New Obama phrase: 'If the president loses'

TAMPA, Fla. - President Obama's re-election team is adopting a new and unusual tactic to jolt supporters into contributing and working for him. It arrived in a fundraising email Thursday with the simple subject line, "If the president loses..."

It is a scary thought for Obama's backers, which makes it a smart strategy for the campaign, especially during the Republican National Convention, where the president has been under attack. In his email, campaign adviser David Axelrod used the "loses" line to rap the GOP's focus on killing Obamacare.

Axelrod notes that virtually all convention speakers have called for the end of Obamacare, which he said would take away key protections for ailing Americans.

"Today, there are millions of families like ours who won't have to suffer through needless heartache over situations beyond their control. If the President loses, Republicans are guaranteeing those protections will be gone with him," he writes.

GOP pre-blames media for lack of bounce

TAMPA, Fla. - In a pre-emptive strike, Republican leaders are blaming the media and national polarization for Mitt Romney's lower-than-expected convention "bounce" in the polls, even though no one knew yet what kind of bounce he would get.

Former Bush political director Sara Fagen said the "proliferation" of media, mostly social media, drowns out the convention message.

Former Bush re-election campaign strategist Terry Nelson said the nation has become so polarized that it's hard for presidential candidates to turn voters during the conventions.

And former Rick Santorum adviser John Brabender said the convention is now viewed as a giant "informercial" and less as an old-fashioned national event where the public hung on every speech.

Clint's other great line

His best movie line may be "Go ahead, make my day," but Clint Eastwood fired off one other lesser-known zinger -- at the expense of a fellow filmmaker Michael Moore.

It was at the 2005 National Board of Review dinner at which both men were being honored, Eastwood for "Million Dollar Baby" and Moore for the anti-gun film "Bowling for Columbine."

"Michael Moore and I actually have a lot in common -- we both appreciate living in a country where there's free expression," Eastwood said. "But, Michael, if you ever show up at my front door with a camera, I'll kill you."

The audience laughed.

"I mean it," Eastwood added.

By Paul Bedard and Sean Higgins