that puts him ten points behind his rival. 50% of those surveyed viewed barack obama as likable. 47% say he is not. among women, only 34% said romney is likable. 51% of them said that of obama. pollsters have been taking this survey since 1984. romney is the first presidential candidate labeled unlikable by more than half the respondents around the time of the party nomination. >>> japanese consumers worried about nuclear power safety are seeking alternative energy sources. now two companies are teaming up to meet the growing demand. they are building a large scale solar power plant in western japan. the venture brings together sb energy a unit of telecom giant of soft bank. the solar plan will it is on 50 hectares. it is scheduled to be completed bin a year. the two firms signed an agreement in tokyo. the solar power facility will generate 39.5 kilowatt hours of electricity per year. that's enough to power about 11,000 households. the plant will sell the electricity it generates to power companies. >> translator: all businesses have to work on increasing systems of renewable energy e

not as likable as barack obama. a big problem for him. in this economy, he should be -- that is mitt romney leading by 10 points and that is because he is not likable. do you think that's an issue? >> well, we will see mitt romney and hear from ann romney, we will hear from paul ryan or the american people are going to look at us and say, this was the person to lead the country. barack obama has failed. we can do better and mitt romney is a person to do in. neil: that you are pretty good at the passion. until paul ryan came on that ticket, no offense to the governor, he was not winning in the past. maybe a little bit more so now. is that going to make up for the fact that lot of the diehard conservatives don't trust him? >> i believe that you win by building a broad coalition of people who all believe we can do better than what we have under barack obama. specifically, with jobs and economy the economy in debt and spending, and i am a doctor. whether it is the health care law, they're going to end up paying more. [talking over each other]

likability number. mitt romney is not overnight or in the last two months of this campaign going to come anywhere close to barack obama as a likable guy you'd want to sit here and channel side and have a cup of coffee with. so that's not of a concern. the other two are very much of a concern and those are the numbers that mitt romney has to address tonight. and i think he has to address them in narrative form, in some way. when ann romney spoke the other night, she said take it from me, queen ann, that the king is a really good guy. >> he brought home a quarter billion dollars. of course he's a good guy. >> now, the speech writer fer mitt romney has been working with him. he's a novelist and narrative guy. i would expect to hear some narrative tonight and i would expect to hear about the father again. you've heard about him before. when i first went to the romney headquarters last spring, the biggest photograph of a politician on the wall was not of mitt romney, but of george romney and in mitt romney's mind when he's standing up there tonight, he's going to be thinking about his father. >> and the father who was born in

. >> and that's an odd word to use, but he's been considered so stiff and not nearly as likable as barack obama. it's one thing to give a speech where people see a little emotion. but another thing that doesn't come naturally to mitt romney. >> as nice as the clips were and the speech we all agree was a great speech and he delivered it nicely, the problem is that's going to be replaced by lots of him speaking off the cuff in crowds where he hasn't performed smoothly. where he says the wrong things or gets into trouble which has been his default. so you know, that memory of him will fade. we'll get into the debates and that's a whole other piece of it. but these campaign moments have not been his strong point, to put it mildly. >> and he's got to pass the batten to himself, doesn't he, in a way, michael? because as i was watching louisiana night and this didn't make it into the 10:00 hour. but if you were watching some cable stations you saw a couple of friends of mitt romney. a couple who had lost a child and a woman who had lost her child as well. and they talked about what kind of person that

this is mitt romney knows his unfavorable ratings are high and that obama is perceived as much more likable than he is. this is an effort to tar obama's image some, increase his ez unfavorability ratings in the hope that it will help mitt romney some. this outrage is absolutely feigned. after all of the vicious things that not only has romney said about his republican rivals but he spent the last four years saying vicious untrue things about obama too. he's not sufficiently american. he apologizes for americans. he even claimed obama apologizes for americans' athletic in greatness in the olympics. this is all not true. and so for mitt romney to complain that obama is playing dirty is just the height of gal. gall. >> howard, your thoughts about this as the campaign tactic? is he hoping the media will join in and agree with him that we need to have a more regulated campaign at the expense of obama? is that what he is up to here? >> yeah, i think part of it is complaining to the refs for sure. it is -- usually the people who commit the fouls that complain the most to the refs. and i think that

