cynthia tucker is a columnist. i want to start with you, cynthia. watching it all, as i've just described it. everything going on. the voter suppression. the lingo, sympathizing with the bad guys. i've never heard such a coherent comprehensive effort to describe a guy as not really an american. as being in league with the enemy, at least. your thoughts. >> chris, this is a southern strategy at large. this is all about appealing to racially resentful whites. and i have to tell you, i have been very disappointed and surprised by mitt romney running his campaign this wayful i met him back in 2007 when i was still editorial page editor at the atlanta constitution. he seemed smart, savvy, moderate, rbl reasonable and honorable. but i have to tell you, once he started running those outrageous ads on welfare, i knew that he had put his conscious -- if he has one, in a blind trust for the rest of this campaign. not only are they a clear effort to run again the southern strategy. -- this is about telling racially resentful rights that obama wants to change t

robert reich and cynthia tucker, thanks for your time tonight.od weekend to both of you. >> thanks, john. you too. >> governor romney became the punch line for comedians this week, but the result may not leave him hurting. that's next. i'm done! "are you a cool mom?" i'm gonna find out. [ female announcer ] swiffer wetjet's pads are better than ever. now they have the scrubbing power of mr. clean magic eraser so you don't have to get down on your hands and knees to scrub away tough, dried-on stains. hey, do you guys think i'm "momtacular" or "momtrocious"? ♪ [ female announcer ] swiffer. now with the scrubbing power of mr. clean magic eraser. humans -- even when we cross our t's and dot our i's, we still run into problems. namely, other humans. which is why, at liberty mutual insurance, auto policies come with new car replacement and accident forgiveness if you qualify. see what else comes standard at libertymutual.com. liberty mutual insurance. responsibility. what's your policy? >>> early voting in two states, and that means the gop effort to s

cynthia tucker is a syndicated columnist. first, brand new poll numbers nationally.'s check the "hardball scoreboard." new pew poll president obama over romney, among likely voters, 51% to 43%. howard, is this real, an eight-point lead? >> well, it could be. i think it's significant it's likely voters. what's happening now, chris, is that some of the news organizations and polling organizations are starting to go from registered voters to likely voters, to people who are motivated. and i think while there were concerns earlier this year about whether president obama's supporters were motivated, whether they were encouraged, whether they were excited, either by positive news or fear, i think they're motivated. if they weren't motivated before, watching that mitt romney video will sure motivate president obama's supporters. so, if it's likely voters, maybe it's accurate. >> people don't do their best work when they're being dumped on. what do you think, cynthia? first, the poll numbers, which is staggering, an eight-point lead, bouncing out of the convention but not sh

with me now are mother jones bureau chief and msnbc political contributor david corn and cynthia tucker. i want to talk about theood news for the obama team right now. cynthia, why do you think -- take a minute here -- despite this ugly campaign i've just pointed out in its pattern, its thread, what they are doing to try to delegitime this president, why is he doing well in the toughest states? >> we've talked about what campaign has done wrong. we haven't spent as much time talking about the things obama has done right. obama has done a lot of things for e thing, he's just a stronger candidate. he relates to people better. he's more approachable. his favorability rates are higher, while romney has high unfavorability ratings. but obama actually has a set of principles he believesn. so, he has a message that he carries out on the campaign trail over and over again. mitt romney doesn't appear to have anything he believes in so he has spent a lot of the ama kes rlves atopping. -- >> undstand you -- >> -- that are doing well for him. >> i believe you understand they made a smart, strategic

cynthia tucker is a columnist and ronald reagan, msnbc political analyst. cynthia, watching it all as i described it, everything going on, voter suppression, lingo, attack on the president sympathizing with the bad guys, never heard such a comprehensive effort to describe him as not american or in league with the enemy. your thoughts? >> this is all about appealing to racially resentful whites. and i have to tell you, i have been very disappointed and surprised by mitt romney's running his campaign this way. i met him back in 2007 when i was still editorial page editor at the atlanta constitution. he seemed smart, savvy, moderate, reasonable, and honorable, but i have to tell you, once he started running those outrageous ads on welfare, i knew he had put his conscience, if he has one, in a blind trust for the rest of this campaign. not only are they a clear effort to run again the southern strategy at large, this is all about telling racially resentful whites that obama wants to change work requirements so that black people don't even have to work to get gov

cynthia tucker is a columnist and ronald reagan, msnbc political analyst. cynthia, watching it all as i described it, everything going on, voter suppression, lingo, attack on the president sympathizing with the bad guys, never heard such a comprehensive effort to describe him as not american or in league with the enemy. your thoughts? >> this is all about appealing to racially resentful whites. and i have to tell you, i have been very disappointed and surprised by mitt romney's running his campaign this way. i met him back in 2007 when i was still editorial page editor at the atlanta constitution. he seemed smart, savvy, moderate, reasonable, and honorable, but i have to tell you, once he started running those outrageous ads on welfare, i knew he had put his conscience, if he has one, in a blind trust for the rest of this campaign. not only are they a clear effort to run again the southern strategy at large, this is all about telling racially resentful whites that obama wants to change work requirements so that black people don't even have to work to get gov