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As the campaign ends tonight, awaiting Tuesday’s voting, both Sen. Obama and Sen. McCain remain optimistic and upbeat about their respective chances tomorrow. Clearly the media seems to have dialed back from the “landslide” talk we heard days ago, though some still predict it for Obama. On the other hand, the last battleground polls show most states too close to call which means McCain is poised for a chance at victory, if everything breaks his way.
Of course, I wouldn’t expect anything other than optimism from any candidate at this point.
Report on the election end from USAToday:
TAMPA — Presidential contenders Barack Obama, who is leading in national polls, and John McCain, self-described underdog, were both upbeat Monday about their electoral prospects as they sprinted cross-country to rally support on the eve of Election Day.
“I am cautiously optimistic about our chances,” Obama said in an interview on the Ed Schultz Show. ” I think that if we work hard, if people go out and vote in the way I know is possible, then I think we have a good chance of reversing eight years of a mismanaged economy and really start helping people get on their feet again and that’s what this election’s all about.”
McCain seemed to relish the underdog role as he fed off the energy of support at a morning rally in Tampa.
“With this kind of enthusiasm, and this kind of intensity, we will win Florida and we will win this race tomorrow,” the Arizona senator said.
“The pundits may not know it, but the Mac is back. And we’re going to win this election.”
The final Gallup poll of likely voters showed Obama leading McCain, 53% to 42%.
Both began the last full-day of campaigning in the critical battleground state of Florida, which most polls showed as a dead heat. Polls show the six closest states are Florida, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Nevada and Ohio.
The candidates are hitting the tossups states in search of enough electoral votes to hit the 270 needed to claim the presidency.
McCain, the Republican, was blitzing seven states in 17 hours — Florida, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Indiana, New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada —ending after midnight with a rally in Prescott, Ariz., where he has traditionally ended his Senate campaigns.
Obama, the Democrat, was stumping in Virginia and Indiana before returning home to Chicago for a huge rally in Grant Park Tuesday evening.
On Election Day, however, both planned to squeeze in one last round of campaigning close to home: McCain in New Mexico and Obama in Indiana.
The final scramble across several time zones once again reflected the state of the race for the past month, with both contenders largely hitting traditionally Republican states.
The campaigns also are running aggressive ground games, especially in Iowa, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Colorado and Virginia.
Meanwhile, GOP strategists insist there is a real path for McCain on Election Day, offering a confident view of his chances, this from Politico:
Time is short and the polls are painting a grim picture for John McCain, but top Republicans believe they still see a clear path to the White House.
“I don’t acknowledge it’s a long shot. It’s a realistic shot,” said RNC deputy chairman Frank Donatelli of his candidate’s prospects.
Donatelli argues that nearly every pollster has over-sampled Democrats, thus exaggerating Barack Obama’s support while understating McCain’s.
“I don’t think it’s outrageous,” he said, “to think we are going to do much better with party turnout than some of the models indicate.”
For that reason, Donatelli believes McCain can win all the big swing states in play: Florida, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina and perhaps Pennsylvania.
He also says the public now sees Obama as not yet tested and ready for the job, and is fearful that he will increase taxes, quickly grow the federal government and forestall long-term economic growth. Voters will conclude, he says, that “liberal Democrats should not control the whole federal government.”
Donatelli said that the RNC’s internal polling now shows the race within the margin of error in key swing states, though he declined to say which ones.
“I’ve been saying for some time that from our polling I think it’s much tighter, a 3-point national race on Friday,” said Ed Goeas, a Republican pollster who consults with the McCain campaign. “I think this race is going to be extremely tight.”
Goes predicts, as does top McCain pollster Bill McInturff, that Obama will not significantly increase the percentage of young voters or black voters from the last election, voters they say the Democrat needs to come out in record numbers to get over the top in several crucial swing states.
Last week McInturff wrote in a memo, “All signs say we are headed to an election that may easily be too close to call by next Tuesday.”
To win the 270 electoral votes needed to take the White House, though, McCain would have to win a string of large states that either roughly split or lean to Obama. Florida, Ohio, Virginia and North Carolina would have to go for McCain. McCain would also have to hold Missouri and Indiana, which is feasible, and win either what appears a long shot to take Pennsylvania or, for example, Colorado and Nevada.
McCain loyalists have responded to the daunting electoral math by raising the question famously posed by Hillary Clinton shortly before she took April Pennsylvania Democratic primary: “Why can’t Obama close the deal?”
A video report on McCain and Obama’s final day of campaigning:
After covring this for 2 years, I’ll be going through withdrawal tomorrow.
We shall see what happens on Tuesday. We’ll have full coverage into the evening until we have a winner.
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I think it’s very sad that most Americans think one of these two candidates will guard our American sovereignty for four more years. Both of them want to see America’s Constitution nullified in a North American Union. Most Americans don’t want to see that happen, but they should have looked to the third party candidates instead of pundits ranging from Rush Limbaugh to Keith Olbermann! The media is one conglomerate, not a bunch of separate entities, and that single conglomerate is run by the same people who brought back McCain’s campaign and who started Obama-mania. Those people have created our disastrous foreign policy by means of the Council on Foreign Relations. And those people want to see free speech abolished and have deployed American troops into American cities, something the Constitution does not license government to do!
