Can Romney redefine himself in this week's debate?

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks at a campaign rally at Dâ??Evelyn High School on September 23, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. / Getty

If you had any doubt about the stakes for Mitt Romney in Wednesday night's debate, look at the results of recent Republican focus group interviews in Ohio with uncommitted, independent blue-collar voters.

Bottom line: These voters, who backed President Obama in 2008 but aren't sold this time around, know next-to-nothing good about Romney.

They know about Bain Capital and how Romney supposedly was "closing businesses, sending jobs overseas to China." And they're well aware of Romney's self-inflicted wounds, especially his comments about the 47 percent of Americans who don't pay federal income taxes -- remarks women in particular found highly offensive.

But the focus groups didn't know about Romney's success running the Salt Lake City Olympics or his tenure as governor of Massachusetts or, even, his proposals for creating jobs and jump-starting the economy.

"To many of them, he was just the caricature that has (been) painted in negative ads," according to a memo summarizing the findings by the Tarrance Group, which conducted the focus groups for Resurgent Republic, a GOP research firm.

And there have been plenty of negative ads against Romney, with the Obama campaign outspending Romney's campaign nearly two to one in key swing states like Ohio. In fact, critics of Romney's campaign say one reason he's lost ground in the polls in states like Ohio is because he's allowed the President to define him.

But that's not to say there's all good news for the president. Despite the negative ads - and their current impressions about Romney - these blue-collar voters still aren't embracing Mr. Obama. Many say they've fallen out of the middle class, so the current debate about helping the middle class doesn't apply to them. They want someone to talk about getting people back in the middle class, and they're willing to consider an alternative to the president--or perhaps will stay home on Nov. 6.

"These are people who voted for Obama and took a step away from him. The question is what are neither of two candidates giving them," said Ed Goeas, CEO of the Tarrance Group, who conducted the focus groups for Resurgent Republic. "They have a lot of cynicism toward the barrage of advertising on both sides, and they see the debates as looking at the candidates with an 'unfiltered' view--that was term that kept popping up."

That's an opportunity for Romney, but based on their comments, it won't be easy to win them over.

There were several notable themes to emerge - especially on the economy. Some of these voters are dramatically worse off now than four years ago - they've lost jobs or make a lot less money. But even they are willing to give the President the benefit of the doubt on the economy.

That's Romney's key campaign issue. He's built his entire campaign around the premise that the president has failed, and that he knows how to get America back to work. But in these focus groups, the president is not to blame for their financial situation.

Repeatedly, they said they didn't know enough about Romney or how he would govern. And, the memo says, his negative images weigh heavily.

The memo says the "good news" out of the focus groups for Romney is that these undecided voters are "open" to learning more about Romney and "excited" about the upcoming debates.

"If Romney closes strong and articulates a clear vision for improving our national economy, many of these voters would be willing to vote for him," according to the memo summarizing the findings.

That's Romney's opportunity Wednesday night - and his challenge.

[mikesfilms]

He can: someone who's vowed to privatize Social Security and Medicare to lower the rich tax.
As Governor he was for Romneycare and pro-choice, now he's anti-health plan and anti all abortion.
Thanks to the Bush's rich tax cuts, he profited $100 extra billion last 12 years. Reason he wants to extend them forever. And reason he hides his tax reports and offshore accounts.
By Freedom for America, he means free hand for his company Bain to run wild and make more millions selling factories (like Sensata) and jobs to China.
While Obama killed bin Laden, he said we shouldn't go after him.
Watch him go from "liberal" governor to Rightie in the primaries to centrist as candidate to Rightie reborn to whoknowswhat.
If president, he's vowed to re-establish what nearly destroyed the nation: Bushanomics.
Pinocchio Romney a liar? "Yes," Newt Gingrich.

[MonkeyTree1]

CHECK THIS OUT - OBAMA IS JUST TOO STUPID TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE USA

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/02/doctor-seeking-illinois-senate-seat-offers-brutal-diagnosis-obamacare-in-viral/

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/08/13/Former-Cocaine-User-and-Criminal-Associate-Attacks-Juice-Bar-Guy-in-Miami-for-Hosting-Romney-Event

[mikesfilms]

Romney wants Bush reborn: The Economy, lower the rich tax. Deficits, lower the rich tax. The Debt, lower the rich tax. Jobs, lower the rich tax. SS and Medicare, lower the rich tax. The tax code, lower the rich tax. The worldwide recession, lower the rich tax.

[stevehamilton858]

I think Mitt's out of time. He has run the most inept campaign since Tom Dewey lost to Truman in 1948. And he's not helped by the RNC, which flip-flopped on Todd Akin. but Mitt's biggest problem is the position he shares wit Ryan on Medicare. for years, it has been a truism that Social Security is the third rail of american politics. Medicare is a new third rail. And then Mitt's 47% comment is just plain stupid and insulting to a lot of Americans, my self included: I spent 11 years flying in the Navy and am a Disabled American Veteran. My Social Security pension is so small that my income is below the Federal taxable income level. So, I'm a mooch? - an accusation from a guy who never served his country????????

[TimeToEvolve]

This bozo Robbed Me is a complete and utter moron. He is still promoting trickle down for Gods sake, something that has completely failed for 30 years. How stupid is that. Further, what good has he ever done for American except for starting and promoting Obamacare?

Robbed Me just wants to be king and he literally say anything to anyone to be boss. He is greedy slimewad who is a proven reverse Robin Hood. What a nightmare is he and his failed and obsolete Republicon Party of hoods.

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

ZionistCensorship replies: Obama 2012
Because he's not a mentally fragile, tax dodging, job exporting, Swiss bank account holding, Mormon cult leader, who wants seniors to give up their Medicare for a cough syrup coupon.
----------------------------
Amen! : )

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

Oh Romney can try - but its not gonna do him any good!
He can't very well change who is actually is!

OBAMA/BIDEN 2012 : )

[zenia5]

It doesn't matter how many times Romney "redefines" himself....he will still be deluded and out of touch with reality. He cannot change that fact.

[bbglow]

If redefine means spin ... I want nothing to do with it.

[cntrygirl3]

I for one haven't heard a single "job producing" idea from Rometoo. The only thing he has said is reduce taxes on the rich, and we all know that doesn't work. Exactly how many more times is the man going to "redefine" himself, it has been pretty much weekly since this thing began. You mention the olympics and the governor of MA. This Rometoo has none of the same ideas, positions, values, or thoughts as those "people" did. He has been "defined" by a rabid far right base and a VP who is more and more "shaping" his "boss". There no longer is a Romney, there is only the Rometoo who will say absolutely anything if he thinks it will get him elected.

[stevehamilton858]

Amen: what a shabby ending to a long circus of really incompetent potential candidates. And Romney's the best of the lot? Let's think about who won't vote for him: pet lovers, intelligent women, blacks, union members, Hispanics, anyone who ever had his job disappear as a result of a corporaterporate change of ownership.