Bain Capital experience may not be a winning strategy

[RecycleMichael]

Obama's Bain Capital attacks may be working with battleground state voters
By Holly Bailey | The Ticket

President Barack Obama's re-election campaign has come under fire for its attacks on Mitt Romney's time at Bain Capital—with several Democrats, including Bill Clinton and Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker, suggesting Obama's focus on private equity companies could backfire. But if a new poll of voters in key swing states is any judge, the Obama campaign is unlikely to drop its Bain strategy anytime soon.

A new Purple Strategies poll found that a plurality of voters in 12 key battleground states—Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin—are skeptical of Romney's argument that private equity companies create jobs. Among those polled, 47 percent say "private equity hurts workers," compared to 38 percent who say it "helps" the economy.

In Ohio, the numbers were starkest: 49 percent of those surveyed said private equity companies put profits over workers, compared to 33 percent who said private equity "helps" the economy. Eighteen percent said they were "not sure." In Florida, the gap wasn't as big, but it still favored Obama: 47 percent of those polled said private equity hurts workers, compared to 40 percent who said it helps the economy.

Meanwhile, voters in two other key swing states—Colorado and Virginia—were evenly split on their views of private equity. In Colorado, 44 percent said it hurts workers, compared to 43 percent who said it helps the economy. In Virginia, 44 percent said it helps the economy, compared to 42 percent who said it hurts workers. (Results for other key states were not disclosed.  The poll has a plus or minus 2.2 percent margin of error.)

The poll isn't a great sign for Romney, who has cited his work at Bain Capital as proof that he's helped to create jobs around the country. In their analysis of the findings, the pollsters note that Obama's Bain strategy is a "classic wedge issue," consolidating Democrats and winning over a plurality of independent voters, 48 percent of whom say private equity hurts, compared to 38 percent who say it helps.

"While the overall results on this argument appear to bode well for the president, the electoral map dynamics may argue for a more subtle state-by-state strategy," the pollsters write.

[Conan71]

It's a shame that President Obama doesn't have a better record of his own to run on where he wouldn't need to exaggerate the negatives then depend on people's ignorance of what PE firms actually do.

[RecycleMichael]

Do you not follow political campaigns?

Campaigns do both. They talk themselves up and talk down the other guy.

Is this a new concept to you?

[Gaspar]

Obama's Bain Capital attacks may be working with battleground state voters
By Holly Bailey | The Ticket

President Barack Obama's re-election campaign has come under fire for its attacks on Mitt Romney's time at Bain Capital—with several Democrats, including Bill Clinton and Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker, suggesting Obama's focus on private equity companies could backfire. But if a new poll of voters in key swing states is any judge, the Obama campaign is unlikely to drop its Bain strategy anytime soon.

A new Purple Strategies poll found that a plurality of voters in 12 key battleground states—Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin—are skeptical of Romney's argument that private equity companies create jobs. Among those polled, 47 percent say "private equity hurts workers," compared to 38 percent who say it "helps" the economy.

In Ohio, the numbers were starkest: 49 percent of those surveyed said private equity companies put profits over workers, compared to 33 percent who said private equity "helps" the economy. Eighteen percent said they were "not sure." In Florida, the gap wasn't as big, but it still favored Obama: 47 percent of those polled said private equity hurts workers, compared to 40 percent who said it helps the economy.

Meanwhile, voters in two other key swing states—Colorado and Virginia—were evenly split on their views of private equity. In Colorado, 44 percent said it hurts workers, compared to 43 percent who said it helps the economy. In Virginia, 44 percent said it helps the economy, compared to 42 percent who said it hurts workers. (Results for other key states were not disclosed.  The poll has a plus or minus 2.2 percent margin of error.)

The poll isn't a great sign for Romney, who has cited his work at Bain Capital as proof that he's helped to create jobs around the country. In their analysis of the findings, the pollsters note that Obama's Bain strategy is a "classic wedge issue," consolidating Democrats and winning over a plurality of independent voters, 48 percent of whom say private equity hurts, compared to 38 percent who say it helps.

"While the overall results on this argument appear to bode well for the president, the electoral map dynamics may argue for a more subtle state-by-state strategy," the pollsters write.

It's sad when politicians can take advantage of stupid people like that.  I'm confident that if you asked them what a PE firm does, you would get some hilarious answers.  I hope the president doesn't plan to hang his hat on the ignorant fainting masses again this round.

[Conan71]

Do you not follow political campaigns?

Campaigns do both. They talk themselves up and talk down the other guy.

Is this a new concept to you?

That's the odd part, I haven't heard the Obama campaign talking about the president's sterling record.

[RecycleMichael]

It's sad when politicians can take advantage of stupid people like that. 

That must be why Oklahoma elects a dentist to be state superintendent of schools.

[RecycleMichael]

That's the odd part, I haven't heard the Obama campaign talking about the president's sterling record.

We won't get much of that here in Oklahoma. Would you spend a bunch of campaign money in Oklahoma if you were Obama?

[Gaspar]

We won't get much of that here in Oklahoma. Would you spend a bunch of campaign money in Oklahoma if you were Obama?

I don't think he even considers us one of the 54 states!

[dbacks fan]

[Conan71]

I don't think he even considers us one of the 54 states!

Ahem, it's 57.

[guido911]

Ahem, it's 57.

I thought were 58 states...

[Gaspar]

Ahem, it's 57.

New math is hard to keep up with.

[guido911]

New math is hard to keep up with.

It's not that hard, it's just that these newer states have only been in the union for a short time.

[Gaspar]

It's not that hard, it's just that these newer states have only been in the union for a short time.

I can only think of four though.

New Michigan (built on the ruins of old Michigan)
Atlantis
Mexifornia
Toyotathon

[nathanm]

It's a shame that President Obama doesn't have a better record of his own to run on where he wouldn't need to exaggerate the negatives then depend on people's ignorance of what PE firms actually do.

As opposed to Romney, who depends on people's ignorance of what PE firms actually do?