Decision Day in America

At the Wall Street Journal, "Obama and Romney Battle Down to Wire":

After more than one million television ads, countless appearances and three contentious debates, the 2012 presidential election remained on a knife's edge with both candidates seeking to shore up support in states crucial to their chances Tuesday.

President Barack Obama cheered on backers in Wisconsin, Ohio and Iowa on Monday, evidence that his campaign aimed to build a firewall in the Midwest to try to block his Republican rival. He plans to await the election returns at his base in Chicago.

Mitt Romney swooped through four battleground states—Virginia, Florida, Ohio and New Hampshire—where the Republican needs to do well to secure a win. His campaign organized two additional stops on Election Day, at campaign offices in Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Mr. Romney is hedging his bets with a last-minute push in Pennsylvania before he returns to Boston to monitor the returns.

National polls are essentially tied while polls in some battleground states showed Mr. Obama with narrow leads. Both campaigns said their internal data show their candidate would win.

Voters are set to determine whether $6 billion in advertising and other campaign spending would bring a new era to Washington—with a Republican White House and administration—or extend the status quo of a Democratic White House and split Congress.

The result will answer some questions that have lingered since Mr. Obama's historic 2008 victory. The president was sent to the White House by a coalition comprising segments of the electorate—African-Americans, Hispanics and young voters—as well as women. The president's aides spent much of the past four years working to keep that group together, one that if it remains viable could be a lasting strength for Democrats.

With the margin of victory for the winner expected to be narrow, a likely outcome is a political system as split as the country. It isn't clear either party would be positioned to emerge Wednesday with a clear mandate for tackling some the nation's biggest problems—including the looming tax increases and spending cuts known as the fiscal cliff.

The tightness of the race sparked speculation about the possibility of unusual outcomes, such as an Electoral College tie or the winner failing to capture a majority of the popular vote.

Polling Conservative Bloggers on the 2012 Election

John Hawkins has a survey, at Right Wing News:

Right Wing News polled more than 230 right-of-center bloggers on who they think is going to win tomorrow and whom they plan to vote for in the election. The following 68 bloggers responded....

Check the link for the results.

Jessica Davies at Front Army

Lovely Egotastic! election eve ogling pics.

See: "Jessica Davies Topless Baking Cookies Provides a Quick Second Round of Welsh Goodness."

'Dismal' Obama Springsteen Rally in Madison

Althouse's husband Meade was on hand for the "big" Obama rally today in Madison, Wisconsin. Let's just say the enthusiasm's not matching up with the phenomenal Republican excitement.

* "A disappointing turnout for the Obama rally in Madison, Wisconsin."

* "Photos from the dismal, dull Obama rally in Madison today."

* "Obama rally video."

PHOTO: At Althouse's Flickr page.

RELATED: At NewsBusters, "Jay-Z Substitutes ‘Mitt’ for ‘B-tch’ While Rapping at Obama Rally" (via Memeorandum).

The Ground Glass Election

From Glenn Reynolds, at the Washington Examiner, "Sunday Reflection: The ground-glass election":

Last week, I noticed this blog comment: "Romney was not my first, second, or third choice, but I will crawl over ground glass to vote for him."

A lot of Republicans -- and, judging from polls, a lot of independents -- feel this way. If there are enough of them, Romney will win, and win big.

Are there? Well, there are some signs. I've written here before that politics is all about showing up. And in recent months, people on the Right have been doing a lot of showing up. They've showed up at Romney-Ryan events in unprecedented numbers. They made Dinesh D'Souza's "2016: Obama's America" a huge hit despite a virtual blackout from traditional media. They stood in line for hours at Chick-fil-A restaurants to buy chicken sandwiches in response to politicians' bullying. They packed houses at the "Hating Breitbart" premiere.

Will they now pack the voting booths and vote for Romney, and against Obama, in similarly unprecedented numbers? If they do, Romney will win in a landslide.

