Today the Mitt Romney campaign released a memo describing what the campaign calls its “ever expanding” map to win 270 electoral votes and capture the presidency. The memo, written by Romney political director Rich Beeson, leads off noting that former PA Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat, has stated that a “startling upset” for Romney over Obama is a possibility in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania has consistently been in the “safe Democrat” column until the past couple of days. It is now rated “lean Democrat” by ABC News and as a “toss up” by the RealClearPolitics average.
“What a difference a few days makes,” Beeson writes. “Not only has Minnesota has been moved to ‘Lean Dem’ and the Obama Campaign is up in that state with a significant television buy, but the Chicago gurus have heeded Governor Rendell’s plea and are buying television in Pennsylvania and sending the Vice-President in to help prop up their flagging campaign.”
Beeson writes that the Romney campaign’s strong fundraising efforts enable it to compete with the president’s campaign across the board, while leaving none of the “lean Romney” states short of support. “As a campaign, we will put more resources into the target states in the final week, than previous GOP campaigns have been able to do in the final 10 weeks. The Romney campaign has the resources to expand the map in ways that weren’t possible in past cycles (without reducing any effort in any other target state). After fully funding the paid media effort, the ground operations and the voter contact programs, Governor Romney’s message of bringing real recovery continues to resonate with voters, volunteers, and donors.”
Beeson adds that Obama is particularly vulnerable in Pennsylvania because of the “war on coal,” which has targeted western Pennsylvania. “The western part of the Keystone State has become more conservative (and President Obama’s war on coal is very unpopular there), and Mitt Romney is more competitive in the voter-rich Philadelphia suburbs than any Republican nominee since 1988. This makes Pennsylvania a natural next step as we expand the playing field,” Beeson writes.
Comparing the body language of the two campaigns, it’s evident that the Romney campaign is confidently moving forward into states thought to have been safe for Obama, while the president’s top men played an unconvincing defense during their conference call on Monday. No McCain 2008 state is in play for Obama, while the president’s firewall has become a 5-alarm blaze.
Update: Meanwhile, Ohio’s polls may be understating Romney’s support there.
OPEN MEMO TO BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA, POTUS:
Dear Barack…you don’t mind me addressing you by your first name, do you?…for the life of me, Barack, I can’t understand why you’re just sitting around the situation room all day “monitoring” the progress of Hurricane Sandy as it wreaks damage all along the Eastern Seaboard, putting at risk the lives of millions of your fellow Democrats.
I know, I know, Axelrod and Jarret are convinced the photographs of you hunkered down in the corner of the room as Mother Nature’s devastation unfolds on millions of television screens around the nation will save your presidency and you’ll get four more years to work your will on the American people.
But are you sure such a naked publicity stunt will actually work as advertised?
Particularly when right in front of you there is such a sure-fire way for you to gain your coveted four more years. I’m dumbfounded you haven’t thought of it, yourself.
Just fire up Marine Corps One and chopper out to the coast. Hover over the Jersey Shores, wave your magic wand and lower the sea level as you promised in your inaugural speech four years ago. What could be simpler? Have the media follow in Marine Corps Two and with one wave of your wand you will secure your reelection and send Ol’ Mit back to the Bain board room and his millionaire and billionaire buddies.
I can’t think of a more eas….oops, oops, my bad! I just realized that yours’ is the same wand you waved at the unemployment rate and look what happened there. And didn’t you shake and jive it at the “Stimulus” package that only stimulated higher debt and a windfall for assorted union thugs and your large campaign contributors? And if I’m not mistaken, this was the very same wand you used to cut the deficit in half.
Right! Clearly, all the magic has leaked out of your magic wand. What a shame. It seems like it was only yesterday when you waved it over the huddled masses and hundreds of College Coeds cried out and fainted at your feet. Then it stood ramrod straight, throbbing with your power and majesty. Now? Well, Dood, I hate to point this out, but today it looks limp, more like a strand of yesterday’s spaghetti, then an upright symbol of proud progressivism.
Okay, okay…we’ll have to formulate a “PLAN B”! Alright, I’ve got it! Forget about cutting any new 30-second television ads. Forget about conjuring up any new campaign themes. If you want to stop your campaign from setting faster than the western sun, there is only one thing you can do….
Find a new magic wand!