You're exactly right about this. You and I are not in the "battleground states" and we will not be able to judge the effectiveness of the campaign.
Unfortunately for those of us in CA and NY and some other virtually "lost" states, we must nevertheless help to pay the bills while not being able to witness the fun. That is the way national campaigns are now run, and won.
.
I used to live in MO, just moved last Feb. so I know exactly what kind of battleground state tactics the parties will use. What I am noticing though are the awful poll numbers for Bush, American's perceptions that the economy and WOT are bad, and the lackluster state polls coming out.