Then a landslide it's going to be. All signs are pointing to an epic day for grassroots conservative turnout --- not just Republican turnout, but conservatives for whom Romney wasn't their first pick but who now see him as the bulwark against continued Obama-Democrat statism and political and economic decay.

It's going to be huge. More at that top link.

Romney's Internal Polling Shows GOP Up in Ohio, Tied in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin

From Toby Harnden, at London's Daily Mail, "Exclusive: Romney UP one point in Ohio and TIED in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, according to his campaign's internal polling":

Mitt Romney is ahead by a single percentage point in Ohio - the swing state that many believe could decide the election, according to internal polling data provided to MailOnline by a Republican party source.

Internal campaign polling completed last night by campaign pollster Neil Newhouse has Romney three points up in New Hampshire, two points up in Iowa and dead level in Wisconsin and - most startlingly - Pennsylvania.

If the Romney campaign's internal numbers are correct - and nearly all independent pollsters have come up with a picture much more favourable for Obama - then the former Massachusetts governor will almost certainly be elected 45th U.S. President.

Well, don't get cocky, kid.

RELATED: At Instapundit, "NATE SILVER ALSO GAVE SHARRON ANGLE A 75 PERCENT CHANCE OF WINNING IN 2010..."

Hey, there's someone who really ought not get cocky.

I'll have more on the wonder boy suicide watch later.

Sheesh.

CBS Covered for Obama's Benghazi Clusterf-k

Here's a November surprise for you that's no surprise at all.

At Legal Insurrection, "CBS Rathered you not see this video of Obama refusing to call Benghazi terrorism," and Lonely Conservative, "Video: On Spetember 12 President Obama Refused To Call Benghazi Attack a Terrorist Attack."

And AoSHQ has the epic headline, "Buried Bombshell: CBS Video Shows Obama Refusing to Call Benghazi A Terrorist Attack...On September 12th."

Naturally, Bret Baier at Fox News is not pleased, "What President Obama really said in that ‘60 Minutes’ interview about Benghazi":

Two days before the election, CBS posted additional portions of a Sept. 12 "60 Minutes" interview where President Obama seems to contradict himself on the Benghazi attack. As the Benghazi investigation gets more attention and focus, CBS is once again adding to the Benghazi timeline. In the interview, according to the latest portions, Obama would not say whether he thought the attack was terrorism. Yet he would later emphasize at a presidential debate that in the Rose Garden the same day, he had declared the attack an act of terror.

That moment was one of the most intense exchanges in the second presidential debate. Romney was on the offensive on what conservatives believed was a serious vulnerability of Obama -- the handling of the Benghazi attack and what he called it from the beginning.

The town hall questioner asked, "Who was it that denied enhanced security and why?" Obama did not provide a direct answer, but said: "When I say that we are going to find out exactly what happened, everybody will be held accountable, and I am ultimately responsible for what's taking place there, because these are my folks, and I'm the one who has to greet those coffins when they come home, you know that I mean what I say."

Romney pounced, saying, "There were many days that passed before we knew whether this was a spontaneous demonstration or actually whether it was a terrorist attack. And there was no demonstration involved. It was a terrorist attack, and it took a long time for that to be told to the American people."

On rebuttal, Obama seemed rehearsed, but indignant. "The day after the attack, Governor, I stood in the Rose Garden, and I told the American people and the world that we are going to find out exactly what happened, that this was an act of terror... And the suggestion that anybody in my team, whether the secretary of state, our U.N. ambassador, anybody on my team would play politics or mislead when we've lost four of our own, Governor, is offensive. That's not what we do. That's not what I do as president. That's not what I do as commander in chief."

Governor Romney walked forward and started questioning ...

ROMNEY: You said in the Rose Garden the day after the attack it was an act of terror. It was not a spontaneous demonstration. OBAMA: Please proceed.

ROMNEY: Is that what you're saying?