CS–Christopher Schwinger Nov 4th, 2008 at 2:51 am
I think it’s very sad that most Americans think one of these two candidates will guard our American sovereignty for four more years……
Of all people in America, I can’t see how you can say that about McCain. He has a life time of proof of his love for our Country. Torture could not change him from doing what is right. Your candidate I am sure is great. But what need do you have to say such things about McCain.
” The Mac is back” does McCain mean the Mac is behind? Well, this is why the game is over and Obama is president. Just a joke.
Tip for all GOP supporters: ” In a symbolic opening to election day on the US east coast, Mr Obama defeated his rival by 15 votes to six in the hamlet of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire.
The town, which has a 60 years tradition of being first in the nation to vote, opened its polls at midnight, with turnout 100%. President George W Bush won there in 2004, on his way to re-election,” BBC World Service.
Ssrah cleared of all trouper-gate charges…Timeing hints at political dirty dealings……..
Rove Calls the Election — for Obama
The Architect sees a 338-200 Obama electoral vote victory over McCain.
Check out his state-by-state breakdown here.
http://www.rove.com/election
“Of all people in America, I can’t see how you can say that about McCain. He has a life time of proof of his love for our Country. Torture could not change him from doing what is right. Your candidate I am sure is great. But what need do you have to say such things about McCain.”
Bill, military service doesn’t make someone a trustworthy President. The fact is that John McCain defied the will of over 3/4 of the American people, and defied the Constitution, through his proposition “McCain-Kennedy”, which would have given all illegal immigrants amnesty and thrust the burden for their welfare on the middle class (even more than what the middle class already faces). He supported the bailout and scuttled the First Amendment with “McCain-Feingold”. I’ve seen videos in which he contradicts his earlier statements just days after he makes them. La Raza, seeking to overthrow the United States, is a group he loves, which is as blatantly anti-American as anything Obama has said.
CS–The will of 3/4 of the Amican people..Are you sure it is not 80 %
Where is EricF? I thought for sure he would be on here saying it is all over for Obama… “Nail in the coffin”.
WE DON T NEED CONAN - THE DESTROYER!
WE NEED CLARK KENT!!!
Obama is a man who knows what people feel.
You don t have to go to war to be a good President… because all you see is war.
You have to be a man of the PEOPLE… because you all see is… truth.
I m from Portugal and i say…
” GOD BLESS OBAMA!! “
I bet you are right, Bill
.
Bill, did you see this? http://www.youtube.com/wa.....vqAYW3AV0g
CS– I have a problem when someone who says ………………..” The fact is that John McCain defied the will of over 3/4 of the American people”. .So I just don’t believe you, unless you have proof..
OMG…I was just listening to this woman at one of Obama’s rallies a few days ago. She said “she can’t believe this is happening. She isn’t going to have to worry about buying gas or paying her mortgage because if she helps Obama out he will help her”.
These poor people think that they are going to get so much from this man. They are in for the biggest shock of their lives.
It is one thing to be informed and making a decision as to who you want but you can’t be blinded and believe he is going to give so much money to the poor and middle class.
I went on one of the sites, I believe Obama has one on his website, and I put in my pay and what I pay for interest on my house. I tried different scenarios. If I was making $50,000 with Obama’s tax cuts I would get $10.00 more a week. That certainly isn’t going to pay for gas and my mortgage.
I also heard that 23% of the people asked said they would be scared if Obama wins.
Bill, is your point that military service means you are trustworthy, or something about McCain-Kennedy? Hitler endured struggles as a soldier in WWI, just like everyone else, but that didn’t mean he had Germany’s best interest at heart. He had his own best interest at heart, and so does McCain. He has slighted veterans by voting against pro-veteran legislation.
CS- Before getting into new questions, please answer my comment at 410 pm
My 7:08 post was a response to that comment–I didn’t understand your point in the 4:10 comment.
Bill Hedges Nov 4th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
CS– I have a problem when someone who says ………………..” The fact is that John McCain defied the will of over 3/4 of the American people”. .So I just don’t believe you, unless you have proof..
…..prrove the 3/4…….
CS–Give me the evidence where you got the 3/4 number
I think this is what I was thinking of: “three fourths of likely voters agreed that we have an illegal immigration problem because past enforcement efforts have been “grossly inadequate,” as opposed to the open-borders crowd’s contention that illegal immigration is caused by overly restrictive immigration rules.”
http://www.cis.org/articl.....10906.html
There’s no evidence McCain could protect America. He crashed his plane about 5 times and was held POW for 5 years, how does that constitute being qualified to protect America?
From all indications the American economy will be on a higher height regardless of what others do to sabotage Americans’ efforts. By the year 2012 we will see economic growth and all the eroded faith will be restored. Please lets all be optimistic and play the parts we are all known for.