obama comes across as warmer, more likable, policy walks don't like this much. but the voter makes a choice based as much on personality than policy. and romney hasn't found a way to come across as warm and likable. and you see that reflected partly in the favorability ratings. but it's also true that obama knows how to throw a sharp elbow. and this is something quite frampgly that a lot of democratic candidates haven't known how to do. obama has popped him on bain and outsourcing. he's popped him on his taxes. and he's kept him off message. so romney is often having to respond to defend himself against the things that obama has said rather than hit obama as he'd like to do on the economy. i have one last thing to say about obama as an inept candidate. some of the things he's been hit over in this campaign, bob shrum was hammering him on in 1994. so you would have thought by now he would have come up with better answers. >> and i think it's an excellent point, bob. because if you have a competent staff at all and if you yourself -- if you're a competent candidat

president obama hold a slim lead in national polls, but a 35-point lead in likability. romney hopes his convention shows him off as both a bolder obama critic and a more acceptable obama alternative. i'm steve handelsman, nbc news, tampa. >>> now here's a look at other stories making news early today in america. pennsylvania dramat shows a bull breaking loose and rampaging through fair grounds entering ten people. it was one of four bulls that broke free being loaded aboard a trailer in a rodeo. the others were captured right away. among the injured an elderly woman who had to be air lifted to the hospital. >>> in a north carolina town appropriately named roanoke rapids, torrential rain shut down highways and forced dozens from their homes. >>> finally in california, man's best friend has been saved after a long, wild journey. sarah's owners live in colorado, but she was lost by relatives looking after her in kansas. sarah wandered to a truck stop where a transient picked up the poo pooch, brought the animal to california and turned it over to a shelter. because she had a microchip implant, they found her parents

where as i think obama's problem of likability at this point is is political. he's been able to do in his office. those are the two differences between the two. as we move into the convention time, i think it's going to be very important for governor romney to put up some of those governors in republican states and he will. you've seen the list and thai going to get out there and talk about how great republicans are at the local level and how we govern better than democrats and it's going to lend itself to what romney's saying that this is a choice election. but after all that policy information, they're going to slide in all those great videos of mitt romney with his family and talk about what a great family man he is and what a wonderful husband he is, a wonderful father and i don't think anyone on this panel would disagree that both barack obama and mitt romney are great parents. they're great husbands to their wives. that's pretty much known. what i think we want to do, what the republicans want to do with the romney campaign is get them on equal footing whe

for a challenging image reboot, to be seen as tougher on the president's record, but also more likable. so more voters are comfortable with romney as an obama alternative. on fox news sunday, romney said he'll take the advice offered years ago by his father, george, who also ran for president. >> and i've heard him give it to many people, which is be bold, don't worry about what people think, just be bold, get the job done. >> reporter: as bold as romney might be in his thursday speech, he'll have to compete for the nation's attention. if isaac becomes a major hurricane and strikes new orleans wednesday. on the anniversary of katrina. i'm steve handelsman, nbc news, tampa. >>> news 4's julie carey is in tampa as the gop gets ready for the congress vengs. nbc 4 will have live coverage of the democratic national convention in charlotte next month. >>> ahead of the november election, plan parenthood is getting its message out to voters with a battleground bus tour. the group held a rally in arlington before canvassing the area. among those in the crowd, current democratic senate tim kaine. he says it's important for congress to focus on econom

