IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

NOW Today: Of all the numbers to be tied at...47

Headed into tonight's third and final presidential debate, Governor Mitt Romney has got to be feeling good about the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll th
Stage
Stage

Headed into tonight's third and final presidential debate, Governor Mitt Romney has got to be feeling good about the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll that has him tied nationally among likely voters, 47-47. (The irony of 47 isn't lost on us).

There are some notable takeaways from this poll, taken after the second presidential debate. Among the key ones:

  • Governor Romney's favorable/unfavorable rating has improved to 43/44%, while the President's rating stands at 49/43%.
  • Voters appear to be more comfortable with Governor Romney since seeing him perform in the presidential debates (47% of registered voters are optimistic and confident, or satisfied and hopeful, that Governor Romney would do a good job as President).
  • Romney trails the President by 3 points (44 to 41%) on the question of which candidate would make the better commander in chief.
  • 41% of voters believe the country is moving in the right direction, the highest level since June 2009.
  • 55% of respondents believe the outcome of the election will make a great deal of the difference in their lives personally (that's a high for the NBC News/WSJ poll).

Today marks 15 days until the Election and the last time these two men will share the stage before then. We'll discuss the stakes tonight and in the coming two weeks when we see you at noon ET on NOW.

PANEL

Jonathan Capehart, The Washington Post/msnbc Contributor (@capehartj)

Richard Wolffe, Executive Editor, msnbc.com/msnbc Political Analyst (@richardwolffedc)

Karen Finney, Fmr. DNC Communications Director/msnbc Political Analyst (@finneyk)

Hugo Lindgren, Editor, The New York Times Magazine (@hugolindgren)

GUESTS

John Heilemann, National Affairs Editor, New York Magazine/msnbc Political Analyst (@jheil)

P.J. Crowley, Fmr. Asst. Sec. of State/Fmr. State Dept. Spokesman (@pjcrowley)