Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) said Sunday that he doesn’t believe recent polls showing President Obama with a wide lead in his home state.
“There are two polls out that show it’s 11 points. But I don’t believe those polls,” Rendell said on CBS’ Face the Nation. “…That’s what he won by in ’08. I don’t believe that. I believe it’s going to be closer. We’ve got a very serious problem with a bad voter ID law, if the courts don’t throw it out, that could cost us 100,000 votes. So this isn’t over in Pennsylvania. And if you’re a supporter of the president, don’t think by a long shot it’s over.”
Rendell added that the small percentage of undecided voters reported by pollsters also isn’t a given.
“What happens post-Labor Day is people start paying more attention to the campaign. We’ve got the convention speeches. We’ve got the three debates,” the former governor said. “A lot of those so- called firmly decided voters can still shift.”
Another swing-state governor, Virginia’s Bob McDonnell (R), said on the same program that he believes his state will go to presumed Republican nominee Mitt Romney.
“I think it’s probably a dead heat right now, but that’s a long way Mitt Romney’s come in the last four months when he was down by eight points,” McDonnell said. “But since he captured the nomination and the grassroots has organized on the ground, the enthusiasm gap, clearly, on the Republican side, but I think, most importantly, while it’s a dead heat right now, the momentum is going to continue to go for Mitt Romney because people are realizing this is a very serious election.”
He added that the election is not about personalities. “And that’s what the president is trying to make this about.”
To laughter from the show’s guests, Rendell said he wanted to go on record as supporting Michele Bachmann for vice president.
“Governor McDonnell would fit that bill,” he added of potential picks. “So would Senator Portman and some of the others that are being talked about.”
McDonnell, on some short lists for a VP nod, demurred when asked about his chances by host Bob Schieffer. “I’ll wait to hear,” he said. “And as soon as I find out, I’ll let you know, Bob.”
Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D) said Portman would “probably” be a good — and safe — running mate for Romney.
“He’s a very conservative fella, but he has really good manners, Bob,” Strickland said. “He’s not a bomb-thrower.”
Strickland said he thinks it will be former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. “No. 1, former Governor Pawlenty has a connection to the evangelical community, which I think is important for Mr. Romney,” he said.
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