As for "talking up" the economy. I'm convinced that a) Bush is doing this all he can, and b) to a degree, it is pointless. There are three numbers that tell everyday Americans about the economy and advertising really doesn't cut through these: the price of gas, the DOW/NASDAQ, and the unemployment rate. If the stock market is up, and the other two down and/or falling steadily, everyone's "perceptions" about the economy will be fixed, regardless of what any ads say.
The fact is, unemployment is already at historic lows and the DOW and NASDAQ are up (way up) since NOV of 2001 - yet the public still isn't convinced on the economy -
And that is because the DEM's and Media have talked it down for going on a year - with hardly a GOP response (until about 2 months ago) - CBS news was still air news segments entitled "making ends meat in America today" - with the whole notion being .......even middle-class people can't make it in the "Bush economy" - (this has an effect, it makes people think things outside of their own job...must not be going well - and especially so when there is no response from the GWB WH, or GOP Congress).
Let me ask, at what point in this election does the time come....where you will think GWB is in trouble (as an incumbent)...and also with enough time to try and make some change?? -(like it can't be the last week in Oct, when at that point it wouldn't matter because there is no time to change anything) -