Romney panic?

Mitt... Buddy!  Tough times!

For two days, teevee screens broadcast New Jersey Governor and Republican hero Chris Christie's effusive testimonials for the Great Enemy.  Quote:  "[President Obama] has worked incredibly closely with me since before the storm hit. I think this is our sixth conversation since the weekend, and it’s been a great working relationship to make sure that we’re doing the jobs that people elected us to do. And I cannot thank the President enough for his personal concern and compassion for our state and for the people of our state."

Chris Christie said that!  Mitt, buddy, that's gotta hurt.  It wasn't three weeks ago you had him out there throwin' pitches for you, and now he's talking about what a great guy the President is.

To make matters worse, the President is getting all that soft coverage doing the "disaster relief" thing.  Hell, he doesn't even have to say anything!  He just shows up on camera, comforting "victims," like that 47 percent you talked about, and everybody falls all over themselves.

You, on the other hand, can't catch a break.  At that fake food collection you staged in Ohio, all people wanted to ask you was did you really mean it when you said you'd dismantle FEMA and send it all back to the states.  What the hell?  Some kinda nerve, I tell ya. 

The Christie thing was so bad that you probably didn't even notice Bloomberg endorsing the President, did you?  Well, at least, Christie and Bloomberg knocked Colin Powell's endorsement off the radar.  And I think you've still got that guy from Missouri --what's his name?  Akin?  I think he's still in your corner.

You know how this game goes, Mitt. You're a politician.  Endorsements don't persuade.  At least not at the presidential level.  But they do reveal.  When guys like Bloomberg and Christie and even Powell sense that a parade is forming, they run to get out in front of it.  You'd do it in their place.

The election is in 5 days and, Mitt, I gotta tell ya, the smart money seems to be moving in the other direction. 

And then there's the muttering amongst the crew.  Did you see that memo that one of your campaign advisers in Palm Beach County circulated?  Another quote, speaking of early turnout:  "..the Democrat turnout machine ...is cleaning our clock."  Palm Beach County is in Florida, Mitt.  The pundits are saying that you must win Ohio, and that's probably true.  But if you don't win Florida, Ohio won't even matter.

The polls are close, I grant.  But, buddy, as close as they are, you're still behind in most of them.  About a week ago, I wondered whether you'd hit your high water mark after the first debate.  I don't know how you feel about it but, buddy, it looks to me like I may have been right.