National Elections

The president has been relatively mum during the campaign about what he would do if given a second term. He outlined more specific ideas this week — but he hasn’t explained how he would get those ideas through Congress.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us

President Obama’s campaign, including affiliated Democratic Party committees, announced that it has raised in total more than $1 billion this election cycle. Republican Mitt Romney’s not far behind, and also could pass the $1 billion mark when all is said and done.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us

Democrats and Republicans are on track to spend about $1 billion each on TV advertising in the presidential race — most of it negative and almost all in battleground states. There’s little evidence the ads sway voters, but the campaigns are happy to settle for low odds, given the lingering memories of the close 2000 election.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us

Karl Rove’s tax-exempt Crossroads GPS group said it was interested only in advancing issues, not engaging in electoral politics. But now it’s running a minute-long ad telling viewers to vote for Mitt Romney — with no mention of those very issues it had been saying were central to its mission.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us

In sharp contrast to his 2008 campaign, President Obama hasn’t mentioned climate change on the campaign trail this time around, instead choosing to focus on the economic side of clean energy rather than the climate change side.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us

Republicans retain hopes for a Senate takeover, but comments about rape and abortion by candidates in Missouri and Indiana aren’t helping. The GOP needs to gain four seats to control the Senate if President Obama wins; three seats if Republican Mitt Romney emerges the presidential victor on Nov. 6.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us