Mitt Romney's last-minute campaign push in Pennsylvania is a "desperate ploy at the end of the campaign," Obama senior adviser David Plouffe said on ABC's "This Week" Sunday morning.
"To win Pennsylvania, Gov. Romney would have to win two-thirds of the independents," Plouffe said. "He's not going to do that anywhere, much less Pennsylvania. So the truth is, they are throwing some ads up and Gov. Romney is traveling in the state he's not going to win."
Plouffe also pointed out that Romney and his running mate have been campaigning in Virginia and Florida in recent days, two states the Romney campaign had said a few weeks ago were in the bag for them.
"In Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, we're playing offense in states they thought they had the inside track on and they don't," he said.
Recent polls in Virginia and Florida show a tossup race, while most recent Pennsylvania polls show Obama with a four- to six-point lead. North Carolina appears likely to break for Romney.
Romney senior adviser Ed Gillespie argued that the map was expanding for his candidate, not contracting. He pointed out that at this point four years ago Obama was stumping in Indiana, a state he won but Democrats have not contested the state this year.
Gillespie said that Romney's heading to suburban Philadelphia today is a sign they are expanding the map.
"When you look at where this map has gone it reflects the change and the direction and the momentum toward Gov. Romney and the fact is that a state like Pennsylvania being in play, a poll out today showing Michigan a dead heat. The map has expanded," he argued.
Gillespie also questioned the public polling.
"I believe that Gov. Romney will not only win on Tuesday, I believe he will win decisively," he said.
