in the tank for Obama, it's laughable. Anywhere you look, mentions of the "secret Romney tape" cannot be missed. What IS missing is mention of the newly-found 1998 Obama tape of him speaking at Loyola University in Chicago admitting that welfare recipients potentially are a majority coalition. AMAZING how this is being overlooked by media. The only place you can view this in at Rush Limbaugh's home page.

Also, Ute, Obama will not return to Chicago, but will live in luxury in an Oahu, Hawaii mansion purchased for him by 'friends'.

So Pam,

You really dont see a difference between someones thoughts 6 months ago vs 15 YEARS ago?

and about the "Oahu, Hawaii mansion purchased for him by 'friends'."
I have not seen anything about that. Please enlighten us about the "story".

I expect it will be based on unsupported "facts" by entertaining regardless.

Baron and LDS liberals: The Tea party, the God fearing, and those who value liberty and freedom will never compromise with you who think that compromise means less liberty, more Godlessness, and Government control of our thoughts and actions. So, I would wager that if Obama wins, Washington will become even more impotent to solve our problems and life will go on until we go over the cliff. I would much prefer the cliff over despotism and tyranny. I wonder how anyone could defend that. But, life has consequences, which is usually when we learn.

Mr. Bennett,

As thoughtful and objective an article as ever I've seen from you. Thank you!

yes it's over. Actually it was over 4 years ago. Americans want free stuff and no work and Obama gives em both. Americas best days are behind it unfortunately. A stark and bleak future awaits our kids.

I completely agree with Patriot. It is over, others in this nation voted in the worst President in the history of the United States and they are going to do it again. This country is falling apart because of this man and his wife and now they will put it in complete ruins. Those who vote for Democrats want to have everything for free, never having to work for it. Heck I would vote for them if it didnt make me vomit.