OBAMA: Please proceed, Governor.

ROMNEY: I want to make sure we get that for the record, because it took the president 14 days before he called the attack in Benghazi an act of terror.

OBAMA: Get the transcript.

CROWLEY: It -- he did in fact, sir. So let me -- let me call it an act of terrorism -- (inaudible) --

OBAMA: Can you say that a little louder, Candy? (Laughter, applause.) CROWLEY: He did call it an act of terror. It did as well take -- it did as well take two weeks or so for the whole idea of there being a riot out there about this tape to come out. You are correct about that.

ROMNEY: This -- the administration -- the administration -- (applause) -- indicated that this was a -- a reaction to a -- to a video and was a spontaneous reaction.

CROWLEY: They did.

ROMNEY: It took them a long time to say this was a terrorist act by a terrorist group and -- and to suggest -- am I incorrect in that regard? On Sunday the -- your -- your secretary or --

Obama -- who had clearly won the moment (largely thanks to Candy Crowley) -- clearly wanted to move on from that victorious moment -- and quickly...

Continue reading.

Obama may win tomorrow, but Benghazi-gate's going to dog a second term if he does.

Sprint to Tight Finish in a Nation Deeply Divided

A front-page report at yesterday's Los Angeles Times, "Obama, Romney sprint to tight finish in a nation deeply divided":

WASHINGTON — Against the backdrop of a sharply polarized nation, the long and mean-spirited 2012 presidential contest is barreling toward the finish with the outcome still in doubt.

President Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney remain statistically tied in national polling, as they have been for much of the campaign. But the Democratic incumbent is clinging to a marginal advantage in enough key states to make him a slight favorite to gain reelection in a race that could still go either way.

Analysts in both parties expect Tuesday's vote to more closely resemble the tight 2000 and 2004 elections, which came down to a single state, rather than Obama's expansive 2008 victory. After years of weak economic growth and stalemate in Washington, opinion surveys show an electorate that is more divided than ever, especially along lines of race, age and party.

"We are deeply divided, and that has made a contribution to the closeness of the race. But the public is also divided about these candidates," said independent pollster Andrew Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center. "They look at Romney now as a somewhat acceptable candidate, but they still have doubts about him personally with respect to trustworthiness and with respect to how empathetic he'll be to people like themselves. They also have doubts about Obama and about his ability to turn things around."

The future of a divided Congress is also up for grabs. Republicans are virtually certain to keep their majority in the House of Representatives. But barring a late GOP surge at the top of the ticket, Democrats are expected to retain control of the Senate, despite a potential loss of seats.

Romney has sought to frame the election around Obama's handling of the economy, and an uptick in the unemployment rate going into the final weekend of the race allowed the Republican to tell voters that joblessness is worse now than when the president took office. At 7.9%, unemployment is also the worst for any incumbent seeking reelection since Franklin D. Roosevelt.

A nice piece, except for that quote from Andrew Kohut, the progressive hack.

Anyway, that image is from the Looking Spoon, "Obama and Romney's Views On The Economy Make The Right Choice Crystal Clear."

'The Democratic Party just isn't what it used to be...'

Frankly, I don't know how any decent, upright American could identify with the Democrats. But then again, there's a lot that's not right in the world.

In any case, a great essay, from Sheldon Adelson, "I Didn't Leave the Democrats. They Left Me."

A Vote for the Obama-Biden Ticket is a Vote for National Collapse

From Mark Steyn, at IBD, "A Vote For Obama-Biden Is A Vote For National Collapse."

Obama Bet His Presidency on Expanding Government Because That's Who He Is

At the Wall Street Journal, "Obama's Progressive Gamble":

Many of our friends who saw genius in the crease of Barack Obama's trousers four years ago lament that he might be cruising to re-election had he only focused first on the economy and postponed his liberal social priorities. This may be true, but it also misjudges the man and his Presidency.

