they considered states like new hampshire, minnesota, pennsylvania all safe obama states. now they are going up on advertising, sending their surrogates in because they are on defense on states that they considered very safe for obama, whereas governor romney is able to expand the map into states that were considered outside of that window and that includes states like wisconsin as well. that were considered safe seats -- double digit states the president carried in 2008. >> we have to let that be the last word but thanks for coming on the program. it's good to see you. >> you bet. >> susan, let's talk about the polls. gallup daily tracking poll is suspended because of sandy. but we did see a national poll that showed obama up by one, more significantly in the battleground states but some of the numbers are tightening. the gap is closing but does obama still have enough of a lead. would he still be considered when you look at all these polls in aggregate the one to be favored? >> i think if you look at the whole set of swing states, polls that president obama seems to have

bill clinton was sent to minnesota which had been a safe obama state, recently moved to a lean obama ey're having to shore up in minnesota and pennsylvania. where romney has put additional resources in, because last week he said bob, watch where the money goes. that's where the money is going from both campaigns, does it mean they're more up for grabs? >> bob: romney spread out the electoral map no question about it. if obama were to lose minnesota, it would be a landslide for romney. they have to send him in to shore things up. he will get to colorado where he needs to be. what romney, though, is missing here is a lot of campaign events in ohio, which he desperately needs. >> dana: that's where he was today. >> bob: but he was doing fundraising there. which is fine. but he needs to do the rallies and other things. anytime you freeze something, it doesn't actually mean you come back to where it was when you froze it. >> eric: no, but it doesn't mean the momentum changes back. face it, president obama has had the best success at changing the polling. when he goes negative. when his neg

states and just buying it. i remember that very well. even though, chris, the obamapaign is dismissing the idea romney is seriously competing in these states, should they have sparener to shore up those voti ttleground map, and this has been one of the asmall, narrow . you have battleground polls show you don't want to bleed yourself so much, even with the amount of money both campaigns have, that you actually make it easier for the other side to make inroads. >> i'm out of time but i want to ask you each really, really quickly for your guy, on the democratic side, chris, where are we going to see the president going over the weekend, the last weekend of this campaign? >> that's obvious, ohio, ohio, ohio. >> ohio, ohio, ohio. how about you, robert? where is romney going? >> ohio and most likely he will end his campaign in new hampshire. new hampshire is still very much in play. and maybe hawaii. he might go to hawaii. i heard romney may go to hawaii. >> i'm going to give a shoutout to my bosses. hawaii for the weekend. chris, robert, give me a heads up if you hear an

obama because of the ground again, but that is just today. >> that's ok. colby? >> the national tracking polls as them close, but if you go to the key battleground states, obama still holds a lead in those states and that will put him over the top. >> what is the ground game, mark? >> the organized effort over months to identified not only supporters not onlyleaners -- only supporters, but leaners. by election day, you know who your voters are and you want to be sure they go to a. > -- to vote. >> in many the battleground states, obama has more field offices. >> it comes down to micro- managing and micro-issuing these folks. the republicans have a better ground game in 2004, and a lot of people think it that is why they won that close election, and it fell into disrepair today are building it back up now, but i don't think they are near where obama is yet. >> which candidate has the most enthusiastic, the most in gauge, the most dedicated supporters, colby? >> that is a hard one to answer. i think that clearly after the first debate, the republican party had enthusiastic supporters there. romney did it do well compared to obama. there was disappointment with presid

many of president obama supporters stated that it was a win column for mitt romney. the president did have a few good lines. >> now five weeks before the election his big bold idea is not. romney took over as the president started to wilt. i have been in business for 25 years and i have no idea what you are talking about. >> critics of obama stated that he took too many punches and that he did not go after mitt romney when he had the chance to. >> the real mitt romney has been running around the country for the past year and stating that he was saved $5 million in taxes. i stated that he did not know anything about that. >> i know this is going to be a worse sauce battle. we need to when colorado and that way we can take back the white house. >> next week by vice president joe biden will take the stage. kron4 will be airing it on our comcast's 193 channel or on kron 4 .com. >> cooler weather will continue into the weekend. temperatures will be even cooler in the '60s and '70s. you head into sunday's it will be more clout cover. cloudn the 2:00 hour we will see the fa

