You'll be having deja vu in 2013.
"It's not over!" "It's not over!" "It's not over!" So says the Washington punditocracy.
Romney has 14 days left to gain a lead across a swath of swing states or this race is over. He can't bring it close. Has to gain a measurable lead.
Two weeks from today the first presidential debate will be held. As of today, President Obama would win reelection handily. By Oct. 3, the amount of time Mitt Romney will have to turn his campaign around will be zilch.
The reason is that no matter what happens in that debate, unless there is some radical new news, that debate is going to cement this race in place. The debate is not going to save Mitt Romney. The debate, no matter who wins it, is only going to cause partisans to go home to their respective parties. The debates will be a wash as both candidates fire their sound bites to their respective bases. After that debate is over, this race will have been decided.
Mitt Romney, if he is to win, is going to have to turn his campaign around the old fashioned way: on the hustings, from the stump, and by connecting directly with the American people. Now, how many of you pundits sincerely believe that Romney is going to be able to do in the next two weeks what he hasn't done for the last five years he's been running for president?
As much as you all would like to have a down-to-the-wire race, Mitt Romney has forfeited his chance. Why? Because he has failed to qualify himself for the office. Barack Obama was a beatable incumbent, but he wasn't going to be beaten by a sub-par, second-rate politician like Mitt Romney. He simply isn't presidential timber, as indicated by his lack of vision, lack of political skills, and inability to effectively run for public office. He had his chance to establish himself as a viable alternative. He failed.
Start facing facts. This race is over. Barack Obama will be president for another four years.