In the final days of the presidential race, ad spending is closing in on $1 billion.
The campaigns and outside groups have combined to spend $968 million, according to NBC News/SMG Delta.

David Goldman / AP
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney waves as he takes the stage for a campaign event at a window and door factory, Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, in Roanoke, Va.
An unprecedented $143 million has been spent this week, far-and-away a record for this presidential cycle -- with more ads already being booked today.
Team Romney, including the campaign and groups supporting the Republican challenger, are outspending Team Obama $96.4 million to $46.2 million this week. Accounting for this massive spending disparity, there are 11 outside groups pitching in to support Romney this week while just two are doing the same for Obama.
But despite the massive spending advantage Team Romney is enjoying over Team Obama, they are about even in ad points, according to SMG Delta. In other words, they are running about the same number of ads.
MSNBC Contributor Robert Traynham, The Associated Press' Liz Sidoti, The National Review's Jim Geraghty and former senior advisor for Vice President Al Gore, Michael Feldman, join The Daily Rundown's Chuck Todd to discuss how close the race can be.
That's because the Obama campaign booked advertising well in advance, as compared to the Romney campaign which makes buys days -- sometimes the day -- before. Outside groups also have to pay more than campaigns for their ads.
Overall, Team Romney has outspent Team Obama $573.2 million to $394.4 million in this election.
The vast majority of outside money has gone to support Romney. In fact, 85 percent of all outside money poured in during this campaign has gone to support Romney or oppose Obama.
Nearly two-thirds -- 63 percent -- of all the money going to support Romney has come from outside groups. By contrast, just 16 percent of the money supporting the president has come from outside groups.
Outside money
Pro-Romney: $363 million
Pro-Obama: $63.5 million
Total: $426.5 million
Here's a rundown of the top spenders overall:
1. Obama $330.7m
2. Romney $210.2m
3. American Crossroads (pro Romney) $87.7m
4. Restore Our Future PAC (pro Romney) $87.6m
5. Crossroads GPS (pro Romney) $63.1m
6. Priorities USA $57.2m
7. Americans for Prosperity (pro Romney) $49.2m
8. RNC $31.9m
9. American Future Fund (pro Romney) $12.8m
10. Americans for Job Security (pro Romney) $12.5m
11. NRA (pro Romney) $5.1m
12. Concerned Women (pro Romney) $4.8m
Here's everywhere everyone's spending this week, in order of most to least:
1. Ohio ($30m)- AmXrds, AFF, AJS, Check and Balances, XrdsGPS, NRA, Obama, Patriot Maj, Priorities, RNC, ROF, Romney, Thomas Peterffy. Team Romney $18.5m/Team Obama $11.4m
2. Florida ($22m)- AmXrds, XrdsGPS, Obama, Priorities, ROF, Romney, Thomas Peterffy. Team Romney $13.7/Team Obama $8.4
3. Virginia ($19.7m)- AmXrds, AJS, NRA, Obama, Priorities, RNC, ROF, Romney Team Romney $13.4m/Team Obama $6.3m
4. Pennsylvania ($13.7m)- AmXrds, AEA, AFF, AJS, AFP, Obama, Patriot Maj, RNC, ROF, Romney. Team Romney $10.8m/Team Obama $2.9m
5. Wisconsin ($10.8m)- AmXrds, AFF, NRA, Obama, Patriot Maj, Priorities, RNC, ROF, Romney, Thomas Peterffy. Team Romney $7.8m/Team Obama $3m
6. Iowa ($9.8m)- AmXrds, AFF, AFP, XrdsGPS, Obama, Priorities, ROF, Romney. Team Romney $6.7/Team Obama $3m
7. Colorado ($8.9m) - AmXrds, AFF, XrdsGPS, Obama, RNC, Priorities, ROF, Romney. Team Romney $5.5m/Team Obama $3.3m
8. Nevada ($8.5m)- AmXrds, AFF, XrdsGPS, Obama, Priorities, ROF, Romney Team Romney $5.6/Team Obama$2.9m
9. New Hampshire ($7m)- AmXrds, Obama, ROF, Romney Team Romney $4.7m/Team Obama $2.3m
10. Michigan ($5.7m) - AFF, AFP, Obama, ROF Team Romney $5.2m/Team Obama $500k
11. Minnesota ($2.7m) - AFF, AJS, Obama, RNC, ROF, Romney, Thomas Peterffy. Team Romney $2.1m/Team Obama $550k
North Carolina ($3.4m) - AmXrds, Obama, ROF, Romney. Team Romney $1.9m/Team Obama $1.4m
12. New Mexico ($225k)- Restore Our Future PAC
13. Maine (Bangor) ($70k) - Restore Our Futue PAC


Imagine how much could have been done with that money,...
