… Romney’s rising poll numbers in the aftermath of the debate on Oct. 3 actually reveal the relative failure of Romney’s general election advertising. Millions of dollars in ads couldn’t do what one effective debate performance — and a dismal showing by the president — did. …
No one knows how the interaction of the two remaining presidential debates and the final four weeks of advertising and campaigning will play out, but extensive data still suggest that the anti-Obama independent expenditure campaign has faltered in its effort to fatally discredit the president. [cont.]
Thomas Edsall, Columbia U. (NYT)