Tony Harnden of the British Daily Mail filed an article
about the differences between covering Obama;s campaign in 2008 and in
2012. The title summarizes the story: Low blows, lower turnouts and
low expectations: Four years after he was swept to victory, how Obama's
election campaign is a joyless slog. One detail, however, stuck in my
mind.
Another remarkable thing is that many of those at Obama's events - like many people across the country - are not listening to him. In Reno on Tuesday evening, it was at times hard to follow what Obama was saying because of the chatter.
A number of those attending seemed only to want to get a picture of themselves with Obama speaking in the background. In 2008, audiences would be rapt, almost mesmerised, when Obama spoke. At Romney and Ryan events there is near silence and many an intent, furrowed brow as the case for change is made.
In Las Vegas, the crowd chanted 'Yes We Can' before Obama appeared but it sounded like a dirge rather than the perky, upbeat chant of 2008. It was so different that one local reporter even walked over to me to ask what they were chanting.
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