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The Republican national convention was basically a three day infomercial for Mitt Romney. While the event failed to have much impact on polling for the Presidential race, it did at least manage to modestly improve Americans’ opinions of Romney.
According to a new Washington Post/ABC News, Romney’s net favorable rating is still bad but not as terrible as it was last month. Directly following the convention 40 percent of adults now have a favorable opinion of Romney while 47 percent view him unfavorably. This still leaves Romney in negative territory but not as bad as he was before the convention. The same poll right before the convention found Romney favorable rating an abysmal 35 percent favorable to 51 percent unfavorable.
After three days of the best possible press for Romney at a massive event whose primary purpose was to sell Romney to the American people, Romney’s favorable rating still couldn’t even reach neutral territory.
I suspect this convention bump will be the last high water mark for Romney’s favorable rating, and it will only go down as we get closer to November. The Romney campaign is going to have the unenviable task of convincing people to vote to make Romney President even though they don’t like him.
10 Comments
Jon, you did see this:
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/07/15/political-perceptions-romney-banks-big-on-the-anti-obama-vote/
The point being that most Romney voters were planning to vote for Romney (before the convention) because he wasn’t Obama anyway. Romney’s approval rating will not be all that relevant to his success, if he really wants it.
On the other hand, the idea that the Republicans want to win this year is really rather dubious. See, e.g. Matt Stoller:
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2012/09/10-arguments-the-republicans-arent-making-or-why-the-gop-doesnt-mind-losing-in-2012.html
“The secondary goal is to win the election, the primary goal is to keep the public out of the deal-making.”
Just imagine how popular he would be if he would release his past year tax returns showing he paid a reasonable amount of taxes like the rest of us and that he does not have money squirrelled away in tax shelters in the Caymans, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and Switzerland.
Just imagine………
Thanks for that link. I recommend that everyone read it. It accords with much of what I’ve been thinking all along, but esp since the Kabuki Show called “Republican Primary” began. That dog ‘n pony show highlighted for me how the GOP wasn’t really trying. Let’s face it. When the GOP fights to win, they are ready to get down ‘n dirty and go for it.
As far as I can see, both parties this year are just coasting. Why bother? Doesn’t matter who “wins,” as long as the public continues to be screwed over for the benefit of the 1%. The 1% doesn’t really give a crap who’s in office, as long as they can do whatever the feck they want.
And, think how popular he would be if were not a lying liar, corporatist shill, and filthier richer bastard whosse only goals are to continue to feed his buddies in the MIC and to cut taxes on his 1% buddies. Like 13.6% federal income taxes is so unfair to the elitist oligarchs and job creators.
Agreed. So far, so good.
Did yo see Michelle Obama last night. Pretty nice speech, huh?
We can expect lots of “let’s all pull together” speeches in the coming age of austerity.
Nobody loves Willard boo f*cking whoo! So, the Reptiles have a ticket with a robot as it’s candidate,one that nobody loves ( I would have recommended Robbie or R-2 instead.) The D’s on the other hand have a guy that has a great smile and a slick delivery ( like a greasy used car salesmen) & is about as trustworthy as a used car sales person. After 40 yrs. of voting D enough already. I’ve decided this yr. to vote for JILL STEIN so I can sleep at night.
No. I cannot be bothered to be lied to by either party, thanks v. much.
But Willard hasn’t released his returns and if he did they show he paid even less in taxes. Lets see the returns.
Also where’d you learn your French, from Willard while he was draft dodging in Paris.