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Subscribe to RSSAd spending in the presidential campaign has now topped $800 million and is on pace to reach or come close to $1 billion, according to an NBC analysis of data provided by ad-buying firm SMG Delta.
Jim Young / Reuters
President Barack Obama looks over at Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney during the second presidential campaign debate on Oct. 16 in Hempstead, N.Y.
So far, $807 million has been spent on political ads for radio and television -- local and national, cable and broadcast.
The Obama campaign is one ad buy away from reaching $300 million by itself. But with outside money factored in, "Team Romney" (the campaign plus outside groups supporting him or attacking the president) is outspending "Team Obama" $455 million to $352 million.
The Romney campaign, which has come on since Labor Day, is now the second-biggest spender at $164 million.
Time Magazine's Nancy Gibbs, Bob Herbert, the distinguished fellow at Demos, and Politico's Maggie Haberman join Chuck Todd to talk about the path to 270 and the town hall debate.
Following the Romney campaign are the combined Karl-Rove backed Crossroads groups -- American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS. Combined, the two groups have spent $124 million ($65 million for American Crossroads, $59 million for GPS).
GPS's spending has dropped off in the past couple of months, ceding the presidential ground to American Crossroads, which announced an $11 million ad buy just this week.
Other big spenders: Restore Our Future (pro-Romney) $69 million, Priorities USA (pro-Obama) $48 million, Americans for Prosperity (pro-Romney) $46 million, the Republican National Committee (pro-Romney) $24 million, and late-comer Americans for Job Security (pro-Romney) $9 million.
The states seeing the biggest spending are the usual suspects: Florida, Ohio, and Virginia, where more than half of all the money's been spent -- $452 million.
In the last three weeks, Ohio is gaining on Florida for the top spot. Florida still leads at $166 million, followed by Ohio $160 million, and Virginia $126 million.
Also rising fast -- Colorado, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
Colorado has now passed North Carolina for the No. 4 spot at $72 million spent.
North Carolina, which saw a lot of spending early in the campaign, has seen a reduction of the pace of ads since Labor Day. It now sits fifth at $69 million total.
Iowa is next at $62 million, followed by Nevada $49 million, New Hampshire $34 million, and Wisconsin $32 million.
What's fascinating about Wisconsin is it was barely a blip on the ad-spending radar before the pick of Paul Ryan to be Romney's vice president.
Markets like Green Bay and Madison are now routinely in the top 10 hottest markets by number of ads being run. In fact, this week they clock in at Nos. 1 and No. 5 on that list.
Top Markets:
1. Green Bay
2. Denver
3. Cincinnati
4. Columbus
5. Madison
6. Toledo
7. Cleveland
8. Orlando-Daytona Beach
9. Las Vegas
10. Reno
Despite polling showing the race closing in Pennsylvania and Romney's birth state of Michigan, little to no money is being spent in either state. Neither the Romney nor Obama campaigns, in fact, have spent ANY money at all on ads in Michigan. The Obama campaign spent about $5 million early on in Pennsylvania.
And of the 17 "swing markets," ones won by both Obama and George W. Bush, the only two that have seen little action are Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo and Lansing, both in Michigan.
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HELLO-O-O-O-O! Am I the only one who uses her fast-forward button on the DVR remote to speed through all of those political ads, not to mention ALL of the irritating commercials on TV?????
Politicians are wasting that ad money on me!
I'm Not Too Proud To Beg; I Want You To Vote'
Ohio University’s College Green Wednesday October 17th, 2012
NOW HE IS BEGGING FOR VOTES???....DISGRACEFUL!!!
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I AM BARACK OBAMA AND I SUCK!!!
PAID FOR BY TAXPAYERS!!!
DO YOU REALLY WANT A PRESIDENT THAT HAS BEEN REDUCED TO BEGGING FOR YOUR VOTE?
So you want to rehire the same guys who brought you a trillion dollar war and a wrecked economy? Is that correct?
George Bush can't run again, he's already served 2 terms, but if he could I would vote for him again.
BUT, since he's not running, I am voting for a different man, his name is Mitt Romney, and his policies are different than GB's, and given the circumstances we find ourselves in with the worst economy since the Great Depression, Mitt Romney is the man to get the job done.
We have all seen what a miserable job obumbo has done, and as the numbers coming out today show, Mitt Romney leads 51% to 45% for obumbo, I'd say there's a whole lotta people that think so too!!!