apparently, you know, it had been obama state for a long time and has become in-play state. has it 2% to obama. but there is a reason why both campaigns are moving back to wisconsin spending a lot of money. it's closer. >> dana: do you think it what to do with paul ryan as choice of the v.p.? >> greg: probably. i'm more upset that obama supported the detroit tigers in the world series. could it be that detroit is in a swing state? perhaps. >> kimberly: giants! >> greg: i told tina the giants won and she was terrified. it explained they're not real giants, dana. it brought up something -- it's a team. not big giant people over 5'6". "new york times" reporter tweeted about the race saying it was like watching the 2008 race in reverse. that would be for thepedia. because they're watching their guy who was ascending decrepitting. however it's not in -- ascending, descending. but however it's not in reverse. except for mitt is hope and change. the momentum you saw four years ago. >> kimberly: romentum. >> bob: romney picked up some, say, three to four points since the first debat

as of friday morning, according to the real clear politics average, the state is tending towards romney. president obama and romney of the so much time in virginia and ohio that they will have to start paying taxes in both states. that's run the table at a grant states, mark -- let's run the table of battleground states, mark. >> ohio remains yond romney's grass at this point, a large part because obama is doing better with white voters that he is across the country, in large part in the north and west of ohio and northeast of ohio, the industrial belt where the auto bailout made a difference. it is so much of a problem for romney there that rob portman on thursday, introducing romney in defiance, ohio, to a huge crowd, said, "we have got to talk about this auto bailout thing tonight." they are still trying to explain it. >> can romney win without ohio? >> yes, but it is a tough one to reach. if obamacare is ohio, he will carry it was gone -- if obama carries ohio, he will carry wisconsin and it will be a difficult reached for romney. >> a virginia? >> virginia will still probably end up in obama's camp

obama because of the crown them. >> colby? >> national tracking polls has of them close, but the key battleground states, obama still holds a lead. >> what is the ground game, mark? >> the organized effort over months to identify and not only support -- identified not only supporters, but leaners, and persuade them on how one by one retail basis. weeks before election day, you know who your voters are. you want to be sure you get the vote. >> in many of the battle ground states, obama has more field offices. >> it is down to micromanaging, micro-issuing these of votes. interestingly, the republicans had a better ground game in 2004, and a lot of people think that is why and they won that close election. it sort of fell into disrepair today are building it back up now, but i don't think they are anywhere near where obama is yet. >> there is another question. which candidate has the most d.c. asked to come most engaged, most dedicated supporters? >> that is a hard one to answer. clearly after the first debate, the republican party at everly and these as to support their. romney did do well compared to obama. there was disappointme

ambassador. >> former obama state department spokesman p.j.. >> i don't see a political agenda. i see the fog of war. the fact that we still do not know, it's not about politics. it's about the difficult task of reconstructing what happened and having full access to the site and to all the people that played a role in this. >> september 18th. >> did the administration have any sort of heads up that violence was increasing specifically in libya before the attack? >> i'm not aware of any. this is matter that is under investigation in terms what precipitated the attack. >>> that night on the late show with david letterman, president obama gives his more elaborate explanation of what happened in benghazi. was it a spontaneous riot or planned attack. a combination of two he suggests. >> you have a video that was released by somebody who lives here, sort of a shadow character. it caused great offense in much of the muslim world. what also happened extremists and terrorists used this as an excuse to attack a variety of our embassies including the con

states. governor romney's largest gain was in virginia where he now leads president obama 48 to 47%. that's a virtual tie and within the margin of error. in florida president obama retains a one point lead over romney, 48 to 47%. in that key battleground state of ohio mitt romney gained two points but the president still leads 51 to 45. >>> well, elsewhere today marks one month since the deadly attack on the u.s. consulate in benghazi, libya. yesterday the white house again lied any intentional coverup of what led to the assault and said the investigation continues. lawmakers demanded to know how lax security may have been and whether warning signs were simply ignored. nbc's steve handlesman is in washington. >> reporter: to highlight his concern, president obama had his terrorism advisor john brennan in libya to push the investigation of the 9/11 2012 attack that killed u.s. ambassador chris stevens and three others. but republicans at the house hearing charged the obama state department showed a lack of concern last summer after u.s. facilities in benghazi were attacked twice. >> i

heading straight for nevada, a swing state that could be leading towards president obama. obama state and florida, also swing state, turning his attention away from last night 'foreign policys debate to hear at,. >> i laid out a plan for jobs and middle class security. unlike mitt romney, i am actually proud to talk about what is in it. >> spoke about the plan and a 20 page booklet just released along with a new tv advertisement. >> read my plan, compared to governor romney's and decide which is better for you. >> the latest from the ad is focusing on last night tiered >> he said america had dictated other nations. america has not dictated other nations. we have it freed other nations. >> romney accused the president of not showing leadership overseas. >> nor in the world is america's influence greater today than it was four years ago. >> obama portrayed mitt romney as inconsistent in the middle east. >> you were wrong and inconsistent. >> now with no debate remaining, it is up to voters to decide. >> democrat's senate romney seemed less understanding. republicans and he p

