Current Electoral Map
 
What a country....
 
--SoCo
 

Great find Soco.
 
The fact that Texas is only "leaning" to McCain is unbelievable.

From what I can tell, RCP lists anything between a 5 and 15% lead as leaning. California is only leaning for Obama, but he has a 13% advantage and McCain's advantage is 14% in Texas.
 
I think Indiana is the story missed here by the media. They have it listed as a tossup state. Bob Dole won it in 1996 and Bush won it twice, by over 20% just 4 years ago. And now it's a wash!
 
I don't equate Indiana with young urban elites. I can see how states like Virginia and North Carolina are moving in that direction and can be tossups, but Indiana is really amazing.
 
Indiana poll numbers
 
RCP has McCain up only 2% on Barack Obama in Indiana.
 
What a country...
 
--SoCo

.. People who want to think that if 'Obama' wins, that it will usher in a 'new dawn,'; which in a limited sense, it will; only have to wait til about 2 years.. at most, into an 'Obama' presidency, before they realize that.. when you have about 7 billion people, seriously straining the resources of our planet; with many unresolved, worldwide economic & geo-political conflicts; and given the fact that the USA {or what remains of our nation's sovereignty, Re. illegal immigrants, the "Federal Reserve" 'Bank,' plus, international corporate conglamorates}, is several decades {my guess} into its' decline; whether it's Pres. Obama or Pres. McCain, come, inaugaration-day {2009}, be prepared for the continuation of one 'helluva' roller-coaster-type, ride!
 
Ps. History Does go in cycles.. including, the "repeating" type. Remember, {if you're old enough}, the 'High Hopes' and, proverbial 'New Dawn' expectations that accompanied Jimmy Carter's election run, and victory{?}.. who is arguably, 'Obama's {same} political-stripe, compatriot?! ..
.. Carter's first term, went so "successfully," that he was voted out, after serving only one {4 yr.} term!

 
I disagree that our country is in decline. We have neglected our infrastructure, allowed the gap between the wealthy and the poor to grow, decided not to lead the world in the fight against climate change, and diminished our standing in the world with a third grade mentality foreign policy.
 
Not one of those faults is irreversible. We can rebuild and repair our roads and levies. We can change our stances on global warming and foreign policy, and we can decide that it is important to fight against poverty, both here and abroad.
 
Our nation is not in decline. We have focused our collective energies on matters that have not been beneficial, or more to the point we have allowed ourselves to be distracted from critical issues, relying instead on soundbytes and stereotypes to govern our beliefs.
 
 
 
So everyone that believes in the optimism of America is now Jimmy Carter? This is the great conservative comeback? Reminding people that with optimism comes risk? You vastly underestimate the risks that the American people are willing to take.
 
I would venture to say Obama is more in the frame of Franklin Roosevelt. As well as offering solutions for the problems we face, he is reminding us that we have nothing to fear, regardless of what FoxNews tells you.
 
--SoCo

Looking at the map, it will be close.McCain has a lot more support than I'd imagined. Of course, from Australia , I'm not all that aware of what goes on in American politics. Still, if Obama can beat Hilary, then he should have no problem with McCain. Actually , I get most of my political analysis from the noted British political commentator, Kenneth Everett. Here he is, interviewing a female politician on the difficulties faced by women who choose politics as a career. Could be a lesson in there for Hilary, but I'm not certain what it is.

Thank you grevillea for showing us how uplifting politics can be. And truly putting the focus where it belongs.
 
Today, RealClear moved Ohio OUT of the leaning Democrat category and back into the tossup category. However it didn't go there alone.
 
They moved Florida from Leaning Republican, to the tossup side. Mostly based on a Quinnipiac poll yesterday that has Obama LEADING McCain in Florida by 5 points!
 
The same organization released a polls for Ohio showing Obama up 6 points and Pennsylvania showing him up 12.
 
--SoCo