The fallout from Mitt Romney's disdainful dismissal of half the country as being unwilling to take "personal responsibility and care for their lives" is starting to show up in the tracking polls. Notably, IMHO, is the sudden shift in the Rasmussen daily tracker, especially when leaners are figured in. The poll uses a four day running average and the leaners number has been tied all week. Until this morning. Now, Obama has opened up a 3 point lead. Today's numbers will only include 2 days of polling since the release of that video and one day for the impact to sink in. So, a sudden 3 point shift is either a something like a 12 point gap opening yesterday or something almost as bad but with the damage spread out over two days. However you look at it, it's a stunning collapse, especially considering that Rasmussen's most recent party ID weighting showed +4 Republican.
Romney and his campaign can dismiss the quote as more of a strategic assessment or a policy discussion about the struggles of the middle class. But we know what we heard. Romney looks with utter contempt at half the country, claiming they can't be convinced to "take responsibility and care for their lives." This is the line that will kill his candidacy. We can't repeat it and remind voters of it often enough.