Battleground: Big guns to Florida
Posted: Thursday, October 09, 2008 9:09 AM by Carrie Dann
COLORADO: The AP breaks down those new Wisconsin ad project numbers. "Denver is second only to Las Vegas in the number of campaign ads aired last week by Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain, according to an analysis released Wednesday. ....Denver was McCain's top target, with 932 airings. Las Vegas was Obama's top target, followed by Tampa, Fla., and then Denver. However, Obama is spending far more and had 1,059 airings in Denver. McCain ads aired 399 times in Grand Junction, putting the city 10th on his target list.
The Colorado Secretary of State is in the process of fixing almost 21,000 incomplete or faulty voter registration forms.
FLORIDA: "The Obama campaign's top two field generals have decamped to Florida, a sign of its confidence that the state, with 27 electoral votes, is tilting toward the Democratic candidate,” reports Marc Ambinder. “Steve Hildebrand, the deputy campaign manager, will oversee operations from Miami, and Paul Tewes, the chief general election strategist, will help supervise the get-out-the-vote program from the campaign's state headquarters in Tampa."
INDIANA: The Wall Street Journal looks at how the economy is putting the state into play for Obama. "A gloomy economic outlook is providing a ray of sunshine for Barack Obama in the Republican stronghold of Indiana, pinching rival John McCain's efforts to hold onto once-reliable electoral votes."
Research 2000/WISH TV found that Indiana voters oppose the government bailout by a margin of 2-1. Asked which candidate they trusted to handle the crisis, respondents said they preferred Obama, 33%-22%.
OHIO: One Portsmouth, OH, voter said she is "not into either one, really," when asked about McCain or Obama, per AP. She added, "that she is a Democrat who's not enthused about her party's nominee. 'Not much,' she replied, when asked what she thought about Barack Obama. But the economy, particularly bleak in this Appalachian city on the Ohio River, is high on her mind, and she expects to vote Democratic in hope of a change for the better. That's the kind of opening Obama is trying capitalize on as he challenges Republican John McCain for Ohio -- the swing state that narrowly clinched President Bush's re-election. In fact, no Republican has reached the White House without carrying Ohio. Recent polling indicates that Obama, who will campaign in Portsmouth for the first time Thursday, has forged ahead in the state in a tight race."
PENNSYLVANIA: Salon takes a look at the McCain campaign's last stand in Pennsylvania, almost questioning it. But what other choice does the McCain campaign have? If McCain starts moving the needle in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin, isn't it likely he'll be improving his standing in Indiana or even Colorado, North Carolina or Florida? How much of McCain's time should be defending red states or targeting a couple of blue states?
