The big shift has occurred.. all else this year doesn't matter, no Palin, not the conventions.. Only now the debates and the whatever October surprise may be coming. But if the election stays on the current track, we will be calling Barack Obama President Elect in November..

"Mr. McCain has solid leads in states with 160 electoral votes and is well positioned in states with another 40 electoral votes, according to the Times tally, for a total of 200. Just six states representing 78 electoral votes — Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio and Virginia — are tossups. Mr. Obama appears to have significantly more options to reach the 270 threshold, particularly if Mr. McCain fails to win any states that Democrats won in 2004, like Pennsylvania, where the Republican ticket has been competing especially vigorously

The next month will obviously make or break the campaigns. The perpetual stories on the "October surprise" which .. maybe won't happen this year, who knows? But on the pure level of momentum, the Obama campaign has it. Regardless of your opinion on his candidacy, his marketing campaign has been brilliant. He even has his own coding for iPhones. McCain's team is lagging far behind--just as Obama makes history by advertising on satellite TV.

"Of the four Democratic states where Mr. McCain is competing, his aides said he viewed Pennsylvania — the biggest of them — as offering him the best chance. Mr. Obama lost the Democratic primary there to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton."

I just don't see that. I'm from Pennsylvania, too, but I think Obama is safe for Obama..

"That is not a fanciful battle: There are plausible outcomes that would leave the two men with a 269-269 electoral vote tie, forcing the election into the House of Representatives"

As someone who watches too much news on TV, I hope for the 269 to 269 vote. Living history. It would be fun.. AFP/Stan Honda

Labels: Campaign 2008, Election, McCain, Obama, Politics