i only have a short amount of time. a lot of our viewers are interested on the debate as well. i m just curious what you think about that. is tonight the night for romney or does he have other chances here with the debate and those could be more defining of his campaign? yes, i think for someone like him who is perceived as stiff, robotic, a speech can help, but remember speeches are prepared, you re reading off a prompter, and the environment is controlled. so if you want to overcome the image of lack of spontaneity, and being robotic that is not the best arena i think the real test, and this is going to be a high wire act, because you can script it, is going to be in the debates and that s where he can shine. reagan won the election in 1980 when when he said to jimmy carter, shucks, there you go again. he showed himself to be
affable. not extreme, the election was over. if romney can show himself to be somewhat sympathetic, empathetic, he can win it in the debate. i think mae may prove to be even more important than tonight s speech, important as it will be. jenna: i know you have another long day ahead. it s a treat to have you on the program to get your insights, thank you, sir. sure. jon: severe flooding and tornadoes threatening the gulf states in new orleans a rebuilt heavy system held back a storm surge whipped up by isaac. surrounding areas are under neck-deepwater and worse. this very slow-moving storm could drop another 20 inches of rain. 2 people have been killed. 900,000 homes and businesses without power right now. thousands were evacuated, some who stayed behind had to be rescued. the people had to be rescued from the rooftops?
get us back on track. back on track for a better future, and we will hear mitt romney present himself to the nation in a way that provides comfort and confidence and trust to the american people. because they understand and know that they need a new president and mitt romney is that person. jenna: interesting choices of words. confidence, comfort, and trust. there was a memorable line last night from congressman ryan when it came to hope and trust in president obama. let s take a listen to that. college graduates should not have to live out their 20s in their childhood bedrooms. staring up at fading obama posters and wondering when they can move could move out and get going with life. jenna: when he talked to the young voters out there included, a lot of them don t trust either party s plan. why should young voters are new voters trust the republicans?
the stage and apparently he has a pretty big job ahead of him. governor haley barbour is the former governor of mississippi and the former chairman of the republican national committee. if the reaction is any indication, mitt romney has a big job ahead of him. because the bar is set so high from last night. how is he coming into the speech tonight to make the most memorable of the convention? we think is key to that? the challenger this is always the greatest opportunity and a great challenge. because the bar is always high. the incumbent president is in our living room every day. everybody says this will be the close good look that millions of americans haven t mitt romney. the bar is high, but you know, i think it is keyed up very well for him. from his wife s speech, paul
brings the topic back to the center. instead of bamboozling people, talking about divisive politics and throwing granny off the cliff, now people can make a fair choice, or they can debate. kiersten, i disagree with you. once we debate the issues, we will be on the forefront where you can do this kind of good versus bad, to the have and have-nots. we will talk about policy that will help create a better america. i am not a betting woman, but if i were, my money would go on mitt romney and paul ryan, because they are about solutions and not excuses. jon: i think it will be hard, one that? for democrats to come up with another, you know, paul ryan look-alike throwing granny off a cliff. after they told a story about how they welcomed his own grandmother into their home when she was suffering late like diseases? yes, that advertisement is completely out of balance.