In Today's Times:
Democrats' old deep-pocketed friends are beginning to pour money into Democratic “super PACs†like the groups Republican operatives have used to build their outsized influence in this election. Nicholas Confessore reports that the wealthy liberals who supported Democrats' efforts in 2004 remain on the sidelines, while Democrats draw from old friends like trial lawyers, unions and Hollywood. The financing comes at a crucial time for President Obama, as conservative groups prepare a barrage of attack ads.
In an aggressive effort to clean up the fallout from his “47 percent†comments, Mitt Romney is reaching out to middle-class and working-class voters with an ad aimed at reassuring them that he cares about their plight. Ashley Parker observes that the ad, which comes nine days after the remarks surfaced, reflected Mr. Romney's gamble that the election will be decided in the closing weeks and that Democrats' attacks will not hurt him much.
The president and Mr. Romney both stopped in Ohio on Wednesday before the state starts early voting next Tuesday. Helene Cooper writes that Mr. Obama is trying to “gallop ahead†to keep early voters out of Mr. Romney's reach, but Mr. Romney is campaigning hard in Ohio, too. Mr. Obama will visit Virginia on Thursday and Nevada on Sunday, before he begins two days of debate preparations in Denver.
Republicans in battleground states are stepping up their efforts to turn Jewish voters who are wavering on Obama into Romney supporters. Lizette Alvarez writes that Republicans hope “to erode Mr. Obama's deep-seated popularity in the Jewish community,†but Democrats call that “wishful thinking. â€
Around the Web:
The New Yorker explores how Mormonism and private equity shaped Mr. Romney's candidacy.
Happening in Washington:
Economic reports expected Thursday include second-quarter gross domestic product, durable goods for August, and weekly jobless claims at 8:30 a.m. Weekly mortgage rates and pending home sales index for August will be out at 10.
At 9, Prime Minister Mario Monti of Italy will discuss “challenges for the euro and the future of European integration†on a conference call with the Council on Foreign Relations.
