We've been following with some interest what seems, based on reader reports and other reporting, to have been a sort of stealth early TV ad campaign by the McCain campaign in key states in recent weeks.

On a conference call with reporters this afternoon, McCain campaign manager Rick Davis said that the McCain campaign has outspent the Obama campaign 3-to-1 on TV ads in the last two months.

Now, there may be some self-interest in the McCain camp saying this. The Obama camp declined to comment. We're still looking into, but thought that was a data point worth sharing.