Speculation Over Sandy Floods Race
As if the presidential race was not tense enough already, with the polls tight and candidates fighting furiously in battleground states, on cue comes Hurricane Sandy to add one more variable to the mix.
And how this plays out, nobody knows.
As the storm gathers to lash the East Coast, both campaigns have cancelled events, the federal government has shut down and President Obama is set to remain in Washington. All have combined to launch a torrent of speculation to rival the rain.
Some say the storm will play in Obama’s favor, allowing him to look more presidential. Others say it will favor Romney, as the media splits its attention between storm and race at a time when he is ascending. Then there are those who say it will simply freeze the race in place, as argued in The Fix blog in The Washington Post on Monday morning.
“The cumulative effect will be to preserve the race as it was towards the end of last week — a dead heat nationally with President Obama clinging to a swing state edge,” authors Chris Cillizza and Aaron Blake wrote. “What remains to be seen is when/if things return to normal before Nov. 6, and if they do, what the two campaigns do in what will be a very short window.”
—Glen Justice
NATIONAL JOURNAL’S PRESIDENTIAL RACE REPORT
Hurricane Sandy Upends the Presidential Campaign NEW!
[National Journal, 10/29/12] From possible election day power outages to the psychological impact of the storm on voters, NJ’s Naureen Khan breaks down how Sandy has thrown numerous wrenches into the candidates’ well laid plans in the final week of their campaigns.
Sandy May Delay Final Pre-Election Jobs Report NEW!
[Wall Street Journal, 10/29/12] The Labor Department on Monday said it hasn’t made a decision yet on whether to delay Friday’s October jobs report because of the storm. The report is the final reading on the labor market before the November elections.
Obama vs. Romney: Five Hidden Factors
[Politico, 10/29/12] Lurking below the surface of the election is an array of small, hidden factors that could break the stalemate: the impact of the Des Moines Register Romney endorsement, Romney’s pitch to white ethnics in Ohio, and a quirk in Wisconsin’s election law.
Would Romney Support FEMA?
[National Journal, 10/29/12] As the east coast braces for Hurricane Sandy, some are raising questions about Romney’s position on the sometimes-controversial Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Obama Balancing Storm Response with Campaigning
[Associated Press, 10/29/12] As president, it is Obama who oversees the federal government’s preparations for the looming storm and it’s Obama who will bear the responsibility for any missteps. With that in mind, Obama and Romney both scrapped all campaign events scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.
Hurricane Sandy Makes Whirlwind Campaigns Even More Turbulent
[Washington Post, 10/28/12] Hurricane Sandy, headed for landfall on the Mid-Atlantic coast Monday, adds another unpredictable factor to the endgame of the presidential race. Meanwhile, Politico has five questions about the prospective political aftermath of the storm.
The Bully Pulpit Won’t Help Obama Get a Grand Bargain
[National Journal, 10/29/12] In an interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Thursday, Obama said if he wins reelection it would give him a “mandate” to work with Congress on the debt crisis. But NJ’s Sophie Quinton writes that history shows when it comes to the tough issues, use of the bully pulpit can backfire.
Opinion: In 2012, the Mainstream Media’s Stranglehold has Finally Been Broken
[The Telegraph, 10/29/12] Dan Hodges writes for the Telegraph that in 2012, thanks to the Internet, the wall between the electorate and their politicians – a narrow gateway policed by the media – is crumbling.
Obama Looks to Young Voters, Many of Whom Seem Uninspired
[Los Angeles Times, 10/29/12] Four years after turning out in huge numbers to cast their ballots for Obama, many young voters – facing high unemployment and diminished dreams – are less than inspired by two candidates they see as thoroughly conventional. There is no doubt that Obama will win a majority of the youth vote – the question is whether turnout matches that of 2008.
Boston Globe Endorses Obama
[Boston Globe, 10/29/12] Romney’s hometown newspaper endorsed Obama on Monday, saying he can help broker a balanced approach to the national debt and praising the president’s first-term accomplishments in the face of heavy GOP opposition.
Five Ways Romney Has Moved to the Center Since the Primary
[Talking Points Memo, 10/29/12] From Romney’s primary promise not to cut taxes for the rich to the candidate’s turn-around Obama’s “extraordinarily weak and timid” foreign policy, TPM has five changed stances that reflect Romney’s evolution.
Op-Ed: Romney is All Wrong About Coal Industry
[Herald Star, 10/28/12] President of the AFL-CIO Richard Trumka has some harsh words for Romney as the GOP nominee tries to appeal to coal voters: “”Mitt Romney doesn’t know a thing about hard work or responsibility, and he sure doesn’t know anything about mining coal… Romney got rich by making America poor.”
Sandy Turns Obama’s Florida Trip into the Most Expensive Pizza Delivery in History
[BuzzFeed, 10/29/12] The White House cancelled an event in Florida on Monday, but the president did manage to make an unscheduled stop to speak with volunteers and deliver pizza to staffers in what journalist Hans Nichols described on Twitter as “the most expensive” pizza delivery in history.
Faced with Long Lines, Early Voters Stay Patient
[Tampa Bay Times, 10/28/12] Tens of thousands of eager and determined Florida voters patiently stood in long lines Saturday as early voting began in a crucial battleground state. Few people complained and county election supervisors reported no major problems on opening day of a shortened schedule.
Romney Avoids Taxes via Loophole Cutting Mormon Donations
[Bloomberg, 10/29/12] Romney used the tax-exempt status of a charity – the Mormon Church, according to a 2007 filling – to defer taxes for more than 15 years. This popular tax shelter often allows rich people to take advantage of the exempt status of charities without actually giving away much money.
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