(Image Source: Talking Points Memo )


BY JOHN O’CONNOR

ANCHOR LOGAN TITTLE

More than a week after the release of a secretly recorded videotape showing presidential candidate Mitt Romney asserting that 47 percent of Americans see themselves as “victims” — he has started losing ground in the polls.

At the time of the tape’s release New York Times blogger Nate Silver tweeted “90% of ‘game-changing’ gaffes are less important in retrospect than they seem in the moment.” 

Silver has now found this gaffe would fall in his “10 percent exception.” In a Friday update , Silver shows that on September 17th — the date the tape was released …

Obama led the popular vote in the New York Times’ now-cast polls by “4.1 percentage points.”  But since then “Mr. Obama has gained further ground in the polls. As of Thursday, he led in the popular vote by 5.7 percentage points in the ‘now-cast,’ a gain of 1.6 percentage points since Mr. Romney’s remarks became known to the public.” 

President Obama is also up about six percentage points in each the Bloomberg and Gallup poll respectively this week.  

Ad expert Howard Bragman tells MSNBC that the boost can be attributed to the Obama campaign’s use of “47 Percent” ads.

“It’s testing really well which is why the Obama people keep hammering on it.  When the history of the 2012 presidential campaign is written the 47 percent remark is going to be the seminal moment.”

Despite Mitt Romney’s significant slide in the pre-election polls, Fox News notes …

“The race is not over yet and the debates beginning next week will be a decisive test for both the president and Governor Romney.”

The first debate — which is over domestic policy — will be held at the University of Denver, Colorado next week on October 3rd.