Messina derides Republican efforts in PA, MI, and MN.
JANESVILLE, Wis. — Obama campaign manager Jim Messina derided the Romney campaign's efforts in in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Minnesota are a sign of weakness for the Republican nominee.
The Romney campaign claims they are seeing movement — particularly in Pennsylvania — that would make the states, thought to be a safe bet for President Obama, more competitive. The Romney super PAC Restore Our Future is advertising there, and the Romney campaign is increasing its efforts in those states, drawing the Obama campaign in further.
The Romney campaign released a memo on Pennsylvania raising the possibility of a "startling upset" for them in the state.
Messina said in a statement that the efforts were a reflection of Romney's narrowing path, with even Romney must-win North Carolina remaining tight in the polls:
Three things are now absolutely clear in this race – we have a significant early vote advantage in states from North Carolina to Nevada, there is no Romney momentum in the battleground states, and the Romney campaign has found itself with a tremendously narrow and improbable path to 270 electoral votes. Now, like Republicans did in 2008, they are throwing money at states where they never built an organization and have been losing for two years. Let’s be very clear, the Romney campaign and its allies decision to go up with advertising in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Minnesota is a decision made out of weakness, not strength.
“The President is leading or tied in every battleground state across the country, and he leads early voting in every state across the country. Governor Romney has not been able to put away a single battleground state – in fact, as polls in the past day have showed the candidates tied in North Carolina, Republicans have raced to increase their television advertising there.
Voters who haven’t heard from the Romney campaign in two years will see this desperation for what it is.
