Democrats favored in electoral map.

[AlCzervik]

By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer
53 minutes ago
The electoral road to the White House favors Democrats this fall — either Barack Obama or Hillary Rodham Clinton — and has Republican John McCain playing defense to thwart a presidential power shift.

A downtrodden economy, the war in Iraq and a public call for change have created an Electoral College outlook and a political environment filled with extraordinary opportunity for the Democrats and enormous challenge for the GOP nominee-in-waiting.

Both parties count on victory in dozens of states that long have voted their way. The competition to reach the 270 electoral votes needed to win is expected to play out primarily in 14 states. All but one saw the greatest action in 2004. The exception is Virginia, a longtime Republican stronghold where Democrats have made inroads.

Eight of the states went for President Bush four years ago, including the crown jewels Ohio and Florida. Six, including big-prize Pennsylvania, voted for Democrat John Kerry. In the battlegrounds, far more electoral votes, 97, are up for grabs for Democrats than the 69 available for McCain to go after. Twice as many of the closest states — decided by 2 or fewer percentage points — voted Republican in 2004; they include New Mexico and Iowa, which the GOP won by 1 point.

Both sides argue that their candidates can expand the playing field by making more states competitive than in previous elections. But they likely will only spend time and money to test that theory once they feel confident about higher priority states.

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suck it gop

[elocs]

1. Lord, if the Dems can't win with the state that this nation is in,

we may as well pack it in.

[PCIntern]

2. Is this a reposting from 2004...?

I recall this line of reasoning from those days all too well.

I'm not peeing on anyone's parade...I've just been thru this way too many times. We've clearly going to have to a a real job on the Rethug nominee to get the job done and even then we're going to have to redouble efforts. I'm off now going to tell my favorite bank teller that she has to register...and vote. She didn't for the primary here and she's just one reason why the outcome was different in PA than it 'should' have been.

[AlCzervik]

3. just try and enjoy the chance of good news.

[PCIntern]

4. My friend...

and I don't mean that in a McCain fashion, I mean it sincerely:

I am reminded of the Egyptian cabinet minister during the 1967 War who stated: the Israelis practiced for war, while we practiced for parades.

there is no good news until Election night 2008 at the EARLIEST. Sorry, I've been down this road before with two elections which we won and were taken from our grasp.

[AlCzervik]

5. look i understand, hell i lived in Texas when Bush was the Governor so i've had 12 years of him

and i've been more cynical than i ever thought possible but this time i'm staying optimistic, i'm tired of feeling hopeless all the time because that means they've won and the game is over. No more.

[PCIntern]

6. i have no quarrel with your post or your sentiments...

I'm here in PA, and I'm telling you that I spoke to a fair number of Obama campaign folk who actually thought that they were going to win here...they were giddy with the thought of Tweety and that ilk having to retract all their predictions about election night. Well, not quite...and although the math profferred in your post works, KKKarl's math worked better in the elections of 2000 and 2004 and for your Gubernatorial elections as well, I'm sure.

I just refuse to have a moment where I let my guard down...every vote is going to have to be sought and cast and probably cast again (!) to beat these guys. They have more tricks than we have hair on our collective heads.