We are definitely living in 'interesting times'!
10,000,000 new computers for schools?
1 billion lottery tickets?...
Why has it been wasted
we could have raised maybe
300 silver pieces or more
People who are hungry
people who are starving
matter more...
Tim Rice
1 Billion 40 Ouncers?
FEMA funding to help pay for Sandy!!
$100,000 bucks for each and everyone on this site who agrees to STFU. I believe that is all of us.
Team Rommel outspends Team Obama...But do we want more evidence there is too much money factor in politics??
The President's abandoning of the public financing of campaigns accelerated this obscenity. I was against it when he decided to do it as this bloated and ridiculous excess was the inevitable consequence....
It's not your money, get over it you pathetic serfs!
Dangerfield,
I agree. Time machine please.
Hillary 2008
Hot Tub Time Machine please!
And a bottle or two of Vueve Clicquot?
I hope that is a waveless hot tub. The new wave is like the old wave ... wet and you still can't breath.
Vueve Clicquot ... 71$ can.
how about a Tardis?
Caesar...
I Don't have any idea what or WHO you mean...
bcwc-
Is that US or Canadian?
(Used to be such a great feeling to go north and grow richer by 15%...)
CA
Who would you like to call? I'll patch you through.
should be about par Danger.
@ WhiteCollar
We'll need those if Obama gets re-elected!
Obama still gonna blame BUSH for the next 4 years? It is really getting old having a kindergartner for Prez.
sirie
Wit is on sale daily. Do you ever wonder why some do not stock-up? Mirrors are also on sale.
dangerfield, the pizza boy is a doctor who fan. tardis.
Peter Venkman please.
Chris-
Caesar...
I Don't have any idea what or WHO you mean...
-----------------------------------------------------
I apologize for being too subtle...
dangerfield, its ok, Chris was too busy trying to get a dig at me and the obvious was clearly overlooked. But any person that attempts to mock someone for a mispelling whilst making 3 in said attemped insult isnt worth much time to begin with.
Most of Obama's money is from taxpayer money that his administration directed to green energy failures that was then rerouted to his campaign coffers.
CA
I recall a great radio show back around the Punic Wars. Characters from all types of backgrounds and history would sit at a round table and discuss the issues of the day. I will look it up for you, and hopefully there are some tapes.
Had to look that one up ... a ghost? Where in your machine would you put him?
Sir Galahad must be present or I wont listen
a ghostbuster but its a Tardis, have you ever seen the roomy inside. Trust me, Im the doctor
bcwc and Caesar
It was hosted by Steve Allen
http://www.steveallen.com/television_pioneer/meeting_of_minds.htm
-----------------------------------------------------------------
worth a look...enjoyed it in my youth
Sirie -
Where is your beloved President Bush and VP Cheney - Haven't seen them out on the campaign trail stumping for Romney ???? I wonder why???? Our current problems didn't magically appear on Jan 20, 2009 - however - that is when President Obama started leading this country back and then beyond.
Sorry you can't handle the truth and want to live in your own world.
pizza boy, spell check must be off today?
SelfMedicatedVoter - Apparantly he works for Obama, cuz Obama keeps claiming the "Bush" is causing all the problems...
Thank you Danger ... long term memory is a great thing to hold onto, short term memory is a good thing to lose.
Long term, short term...seems like the gist of every argument here...
When Cleopatra debates General Custer and Genghis Khan it;s a hoot!
The only good thing about the past is writers.
I love the wit in some of these posts , it almost makes this thing fun to read . I was a fan of the good doctor.
