There is almost nothing more valuable to a presidential campaign than controlling the message.

President Obama and Mitt Romney have been struggling to do that. Last week's events in the Middle East forced both campaigns to improvise -- abandoning the economic playbook that the candidates had imagined using as Election Day nears.

October will be filled with debates that produce more surprising, unplanned moments, so message discipline will be difficult. The week ahead may be one of the last chances that the candidates have to try and influence and shape the political debate to their advantage.

1. MIDDLE EAST DEVELOPMENTS: Both candidates are eager to seize control of the foreign policy narrative -- if events overseas allow.

For Mr. Romney, that means moving the conversation about the violence in Africa and the Middle East away from his initial statement and toward a broader critique of the president's handling of the unsettled region. The Republican candidate and his allies may have the chance to shift the focus to his rival if the protests continue to spread, raising questions about the administration's overall policy there.

As president, Mr. Obama will face scrutiny that Mr. Romney will not. But Mr. Obama's position also gives him a more natural command of the story as he communicates with world leaders, orders investigations and potentially responds militarily to the death of American diplomats in Libya. The president's remarks at a ceremony when the bodies arrived back in the United States clearly displayed the public relations advantages of an incumbency.

2. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS: Even as both men control the foreign policy narrative, their campaigns are well aware of the issues that still concern most voters. Both campaigns will want to use the week ahead to reframe the economic debate in ways more favorable to their own interests.

Mr. Romney is headed to Los Angeles on Monday and will be in the swing state of Florida later in the week. He has tried to caution voters about Mr. Obama, saying they should be "forewarned" that the president will continue his economic policies in a second term. That is not moving "forward," Mr. Romney says, making fun of Mr. Obama's campaign slogan.

The Republican candidate has also been pushing the idea that Mr. Obama has been soft on China regarding trade and that he cannot say that the United States is better off now than when he took office. Expect more of the same.

Mr. Obama has pushed back on the "better off" question, and will likely continue to do so as he makes the case that Mr. Romney would take the country back to the policies of President Bush. The president's team is also continuing to pressure Mr. Romney on the actions of his old company, Bain Capital, and his refusal to release more years of his personal tax returns.

3. THE DEBATES: Part of controlling the message is trying to avoid making a critical mistake during the debates next month. That means setting aside plenty of time to practice and study in the coming week.

That may be more difficult for Mr. Obama, who must deal with the fallout from the violence over the anti-Muslim film even as he campaigns. Mr. Obama is scheduled to be in New York on Tuesday and then in Virginia and Wisconsin later in the week. Debate preparation will have to be sandwiched in between.

Mr. Romney has never participated in a one-on-one presidential debate. And he has had his moments during the nominating contests where something he said forced his campaign to lose control of his message. (Recall the $10,000 bet he jokingly offered to Gov. Rick Perry of Texas.) Preparing for next month's debates will be critical for the Republican.

4. FINANCING THE ADS: Perhaps nothing is more important when it comes to controlling a campaign's message than having the resources to run television ads. Both campaigns have abandoned public financing, forcing them to continue raising money during the final post-Labor Day push.

The president's trip to New York and Mr. Romney's visit to Texas this week are examples of the pressure that fund-raising is putting on both of the campaigns: Message discipline is not free.

First Published: September 16, 2012, 5:00 p.m.