four states moved toward president obama and changed status. iowa, ohio, nevada, all battleground states moved from tossup to lean obama. montana moved from romney to lean romney. there were 11 other states then moved toward obama but had no change in status. there were five states that moved toward governor romney. but again had no change in status. >> joe, of those, what is most important? >> i mean the biggest thing is that shift in nevada and ohio. those two in particular. ohio, obviously, a big move. moving it to lean obama, it puts for the first time, i think since we started back in april, it puts obama with over the 270 electoral votes. we had that back then. it's coming clear today. that makes states like colorado even more important. and ohio still, it's got -- that is a problem for romney that is now starting to show in the polls. although they came out yesterday saying that obama was only up by four. and had -- the rates were still very much up for grabs. romney people have to hope for that to be true. >> bret: karl, what about that?

on friday morning, at the state appears to be trending towards romney. president obama and mitt romney had ent so much time in virginia and ohio that they will have t to start payiying taxes in both states. lelet's run the table of the battleground states and where they seem to be at this point. ohio. >> ohio remains beyond romney's grasped at this point in large part because obama is doing better there with white voters than he is across the country in large part in the northwest ohio and northeast ohio, which is the industrial belt, ere the auto bailout really made difference. its so much of a problem for romney there that rob portman on thursday night as he introduced romney in defiance, ohio for a huge cro is said "we have got to talk about this auto thing tonight." eyre still trying to explain that. >> ken romney eastwind without oh? -- can romney win witho ohio? >> yes, but it will be a tough one to reachch. but it is still very close race. >> virginia? >> v virginia will still probably end op in obama's camp. >> i look at the polls when we started the program and

but republicans at the house hearing charged the obama state department showed a lack of concern last summer after u.s. facilities in benghazi were attacked twice. >> i believe personally with more assets and more resources just meeting the minimum standards, we could have and should have saved the life of ambassador stevens and the other people that were there. >> reporter: one of the witnesses agreed. lieutenant colonel andrew wood ran embassy security until august. >> the situation remained uncertain and reports from some libyans indicated it was getting worse. >> reporter: just five u.s. agents protected the main u.s. compound. staffers recommended more. >> there wasn't sufficient resources provided. >> that was one of the main reasons i continued to ask for those resources, yes. >> reporter: but back in washington, deputy assistant secretary of state charlene lamb said no. >> sir, we had the correct number of assets in benghazi at the time of 9/11 for what had been agreed upon. >> saying you had the correct number and our ambassador and three other individuals are dead and people

in parts of the state, it's really predictable. for obama or for romney. but hamilton county could go either way and might decide it all. >> that was nbc's kelly o'donnell reporting on the key battleground state of ohio and in hamilton county and around the state, obama is pushing an agenda for jobs and the middle class in the suburbs. but it could actually hurt the suburban middle class. we have stanley kurtz with us. your message is obama is in fact going to rob the suburbs to pay the city. in brief, stanley, how does he do that as president? >> well, larry, there's a practice called regional tax base sharing that obama would like to spread to every metropolitan region in the country. this is where all the suburbs in a metropolitan area have to kick in a big chunk of their tax money and that gets redistributed to cities. ohio has a lot of folks that would like to see that practice come to the state. >> cleveland, right? maybe even hamilton county, which is cincinnati which has its urban problems. >> that's right. but they're centered around the northeaste

well, this was one of the three firewall states. the obamas where they got the lowest winning percentages in 2008 except for indiana and north carolina which they conceded, florida, ohio and virginia. since the october 3 debate, florida seems to be gone toward mitt romney. he has been winning almost all polls this. virginia has been even tending a little toward romney in my judgment. ohio has been a little stickier. are the auto bailout is an issue there. if you look at the polls what you will see is white noncollege voters. a group that was 58-40 for john mccain nationally four years ago are not giving romney in ohio that much of an edge. and so i think there is some gain that the democrats have gotten from that -- that huge barrage of antiromney ads they ran before the convention. i would say this, though, sean. i think there is some reason to beware arery of the ohio polls. we are seeing results there in the most recent weeks there varying in between a tie and a five point obama swing. but you we are also seeing in the polls almost all of

