Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that won’t necessarily generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:
* It’s obviously still early, but a USA Today/Gallup poll found Americans feeling more negative than positive on Paul Ryan’s addition to Mitt Romney’s ticket, 42% to 39%.
* The Republican base seems to have a far more favorable impression: Team Romney claims to have raised another $3.5 million in the 24 hours following Saturday morning’s announcement.
* The Obama campaign wasted no time putting together this video, with a focus on Florida, emphasizing the Romney-Ryan plan to end Medicare.
* The latest Politico/George Washington University Battleground poll shows President Obama with a very narrow lead in the key swing states, 48% to 47%. In May, those numbers were reversed in Romney’s favor.
* In case you were wondering — I know I was — Ryan will be able to appear on the ballot in his district as a candidate for both the House and vice president. If he wins the national race, Ryan would resign from Congress and there’d be a special election to replace him in Congress. * The moderators were announced this morning for the upcoming presidential debates, and for a change, there’s some gender diversity: PBS’s Jim Lehrer, CBS’s Bob Schieffer, and CNN’s Candy Crowley will each have a turn. ABC’s Martha Raddatz will moderate the vice presidential debate. * Over the weekend in Virginia, Romney accidentally endorsed Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling over his GOP primary rival, state Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, in the upcoming gubernatorial race. Romney walked it back soon after. * And former half-term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) will not have a speaking role at this year’s Republican convention.
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