Ann Romney Makes Case for Her Husband in Convention Speech: "This man will not fail."

As ABC News reports, 56 percent of registered voters disapprove of Obama's handling of the economy. Since the 2012 presidential election has hinged on the economy, one might think Romney would be the clear front-runner. However Gallup shows Romney with a slim 1 point lead ahead of Obama, Rasmussen finds 53 percent of Americans predict Obama will win, compared to 33 percent for Romney, and Intrade shows Barack Obama has a 56.7% chance of winning compared to Romney's 43.1%.

This conundrum may be in part explained by the American public's skepticism that Romney would actually improve the economy. While 58 percent say they are not confident the economy would improve under a second Obama term, 52 percent aren't confident it would improve under Romney either. Consequently pollster Gary Langer suggests: "Romney could benefit by sharpening his argument that he'd do better."

Ann Romney, in her widely well received GOP convention speech Tuesday evening, made an emotional case that her husband could in fact improve the economy. "No one will work harder. No one will care more. No one will move heaven and earth like Mitt Romney to make this country a better place to live!"

It is clear that Ann Romney's speech was intended to speak to what this polling data reveals. Although 50 percent of Americans say they trust Romney to handle the economy (7 points higher than Obama) a majority don't believe the economy would actually improve under Romney. To this point, Ann Romney made several bold assertions:

This is the man who will wake up every day with the determination to solve the problems that others say can't be solved, to fix what others say is beyond repair. This is the man who will work harder than anyone so that we can work a little less hard…

I can't tell you what will happen over the next four years. But I can only stand here tonight, as a wife, a mother, a grandmother, an American, and make you this solemn commitment:

This man will not fail.

This man will not let us down.

This man will lift up America!

Comments

[SML]

"No one will work harder. No one will care more. No one will move heaven and earth like Mitt Romney to make this country a better place to live!"

How very cult-ish

[Pro Libertate]

I'm incredibly skeptical about what Romney will do. However, I have absolute knowledge about the failures of the current administration.

[Hugh Akston]

If you've been paying attention for the last ten years, then it should be pretty clear what President Romney would do.

[Pro Libertate]

I'm thinking some ineffective gestures to reduce spending and maybe the repeal of a few regulations, while adding new ones.

[LTC(ret) John]

DING. DING. DING! Winnah!

[Scarecrow Repair]

Ask not for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee, and me, and he, and she, and we, and evree-boddee.

[RedDragon6009]

So business as usual then?

[Pro Libertate]

No, the gestures are new. We're doing the opposite right now.

[$park?]

He's going to tilt his right thumb down instead of his left thumb.

[A Serious Man]

So once again, the Republicans have a distinct edge in the electoral race for the office of First Lady. Obama-Ann Romney 2012! Mandingo 2!

[$park?]

This man will not fail.

This man will not let us down.

This man will lift up America!

And when all of those things actually happen, I'm sure he'll let us know who is actually to blame for them. Hmm, that sounds familiar.

[RedDragon6009]

He'll just tell everyone that the mess he inherited was far worse than anyone could have realized and that things would have become even worse had he not been elected.

[Rich]

This.

I would lend more credence to such statements if they were followed by something like: "The Democrats may choose a reasonable aspect of the economy that can be objectively measured. If that shows no improvement in two years, I will resign."

[Mike M.]

I wish that Reason contributors would stop citing InTrade already as though the numbers on there mean something. They mean absolutely nothing whatsoever.

[Scotticus Finch]

The InTrade numbers reflect thousands of people putting their own money behind their belief in what is going to happen, based on whatever metrics they trust. It's a free-market version of polling, and I trust it more than Rasmussen, if you're choosing whom to cite.

[Mike M.]

It's a free-market version of polling

No, it isn't. It's a form of gambling is all it is, and the people who are doing the gambling by and large don't have access to anything except the exact same public information that all the rest of us do.

InTrade is no more predictive of the true outcome of political events than the current Vegas sports betting lines are predictive of the true outcome of sporting events. A guess backed up with money is still nothing but a guess.

[Scotticus Finch]

A guess backed up with money is still nothing but a guess.

Vegas makes billions on people with that perspective.

Look at it this way, since you said it's like a sports book. What's more likely to be accurate? An afternoon's worth of phonecalls asking "Hi, ma'am. Who do you think is going to win tonight's basketball game?" or a line set by people's whose entire livelihood is based on getting it right?