what mitt romney has to do is make barack obama less likable because barack obama, you know, like his policies are not and his record are not, he's well liked as a person. gwen: we're going to see it all the next weeks. we have to leave you just a few minutes early so you can support your local pbs station which in turn supports us. but we'll be back with a full length program. we'll take you on the road with a special "washington week" town hall previewing the republican national convention in tampa before a live audience in st. petersburg. the next week we'll do the same thing for the democratic national convention in charlotte. i'll be online answering your questions next thursday at 2:00 p.m. you can start sending them now to pbs.org/washingtonweek. and we'll see you from florida next week on "washington week." good night. >> funding for "washington week" is provided by -- >> this rock has never stood still. since 1875 we've been there for our clients through good times and bad. when their needs changed, we were there to meet them. rough the years fro insurance to investment management to retirement solutions, we've developed new ideas for

obama. >> given the large number of undecided voters, how important is this week for mitt romney to present business it? >> it is very important. as of right now and likabilityobama is being tatami. this is romney's chances to introduce himself and romney will also be speaking at a convention. cocky has got to get himself and his message in truth american people. >>ysabel: the calls are tightening in some of these key battleground is the biggest what is it like in florida with medicare? hi along with evil how the hell haag this is the plan that revolves around you. introducing share everything. unlimited talk. unlimited text. tap into a single pool of shareable data and add up to 10 different devices, including smartphones and tablets. the first plan of its kind. share everything. only from verizon. get $100 off select motorola 4g lte smartphones like the droid razr. >>marty: supporters of lance armstrong are racing to donated his cancer charity. the nation's are surging for the live strong organization. normally the foundation says it receives 3200 today but on friday, the day he was banned from cycling, about $80,000 for the in syria farms on even if it tw

the romney campaign wants to attack obama's likability as much as they can.he was on of the presidency with negative attacks, he's got a campaign of hate. the more they try to reach voters to say this is not the guy you elected in 2008. that is their argument, trying to chip away at the fact that he remains a likeable figure across the american electorate. >> i have got ask you, the vice president had comments in virginia, used the words chains and shack shackles. caught a lot of flack for that. was this the obama campaign leverages place this or did it come out of his mouth? some say it was intentional. >> they deny it, saying it should be looked at in the context. when you have a campaign looked at as closely as it is and candidates scrutinized this closely, that made a lot of waves. it got republicans cheering for him to be dumped from the ticket and democrats saying this was an injection of race into the campaign so it was at the very least a big distraction and emotional distraction, at that, and fed into the narrative romney's making about how negative

abc news poll, 58% romney would favor the middle class and president obama leading 61% when come to be seen as more friendly, more likable. as for governor romney's speech thursday night, he gave a thumbs up for his practice run. the governor hinting don't expect a personality makeover when asked what he makes of some voters not liking him. >> you know, all i can do is be who i am. you know that popeye line "i am what i am and that's who i am." >> reporter: as to who he will be on that stage, his late father and his mother lenore who ran for senate, her son right there. >> i'm drafting a campaign speech and thinking about the kinds of things my dad would say if he had the chance to offer that speech. >> the governor talking about who he'll be talking about. first up you ann romney, in front of the big evidence audience tonight. tonight, though, they tweeted out this picture of her baking in her boston ashe home, her favorite welsh cake. they plan to take that down with them as she headed down to tampa. >> thanks so much, david. i'm here, we can also look up at the 120,000 balloons waiting to drop down and the convention

likability. we look at the poll out this morning. you see a 20-point gap between romney and barack obama. people see barack obama as a more likable person. one of the things you have to do is see more approachable and likable in the speech. did he achieve that? >> i think you could say he was likable, almost. he does not come across as an electric personality. he did not have moments of great humor. the part of the beginning of the ipod -- it was fine. it was likable enough. he did not seem unlikable. we were talking about, a lot of people sit -- he struck people as weird. i did not see that. he was convincing, doggett, disappointed. the hope is that people will find that appealing, the stark contrast between obama's electricity, but a failure to deliver on that promise to do a great point. what the campaign hopes and will argue -- you tried the magic, tried the surprises, tried celebrity. i am somebody who can come in. the subtext was very much an appeal of a free market versus government. let's take a look at this clip where he uses steve jobs to talk about the unpredictability of the markets and the potential of

