The Romney campaign believes their candidate needs to show empathy with Americans’ economic troubles in the first presidential debate Wednesday, advisers to Mitt Romney told National Review. In debate prep, Romney has practiced coming across as personable and may share stories from the trail about people who have been hit hard during the recession.
From National Review:
Romney’s advisers have a simple strategy: They want their candidate to balance his finely tuned arguments with personal warmth. Since Romney is a reserved man, his advisers acknowledge that it will be difficult for him to endear himself to the country, especially under the hot studio lights. But they consider it critical. “This is really about introducing him to the country,” a Romney adviser says. “It’s the largest audience he has ever had. Everybody’s watching.”
During prep sessions in Vermont this past month, Romney has worked tirelessly on the stylistic aspect of his presentation, and Romney’s advisers predict that the former Massachusetts governor will come across as both presidential and empathetic. Rather than fire off brusque retorts, as he often did during primary debates, Romney will take care “to speak in paragraphs about the economy,” a second aide says.
A new poll released Tuesday showed voters believe President Obama cares about their problems but that Romney does not.
