Romney says odds of winning are "better than 50-50"

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said in an interview that aired today that his message on the economy gives him better than 50-50 odds of winning the presidency.

"I probably do give myself better than 50-50 odds, but it's up to the American people," he said on NBC's "Today" show. "And I'll tell them what I believe, and if that works, great."

Perhaps most importantly, Romney said, "I believe I can get our economy going again."

"There's no sure thing in politics, but this is a time when the American people are really concerned about the scale of government," the former Massachusetts governor said. "They want someone to cut it back, and they're concerned about the economy, long-term and short-term. And that's in my wheelhouse."

Romney said that President Obama didn't cause the economic recession, "but he made things worse."

"He's failed," Romney added, calling Mr. Obama "one of the most ineffective presidents" ever.

The former governor criticized the president on a range of issues, asserting that Mr. Obama "doesn't have a foreign policy" and has left the U.S. "flatfooted" in response to the Arab Spring.

Polls show Romney leading the current field of Republican presidential candidates, though his support remains relatively tepid, failing to break 20 percent in some polls.

In the "Today" interview, Romney attempted to show a lighter side of his personality, expressing his fondness for the reality show "American Idol" and the teen novel "Twilight."