From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

A letter in a plain white envelope could swing the presidential election.

I'm Mike Peska sitting in for Warren Only, and this is to the point from Public Radio International,

a daily look at the issues Americans care about most. The speeches, the gaffs, the walkbacks,

the reframing, the torrents of commercials. Forget them all, or at least minimize their importance

in your calibration of what wins elections. It's often the little-noticed utilization of statistics that pinpoint

how to actually reach voters. Today, we'll talk about the overlooked wizards of winning elections.

On reporter's notebook later on, remembering Steve Sable, as president of NFL films, he was

vital in creating football's narrative. Former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski

will recount Sable's impact and legacy. First, here's the news. Support for To the Point comes

from the members of KCRW and from the Public Radio International Program Fund. I'm Mike Peska,

sitting in for Warren only back with To the Point. The presidential election is close.

For the most part, President Obama's advantage in the swing states is within the pollster's margins of error.

Conventional wisdom would have the candidates blanketing those states with ads, perhaps swinging by, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, for speeches, for local media interviews.

That part we noticed, but it's the little notice statistical detective work that is driving

many of the campaign decisions and will be a key factor in actually convincing people to vote.

We will don the white lab coats of the political laboratory in a moment, and on reporter's notebook,

the life and legacy of Steve Sable, who is NFL film's president.

He defined and glamorized the game of football.

First, this news update.

Ong Sun Suu Kyi, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and now member of the Myanmar Parliament,

has received the Congressional Gold Medal that she was awarded while under House arrest in 2008.

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