With Bailout number 3 in full swing and money being given to the Banks to buy the Mortgages, They own, .... this sentence is to sad to finish... stupid stupid foolish sheepole, ... why not run ad's telling people to leave the Frankenhuricane zone ? Sandy, ? 1 Ad, how many bus tickets, 2 Ads how many Hotel rooms to help people not be victims ?
Benghazi Obama blames , you tube, free speech , our 1st amendment..
Fast and Furious, Obama blames , our 2nd amendment for the violence in Mexico.
Obama 2012 Give me your Money, Give me your Freedoms !
Help him finish America, what he started !
The Princeton Mega -gigabyte sliderule as of 10 a.m. holds at
Obama 308
Romney 230
If you have the time and inclination ... Sam Wang and Nate Silver on NPR
www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=163245520&m=163245505
NATE SILVER???....WHO????....I HAVE SOCKS OLDER THAN THIS PISS-ANT
THIS GUY IS A FAILED BASEBALL STATISTICIAN!!!!
HE'S BEEN IN POLITICS FOR 3 YEARS!
WHAT A JOKE!!!!
and their fluffing your jock strap!
jk
Ticked off in Ohio
So, the basketball statistician who dissed Silver on Brietbart.com is?
Challenger outspending incumbent two to one is proof Citizens United ruling by the Supreme Court makes money more powerful than substance in elections. Seems elected office truly has become a commodity like everything else in a pure capitalist system, you get what you can afford to pay for. Want justice, health-care, a good education, individual liberties or an elected office ? ...Show me your money
Christie obviously knows Obama is going to win, and he wants to keep his political career alive. He'll obviously never run for president now (at least not as a Republican) but he wants to keep that governor gig, so he jumped onto the winning bandwagon. No surprise, he's a politician after all.
governor christie displayed leadership in a national disaster..
any leader would do this and put pollitics aside..
republicans are proud of his leadership..
oblamo has not displayed leadership in his dealing with the congress..
he has been partisan all the way throughout his tenure..
which will be his downfall..
Cuomo and Bloomberg told the president to stay out, makes you wonder why.
Christie is using Obama to get the most $$ for his states recovery. Why not? Obama needs such a bump today.
After all, he can't win on his record.
"I talked to the president today and I talked to his chief of staff [Jack Lew] today, particularly about a trip here. What I pointed out to him is that we would love to have him, but we've got lots of things to do," Bloomberg told reporters. "And I'm not trying to diss him, but I know he had planned a trip to New Jersey, and I said, 'That's fine. It [NJ] represents the whole region; people understand the storm.'"
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1012/83082.html?hp=l4
1funnygirl
Your spin cycle is stuck on ... on.
It's the no diss him, diss him. Well played Bloomberg!
MeanBone---I expect we'll see Gov. Christie in the Republican primaries in 2016. He's probably hoping that they look at the Senate elections of 2010 and 2012 and this Presidential election and realize that they can't let their far right wing select a candidate.
the benghazi debacle needs to be addressed now..
how can these people sleep at night..
oblama is throwing the pentagon under the bus..
I believe the meme has shifted to how are the people in Hoboken going to sleep tonight.
RE-POSTED FROM HeReigns...
Facebook reportedly took down an image, or a meme, posted by the Special Operations Speaks PAC (SOS) that was critical of President Barack Obama’s handling of the terrorist attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi. You may have actually seen it before it was taken down — it had earned roughly 24,000 “likes.”
The meme, shows both Obama and deceased al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden with the following message: “Obama called the SEALs and THEY got bin Laden. When the SEALs called Obama, THEY GOT DENIED.”
The message is based on reports that indicate CIA operatives in Benghazi were told to “stand down” rather than help after Americans on the ground in Libya attempted to call out for help. Reports also suggest that the White House situation room had access to a live feed of the chaos at the U.S. compound as well as real-time email updates from within State Department.
Was this an infringement of our freedom of speech or infringement of Facebook policy?
YOU WANT TO BLAME OBAMA FOR WHAT HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE EAST? Not to discount the American loss of those four men killed ... May God bless them and their families ....
THIS IS WHAT BUSH DID or DIDN'T DO ON AMERICAN SOIL ....
What Bush Knew Before Sept.11
"We were trying to figure out what they (al Qaeda) would do. We never had specifics about time, place, MO (method of operation)."
