NYT: "Neither side" thought the 9 states in Obama's crosshairs would be "on the table"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Economic Unrest Shifts Electoral Battlegrounds

By ADAM NAGOURNEY and JEFF ZELENY
Published: October 4, 2008



http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/us/politics/05map.html?_r=1&hp=&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin

The turmoil on Wall Street and the weakening economy are changing the contours of the presidential campaign map, giving new force to Senator Barack Obama’s ambitious strategy to make incursions into Republican territory, while leading Senator John McCain to scale back his efforts to capture Democratic states.

:patriot:

Mr. Obama has what both sides describe as serious efforts under way in at least nine states that voted for President Bush in 2004, including some that neither side thought would be on the table this close to Election Day. In a visible sign of the breadth of Mr. Obama’s aspirations, he is using North Carolina — a state that Mr. Bush won by 13 percentage points in 2004, and where Mr. Obama is now spending heavily on advertisements — as his base to prepare this weekend for the debate on Tuesday.

By contrast, Mr. McCain is vigorously competing in just four states where Democrats won in 2004: Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, followed by Wisconsin and Minnesota. His decision last week to pull out of Michigan reflected in part the challenge that the declining economy has created for Republicans, given that they have held the White House for the last eight years.

But Mr. McCain’s abrupt decision, which caught many members of his own party by surprise, also underlined the tactical political squeeze he finds himself in: by using his fund-raising advantage to compete in so many places, Mr. Obama has forced Mr. McCain to spend money to hold on in what had been viewed as safe Republican states, like Indiana and Missouri, while limiting Mr. McCain’s ability to play offense on Democratic turf.

Mr. Obama now has a solid lead in states that account for 189 electoral votes, and he is well positioned in states representing 71 more electoral votes, for a total of 260, according to a tally by The New York Times, based on polls and interviews with officials from both campaigns and outside analysts. It takes 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.

[Tarheel_Dem]

1. According to recent polling, some of these are probably already lost for McCain...

"By contrast, Mr. McCain is vigorously competing in just four states where Democrats won in 2004: Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, followed by Wisconsin and Minnesota. His decision last week to pull out of Michigan reflected in part the challenge that the declining economy has created for Republicans, given that they have held the White House for the last eight years."

I think Mr. McCain's efforts will be scaled back in PA & especially MN.

[TheDonkey]

2. Pa is a lost cause but because of PR he will be forced to spend money there.

[Tarheel_Dem]

3. Good. I hope he spends a whole lot there, and neglects some others.

[PM7nj]

4. He's wasting a shitload of money advertising in Philly.

I think Philly is the second or third most expensive ad market in the country. McCain ads are on CONSTANTLY. It isn't working so I hope he continues to dump money here, even if his ads make me want to tear my hair out.

[PBS Poll-435]

8. For the last damned time, Puerto Rico doesn't count in the GE.

:P

[EC]

5. I don't know who is placing mccain's ads, but to place them

on shows like SNL, Olbermann's and other shows that Dems watch is a waste of money for him...Dems are not going to change their votes because we are informed...he should be hitting shows like Leno and Fox shows that's where the leaning repub votes are...

[Voice for Peace]

6. don't give mccain advice!!!!!!

[D23MIURG23]

7. If he has to read DU to figure that out, he has bigger problems.

[rug]

9. Breaking 400 is on the table.

[Curtland1015]

10. Well, I've got a new desktop background...

NICE PIC!

[Political Heretic]

11. None of this matters if they steal it. There's already massive election fraud going on.

People should start tailoring their news searches to look for reports about voter purges and challenges, voter intimidation and misinformation campaigns going on.... there's current news from Florida, Montana (I know not really a big state, but there is news from there) and Colorado.

[depakid]

12. One side at least saw the value of pointing resources there

Even if we don't win the states, we keep McCain/Palin resources focused there, rather than say, Michigan.

[Frumious B]

13. Obama obviously thought that at least a few of those nine states would be on the table.

Otherwise the 2008 map would be identical to the 2004 map, which would mean defeat.

[Cosmocat]

14. a never ending sources of agitation ...

some of which that neither side thought they could win ...

the never ending way, overtly or subtly that the MSM marginalizes Ds.

if they roles were completely reversed - brilliant long term strategy with a vision or some other nonsense.

BO, Ploufe and company have said all along they were playing to win in ALL these states.

[WeDidIt]

15. Adam Nagourney and Jeff Zeleny didn't pay attention during the primaries

Obama planned to put these states in play from the beginning.