Romney Campaign Cautious With Ad Budget, Even in Key States [Romney Must Sack Chief Strategist!]

NY Times ^ | September 19, 2012 | EREMY W. PETERS and NICHOLAS CONFESSORE

[Steelfish]

Romney Campaign Cautious With Ad Budget, Even in Key States By JEREMY W. PETERS and NICHOLAS CONFESSORE September 19, 2012

Despite what appears to be a plump bank account and an in-house production studio that cranks out multiple commercials a day, Mr. Romney’s campaign has been tightfisted with its advertising budget, leaving him at a disadvantage in several crucial states as President Obama blankets them with ads.

One major reason appears to be that Mr. Romney’s campaign finances have been significantly less robust than recent headlines would suggest. Much of the more than $300 million the campaign reported raising this summer is earmarked for the Republican National Committee, state Republican organizations and Congressional races, limiting the money Mr. Romney’s own campaign has to spend.

With polls showing President Obama widening his lead in some of these states and the race a dead heat in others, Mr. Romney’s lack of a full-throttle media campaign is risky, especially as he struggles to get his message out over the din of news about his campaign’s recent setbacks.

[Perdogg]

Gee, the NY times telling me its over. That’s a surprise - not. I am sure you believed it.

[Fred]

Staffer does not know whether he should prance or ponder..... Rommney’s staff on the networks act like they want to be loved... no way to win a campaign time to be ALPHA

[STJPII]

I’ve been waiting for Romney to come out counter punching with ads that will crush BHO’s glass jaw and I’m just not seeing it.

[luvbach1]

I’m seeing far more 0bumble TV ads in Hampton Roads, VA than Romney’s.

[Sooth2222]

The NY Times is, of course, interpreting the evidence in a way that favors their candidate -- "One major reason appears to be that Mr. Romney’s campaign finances have been significantly less robust than recent headlines would suggest."

Alternatively, I've read that Romney's strategy in other elections has been to hold back on spending, and then to blitz his opponent with massive ad buys in the weeks just before the election. Can anyone confirm this? Or refute it?

[Perdogg]

I am in NoVa I saw several ads tonights.

[faithhopecharity]

With 47% of the country on the dole or otherwise dependent on the federales, Governor Romney had better start REALLY CAMPAIGNING. Point out the current regime’s many abysmal failures (starting with the economic downspin, then our foreign and defense policies. There is so much more, just air some of BHO’s anti-American or anti-Christian or anti-Western statements, for goodness sakes!

And don’t be afraid to ask questions about just WHO BHO really IS, since he’s hidden his life so completely from the American voters. Never has any political candidate hidden his entire history, lineage, citizenship, you name it.... before..... What’s he hiding???????????????????????

[SamAdams76]

All that campaign money will do Romney no good on November 7th so you know he's going to spend it all before then.

[jimbo123]

Two words: Reggie Love.

[Perdogg]

There was an article stating that Romney will release a blitzkreig of Ads.

To be honest, I think ads are overrated. There is this dumb ad by 0bama about smaller class sizes, wtf. The couple in the ad look like a bunch of losers. Also, the way 0bama sashays in the beginning of these ads makes him appear to be effeminate

[Jane Long]

I’ve seen 0 ads during football games but no Romney ads, whatsoever!! Where are the anti 0 PAC ads??

[FlingWingFlyer]

It’s over. Barry has it in the bag. The 47% shouldn’t worry about the election anymore and stop wasting their time campaigning and voting. It’s time to PahTay and not worry about any goofy election. It’s over.

[Tuxedo]

I have a sinking feeling we are seeing McCain redux. I think the media has effectively neutered Mitt and he hasn’t figured out how to respond. He needs to take a cue from Newt. One good thing about a second Obama term is he won’t finish it, as the country will be over.

[Sooth2222]

"There was an article stating that Romney will release a blitzkreig of Ads."

Yes, but I don't see anything out here. Not ads, not bumper stickers, not yard signs.

I'm not sure they're useless. There must be a bazillion video clips of Obama saying things, making promises that are laughable now. Yet I haven't seen a single Romney ad, never mind an ad attacking Obama.

[Perdogg]

where do you live?

[nhwingut]

This is bull. From what I’ve read they are holding out until early October and then carpet bombing for 4 weeks.

[BlueStateRightist]

Hopefully we are witnessing a Rope-a-Dope strategy, and in October Romney throws multiple jabs, body blows and upper cuts.

[tanknetter]

Alternatively, I've read that Romney's strategy in other elections has been to hold back on spending, and then to blitz his opponent with massive ad buys in the weeks just before the election. Can anyone confirm this? Or refute it?

Unless there are people out here who are in the upper echelon of the Romney Campaign the answer to both of those is going to be "no". And if there are, there's no way they're going to reveal their internal playbook for the last weeks of the campaign.

I will say this: a lot of people (here and elsewhere) are suggesting that the Romney Campaign is holding back for the debates. I disagree: I think they're holding back to see what the September economic, and specifically the unemployment, numbers look like. Plus how previous months' numbers (specifically the abysmal August numbers) are revised. Once those numbers are out, the Romney Campaign will know what way to drive their narrative through the election (the risk, which MUST be taken, being that the October numbers/revisions will drop right before the election and could either reinforce or refute whatever case Romney's making throughout October).

[dfwgator]

That will be way too late.