in florida, it's president obama went in to the debate last week up 1% in the state. he remains up 1%, 48% to 47%. and in ohio, the last week right before the debate, he was leading mitt romney by eight points. now it's six points, 51% to 45%. >> so we're seeing some of the shift after the debate, although it's not a significant shift in numbers. but how is the white house reacting to the new numbers coming out? >> i think they're pretty comforted by them. they see that mitt romney was able to make some marginal gains but nothing that substantially transformed the race. now, of course, they need a good debate performance from joe biden tonight, two more solid debate performances by president obama at the second and third debates. i think they can take a lot of comfort in that ohio figure. as well, the fact that they are still very competitive in florida and virginia. you look at all they're routes to the electoral votes and they feel they still have the same routes. >> we'll see how tonight goes and whether or not there is any shift after that. mark murray, thank you

they have nine or so swing states that seem to actually be in play. tonight mitt romney and barack obama are both in just one state. mr. romney appearing with chris christie and rob portman in akron, ohio. the president showing up with will.i.am. >> buckeyes, we need you. we need you fired up. >> ohio is going to elect me the next president of the united states. >> all the interest in competing in ohio, the desperate need to win the election in ohio, the dualing rallies and the ground games, all that comes from the context of a big surprising decision in ohio this afternoon. about how the election is going to be run there this year. back in 2004, the night that the democratic ticket decided not to concede the race on election night because they were waiting on results. part of what was happening in '04 was this. these horrendous epic lines for ohio voters. they waited ten hours and more in ohio in 2004 to cast a vote. especially in precincts used heavily by african-americans and college students. the polls were not ready for everyone who wanted to vote. for voters likely to vote democrat

red states, romney. blue, obama. then the pinkish, those are lean romney states. t blue, lean obama. yellow states are tossup states within the margin of error. this is based on polls within the last 30 days. okay, karl. what has changed since last time we talked last week? >> well, we had 44 polls last week. 22 states. there were three changes in status. two benefiting president obama. new hampshire went from tossup to lean obama. new mexico went from lean obama to obama. one change in status benefiting romney. went from lean obama to tossup. romney gained in colorado, ohio, virginia, and wisconsin, all battleground states. but no change in the status in those. missouri and nevada became stronger for obama. no change in status for those. >> bret: of that, joe. what do you see as important? >> all the states move to romney even though they haven't changed status matter. but ohio is the real interesting thing, because when you look at it, both karl and i threw out a marist poll that happened some time ago with eight-point lead for obama. we threw that out. moving as

you had states solid or leading obama in shades of blue with 237 electoral votes. and states solid or leading romney with 2306 votes and eight toss ups in yellow with 95 electoral votes and you need 270 to win the presidency. this is from last monday and this shows all of the states some of the leading obama and romney. any movement last week? >> well, we will know tomorrow night with our electoral college map but we are at a point where there is little movement, the momentum was on romney's side but the closer you get to the end, one of two things happens. the 1980 with rapid movement in one direction or we see what i think we are seeing, movement toward romney but slowing because we are down to the thin group of people. >>chris: do you have any sense of big movement? >> at this point the polls are less important than the early voting numbers, the actually people voting. take ohio, in ohio 1 109,000 fer democrats than now years ago allied for early, and 400,000 more republicans already, so there is a shift of 120,000 or 130,000 absentee ballots to republicans. >>ch

that's because of barack obama. states like nevada be a good example gwen: you say nevada? you're right. i'm going to get angry letters now. but i think it's a state where the votes are going to track very similar to the lines of the presidential race. gwen: how about montana? >> you're not seeing the opposite. there isn't a lot of romney coattail effect out of these states. a lot are really either competitive or leaning toward obama. it would not shock me if the race is decided by less than 1,000 votes. that's how tight it is. >> or how many people! [laughter] >> and indiana this week, gloria? that wasn't such a tight race and all of a sudden it is again the >> well, of course. because of remarks made my mourdock, who spoke about rape again and it sort of echoed todd achein, -- aikin, even though it was very different because he is opposed to any exceptions for a abortion. that is a difference from mitt romney's position, we should say. but what happens, when you have this be an issue in the campaign, and you talk about women being up for grarkss women voters are the cruci

two states talking about that are probably going to decide this thing. obamaock one of those states if not both. this class had a distinction to having to write essay on the end of segment of what karl and i say here. i want to pick it out. not only are they smart, they have it down to the two states we need. >> bret: karl, last word on the class? >> thank goodness i didn't take him. you have to write -- watch us first of all, every week and write about the three of us? i mean, this guy is a tough grateer. i need to visit this class in new york. >> i'm with you. >> bret: all right, joe, karl, here it is. next week the final predictions. get ready. thank you, gentlemen. next up, more coverage of the monster storm that is hitting the east coast. stay tuned. sure wish you guys would bring layaway back. actually... th way i could split my payments up into little bite-size chunks. i mean you feel me right? yeah. uh, sir... ah... [ male announcer ] shop now. and put it on layaway so you have more time to pay. walmart. campbell's has 24 new soups that will make it dr

