All too often, your TDR panelists have another thought that we don’t get to hear on the show. Here are a few from this week:
NBC’s Mark Murray on North Carolina: To illustrate that North Carolina is definitely a battleground state – at least right now – consider that of the 10 media markets with the most presidential advertising this week, three of them are in North Carolina, including top-rated Greensboro. Per SMG Delta, here are the 10 hottest media markets in the presidential race (based on advertising points) for the Obama campaign, Romney campaign, anti-Obama American Future Fund, anti-Obama Americans Crossroads, anti-Obama/pro-Romney Restore Our Future, and anti-Romney/pro-Obama Priorities USA.
TIME’s Michael Crowley on the Rev. Wright redux: The possibility that a Rev. Wright Super PAC ad could backfire and hurt Romney is a reminder that the explosion of these outside groups is a mixed blessing. Campaigns always like more financial air cover--but get very, very nervous about losing control of their message.
GOP strategist Rob Johnson on the power of perceptions on the economy: The recent USA TODAY/Gallup poll has some interesting numbers that show good news for Mitt Romney an bad news for the current resident of the White House. 71% of Americans rate economic conditions as poor and 55% say the economy would get better under a Romney presidency versus only 46% for Obama, who has had four years of disastrous failure with economic policies. President Obama's unfavorable rating as a sitting US President is at 46%; that is a recipe for defeat.