U.S. intelligence official, commenting anonymously.
President Bush was told in the months before the Sept. 11 attacks that Osama bin Laden's terrorist network might hijack U.S. passenger planes - information which prompted the administration to issue an alert to federal agencies - but not the American public.
CBS News National Security Correspondent David Martin says the warning was in a document called the President's Daily Brief, which is considered to be the single most important document that the U.S. intelligence community turns out. The document did not, however, mention the possibility of planes being flown
into buildings.
An agent in the FBI's Arizona office did, however, speculate about that, writing in his case notes about Zacarias Moussaoui that Moussaoui seemed like the type of person who was capable of flying an aircraft into the World Trade Center.
It was the observation of an agent taking notes as he thought about his case - an observation whose significance simply did not register at the time.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer says that while President Bush was told last summer that bin Laden's al Qaeda network might hijack planes, he did not receive information suggesting that airplanes might be used as suicide bombs, as they were on Sept. 11.
Fleischer emphasizes that "until the attack took place, I think it's fair to say that no one envisioned that as a possibility."
The revelation about the president's security briefing comes as House and Senate Intelligence Committee investigators prepare for public hearings beginning next month on whether an intelligence community which spends $30 billion a year should have been able to provide a more specific warning in advance of Sept. 11.
The New York Times reports that an FBI agent in Arizona warned his superiors last summer that bin Laden might be sending students to U.S. flight schools.
Investigators have since Sept. 11 suspected bin Laden's al Qaeda network of masterminding the terror attacks on America, which killed more than 3,000 people.
Republicans don't want to see the bigger picture .... the middle east has been at war since forever ... the attacks on the embassy happened in the middle east .... Bush was for-warned too ... and did nothing and they attacked us AMERICAN SOIL .... HUGE DIFFERENCE .....
MIDDLE EAST - 4 KILLED
AMERICAN SOIL - 3000 KILLED .... YES REPUBLICANS EXPLAIN THAT ONE ..... do the math ...
MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA .... AND AMERICA VOTE FOR OBAMA 2012
all this money has got stop. we need laws outlawing this kind of money
The President spent millions of dollars calling Romney felon, murderer, liar, hates women, and too rich to understand middle class. This was working until first debate and then gone. This was almost as much of waste of money as Solyndra!
Just proves elections aren't won on the issues or qualifications of candidates. Elections are won on how much you spend and how much you convincingly lie to voters that are so stupid they are swung by these lies in campaign ads and commercials. Another thing that will swings voters is broadcasting results in states in the east before the voting process is even done in the western states. This never used to be allowed because of the impact on the vote. Undecided voters-which by the way are people too stupid to make up their minds by listening to the debates and watching the campaigns--will vote for a candidate based on different scenarios such as--I want to vote for the winner so I will vote for who is ahead now or The man I would have voted for is either so far ahead or so far behind my one vote won't make a difference now. This never used to happen because you couldn't broadcast these results until all polls were closed. I believe this changed during the Carter election when many voting rules were thrown out the window.
It's obscene how much money has been spent on this presidential race. What a waste! There should be spending limits or for every dollar spent on campaining they should have to pay an equal amount of dollars to the federal budget.
There is, and Obama was the first one to duck out of those limits in 2008. It's called McCain-Feingold. Want to through a lot more money at a problem that doesn't get solved by the legislation that was designed to stop the problem.
Look no further than the ACA.
Please Harvest tell me why they should have to give anything to Federal Budget? So our smart government can pass it around with the rest of the money they waste!
wow! now the president is a coward? actually a coward is a person, like yourself who has no guts to say it to his face. a coward is one, like yourself who hides behind your mothers skirt yelling names.
this sir is the man who runs this government, the man who's actions speak louder than words. you sir arent even in that league.
so, shut your piehole and crawl back under your rock where you belong!
as usual obama has not been transparent on what is an obvious cover up. where is susan rice who has not been seen since her five show b.s. session? where is hillery, still hiding out in chile since she claimed a movie trailer caused ''protesters'' to get out of control? where is the msm they haven't said nada for weeks? especially why hasn't obama in almost two months adressed the nation to clear things up? where is the transparency ? a lot of questions need to be cleared up but alas its election time so all liberals put your fingers in your ears and yell la la la la la and pretend nothing happened.
