Romney faces the camera

For the first time, Mitt Romney releases a TV ad where he talks directly to the camera, ala Barack Obama earlier this year.

At one minute, it's a fairly long spot, and hits on themes that are both standard GOP attacks (welfare, food stamps) and ones addressed by both parties (general state of the economy).

There's a real sense of urgency to it that's both political and philosophical.

Politically, it comes within the context of Romney losing ground. That imbues it with more passion, and philosophically, it paints just how economically tough things remain and why a corner might have been turned, but only to possibly find another corner.

The question -- why didn't Romney do this earlier? Barack Obama cut a very strong face-to-camera ad much earlier in the process.



Here's the Obama spot from July.