Polls give more good news to Romney

Campaign officials are reacting cautiously to GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney's new momentum. Scott Pelley speaks with CBS News political director about the changing strategies and tactics. / CBS

Mitt Romney has seen his lead over President Obama increase slightly in a new national poll of likely voters. The Gallup Daily Tracking poll gives Romney a six point advantage over Mr. Obama, with 51 percent of respondents saying they'd vote for Romney and 45 percent backing the president.

This is the third day Romney has seen a slight increase in his lead in the poll, which surveyed 2,700 likely voters and has a 2-point margin of error. The survey was taken before last night's presidential debate.

A new poll in Wisconsin, meanwhile, shows the race between Mr. Obama and Romney tied. The president garnered 49 percent among likely voters compared to Romney's 48 percent in the Marquette Law School poll. The survey shows a tightening race between the two candidates: Mr. Obama had an 11 point lead in the same poll just two weeks ago, prior to the first presidential debate.

The results echo a CBS News poll released last week, where Mr. Obama had a three point lead in the Badger State -- smaller than the 6 point lead he had in the state in September.

Marquette's survey suggests that the first presidential debate, which Romney is widely considered to have won, had an impact on Wisconsinites. Romney led by two points among those who watched the debate, while Mr. Obama led by 12 points among those who did not. The poll included interviews with 870 likely voters, and has a 3.2 percent margin of error.

Mr. Obama still has the support of young voters, according to a new national poll of voters aged 18 - 29 conducted by Harvard's Institute of Politics. The survey's findings reveal that Mr. Obama leads Romney by 19 points among this group, with 55 percent backing the president compared to 36 percent backing Romney.

Only 48 percent of respondents say they will "definitely" vote, however -- bad news for a president who won in 2008 in part on the strength of a surge in young voter turnout. The poll also found that enthusiasm for Mr. Obama is lower than for Romney. Sixty-five percent of Romney voters say they would "definitely" vote, while only 55 percent or Mr. Obama's voters say they will.

The poll surveyed 2,123 young voters between September 19 and October 3. It has a 2.1 percent margin of error.

[Physics_MSc]

"Under my plan of a cap-and-trade system, electricity rates would necessarily
skyrocket" - Obama

"A massive campaign must be launched to de-develop the United States" - John Holdren, Obama's Science Czar

"Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe" - Steven Chu, Obama's Energy secretary

[cardenas1956]

I am a fairly conservative republican who has crossed party lines in the past. I voted for Barack Obama and celebrated his victory for I believe the CHANGE thing. I also believe it was time to give an african-american the opportunity to live the american dream. But the change we got is not what I had expected. Millions who voted for Obama will not this time.Now, I hope to celebrate his defeat in November. Time for CHANGE, again. Adios Obama.

[SamitraM]

I am independent and don't care much. But what I have observed here and many other channels is this: people who are siding w Romney seem to lack any education and behave like a mob. People who want to vote for Obama for the most part seem to want to have a dialogue...have the educated right chosen to conceal their embarrassment and keeping quiet publicly?

[UneducatedDeomcrats]

So funny! You aren't independent you fool. Look at all the the uneducated unions, uneducated people on the gov't dole. Get a clue. Demoncrat!

[halvie54]

Halvie Mitt has been coddled since birth. The labyrinth of character building struggles that most Americans have to grapple with are foreign to him. He sees common folk as a species far beneath him. Ryan was'nt born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but he definitely got a leg up from the very benefits he now wants to deny others. He would say or do anything to join the parasitic class who've gained their wealth from the labor of the true builders of this country, THE WORKING CLASS. The Romney/Ryan platforms are as insubstantial as cotton candy, and would dissolve in the first inevitable storm. Our President has used his time in office to painstakingly chip out the damaged bricks in our foundation that have been weakened by an infestation of greedy rats. He's now diligently replacing the broken areas with material of lasting quality, and like any good craftsman, has kept his mind focused on achieving a good end result. The process may at times appear to be messier than before it was started, but it's like that with every job that's reached the halfway point, whether it involves organizing a desk, patching a roof, building a bridge,.... or restoring the principled reputation and functional strength of a great Nation. This is a pivotal time in our history. Common sense must prevail. Don't be bamboozled by corporate vultures who have absolutely no interest in strengthening the workforce, and who in fact are presently encouraging businesses of all sizes to withhold hiring. Think it through: A second term for Obama would bolster worker's rights. Corporations do not want to have to maneuver through a fair playing field. They're dearly hoping we'll rashly blame the President for economic problems that they themselves have foolishly manufactured through the blatant manipulation of the Senate, the Congress, the Market and the Press,[which can NOT be perceived as being "swamped with Liberals" by even the most addled imagination]. Don't be deceived into voting against, not only your best interests, but those of your neighbors, family and friends, and the generations to come who will be forced to live with the result of the decisions we make now. We are not a people who will ever be content to toil as ill-compensated serfs. Obama and Biden are scrappers who are fighting for us.
Their earnestness is evident in every step they've taken and they've stood their ground in the face of every roadblock. They've never had to lie about what they want for our future because their goal is honorable and all-inclusive. The President has accomplished more during his first term than the average leader could've hoped to do in a decade, even WITHOUT considering what he was handed at the starting gate. He deserves a chance to finish what he's begun without being harped at by flighty Chicken Littles and elitist lollygaggers. Don't allow the vermin to re-infiltrate our foundation. KEEP OBAMA on the job or start practicing to grovel for peanuts in exchange for a hard days work, because friends, unregulated domination is the core agenda of privatization, and make no mistake, that's what Romney and Ryan are all about. Don't let them con you into selling yourselves out and relinquishing the protections we've EARNED and deserve to rely on.

