As Mitt Romney struggles to put a cascade of missteps behind him, the Republican presidential nominee faces a twofold challenge: first, to steer the conversation back to the economy, and second, to prevent his recent difficulties from curdling into a perception that the race is becoming unwinnable.
"The challenge to the Romney campaign is how do you make the number one issue the number one issue," said David Winston, a pollster who advises GOP congressional leaders. "Any day there are other things going on that do not allow them to make the number one issue the number one issue is not a good day for the campaign."
We that's it then. The MSM keep finding distractions and staying away from perspectives that make The One look less than optimal.
"My expectation is that if you want to be president, you have to work for everyone, not just for some," Obama said during a taping Tuesday of "The Late Show With David Letterman."And that has been ALL OVER the radio for the past few days, along with the ensuing cheers. But I'm not sure how to tell you this, Mr. President - as far as I'm concerned, you have not been working for everyone for any given day of the last four years.
But Obama also noted that presidential candidates slip up on the campaign trail. He expressed regret over an episode in 2008, in which a recording device caught Obama telling wealthy donors in San Francisco that some small-town Americans become bitter and "cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them."
"The danger date for Romney is October 4, the day after the first and most important debate," said one veteran GOP operative, speaking on the condition of anonymity to talk candidly about Romney's prospects. "And he needs to keep an eye on Capitol Hill, because members of Congress are always the first rats off the ship."
Too candid an opinion to name names, unless you're caught on a secret recording.