Romney's "47 percent" remarks damage his image with voters: Reuters/Ipsos poll

[RandySF]

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday showed that more than two in five registered voters, or 43 percent, viewed Romney less favorably after an excerpt of the video was shown to them online.

In the video, Romney portrayed Democratic President Barack Obama's supporters - which he said was 47 percent of the electorate - as people who live off government handouts and do not "care for their lives."

Nearly six in ten, or 59 percent, in the poll said they felt Romney unfairly dismissed almost half of Americans as victims in his remarks made to donors in May at a private event at a luxury home in Florida.

"This isn't great for Romney," said Ipsos pollster Julia Clark, who called the video an image problem for the Republican.

"This type of issue, a gaffe or an indiscreet remark by a candidate, has an effect on a candidate's image, but it is not the kind of thing that decides how people vote on Election Day," she said.


http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/19/us-usa-campaign-poll-idUSBRE88I1E920120919

[Gman]

1. but it is not the kind of thing that decides how people vote on Election Day

So we stop gloating and go back to work.

[RandySF]

4. it lowers his ceiling.

And hardens existing attitudes against him. He stunted his potential for growth.

[Incitatus]

10. Yes, it is.

You do not insult half the country and not have it affect the way people vote or the amount of people who go out to vote.


You are right that we still need to continue working at bashing his campaign into the ground, but don't think this tape didn't do serious damage.

[southernyankeebelle]

2. Wow ......."but it is not the kind of thing that decides how people vote on Election Day". Hmm

really? Am one of the 47% and your damn right it DOES effective the way I will vote on Election Day and I am sure many more people will feel the same. Just look at it if he wins. He won't give a damn about the 47%. He told us so.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. A gaffe, an indiscreet remark…HaHaHaHa. Image problem. HaHaHaHa.

A whole goddam taped speech is not a "gaffe." It is not an "indiscrete remark."

It was a view into Romney's ugly soul, and is the kind of thing that lodges in the craws of a good many people, and will still be there when they enter the voting booth.

[salin]

5. Expect millions on ads trying to create a similar

"off the cuff" moment against Obama (the 14 yr old remarks currently in play are an example.)

But I think that those ads will primarily appeal to already existing Romney (teaparty) voters.

There is a tipping point that I think has been crossed. It is the point where the public perception has accepted a particular "common view" that no amount of attack ads can penetrate. Indeed there is a point that even for lower information voters recognize the attempts to change conversation - as just that.

I don't know if we have hit that tipping point (but it sure feels like we have) and if we have what did it (I don't think it was just this most recent ugly revelation.)

But check out Twitter - the near universal mocking of nearly anything Romney says or does, and of nearly any new ad - indicates a continuing broadening of a singular (outside of the reactionary right media echo chamber) view of Romney. The danger for the GOP is that the common public perception of Romney becomes the common public perception of the GOP. (I would suggest that this is obvious - as he is an opportunist - and what he projects is what are the core views of the reactionary right.)

I think the danger zone (per defeat) has been crossed for Romney, but I could be wrong.

More interestingly (to me), there is a place I could not have fathomed a month or two ago; a place in which Romney's disfavor with the public - starts changing the public perception of the GOP in general - and starts to take down the party's electoral outcomes in general. I could be wrong about this happening. However, if it happens, this is not something that changes how people respond to a single election. It is a lasting impression that remains for quite some time - and that every candidate for that party has to individually overcome in order to win elections (if in moderately close contests.)

I could be wrong but it feels like a long-term game changer election is in the making.

[reformist2]

6. OF COURSE it's the kind of thing that decides how people vote!!!

[justice1]

7. A gaffe, wouldn't result in Republicans distancing themselves from Romney. nt

[outsideworld]

8. Thats Great

News !! It needs to only get worse from here

[L0oniX]

9. So does this...