Mitt Romney's task in Tampa
(CBS News) Mitt Romney has a few days to go before arriving in Tampa. He was in New Hampshire Sunday, at church. He also went to work polishing the acceptance speech he will give on Thursday night.
Both presidential campaigns recently refocused on the economy. There are several things Romney needs to do to succeed this week.
CBS News correspondent Jan Crawford reports the convention is a chance for the governor to show people who he is, what he stands for, and that he can lead America to a better future, a better economy, more jobs.
There are going to be a lot of testimonials from people trying to make that point to voters; Olympic athletes talking about how he saved the Salt Lake City Olympics; employees are going to say that he helped create their jobs through Bain Capital; and of course his wife Ann, talking about Romney as a family man.
It is going to be very positive and forward looking, and after the convention, sources tell CBS News Romney will keep his focus on the economy, but also sharpen his attacks on the president. It is all part of an effort to convince voters that Romney can lead the where president has failed.
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CBS News correspondent John Dickerson reports Romney advisors say their strategy is a two-part equation: They want this election to be about the struggling economy and a referendum on the president; and the second part of the equation is to convince voters that Romney is someone they can hand the reins to.
That means improving the connection with voters. He has had some difficulty making that connection so far.
On another note, the Republicans are still wrestling with that "legitimate rape" comment that was made by Missouri Republican Todd Akin.
Akin had been leading Democrat Claire McCaskill by about five points, but now a new
St. Louis Dispatch poll shows him trailing now by nine points. It is a critical senate race.
Mitt Romney weighed in again on the comments Sunday morning, saying: "I think it was a terrible statement on his part. I think it was outrageous and offensive. I have asked him to get out of the race, I think I have distanced myself from the kind of thing he said as far as
I possibly can."
One of the things that poll really pointed out is the how much trouble the GOP is in with women.
Democrats said Akin represents the view of the Republican party, although almost every single Republican says no, they don't and condemned him forcefully -- Paul Ryan and Romney almost immediately.
Where it may affect Romney is if he is elected. It could affect his ability to governor if he loses that Senate seat, which everyone thinks he will, and Democrats hold on to the Senate.
The comments also put more focus on Ann Romney's speech. She already had one task, which is to humanize her husband a little to those who don't know him. She is the ambassador to women, and she needs to make the case that women should not be afraid of Mitt Romney, which is the argument that Democrats are making.
