On another front, Gallup gives a little perspective to the question of Mitt Romney’s negatives. In the new poll, 33 percent have a favorable impression of Romney, 24 percent have an unfavorable impression, 26 percent have never heard of him, and 17 percent have no opinion. That’s an improvement for Romney; in early August, his favorable number was at 22 percent, with 31 percent unfavorable, 30 percent never heard of, and 17 percent no opinion.

The numbers are much different for Hillary Clinton because there is nobody out there who hasn’t heard of her, and few who have no opinion. In the latest Gallup, she is at 47 percent favorable, 48 percent unfavorable, and 5 percent no opinion, which is pretty much par for the course for her.