SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 5:55 P.M. ET:

OBAMA'S STRATEGY – A number of reports on the internet today say that Obama will Romney hard on Romney's days at Bain Capital during their debate this week.  I think, for Obama, this is a major mistake.  First, it's already been discussed at length, and doesn't seem to bother voters.  Second, Romney is very good at debating the point, and has done so repeatedly, and with success.  Third, Americans are getting tired of class warfare.  They want to know what Obama would do about our faltering economy, and The One has no answers, and no clothes.

EARLY VOTING? – A report being circulated on the web, and which has drawn e-mails from a number of readers, says that early voting this year is heavily pro-Obama.  I would not take that report at face value.  Early voters may come disproportionately from certain groups that are urged to vote early, in part to drum up momentum for a candidate.  I think our side is very sensitive to turnout issues this year, and I believe our partisans will come out in force.

ROMNEY GASSED UP – In a smart move, Mitt Romney is starting to hit the issue of gasoline prices hard as the campaign gets to the three-weeks-to-go mark.  We have said all along at Urgent Agenda that this is the hidden issue, the one that people see in their lives every day.  Romney should make cheaper, better energy one of the key themes of his campaign as we approach election day.  It will work.  Romney said today,  “Gas is at twice the price as when (Obama) came in. He cut in half permits for drilling. He said no to the Keystone Pipeline.”  Hit it, hit it, hit it.  It is this year's equivalent of Reagan's question to voters about the Carter record:   "Are you better off than you were four years ago?"

October 14, 2012