WHERE OBAMA STANDS – AT 10:32 A.M. ET:  Polls are going to differ day by day.  There are differences in methods, and in the populations polled.  But, by and large, the presidential polls are generally aligning.

The race is exceptionally close, with both candidates polling in the mid to almost-high 40s.  This morning's Rasmussen report has Obama at 46%, Romney at 45%, a disappointment, as Romney has generally polled a bit higher in the Ras poll than Obama in recent weeks.  Gallup has the race dead even at 46% each, among registered voters.

What does this tell us?  It tells us that a small majority of Americans would probably like to see a change, reflected in the fact that Obama can never seem to reach 50%, a serious danger sign for an incumbent.  (He did hit that number in a Pew poll, but, as we noted yesterday, that poll oversampled Democrats.) 

It also tells us that Obama, despite his colossal failures, retains a firm base of support that is unlikely to change much between now and election day.  That is a function of culture, of comfort, rather than an endorsement of policy.  America is a divided country, made more divided by the multicultural religion taught in our schools.  Some people just identify with Obama, and will not turn away from him.

And it also tells us that Romney has not made his case.  There is no "wanting" of Mitt.  Thus far he has failed to ignite any excitement, even within his own party.  And yet, he is capable of doing it.  When he wants to be, he's a fighter, and can speak well.  But the Dems have succeeded in hanging the "rich boy" image around his neck, and he doesn't know how to fight it.

We get a sense that the concerns are reaching Romney.  His campaign, which apparently had wanted to wait to fire its big guns, started firing back this week, and Romney will appear on a number of TV shows this weekend.  He has to.  The summer before a presidential election used to be resting time, preparing time.  Now it is action time.

Romney can pull this out, but he must have a strategy to overcome the obvious, continuing press bias, he must come up with specific proposals that excite people, he must have a solid running mate, and he must be out there every day selling himself as the desired alternative. 

This is a critical election.  We cannot take four more years of the monumental incompetence and deceitfulness we have now.

July 14, 2012