PRWeek TV: Romney 'will have to play it safe' to overcome Obama's campaign clout

With less than two weeks to go until millions of Americans cast their votes, Romney has raced back into contention off the back of a strong first televised debate.

Jim Dickson, director at Four Communications, said that the Republican candidate benefitted from the ‘unmediated’ access it gave him to the public, emphasizing that his background as a CEO meant he was able handle big issues.

However, Dickson also criticised Obama: ‘Obama’s message about Romney and the fact the media seemed to be buying it bred a complacency which was to come back to haunt him in that first debate.’

MHP’s director, media, Ian Kirby said recent weeks had allowed Romney to head towards the political middle ground, comparing his performance in the first debate to that of Nick Clegg ahead of the UK general election in 2010.

He had also distanced the Republicans from its strong Tea Party associations in the minds of voters, he added, something evident in his lack of disagreement with Obama in the last foreign policy debate. 

‘Romney now has to play it really safe in terms of the subjects he speaks on. He has to appear authoritative. He has got to keep going on about the economy and he has to keep talking about issues such as personal freedom and steer clear of issues such as abortion.’

However, both Dickson and Kirby thought that a resurgent Romney would ultimately struggle against Obama’s well organised campaign machine.

This article was first published on prweek.com