As the former first lady's initial approach failed to blunt Mr. Obama's rise, Mr. Penn increasingly favored tougher attacks; some colleagues argued internally that they would be counterproductive.
Mr. Obama's tough attack on Monday signaled the White House's confidence that it has the upper hand, legislatively and politically.
So Warner and Haddin could enjoy themselves a lot, but they'll be facing a very tough attack.
Finally, Mr. Romney was asked about his negative rating in polls, which has largely risen in step with his use of tough attack advertisements on his Republican rivals.
But polls show him essentially tied with his Republican challenger, Rick Berg, who has been the subject of a series of tough attack ads from Mr. Pomeroy.
"What changed was Baker's tough attack on the Supreme Court and Governor Bush's comments that were very tough and dismissive of the Supreme Court.
Aides to all the major campaigns said they had tough attack ads on the ready should they prove necessary in the next few days.
As he conferred again with his top advisers, George Bush yesterday delivered his toughest attack yet on Moscow, accusing it of invading a sovereign neighbour and "threatening a democratically elected government".
In an interview, the Democratic state party chairman, Jay Jacobs, described Mr. Paladino as a "wacko," and the Cuomo campaign promised to release a tough attack ad within days that would portray Mr. Paladino as unacceptable to New Yorkers.
In his toughest attack yet in this campaign, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman yesterday portrayed the platform of Gov. George W. Bush and Dick Cheney as a wide-ranging deception, saying their promises contradicted their records.
