Here are my notes from the McCain/Palin conference call that ended moments ago. Rick Davis, McCain’s Campaign Manager, said the following:Watch for an unprecedented velocity of McCain TV ads this final weekObama was spending $40 million a week during housing crisis, he’s now to normal levelsThey will be spending $10 million more than Obama on the air this weekThey believe they have been winning the economy and tax argument over the last 10 ten daysOf note for Hillary supporters, they have “learned from primaries, late breakers don’t go to Obama.”Just released closing ad, McCain talking about service to country and a contrast ad on economics and spendingContinuing to run what they call the “Joe the Biden” ad about Obama being tested. Still on air; best closing argument adThey’re ready to win electionIn Florida and Nevada, early voting is the same as 2004, favorable to McCain.McCain is picking up a lot Democratic support in both states.John McCain always finishes very strong in New HampshirePolls are all over the map. New Hampshire is a hard state to poll. New Hampshire is a low-tax state. Joe the Plumber has changed the dynamics of the race.Tight electoral college year, tight popular vote. Polling is not cumulative. Polls from 10 days ago do not mean anything. Never underestimate a Republican operative in the last week of race who is outspending you by $10 million.
New McCain Ad: He's For "Workin' Joes" The new McCain ad, set to air in targeted states, contrasts the two candidates and attacks Obama on the McCain campaign's apparent closing issue of wealth redistribution:"For higher taxes," the announcer says of Obama, then declaring that McCain is "for workin' Joes." That's right -- the McCain campaign is dropping the G's in its slogans, including in the on-screen text.The GOP's Bizarre Spending The Huffington Post does a comprehensive review of the RNC and McCain campaign's finance reports and finds a bunch of expenditures every bit as odd as the spending on Sarah Palin's wardrobe. The GOP laid out for everything from art restoration to elephant-shaped shrubbery to lunches for Karl Rove.Obama In Pennsylvania and Virginia; Biden In Florida; Michelle In Colorado Barack Obama is holding a morning rally in Chester, Pennsylvania, a 5:15 p.m. ET rally in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and a 9:30 p.m. ET rally in Norfolk, Virginia. Joe Biden is campaigning in Florida, with an 11 a.m. ET rally in Ocala and a 4:30 p.m. ET rally in Melbourne. Michelle Obama is holding a 6:30 p.m. ET rally in Colorado Springs, Colorado.GOP Ticket Focused On Pennsylvania Today; McCain Also In North Carolina John McCain and Sarah Palin are spending a lot of time today in Pennsylvania, the state that has become the linchpin of their new strategy -- but where the polls still show them far behind. The two of them have a joint rally at 10 a.m. ET in Hershey, then a joint rally at 1:15 p.m. ET in Quakertown, followed by Palin solo rallies at 5:15 p.m. ET in Shippensburg and at 9 p.m. ET in University Park. John McCain also has a solo rally at 5:30 p.m. ET in Fayetteville, North Carolina.Poll: Obama Ahead in Ohio, Way Up On Early Votes A new SurveyUSA poll gives Barack Obama a 49%-45% lead in Ohio, with a ±3.9% margin of error. The key number from the internals is that 22% of the likely electorate has already voted, and they've gone for Obama by a 56%-39% margin, with the two candidates...