Strategists see Dem campaign in peril

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HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Three prominent Democratic Party strategists are bluntly critical of their party's presidential candidate, their pre-election memos state.

In separate communications, strategists Peter Hart, Stan Greenberg and James Carville are pessimistic about President Obama's chances of defeating Republican candidate Mitt Romney, saying Obama's weak showing in the first of three debates squandered an edge his campaign worked to establish during the summer, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

"It comes down to the debates, the attitudes about the economy and most importantly, turnout with younger voters and Hispanic voters. Factor all these elements together, this election continues to feel like 2004," said Hart, a reference to the victory by George W. Bush.

Carville and Greenberg were equally blunt in a joint memo distributed Monday.

"The campaign has reached a tipping point. The first debate really did disrupt the race and presents a real-time test of what happens when the president tries to convince people of progress and offer a very modest vision of future change," they wrote.

The second debate between Obama and Romney was set for Tuesday evening in Hempstead, N.Y.