People aren't buying InTrade shares for shits and giggles. They want to profit, and they are applying all the data they have at their disposal to make an educated wager. They can buy scratch-offs if they just feel like spinning the wheel.

To say it's just a bunch of guesses is plain wrong. Now if you want to say InTrade and polling is worthless to cite, I could see that; but to say reason should cite polls but ignore InTrade? Fuggedaboudit.

[Scotticus Finch]

...the people who are doing the gambling by and large don't have access to anything except the exact same public information that all the rest of us do.

So? That makes InTrade an poll aggregator at worst.

[LTC(ret) John]

"This man will not fail.

This man will not let us down.

This man will lift up America!"

How about This man will get out of the way, get government out of the way and let Americans pursue their own path?

I know, I'll lay off the halucanogens.

[T o n y]

Or just stop confusing bumper stickers for thoughts.

[$park?]

But then how would we know what all the Dems are thinking? In my experience, they are the ones most likely to stick their thoughts on their bumpers.

[Randian]

This is sad to see, Tony. You used to be edgy, man. Now you're just phoning it in.

[Gwen Ifill]

You've changed, man. You've changed.

[Episiarch]

I long for the candidate that says "I will do Jack and shit, and Jack left town".

[$park?]

I hear Sandi did shit in many different places. Ideal candidate?

[Episiarch]

Alright you primitive screwheads, listen up! You see this? This...is my boomstick! This is a twelve-gauge double-barreled Remington. S-Mart's top of the line. You can find this in the sporting goods department. That's right, this sweet baby was made in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Retails for about a hundred and nine ninety five. It's got a walnut stock, cobalt blue steel, and a hair trigger. That's right. Shop smart. Shop S-Mart. YOU GOT THAT?

[db]

It's a trick. Get an axe.

[Pro Libertate]

I'm waiting for the guy who says, "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. . .and I'm all out of bubblegum." Then picks a fight with every single person at the convention.

[$park?]

And then he opens his bag of sunglasses and beats up anybody who won't put them on?

[Pro Libertate]

Yes.

[Episiarch]

Not this year.

[$park?]

You, you're alright. This one here, real fucking ugly.

[kinnath]

The economy won't truly recover until the government starts doing much less than it is now.

[Gwen Ifill]

Get the quotes right, Emily. I was there and what I heard her say was:

"This man will not fail like Barack Obama has.

This man will not let us down like Barack Obama has."

[Gwen Ifill]

Clearly, Ann Romney is racist.

[Gwen Ifill]

And I bet she loves teabaggers.

[Zeb]

Nah, just being teabagged by Mitt.

[Whiterun Guard]

I would.

[OldMexican]

While 58 percent say they are not confident the economy would improve under a second Obama term, 52 percent aren't confident it would improve under Romney either.

Looks like people understand the situation a little better than our Wise Overlords want to give them credit for.

Lawrence Vance's predictions for the future after the elections relfect the same sentiments that people show:

Now that Romney is the official nominee, I would like to give my official prediction about the election.

Prediction 1: If Romney wins, in four years we will have a higher national debt, and still have a drug war, a police state, troops in 150 countries, and a national security/warfare state.

Prediction 2: If Obama wins, in four years we will have a higher national debt, and still have a drug war, a police state, troops in 150 countries, and a national security/warfare state.

[Brutus]

Pretty much.

[Dunphy (the real one)]

when i think romney, i think of that pj orourke quote about how republicans claim govt. doesn't work, and then get elected and prove it

[Zeb]

Yeah, that one's always a winner.

[sarcasmic]

I think I'll be a voting for that good Irish boy, Bitt O'Bamney!

[Trespassers W]

I'm not worried that he'll fail. I'm worried about what he'll succeed at doing.

[protefeed]

No one will work harder. No one will care more.

1) They will care more except for when, according to the fired newscaster, they are cheering black people drowning.

2) I could care less if he cares more. I want results, not emotions.

3) The results I want is for Romney to cause government to shrink. But, no one paying attention thinks that is the likely outcome of Romney "working harder". Quite the opposite.

[CE]

Chris Christie said some politicians want to get elected to be something, and others want to get elected to do something. Unfortunately, Romney wants to do something.