Poll: Ahead of speech, Romney faces empathy gap

CBS News

(CBS News) A new CBS News poll out Tuesday shows that half of registered voters think that Mitt Romney does not understand their problems, reflecting an empathy gap with President Obama as Romney prepares for his acceptance speech at the Republican nominating convention.

Only 41 percent of Americans said Romney understands their needs and problems, compared to 54 percent who feel Mr. Obama understands their needs and problems.

Romney will have an opportunity to reach out to voters on Thursday when he accepts the Republican nomination for president. In an interview this week, Romney suggested he recognizes this empathy gap and isn't necessarily looking to fix the issue.

"I know there are some people who do a very good job acting and pretend they're something they're not," Romney said. "You get what you see. I am who I am."

In that interview, he also said, "I don't think everybody likes me."

According to the CBS News poll, Romney has a 31 percent favorable and 36 percent unfavorable rating, with 32 percent saying they're undecided or don't know.

Forty-one percent have a positive opinion of Mr. Obama, while 44 percent view him negatively.

Heading into the political conventions, the president and his GOP rival are in a tight race among registered voters who lean towards a candidate. Mr. Obama has just a one-point lead, 46 percent to 45 percent (within the poll's margin of error), with 6 percent undecided.

The president continues to lead among women -- by 10 points in this poll -- while Romney has a nine-point lead among men. In 2008, Mr. Obama won women voters by 13 points (56 percent to John McCain's 43 percent), but the race was much narrower among men. Mr. Obama edged out McCain among men by just one point, according to CBS News Exit Polls.

For the full poll results, see next page.

This poll was conducted by telephone from August 22-26, 2012 among 1,218 adults nationwide, including 1,051 registered voters. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample and the sample of registered voters could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher. Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

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[TimeToEvolve]

After months of showing almost everyone except rich white men of the Top 1% that you could not care less about them, what does Mitt Robbed Me expect?

[bbglow]

Question for republicans: Why are you willing to create middle income and a demand based economy abroad, i.e. China, India, Brazil, et. al. while ignoring and denouncing it's validity at home?

[swr112261]

No clue what you're talking about. Bill Clinton signed NAFTA. Are you advocating protectionism?

[TimeToEvolve]

Bill Clinton was more of a Republicon than Ronald Reagan. Can you not answer a simple question swr?

[robinfff]

No problem - the multi-billionaires funding Romney's campaign and trying to buy the elections have a team of experts working with Romney to package him as a nicer person - whatever it takes to fool the electorate so they can win the White House and make sure they keep those tax cuts at the expense of everyone else in the country. I'm sure these highly paid experts can help Romney portray a better image, but still, it's just an image. The real Romney won't even let us see his tax records, as he has much to hide. But I'm sure the packaging experts will help him hide it better though.

[infantryman1968]

LOL!

You and Obama extended the Bus Tax Cuts 2 times in the last 3 years.......

By the way, you and Obama raised over a half Billion last time and what did you get for it?

[swr112261]

Umm, Robin..were you aware that some of President Obama's largest donors are Wall Street exectutives and Hollywood elitists? This "multi" billionaire argument aimed at Romney is a load of tripe. Both campaigns are funded by very wealthy people.

[AOCGUY]

"The lower class [poor] made decisions along the way that led to where they are"

Really? Some poor kid growing up in the projects is poor because he chose to be? What a load of crap?

[infantryman1968]

LOL!

America should strive to guarantee equal opportunity not equal outcome. The rest is up to you. Believing in yourself not the Government is half the battle.

[bbglow]

Whose asking for equal outcome. Those "forced" to government are the individuals being denied level playing fields.

[bbglow]

Stop corporate welfare ... debunk the current tax system.

[infantryman1968]

by Rafterman11 August 28, 2012 3:23 PM EDT

If you are talking about polls, I don't believe in any poll. The only poll that matters is the one in November.

When I accuse you 'cons of lying, I always try to post a link or have a valid argument or example of why I think so.


LOL!


Every poll including Fox pads Obama by 6%-15% with people who claim to be Democrats and he still comes up just barely ahead.

Should tell you something.......

[infantryman1968]

by bbglow August 28, 2012 3:26 PM EDT

P.S. I believe GW Bush to be decent man who could not handle a storm of any kind. In many ways a victim of the people around him, his loyalties and above all the circumstances around him, i.e. 9/11.

LOL!

Well, GWB is not running for President anymore.

You and Obama will be Judged on Nov 6 by the American People for the last 4 years, not for 8 years of Bush.

[bbglow]

@infant68... I empathize, how long have you suffered under the affliction of cynicism?

[bbglow]

Is it really that difficult to understand that it is not necessary to be for something to be against something else. The republicans are at war with the American worker and middle-America. That is what I oppose. (period)

[AOCGUY]

"...anyone who focuses on a person's wealth, instead of whether they are meeting their tax obligations as outlined in the law, is just jealous of what another HAS ..."

Incorrect - the issue is whether the tax codes fairly distribute the tax burdan. No matter how the codes may change someone will end up paying more and some will end up paying less. It has nothing to do with coveting someone else's money.

Personally if my employer wanted to give me an extra $20K a year I would be more than happy to pay the extra tax that goes with the pay raise.

[AOCGUY]

BTW my annual income falls somewhere in the 7-10% range.

[infantryman1968]

by bbglow August 28, 2012 2:54 PM EDT

@infant68... nobody said both parties weren't culpable, however, this article is about Romney's empathy gap.

Get a clue con.

LOL!

Empathy = When a union worker who does not have a manditory deduction from his paycheck does not pay his union dues.

Thats real Empathy!

[bbglow]

Somewhat like inventing terms like "right-to-work" and then denying employment based on age or wage request ...? And, don't even try to deny my experience on this one.

[infantryman1968]

by Rafterman11 August 28, 2012 2:50 PM EDT

They should split screen Louisiana guv Jindel bashing Obama for spending money and in the other side of the screen, begging Obama for storm money for a storm that didn't even hit yet.

LOL!

Since the Federal Government cannot intervine without the State's approval, I would hope he would ask for help.

Kathleen Babineaux Blanco refused to ask Bush for help and look what happened last time.

[bbglow]

... "nice work Brownie". --GW Bush--

[Rafterman11]

I see. So, government handouts are only OK when the GOP has its hand out.

Taking a page from you 'cons, why doesn't Louisiana just pull itself up by its own bootstraps instead of taking my tax money?