I may be daft, but

[Drunken Irishman]

2. I can see why...

If they believe it's false, it's not good to get a narrative out there that people aren't as energized or as enthusiastic to support Obama as they were four years ago. It's similar to the attacks on his Ohio rally, where because he didn't pack the arena, it's proof positive students and others are so over supporting him.

The media latches onto this and starts suggesting Obama is in trouble. It trickles down to the average voter, who might be on the fence, and they start questioning why Obama is in trouble - well shit, if other Americans are done with him, maybe I should be done too! Then it tells those other supporters, the ones who haven't yet given up, that it's all a worthless exercise and he's going to lose anyway, so, why put the effort into anything?

I know that sounds ridiculous and complex, but politics is often a game of momentum. If it's out there that Obama is struggling recapturing the voters who brought him into office, it establishes a theme the campaign does not want. No incumbent wants to be fighting the image that his coalition no longer exists - just ask Jimmy Carter.

As for doing something about it, I'm sure Obama's team is doing just that. But if they believe these stories are overestimating how down the registration is, they should set the record straight.