[KobinaEvolution]

Thank you for your well formulated and thought through words.

[KobinaEvolution]

Thank you for your well formulated and thought through words HALVIE54.

[TimeToEvolve]

Having a greedy businessman like Robbed Me as pResident is just inviting us to go further down the road to fascism. Fascism is the merging of corporate and state interests and I can't imagine a better candidate than Robbed Me to take us to that end. Mayne Americans don't forget what happened in Germany, Italy and Spain in the 1930's.

[TimeToEvolve]

It's comical that when the fake polls said Obama was leading they were incorrect. Now that the fake polls show Robbed Me in front, the righties are all about them. You can read these shallow, reactionary suckers like a dime store novel.

[vozderazon]

I wonder that too. What has he stolen???

On the other hand, I see Obama's hands in my check every 2 weeks and in my health care premiums. Get Obama OUT!!

Romney/ Ryan 2012

[TimeToEvolve]

These polls are stupid and must be wrong. There are not that many Americans who are that stupid.

This election comes down to whether we want a strong middle class with good jobs and education for our children to compete in the world (Obama).

Or do we want an oligarchy where a few rich corporate executives decide what freedoms we have, where we can work and live and if we have good food and water (Romney). And the corporations start more wars for oil and everyone is on their own no matter what happens.

[bravesfan65]

I am so tired of seeing these polls with Romney surging. Nothing I have read or seen in the news points to this man being a good President for the country. Obama had this thing done and locked 3 weeks ago. Now Romney is ahead in all these polls????

Looks like this race is over. Time to get behind Hillary for 2016. If she was running for re-election she would have a team of skilled professionals running the show, not these idiots and sleezbags like David Axlerod. Where did they get him from anyway? A porn shop?

[hentaisolaris]

Knowing Democrats, you're right, they probably DID get him from a porn shop.

Which kinda makes sense, since what they're trying to accomplish is figure out how to keep Obama screwing us for another 4 years.

On a side note, if Hillary was running for re-election, she probably wouldn't have to run against Romney. I'm not sure who she WOULD be running against, but I don't think it would be Mitt. But whoever it would be, she'd be a much more formidable opponent than the Obama/Biden clown posse, that's for sure.

[achememnon]

Or Hentaisolaris knowing the hypocritical repugs of do as a I say and not as I do. I am sure more of the repugs frequent the porn shop than democrats.
\
Also you repugs figured out how to get bush into office who really did screw up the country after 8 years.

[cmauricio1]

Marist, Gallup and Rasmussen, all owned or run by Cons. I get polled by republicans every day and every day I tell them I will vote for Romney..when I will not. Do you have any idea how Romney won the nomination when Santorum was gaining on him? Many Obama Democrats voted in the states with open primaries and they voted for Romney..that is when Santorum began losing again. Believe when I say...the same is being done on the phones. Obama 2012 God help US if Romney wins.

[nottblu]

your spin is dizzying, gallup stated that no candidate that had over a 50% number in October has gone on to lose the election since polling has been performed. Furthermore, Obama has never polled above 50% this election cycle.

[hentaisolaris]

Believe me when I SAY...the repubs have been doing it on the phones for the past year, which is why you were suckered into thinking Obama had/has it in the bag.

Boy, are you in for a shock...

[JTP711]

Do you want a president or a (horrible) boss to run this country. Romney is a bully and a liar, trapped in a 1950's time warp! Women, minorities, the military, working class, the 47%, GBLT community, the elderly are against this joke! There is no way America is going to let this angry man run our country!

[USMC1969_1973]

To JTP711: I am former military, I am working class, and I am a senior citizen. I, nor any of my military, working class, or elderly friends (male or female) are against Mr. Romney.

Obama, like you, can only attack Mr. Romney. No substance in the attacks and name calling. No substace to Mr. Obama.

The only angry man (person) I see here is you by your own comments.

[hentaisolaris]

Do you want a (horrible) president, or a (successful) businessman in charge of this country's economy? Obama is a boob and a liar, trapped by his disastrous record of the past 4 years! Women, minorities, the military, working class, the other 53%, and the elderly are all ready to vote OUT this boob. There is no way America is going to let this ignorant clown ruin our country!