I wonder if all of the Millions of dollars that was put into the Obama campaign ""kitty" by terrorist groups was added into these figures! It looks like most of the Obama funds were stolen from the taxpayers, and all of his "favorite " terrorist groups! Yes, Obama is certainly a disgrace to all of US Americans! Lets, "flush" this idiot out of the white house at election time!
One thing we can know for sure about Romney and Ryan is that they are bold and aggressive liars. I’m not just talking about exaggerations, enhancements or simple twisting of the facts which is so common in politics, these two literally say whatever they think will impress and then totally change it, even flip-flop, for the next audience. GWBush was a consummate liar but once he told his lie he would stick to it, while these two, especially Romney, change with the wind of people’s emotions. It is as if honesty is beneath them, something to be expected from others but not for them to be bothered with. They totally depend on deception and the power of “the money” supporting them. Stubborn and obnoxious lying seems to have become a Republican standard, maybe solidified by Karl Rove with his strategy to “say it loudly, say it often and keep saying it”, as we see it totally prevalent throughout their ranks.
It is so obvious yet people, many people seem to accept it, maybe rationalizing that all politicians do it and then possibly that they are simply hearing what they want to hear. There is the old saying, “fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me”, but this goes well beyond that and is in the category that you literally can’t trust anything they say - they are going to tell the lie they think impresses and then just do whatever they want (remember Bush-Cheney). Consider that the truth with it’s problems is actually reality that can be dealt with; while when with deception disguising the problems, it just adds to the problem and doesn’t address what is needed - in this case, it only serves the interests of the few. And it is best to realize that a con artist is successful because the lies they tell are attractive. We may want to hear everything upscale but when it is based on lies, it is only a house of cards.
So what can you really expect from Romney and Ryan? Their past actions, history and loyalty tell the story that they are literally “puppets” for “the money”, their strong supporters and masters. Romney’s history with Bain, his personal history and his solicited support, as well as Ryan’s budget, his actions and his support all clearly identify their commitment and concentration, with their subterfuge put aside, on serving only “the money” - and that is everything you can expect from them. Their campaign and that of the Republican / Tea Party are very obvious in aggressively pushing to win these elections without having any conscience for honesty. Their objective is to return to “more of the same”, Bush-Cheney style, which can only result in “more of the same”, that again would greatly benefit the few and insultingly take the majority for granted. To think that “the money”, with individuals giving up to $100 million, would tolerate anything less is simply self-delusional ... to think otherwise “shame on you”.
RGiles, why be so partisan? Or are you too stupid to see Obama and Biden lying right and left?
FOXNews (of course), CNN (other than “Ticker”), USA Today, Time, Newsweek and AZ Republic all, without explanation, block me from posting in response to their articles. I never post anything crude and I think I always post in good taste. Whatever I post I do only because I think it should be said and I expect some will agree with me, some won’t, some will ignore what I say and others will think about it and come up with their own opinions, all of that being reasonable and as it should be. I really don’t post looking for credit or recognition and I simply don’t think any site claiming to be an objective news site should discriminate against anyone’s postings just to accomplish biased reporting, no matter how subtle they are. If you agree, feel free to copy my comments and post them where they won’t allow me to - maybe just to create a little bit of people’s justice.
Probably won't let you post cause they are way too long and full of BS.
What a whiner. .
RGiles -- I have a hunch if these other two couldn't post they'd be whining good and loud!
republicans are proud of his leadership..
“He’s fat and a fool. Don’t listen to Governor Christie. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Rush Limbaugh
Public financing and a 4 week campaign....
------------------------------------------------------
I live in a tough neighborhood. They got a children's zoo. Last week, four kids escaped.
Good idea, but limit exposure Dangerfield to only four Prez debates and one VP debate. Public television only. And make ALL campaign funding illegal, with mandatory jail time for any staff member or candidate that accepts funding.
Use factual questions and demand actual answers. Score it like a college debate.
Cut the BS from the candidates.
1funnygirl I like that idea, maybe, just maybe,it would get rid of some of the BS.