Mr. Obama has governed from the left not because he miscalculated his priorities but because these are his priorities. His first term is best understood as a race to put himself in the pantheon of the great progressive Presidents—Wilson, FDR, LBJ—who expanded the state's control over the private economy and over the wants and needs of the American middle class.

The price of this governing choice includes a weak recovery, achievements like ObamaCare that are unpopular, the loss of the House in 2010, and a polarized electorate. Unable to run on his record, he has conducted a low-down re-election campaign based on destroying his opponent's character. If the polls are right, even if he wins re-election, he will do so as the first President since Wilson to win with a smaller margin than he did the first time.

But for Mr. Obama, this won't matter. His great progressive gamble will have paid off. His second term will be about preserving the government gains of his first term, especially ObamaCare, and using regulation to press government control wherever else he can.

Man, that's such a penetrating analysis it's almost depressing, and I mean from Obama's point of view. The poor guy. What a horrible existence and what a disastrous legacy. Government for government's sake, going against all that's great about this country. Tearing down personal liberty in the name of morally bankrupt statism. But that's what Democrats are about, and that's why Obama's doing as well as he is. A large chunk of Americans, roughly half if the polls are to be believed, have lost the initiative and moral bearing that built up this nation as the leader of the free world. From ObamaCare to the Middle East, this president has lied and bungled his way through a disgraceful interregnum. If he's reelected it will take that much longer to dismantle the apparatus of mindless bureaucracy, and not to mention the ideology of hate and recrimination.

The good news is that Romney's got momentum and he just may get over the finish line the victor. A bit of a prayer might help him, goodness be to God.

George Will Predicts Mitt Romney Victory

At Instapundit, "GEORGE WILL PREDICTS ROMNEY BLOWOUT."

Here's the whole segment, from yesterday's "This Week." Ronald Brownstein, the only other panelist worth paying attention to, has Obama eking out narrow win, taking Ohio et al., where Romney supposedly hasn't been able to "break though." I think Romney's going to take Ohio, however, and if so, under Brownstein's projection the president would lose.

Mitt Romney Speech at Morrisville

As promised, here's a clip from Romney's speech today in Pennsylvania:

And see, "Tens of Thousands Turn Out for Romney Rally in Morrisville, Pennsylvania" and "Massive Turnout for Romney Rally in Philadelphia!"

BONUS: "New Keystone State Poll: Presidential Race Locked Up at 47 Percent."

Tens of Thousands Turn Out for Romney Rally in Morrisville, Pennsylvania

I'll get some video up in a bit, but some great photos are available now.

At Lonely Conservative, "Massive Crowd Turns Out For Romney In Bucks County, PA," and Twitchy, "Amazing photos: ‘Unreal’ crowd packs Romney rally in Bucks County, Pa."

More at Gateway Pundit, "28,000 SUPPORTERS Turn Out in the Cold to See Mitt Romney in Pennsylvania!"

Deadlocked

At the Wall Street Journal, "Obama and Romney Deadlocked, Poll Shows."

Obama's up by one point 48-47.

Pew has a little larger lead for Obama, 50-47, so Democrats can cling to their last breath of salvation with that survey.

But then here comes USA Today/Gallup, "Final Swing States Poll: Fired-up voters split, 48%-48%."

The swing states are going to push Romney over the top. He's got the momentum. He just finished speaking in Morrisville, Pennsylvania. He looked so sure and confident, and happy. I'll update with more from the Keystone State when some clips become available.

Columbus Dispatch Poll: Ohio's a Toss-Up

More news on the Ohio battleground, "Obama has edge, but high GOP turnout could turn Ohio to Romney."

Obama's up by two here, but the poll oversamples Democrats (585D vs. 537R). Basically, adjusting for an accurate partisan breakdown we'd see Romney up by two, and then factor in the enthusiasm gap and Ohio goes into the GOP column.

