Mitt looks very happy, for a change. And he launches into a vigorous, new line of argument: He points out that Nevada's unemployment rate is 12%. He accuses Obama of "trying to take a bow for 8.3%," pointing out that people who have given up work make the total number something more like fifteen percent. "Let me ask you here a question," Romney says. "Did Obamacare encourage businesses to hire more people?" He asks if Dodd Frank helped Nevada's economy. He asks about green energy, and Keystone. The audience bellows "NO!" every time, in response. This is the liveliest a Romney rally's ever been, I think. Romney then says the job growth only happened because of America's strong-spirited business sector, and in spite of President Obama's plans. "This president started his term apologizing for America...he should be apologizing to America." Romney keeps talking up "fifteen percent real unemployment," blaming it on the "failed policies of one man."

Man. Romney came out of his corner swinging. The crowd was loving him. But he just took a turn back into his traditional election-night speech, and he's back to being purely awful—missing cues, stamping on applause lines, waiting for applause lines (like the line about Obama and his buddies "back in the faculty lounge") that never come with a louder, dumber crowd. He sure is against regulation, because he can't regulate his speeches at all for a different room. The crowd, of course, is still loving him—"Rom-KNEE! Rom-KNEE!" is a chilling thing for an auditorum full of people to shout, by the way—but that little bit of joy and seemingly improvised call-and-response bit at the beginning was smart, and worrying. But he immediately went back to Canned Mitt. "We believe in America," he concludes. "Thanks you guys! You're the best!" Now that Romney's got Secret Service coverage, he's flocked by a herd of clean-cut men in suits as he works the stage, shaking people's hands, and the visual isn't at all appealing; at first, I thought they were a Mormon posse. It's almost time for Gingrich's unconventional strategizing press conference; I'm going to try to track down a feed for that. It should be can't-miss-ably weird.