Rolling Calamity

Peggy Noonan made waves describing the Romney campaign as a "rolling calamity." Romney defended his campaign noting "We've got a campaign which is tied with an incumbent president to the United States."

Romney's comments, while, perhaps, the best thing to say in the circumstances, reflect what is missing in his campaign. It is, of course, true enough that, in general, it is hard to beat incumbents -- especially well liked ones. For Romney supporters, however, this is not at all an ordinary, "in-general", election or incumbent. That Romney sees it that way is disconcerting.

Whatever their intention, Noonan's comments were seriously damaging. As Cass Sunstein notes, people are less persuaded by new information than by "turncoats", who can prompt the reaction “if someone like that disagrees with me, maybe I had better rethink.”. As such, the temporary boost the President had in the polls last week may have had less to do with the 47% comment, and more to do with the prominent and persistent "Republicans Turn on Romney" headlines.