Yesterday we saw Mitt Romney cancel all campaign events for Tuesday and President Obama is camped out in the White House monitoring the federal response to Hurricane Sandy, despite Bill Clinton immediately politicizing the situation. Although the presidential campaigns are physically at a stand-still, many are wondering how Hurricane Sandy will effect the election next week. Sandy has the potential to knock out power for weeks and will effect 60 million people in some way.
POLITICO's Morning Score provided some ideas yesterday:
1) It's hard to see how the storm helps Romney.
2) Obama has a natural advantage because he's president...unless he makes an unforced error.
3) No one can watch TV if their power's out. So much for inundating them with TV ads.
4) Most of the states in Sandy's path don't have early voting, except of the absentee-ballot variety. Maryland, a state Obama will win easily, has closed its early-voting program on Monday. Virginia allows early voting, but only for residents who have a reason they can't vote on Election Day.
5) This might throw a slight wrench in Obama's turnout operation. North Carolina has early voting, but the bulk of the state is likely to be spared. If transportation and power are out in Virginia's northern suburbs and coastal cities for more than a week, Obama could have a turnout problem on his hands.
After billions raised and thousands of hours logged on the campaign trail by both campaigns, obviously the results and damage left by the storm is a concern.