Republicans aren’t closing the deal with voters

By Eugene Robinson,
WashPost
Published: November 14

Unemployment is at 9 percent, the housing market is moribund, “consumer confidence” is an oxymoron, and three-fourths of Americans believe the country is on the wrong track. So how is it that President Obama leads each of his likely Republican opponents in the polls? And why on earth is the gap widening rather than closing?

It’s simple: Voters are paying attention to what the GOP field is saying — not just the applause-line attacks on Obama but what the candidates propose to do about the economy. The more they talk, the more discouraged the electorate seems to become.

This should be the Republicans’ election to lose. They seem well on their way.

An NBC-Wall Street Journal poll last week showed Obama beating Mitt Romney — his most formidable opponent — 49 percent to 43 percent. That is not a huge advantage, but the trend is in Obama’s favor. Last month, the same poll had the president leading Romney by just two points; in August, Obama was only one point ahead.

(More here.)