Obama vs. Romney: 6 signs the momentum is shifting

Both presidential campaigns say they have the Big Mo heading into the home stretch. Who's got the stronger case?

Mitt Romney's campaign has been arguing lately that the GOP candidate is making inroads in typically Democratic states like Michigan and Pennsylvania. Team Obama says, not a chance.
(Image credit: AP Photos)

"Who has the momentum in the race for the White House, President Barack Obama or GOP challenger Mitt Romney?" asks Gregory Wallace at CNN. "Each campaign says they do, and are seeking to impress upon reporters that point." The polls provide some support for each camp: Obama is leading in enough swing states to win the electoral college while Romney surged in the national polls to take a slight lead after the Denver debate (Real Clear Politics now has the candidates tied at 47.6 percent). That split between the state and national polls is vexing to "would-be prognosticators" like RCP's Sean Trende and FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver, says Ross Douthat at The New York Times. But it's a gift to democracy — and partisans on each side. "Both Republicans and Democrats will head to the voting booth next week clutching something almost as precious as the franchise itself — a reason to believe." Here are six signs that each side is right — three points for Romney winning in the final six days of the race, and three for Obama:

Mittmentum is alive and well

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