president obama holds a slim lead in national polls but a 35-point lead in likability. romney hopes his convention shows him off asoth a bolder obama critic and a more acceptable obama alternative. i'm steve handelsman, nbc news, tampa. >>> hundreds of republican delegates from california are in florida tonight, including a 25-year-old man from the bay area who was invited to speak at the convention. his name is ricky gill, and he's running for congress. nbc bay area's kimberly tere caught up with him bev left and has this report. >> reporter: diane, not only is ricky gill the sole congressional candidate from the west selected to address the delegates, he's also the youngest of the speakers. >> well, they're going to hear about my family's first generation american story, how we can revive opportunity again in this district, and how a new generation of leadership can help provide the difference. >> reporter: 25-year-old ricky gill, who has been called a, quote, young gun by the national republican congressional committee, has two minutes to address the thousands of delegates and guests expected at the convention.

obama on personality. they look at him as not as likable.now that she gave this speech, there is more to mitt romney. stuart: how about chris christie? pugnacious and to the point. you saw the speech. does that appeal to people in the middle? the undecided? do you reach out to them? >> the obama campaign attacking met romney saying going back to the george w. bush policies and what chris christie did effectively is said that we are a different time. we can point thing is that both parties. we have an issue here with our fiscal situation in this country. we can point fingers but different time calls for different leadership and mitt romney has no choice but to shrink the size of government, cut the deficit and the that. stuart: what do you want to see from paul ryan tonight? do you want to see hard-core policy laid out or more cheerleading? >> i don't think he will do too much policywise. tonight is a time to appeal to of voters looking for personality factor. talking about his personal story and operating and how he is the person he is today

as awkward and more likable. they will more likely focus on president barack obama like he has been doing speeches in tampa alreadyis week. >> the president is nothing more than a chicago war politician and that's the way he has been acting on this campaign so far and 90% of his ads are vicious untrue ads on mitt romney. >> and he will appear on the stable at the end of his wife's speech. they are voting on a rule that would punish states that hold their primaries and reporting live from washington d.c. allison burns ktvu channel 2 morning news. >>> 5:37 is the time, time to check in with sal. did you see the moon this morning? >> i saw it last night, it was pretty incredible. it was like whose light is on. >> one of the benefits of having crazy hours. enjoy the moon. >>> good morning. let's go out and take a look at 80 westbound and no major problems as you drive towards the bay bridge toll plaza. if you are driving further down you can see traffic on interstate 880 looks good in both directions near the coliseum and getting to the oakland airport. and through fremont looks good, livermore valley traffic is movin

likable. a majority of voter, 51% view the former massachusetts governor approach to issues as being out of step with most americans' thinking. 54% think president obama's are in the mainstream. meanwhile, the poll finds the approval rating for congress has once again hit rock bottom. at 12%. the only other time it was that low was in october of 2008. >>> elsewhere, missouri congressman todd akin said he's pushing ahead with his senate bid. despite pressure from his fellow republicans to drop out. a defined akin called the uproar over his comments about quote legitimate rape an overreaction. nbc's steve handlesman has that story from washington. >> reporter: refusing to quit the missouri senate race, he bought tv time for apologizing. >> the mistake was in the words i said, not the heart i hold. >> reporter: mitt romney joined the chorus of republicans asking him to get out of the race. >> smarter that he trails in saying that he is sympathetic to women. >> a week before the national election this not what the gop wants to be talking about. they want to talk about the moms still trying to balance budgets. >> reporter: but in tampa where the republicans

as more likable. both candidates score the same in term of negative ratings obama's viewed more positively than romney48% of voters say their feelings towards the president are very or somewhat positive. only 38% say that about romney. perhaps more telling, the poll asked how recent news had changed their opinions of him. only 32% say it had given them a more favorable opinion of the candidate. 44% said it has given them less favorable opinion. romney's also been seen as more out of the mainstream than obama. 54% say obama's approach to issues is in the mainstream versus 44% who say he's out of step. it's almost a complete reverse for romney. chuck, it seems like i'm not using the word weird except that it seems to be this thing about he's not one of us to voters. what's that about? >> i call it, it's the gut decision, right, at the end of the day. there's -- i have theory in presidential elections they're more personal of a vote than people realize. yes, 90% of the country is lining up in their partisan tents, but for that last slice, it is that personal vote, the sort of who represents me. who repre

