UPDATE ELECTION 2012 GOING INTO THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE WEEKEND............

The CNN Poll of Polls, based on the latest aggregate of national Presidential polls, has the contest between President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney, as a four point spread favoring the incumbent - Obama 49;  Romney 45%;, with the President now found to be leading in all nine swing States, by margins of 2%-12%; respectively.  On Day 39 until the General Election and 5 days until the first Presidential Debate in Denver, Colorado next week; the focus turns toward the imperative nature of the first face-off between the   Democratic incumbent and the Republican challenger.  Romney as the challenger, has history on his side to win the first Debate, as since 1976, when the Presidential Debates resumed, after beginning in Nixon and Kennedy in 1960;  4 challengers ( Carter, Reagan, Clinton, Kerry)  facing incumbent Presidents (Ford, Carter, Bush 41, Bush 43) have won the first Debate in Presidential Election years, 1976, 1980, 1992, 2004.  Given the current Obama lead in this campaign and early voting starting in various states, if Governor Romney is not thought to have won next Wednesday night, his candidacy may be hard pressed and unable to turnaround the preference of the voters in the swing States sufficiently enough to defeat President Obama in the General Election.  It is my view that Romney must be more specific and consistent in the positions and policies he proposes and on his record as Governor of Massachusetts, namely in regards to Health Care Reform and the State Law he championed, in light of his views and plans for Obamacare should he be elected President.  Also with the disclosure of his May remarks on the 47%, and subsequent reference to wanting to be President of the 100%, concretely how he intends to do that in a way that is balanced between   the poor, middle class, and the wealthy, and not merely a renewal of the trickle down approach tilted toward  big business and the affluent to the disadvantage of the working class and the impoverished.  As the challenger, he also needs to clarify the Foreign Policy he would preside over, given his criticisms of Obama's international leadership as President.   President Obama needs to share the details of his further plans and vision for serving and leading all Americans in a second term, embracing his record and illustrating how re-electing him will improve the well being and prosperity of the USA and our interaction in World Affairs, if he remains in the White House.  Over the days ahead I will update the progress of the campaign leading up to the first Debate, and the national and worldwide opportunity it will provide us for a joint appearance, side by side, exchange between the candidate who is, and the candidate who would be, the next President of the United States............Fr.  Troy