'the power of Obama's ground operation astounded Romney advisors on election night'; tidbits:
How a Race in the Balance Went to Obama".....antipathy toward Mr. Romney — which advisers described as deeper than what Mr. Obama had felt for John McCain in 2008 — led the incumbent to underestimate his opponent as he began moving to the center before the debate audience of millions of television viewers. ..."
"....Nothing had been left to chance: Mr. Romney put on full makeup and did his final practice in a room set up to replicate, down to the lighting and temperature, the hall where he would meet Mr. Obama.
On the Sunday before the debate, a group of top advisers and elected Republican officials from across the country, calling themselves the War Council, gathered in Boston to reassure Mr. Romney after his rough month — essentially saying “this is a place in the race, but it isn’t a destiny” as Beth Myers, a senior adviser, put it — and to boost his confidence. George W. Bush phoned Mr. Romney, too. Pointing to his own history, he predicted that Mr. Obama would fumble, according to aides. ...."
".....“It’s easier for a candidate to schedule the time to prepare; it’s easy for the challenger to get away; the president has competing needs,” Mr. Klain told Mr. Obama, according to aides who witnessed the exchange.
Ken Mehlman, who had managed Mr. Bush’s re-election campaign in 2004, ran into one of Mr. Obama’s advisers at a party, and warned him that presidents are not used to being challenged, and unlike candidates, are out of practice at verbal jousting. Mr. Romney had gone through 20 debates over the past year. ...."
"....as concerned as the White House was during the last 30 days of the campaign, its polls never showed Mr. Obama slipping behind Mr. Romney, aides said....."
"The power of this operation stunned Mr. Romney’s aides on election night, as they saw voters they never even knew existed turn out in places like Osceola County, Fla. ""....
Obama volunteers looking over a ward map in Canton, Ohio
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/08/us/politics/obama-campaign-clawed-back-after-a-dismal-debate.html?ref=politics
= new reply since forum marked as read
i would have loved to read about the inside story regarding the last 3 debates 
Because it starts out with a compelling and interesting level of detail, and then jumps forward several weeks, leaving out the 3 debates and how Pres Obama and his team turned Romney's surge into wishful thinking, and renewed Pres. Obama's real surge. It picks up at the storm, but just skims over a couple of events there.
My guess is that the 3 authors are working on a book and just pulled this out of their book to meet a NYT deadline and bring in some moolah and interest in the interim.
In any event, this is a really telling statement to me: "...as they saw voters they never even knew existed turn out in places like Osceola County, Fla."
I think a lot of us simply don't exist to them...
On the other hand, this quote is really funny:
"On the last weekend of the race, Mr. Romney scheduled a rally in Bucks County. Supporters began arriving at 2 p.m. But his plane was delayed, and as the hours rolled on — and the temperatures dropped — dozens of people were temporarily blocked by the Secret Service as they sought to leave. Mr. Romney arrived to an unpleasant scene: clusters of angry, cold supporters."
A perfect example of their entitled, arrogant attitude toward their supporters...
"those people" who exist only to meet their needs. Amazing. Just. Amazing. 