Yes old man,
And let's not have any early voting, nor vote by mail, unless you are a service man/women, and be force to show a voter ID to eliminate having any illegal voting happen.
Waste of money. I'll bet most people had their minds made up as soon as the candidates were announced. Most people vote on party lines and pay attention to little else.
And *what* does Benghazi have to do with this article? I love how these comment sections go out into left field immediately. The subject of the article is never discussed.
Obama, himself knows that he is a failure, and a worthless president! I think that we ALL can agree that this useless example of a "president" , should "PUT HIS BIG BOY PANTS ON" and dismiss himself from office! * If he REALLY cares about this country, then step- aside, before he gets impeached, for all of his lies, and scandals!
Everyone person/corporation should be able to contribute a realistic fixed amount and no more, this is ridiculous. Citizens United and money in politics are one of the worse things to ever affect our government. It has nothing to do with partisanship, both parties are equally complicit.
NBC - Show us the foul mouth ads for Obama. I dare you!
So much money is being wasted on these Ads that no one is watching. The election should have a cap on the amount of money that could be spent. The rest shoud be used to feed, house and get people back on their feet in this Country! All this money could be better spent helping people and now could be used to offset all of the money issues with hurricane Sandy.
Have to give our TV networks credit on reporting polls as 50-50. That way they can suck the money out of the democrat and republican campaign money on these smear campaign films. They must be laughing depositing the money at their banks.
Perhaps the greatest gift for Dems to come out of the first presidential debate, a disastrous performance by Obama using ANY calculation, was the false sense of encouragement that it gave to the Right Wing SuperPACS.
Imagine all of that money which was going to be spent on re-taking the Senate suddenly being re-routed to support Romney's renewed campaign effort...only to see him come up short.
...and as a result, the Senate grows Bluer still.
Well, like that bat@!$%#-crazy Republican't Sharron Angle out of Arizona said two years back, you just gotta make lemonade out of lemons.
WHY? NBC does not care about American lives being killed by terrorist on 9/11/12 by terrorist and the fact that Obama left them to die by their own refusing to report the news for left wing political agendas. Obama would not and did not give the security that the Ambassador and his staff requested weeks prior to the attack and then told the CIA to stand down and not go in and rescue them during the 6 hour battle which left the Ambassador and 3 other Americans dead.
This is Real News and a Cover-up which NBC has decided to not report and held with the Obama Administration cover-up with no regards for the Murdered Americans nor their grieving families. This is Criminal and absurd that others, including the media would Aid & Abet this crime.
NBC is Not a professional journalism reporting news media, only feeding the masses what they make up as news, rejecting their duties as journalist in favor of left wing political agendas, favoring Obama in this case!
Very sad day for America, reprehensible and an absolute disgrace to our Nation. May you all seek the Truth and Demand NBC to Report the Truth!
$1 Billion...not a big deal. American Halloween spending closes in on $8 BILLION. Honestly...THAT is very, very scary. Seriously it is.
Campaign finance reform is so long overdue. 1 billion dollars pays for a lot of Red Cross services. Commit-me-in-pencil-Romney has all but purchased his place in this run off. Do you all not see what a deceitful, narcissistic and wishy-washy man this is. His ad campaigns are outright lies. Is THAT who you want handling our foreign affairs? Is THAT who you want to trust in the most powerful office in the world? Is THAT who you want to trust yours and your children’s future to? A man who will say and do anything to gain that office? Not me. Obama honestly has the peoples – all the peoples – best interest at heart. Yeah, he’s a politician, and behaves as such sometimes. But he has tried. When Mitch O’Connell said “my number one priority is making sure president Obama’s a one-term president”, he made it clear the only objective of the Republican Party - and it had nothing to do with us, the people. How can you say that the stimulus did not work? Are we Greece? You’d have to go back in time and try something else to prove that. Obama followed the advice of economists. He didn’t have that knowledge himself. Not like Romney says he does – but actually does not! He’s never increased business, only dismantled them and made huge profits for himself and his company’s shareholders. Open your eyes and see the path this ego-maniacal, Carl Rove puppet wants to take us all down. And I mean DOWN!!!
Finally, teapublicans are creating some jobs by pumping a billion plus dollars total into the advertisement business to get their own spendthrifts elected