And here's Michael Barone, who spoke with Megyn Kelly earlier:

And at Hot Air, "Michael Barone’s prediction: Romney 315, Obama 223."

Massive Turnout for Romney Rally in Philadelphia!

From Seersucker Erik on Twitter:

PREVIOUSLY: "New Keystone State Poll: Presidential Race Locked Up at 47 Percent."

Ed Gillespie: 'Romney Will Win Decisively...'

Listen to Ed Gillespie. He's not some flack hack activist cheerleading from Mitt Romney. He's the former RNC chairman with key insights into the mechanics of the vote. I've listened to him periodically over the last year of the campaign and his comments are usually even-keeled. He just lays it out. And he's been on the ground campaigning with Romney, so it's coming from both personal experience and first-hand knowledge. A lot of top analysts are predicting a big win for the GOP ticket on Tuesday. Here's one more:

Sunday Cartoons

At Flopping Aces, "Sunday Funnies."

Also at Reaganite Republican, "Reaganite's Sunday Funnies," and Theo Spark, "Cartoon Round Up..."

More at Jill Stanek's, "Stanek Sunday funnies: “Benghazi Cover-Up” edition."

CARTOON CREDIT: Legal Insurrection, "Branco Cartoon – Drip Drip Drip."

New Keystone State Poll: Presidential Race Locked Up at 47 Percent

This is devastating news for Obama-Biden. Romney campaigns in Pennsylvania today, and the momentum is with the GOP ticket. The grassroots undertow is going to overwhelm the Democrats on Tuesday. The state's breaking toward an epic upset.

At the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "Trib poll shows presidential race in Pennsylvania remains too close to call":

President Obama and Republican Mitt Romney entered the final days of the presidential race tied in a state that the campaigns only recently began contesting, a Tribune-Review poll shows.

The poll showed the race for Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes locked up at 47 percent in its final week. Romney was scheduled to campaign in the Philadelphia area on Sunday, and former President Bill Clinton planned to stump for Obama on Monday. The campaigns have begun to saturate the airwaves with millions of dollars in presidential advertising.

“They’re both in here because of exactly what you’re seeing” in this poll, said Jim Lee, president of Susquehanna Polling & Research, which surveyed 800 likely voters Oct. 29-31. Most of the interviews occurred after Hurricane Sandy inundated Eastern and Central Pennsylvania. The poll’s error margin is 3.46 percentage points.

Nearly 60 percent of people say the country is on the wrong track, and economic concerns continue to dominate. Almost half of likely voters say economic issues are the primary driver of their choice for president.

“I’m concerned about all the young people graduating from college, whether they’re finding jobs,” said Pauline Hoxie, 84, a Republican from Jersey Shore in Lycoming County. Her grandson graduated with a degree in graphic design but works a manual labor job because he can’t find openings in his field, she said.

Democrats shrugged off the Romney campaign’s late play for Pennsylvania, sending emails to supporters and journalists showing past Republican presidential candidates doing the same thing. Pennsylvania hasn’t given its electoral votes to the Republican candidate since 1988.

Right.

Democrats "shrugged it off" be redirecting millions in advertising dollars to Pennsylvania, money that could have gone to deadlocked races in other battlegrounds today. Romney's campaign it taking to the Democrats hard, and since the data reflect post-Sandy polling, clearly the president's bogus "bipartisan" disaster pandering made squat difference among the Penn electorate.

More here: "Romney Momentum in Pennsylvania."

Added: From Twitchy, "It may all come down to the bitter clingers."

And at The Ulsterman Report, "WHITE HOUSE INSIDER – Tuesday Election Break Down – How Romney Wins":

Pennsylvania: Some major trending for the governor right now that is being totally under-reported by the media. Some counties looking like they will be upwards of 70% Romney. #s will be played tight via media reports during early hours of election night, but watch for a call by around 8:30 or so for the governor. And that my friend, is when the entire liberal establishment really starts to do the backside pucker.