karl, you had states followed or leading obama in various shades of blue. with 237 electoral votes. olid or leading romney in shades of red and pink with 206 electoral votes an 8 tossup states in yellow and, you need 270 to win the presidency, now, let's look at another chart from last monday, and, this shows all of the states -- well it doesn't show all of the states, but, in any case, it shows the toss-up states and some of the leaning obama and romney. anticipate movement in this last week? >> well, we'll know tomorrow night with our electoral college map and now we're at a point in the campaign where there is little movement, the momentum was on romney's side and, the closer you get to the end, one of two scenarios happens, it is 1980 and there is rapid movement in one candidate's direction or what i think we are seeing, movement towards romney but slowing because we're getting down to very thin groups of people left undecided. >> chris: do you have any sense of big movement in any of these states? look. >> look, polls are less important than looking at the early voting numbers a

you had states solid or leading obama in shades of blue with 237 electoral votes. nd states solid or leading romney with 2306 votes and eight toss ups in yellow with 95 electoral votes and you need 270 to win the presidency. this is from last monday and this shows all of the states some of the leading obama and romney. any movement last week? >> well, we will know tomorrow night with our electoral college map but we are at a point where there is little movement, the momentum was on romney's side but the closer you get to the end, one of two things happens. the 1980 with rapid movement in one direction or we see what i think we are seeing, movement toward romney but slowing because we are down to the thin group of people. >>chris: do you have any sense of big movement? >> at this point the polls are less important than the early voting numbers, the actually people voting. take ohio, in ohio 1 109,000 fer democrats than now years ago allied for early, and 400,000 more republicans already, so there is a shift of 120,000 or 130,000 absentee ballots to republicans. >>chr

obama. swing states, women and obama are dead even. if i'm romney tonight, that's who i talk to. swing state specifically. >> brian: the pro-life. you know obama wants the women back so he will try to get romney in an attack on pro-life. >> dana: big mistake. >> brian: are you going to put two supreme court justices to overturn roe v. wade? >> andrea: i think if he keeps them on the road with the social issues they'll lose. people say president obama will be more aggressive. women don't want more aggressive. he has to do what bill clinton did, feel your pain. bill clinton was a classic expert retail politician. obama and romney are not classic politicians so how can president obama be the man to feel the pain when he is the one to blame? very hard to go negative. >> brian: i will be nice to you, you asked the question. i'm mean to you because you're the opponent. >> bob: one thing we forget from the poll, romney is not getting as many men as republicans do. he needs more men. >> eric: doesn't matter. doesn't matter. you know it doesn't now in states decided now. what matters is th

states. but somehow when president obama passed the same plan designed to be available to the states, that's not good enough. romney says he will repeal obama care and replace it. although, he just does not deliver any of those details. he lied about medicare. he says had his plan would impact those over 55, but that's a lie. repealing obama care will immediately cost those on medicare more for prescription drugs. for those under 55 years of age, he's going to give you a voucher and let you negotiate with insurance companies. ever negotiate with an insurance company? can you imagine negotiating when you're 85 years old and need a hip replacement? he lied about deregulating the bank industry. he lied when he said that we would become energy independent through more drilling? he lied when he said half of the green energy companies had gone bankrupt. he lied saying president obama's plan would kill 700,000 jobs. americans, we get the government we deserve. it's been six days since mitt romney stood on that stage with president obama and lied for 90 minutes. and currently, polling shows more amer

state university with good degrees. romney supports on campus are visible and active. another change from 2008. >> obamakers pushed early voting in person or absentee an it appears they've got some work to do. the work that make up the ohio state neighborhood four years ago delivered nearly 6,000 early votes. as of yesterday, the same in 2012 produced a little over half that. 3,000 early votes. quite frankly, a lot of people are college students. we don't do things until the last minute. it's definitely a challenge to make sure we can get over the do things right away. >> what is that about billionaires? it's true. >> what are you doing to us? >> note the president's recent interview on the late night talk show, mtv, rolling stone, "us weekly" outlets with the young adult appeal. while they continue to bus ohio state students to get their votes in early over bolling green state university it's a placard covered golf cart. the distance to the local polling area, two blocks. whatever it takes. when the stakes are this high. bret? >> steve, thank you. governor romney is also gaining on the twitter index. h