Obama and his campaign team have rarely missed a trick, whether changing the subject of debate to immigration with his unexpected announcement on deportations, or using expiring student loan interest rates as a cudgel against congressional Republicans.

“Romney has got to get out there with more of a vision, and stay very disciplined and very focused,” Republican consultant Matt Mackowiak told The Hill. “The margin for error for Romney is very small. They’ve got to play error-free baseball from here on out.”

Frustration with Team Romney’s stumbles first burst into public view with harsh criticism from conservative media titan Rupert Murdoch. His comments were followed by a fusillade of right-wing complaint…

Obama’s negative ads “have had an effect. You’re seeing that in the Rust Belt and in the likability numbers,” Mackowiak acknowledged.