NBC's Todd Touts Polls That 'Back Up the Obama Spin' of Romney Throwing Electoral 'Hail Marys'
On Wednesday's NBC Today, political director Chuck Todd seized on the latest CBS News/New York Times
poll showing narrow leads for President Obama in Ohio, Virginia, and
Florida as "evidence, potentially, to back up the Obama spin" that
"Romney has run out of routes to 270 electoral votes...so they are
throwing Hail Marys in new states." [Listen to the audio]
However, the poll Todd so eagerly cited, used voter samples significantly slanted in favor of Democrats, using turnout models resembling Obama's win in 2008, a highly unlikely scenario in 2012.
The Obama campaign's "Hail Marys" line against Romney was in response to the fact that polls have tightened in what Todd referred to as "normally reliable Democratic states" like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Minnesota. Somehow Obama being forced to campaign in such states is a sign of Romney's desperation.
Here is a full transcript of the October 31 report:
7:14AM ET
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Well, there's another huge story going on in this
country, hard to believe that the presidential election is just six days
away now. And the storm has forced several states to take a closer look
at their election day plans. NBC's Chuck Todd is NBC's political
director, chief White House correspondent. Chuck, good morning to you.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: The Aftermath of Sandy Today; Storm's Impact on the Race for the White House]
CHUCK
TODD: Good morning, Savannah. Well, Mitt Romney actually resumes a full
campaign schedule today in Florida, but President Obama will focus for
one more day fully on Sandy recovery efforts. He'll get that first-hand
look of the Jersey shore and the damage there later today. Election day
may be six days away, but the President appears to believe the best
politics, stay off the campaign trail. Today it's storm-ravaged New
Jersey. Tuesday, Red Cross headquarters.
BARACK OBAMA: My message to the federal government: no bureaucracy, no
red tape, get resources where they're needed as fast as possible.
TODD: Mitt Romney also suspended campaigning Tuesday, but still
traveled to the battleground state of Ohio to encourage donations to the
Red Cross.
MITT ROMNEY: And I appreciate the fact that people right here in Dayton
got up this morning, some went to the grocery store I see and purchased
some things that these families will need.
TODD: Governor Romney is back campaigning today, holding three rallies
across Florida. But the President remains in disaster response mode.
He'll survey storm damage with New Jersey's Republican Governor Chris
Christie. Among the issues Christie plans to bring up, how to rebuild a
more weatherproof Jersey shore.
CHRIS CHRISTIE: One of the things I'm gonna be talking to the President
about tomorrow is bringing the Army Corps in immediately to talk to us
about how's the best way to rebuild the Jersey shore.
TODD: Despite election day on the horizon, Christie didn't seem very concerned about how his state would hold an election.
CHRISTIE: I don't give a damn about election day, it doesn't matter a
lick to me. So let the politicians who are on the ballot worry about
election day. It's not my problem, I'm not dealing with it at the
moment.
TODD: But local officials in New Jersey and other states are worried
about next Tuesday. In New York City's Nassau County, loss of power may
force votes to be counted by hand, delaying the results. In Connecticut,
officials will consider whether to relocate polling places, and West
Virginia may deploy generators to keep lights on and voting machines
humming.
[FOOTAGE OF DUELING CAMPAIGN ADS]
Meanwhile, the two campaigns continue to battle over the perception of
which campaign has the momentum. Both are now advertising in three new
normally reliable Democratic states, Michigan, Minnesota and
Pennsylvania. The Romney campaign says it's evidence they have expanded
the map. The Obama campaign says it's a sign that Mr. Romney has run out
of routes to 270 electoral votes, the number needed to win, so they are
throwing Hail Marys in new states. A little evidence, potentially, to
back up the Obama spin on that front, Savannah. Three new polls out this
morning from the New York Times and CBS show the President leading
narrowly in Florida, Ohio, and Virginia.
GUTHRIE: Well, in six days we'll know. Chuck Todd, thank you very much.