>> i think obama's had a likable persona ever since he took office. he's oftentimes stereo typed aseing cool aloof but the majority of the public doesn't think that. in some polling over half of republicans are willing to describe him as warm and friendly. so it may be the case that his likability is insulating his an probable numbers from the economy but also perhaps giving him an edge over romney. >> so john you say these three plankz of likability and polarization of the country and then bush, these are the explanation for why he's doing so well. are they enough though to get him re-elected? in which case he will have done what no other incumbent president has been able to do which is get re-elected with this kind of economy and this kind of unemployment. >> the unemployment rate is unusual for an incumbent president. other aspects of the economy are just positive enough to give him the edge. i don't think it's going to be a complete surprise if he wins as far as the economy goes. what will be interesting is if the economic slowdown continues through the fall, whether other facto

they want, because that's the, an area where, obama wins, hand down, that favorability and likability. but, the rnc chairman says they want to portray romney as a man that is decent, honorable and gave away his father's inheritance, started something from nothing. create aid great business. the message they are trying to disseminate to the public. they know this climb in terms of popularity is uphill. >> lot of folks don't start paying attention until labor day time of year. th wto, nationally oduce him. we'll see. also should interesting how they handle the abortion issue, how they handle, particularly, in a state like florida, medicare issue as well. there is the personal side. the policy side. they're going to try to put it out there. and you know, shape their message. democrats get they're turn. get ready for grand political theater. >>eck in neck. >>> developing story, powerful earthquake struck el salvador this morning. a 7.4 magnitude quake off the coast about 100 miles southeast of san salvador va door. moments ago a magnitude 5.4 aftershock. a tsunami warning, for several neighboring nations, costa rica and mexico. no word of any dam

offensive about something ell, something they believe is equally as important, the president's likability. this morning, president obama is defending vice president joe biden, after biden ignited that fiery war of words, while criticizing mitt romney. the president speaking out overnight, in an interview with "entertainment tonight." >> what joe biden was talking about, is again, an example of a substantive argument, a substantive issue that the american people should be concerned about. and his phrasing is a distraction from what it is at stake. >> reporter: but that phrasing got him into trouble, when he took on romney, who has criticized those new rules, meant to watch over the big banks. >> unchain wall street. they're going to put y'all back in chains. >> we don't spend a lot of time worrying about the chatter. the country's not as divided or obsessed with gaffes or some stray remark as washington is. >> reporter: but the romney campaign had already pounced, calling it a sign of a desperate presidency. >> the president's campaign is all about division and attack and hatred. >> reporter: overnight in ohio, romney's

as a person. >> on the polls, you've seen the polls, matt, on the likability. president obama your dad is. you like your dad a lot. >> i love my dad. >> why is there -- does he have this problem as far as likability? >> it is an issue of people getting to know him. i don't know people know him. >> he has been around a long time. >> so has president obama. people have seen him in lots of different settings. people haven't seen my dad in a lot of settings. we see him as a father and grandfather. you wouldn't believe how greatest with my kids, his grandkids. they absolutely adore him. people will get a chance to see him in a different light. >> i noticed, let me let you in, the youngest. >> craig is the youngest. >> you're still a young guy. when i was with him, private time, he is very likeable, very open, has a great personality. but sometimes he holds back when he gets out there before the camera and you know, i think that's a potential problem out there because i covered bill clinton. when you saw him behind the scenes, in front of the scenes, he was bill clinton. your dad se