Pollster John Zogby grades the president’s week and how the week’s events affect his re-election chances:
Grade: C
“I have to be a three-handed pollster this week. On the one hand, Bill Clinton and other Democratic leaders who are just mere mortals fired up the troops in Charlotte, N.C. The former president set the table perfectly for the current president by framing the re-election message. President Obama was very good, so was Vice President Joseph R. Biden.
“On the other hand, they were always going to be drowned out by whatever the Labor Department’s unemployment numbers would show on Friday — and here is where they lost control of the message. New jobs, but not enough; a labor force nearly 400,000 smaller because of those who have given up looking.
“But (third hand) the president got as much of a bump as either side can expect this year and now leads by a few points. So no real damage. One thing is certain, however: the 10 percent who are undecided were not watching either convention and still are not sure. So like a political groundhog there are eight more weeks (and at least a billion dollars of advertising) to go.”
Last week’s grade: C
• Follow pollster John Zogby on Twitter (@thejohnzogby)
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