BYE BYE OBUMBO!!!
....
Changed the landslide numbers,,
from 53% -----UP to 55%
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It's gonna be SO MUCH fun watching Michelle face when hubbie is UNEMPLOYED
You have some strange problem with Michelle?
Ahhhh Haaaa it's going to be so much fun to read the conspiracacy theories you come up with after the POTUS wins in a landslide. That will be soooo entertaining!
Can you tell your child they could grow up to be President? Or will that option be limited to a few wealthy families?
Make noise. Sign petitions. Call your congressman. Overturn Citizen's United.
4 YEARS! 4 FULL YEARS...and what do Republicans have to show for the money they were PAID? NADA! Unless one counts the record number of votes against women's rights, as well as their futile efforts to buy this election; and the absurd attempt to un-vote a law that the Supreme Court deemed valid and has already upheld! 30+ times the STUPID Republicans have tried to un-vote the AHCA; without any measure of success!!!
Einstein says that the definition of insanity;
{"is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results!"}
Right on...
Oops! Almost forgot! The ass-hole Republicans have also made every feeble attempt to steal the voting rights of eligible American citizens claiming that Mickey Mouse voted Barack Obama into office! ROTFLMBAO!!!!!
Right on again...
Oh yah, I remember that Mickey Mouse thing.....that was from your criminals over at ACORN wasn't it?
Or was he listed as one of the phantom small-amount donors that rich people used to give more than the legal maximum to Obama last time. Another guy listed was Hitler on the small donations list...they don't have to report any more details for small amounts.
So some rich liberals got together, illegally donated millions directly to Obama's campaign and just spread it out amongst thousands of imaginary small donors that don't have to be checked up on. Like Mickey Mouse.
And to think this money could have benefited our schools, our hungry and homeless, those who desperately need public services and more. What a waste.
I totally agree.... I haven't watched a political ad or commercial in years!
I would rather the candidates be on talk shows - like Morning Jo where they have more than 60 seconds to talk - to explain their platforms. It's FREE!
Of course we'd need intelligent interviewers to ask good questions and demand answers to their questions...
Political ads are a complete waste of money!!!!
That's true SKW, that 800 million could have paid for the Welfare State for at least a few hours.
Maybe from 9 am to noon or something one day.
As for political ads, less is more. Just ask Lt. Gov., David Dewhurst. He wanted to be the Repub. nominee for Kay Baily-Hutchison's Texas senate seat. However, his constant ads turned everyone off, and guess what; we now have Ted Cruz who ran very few ads. Actually, Dewhurst would be better as he is not so paranoid as Cruz, but those constant ads drove everyone nuts. It is absolutely jaw-dropping to think about the amount of money being spent this election year. There needs to be a law against it.
This is sickening, we have millions of people out of work, people starving, losing their homes and the people we are electing are spending 800 MILLION on advertising. Am I the only one that sees a problem with this!!!!
If that money was spent on infrastructure or something that benefits mankind-not the politicians, we would be better off.
My point exactly Tanya;
4 YEARS! 4 FULL YEARS...and what do Republicans have to show for the money they were PAID? NADA! Unless one counts the record number of votes against women's rights, as well as their futile efforts to buy this election; and the absurd attempt to un-vote a law that the Supreme Court deemed valid and has already upheld! 30+ times the STUPID Republicans have tried to un-vote the AHCA; without any measure of success!!!
Einstein says that the definition of insanity;
{"is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results!"}
Right on...
Oops! Almost forgot! The ass-hole Republicans have also made every feeble attempt to steal the voting rights of eligible American citizens claiming that Mickey Mouse voted Barack Obama into office! ROTFLMBAO!!!!!
Right on again...
Think each of these parties want to run the agenda? I am reminded of something I believe Harry Truman said, "My father taught me that anyone in this country could grow up and be president and by God, I'm starting to believe it". Think he was talking about Nixon. Some things never change.
When elctions spending tops $800 million; it is time to set a limit. time for regulations, time for investigation, time to put into use our public broadcast corporation during presidential elections and ask how clean is our electorial process.
It's not much really. We spend over 100 billion on fast food a year, so 1 billion every 4 years means nearly all Americans don't care enough about politics to give even $5 to a candidate.
That's Right, Karl, you bring in the money, Get those millionaires on board.
When does the anti-gay marriage offensive in black neighborhoods start? To tie Obama to it and get a few hundred thousand to stay home?