We don’t like Mitt — and it matters

Mitt Romney has a problem: Voters don’t like him. And the more they get to know him, it looks like the less they may think of him personally. …

Likeability, in this context, is a two-way street. It’s not just a question of the voters warming up to the candidate, it’s a question of whether the voters believe the candidate actually likes them as well. Presidents need to understand the problems that people face, and that understanding typically comes from shared experiences.

At this juncture, Romney has given the voters little insight that would lead them to believe that he is well-suited to understand their problems, and the President’s team has provided voters in target states with a mountain of information that suggests that Romney is more like a visitor from Mars than the guy next door. [cont.]

Tad Devine (New York Daily News)