Good Morning America, hosted by former Democratic operative George Stephanopoulos, highlighted panic, Wednesday, about Barack Obama's reelection campaign. GMA's Jake Tapper warned, "Top Democrats are sounding the alarm. They are worried that President Obama's economic message is tone-deaf."
The segment featured James Carville, who worked with Stephanopoulos in the Clinton administration. Carville fretted that when the White House talks, "people take that as a signal that [the Obama administration] thinks things are fine." Carville and other Clinton operatives have produced a memo on Obama's precarious situation. CBS and NBC have not highlighted this.
Voters also have negative views of Romney's plans for the economy, 47 to 35 percent, but the Republican has a higher number of Americans who are undecided on his goals.
Tapper repeated Carville's unhappiness with the Obama reelection strategy: "Carville desperately wants President Obama to win. But he says the President should acknowledge how bad things remain for millions of Americans because of the recession that began in 2007."
A transcript of the June 13 segment, which aired at 7:11am EDT, follows:
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: To politics, now and the win by Ron Barber we just told you in the race to succeed Gabby Giffords. Some rare good news for Democrats in what has been a tough month for the White House. This morning, a new ABC News/Washington Post shows that key voters aren't buying what the President's selling on the economy. It's your voice, your vote with ABC's Jake Tapper. And, Jake, the grumbling in Democratic ranks is getting a lot louder.
ABC GRAPHIC: Sounding the Alarm: Tom Dem "Worries" About Obama Campaign
JAMES CARVILLE: I'm worried that when the White House and the campaign talks about the progress being made, people take that as a signal that they think things are fine. And people don't feel they ought to believe that.
TAPPER: As the President did overnight, campaigning in battleground state Pennsylvania.
BARACK OBAMA: We are in a stronger position. We're moving in a better direction than when I took office.
TAPPER: Carville desperately wants President Obama to win. But he says the President should acknowledge how bad things remain for millions of Americans because of the recession that began in 2007. Carville says President Obama should focus his message on what he wants to do if given a second term.
CARVILLE: They want to be reassured he understands the depth of the problem and that he has a plan to deal with the deterioration of the middle class.
TAPPER: Mr. Obama has work to do. In a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, swing-voting independents have an overall negative view of the President's plans for the economy. 54 percent negative for 38 percent positive. Mitt Romney's scores aren't as bad. 47 percent negative to 35 percent positive with more undecided voters, meaning Romney has less criticism and more room to maneuver.
MITT ROMNEY: I think people recognize that the President may be well-meaning. But he's just out of touch with what's happening across the country.
TAPPER: And, George, on Thursday, President Obama will go to Cleveland where he will deliver a major economic address. Aides say, it will be a framing address. He will present the contrasting economic visions of his second term versus a President Mitt Romney. George?
STEPHANOPOULOS: So, he may be edging in the direction that Carville was just calling for.
TAPPER: Exactly right.
