Note what states McCain/Palin are focusing on now -- VA, NC

[DCBob]

These are traditional red states they need to win. They are playing defense now in red states that appear to be slipping away. How bad is that?

[knowledgeispwr]

1. Very Bad...for McCain

Just recently I read that McCain had no plans to visit here (NC), then I heard he was visiting the state today. While I hope Obama wins NC, I'll be ecstatic if he wins the presidency whether he carries NC or not.

[DCBob]

3. In my opinion, NC is looking awfully good for Obama.

I would not surprised to see NC turn blue.

[johnnydrama]

2. I read

Palin to Indiana later in the week.

[DCBob]

5. Wow. They are really scrambling. Looks like their strategy now is to just avoid and blowout.

[Arugula Latte]

4. Haw haw haw.

Time and money spent there is time and money not spent in Ohio and Florida. :D

[Barack_America]

6. There's not a single blue state in either the toss-up or leaning Republican columns.

Defense is all that is left for them, barring some unforeseen huge game-changing event.

[AllentownJake]

7. Well it will be nice to have them out of PA

Guessing the ad buy this week will be less too. Hopefully I can watch Heroes tonight without having to see his Ugly Mug.

[blue_onyx]

17. I think McCain will give up on PA soon

Maybe not publicly but he pull money out of there. Yes, TV has gotten much more watchable since McCain pull out of Michigan....I hope the same is true for you soon :)

[Higher Standard]

8. That's the brilliance of the Obama strategy

McCain has to spend significantly more time defending what should have been gimme states for him as a Republican than trying to capture battleground states. And, as he does that, the battleground states slowly but surely fall into the Obama category.

[knowledgeispwr]

9. Also highlights the folly of past democratic presidential campaigns writing off whole regions

very early on. In those elections, Dems were mostly playing defensive, trying to pick off a "swing state" or two. This election is being played in "red states."

[rufus dog]

10. keep pounding it up the middle of the defense

then throw the long bomb.

Or as the Obama email stated, swing for the fence in the red states!

[DCBob]

11. and McCain will keep trying to throw desperate hail marys!!

[applexcore]

12. Hes coming to NC this week

[kennetha]

13. This is bad for McCain no doubt

But if you look at it from McCain's perspective, they can at least tell themselves that they are at least playing on what has historically been Republican friendly turf. It's a small -- very small -- consolation from their perspective, but it is some consolation because it at least means that they don't have to play on traditionally democratic turf to get back to being at least marginally competitive.

Tortured logic, I know. But that's really all they have left to motivate them to keep going.

[Every Man A King]

14. Yes very tortured nt

[TheDonkey]

15. For the next 3 weeks McTroll and Haterina must defend VA,NC, and FL

[DCBob]

16. and IN,MO,OH,NM,CO,NV,ND, and possibly GA -- did I miss any?

McCain will be busier than a one legged ass kicker defending all those states.

[TheDonkey]

18. lol

[livetohike]

19. They can't cover much turf holding hands appearing at

rallies together. It was a major mistake for McCain to pick her - she's useless. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad he picked her - it's turning out very good for us.

[msallied]

20. Saw Chris Matthews mention that tonight...

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/10/13/1538486.aspx?p=1

*** Is two better than one? Once again today, McCain will be joined by Palin as he holds two different rallies in the battleground state of Virginia (in Virginia Beach and Richmond). As we’ve seen, this joint campaigning produces big crowds for the GOP team. But is it coming at price? The Wall Street Journal reports that Obama, Biden, and Michelle Obama have held 95 separate events in battleground states since the fall campaign officially began. By comparison, McCain, Palin, and Cindy McCain had done just 55 separate events. “The effect: The Democrats are being seen much more often, in free news coverage and in paid advertising, in the states that will determine the winner,” the Journal writes. By the way, NBC/NJ’s Adam Aigner-Treworgy notes that today will be McCain’s second campaign event in Virginia since the general election began. And when he visits North Carolina later today, it will be his first stop in the Tar Heel State since May

[livetohike]

21. LOL I just replied to your new thread

:-) I don't know why Chris Matthews keeps giving the McCain campaign so many ideas in his criticism of them. He's a smart guy (I read Life's a Campaign). He knows what he's talking about.

[msallied]

22. LOL. Well they have three weeks to make up the defecit.

I'm not so sure gramps can go at that kind of pace and Palin is... well, a liability is a nicer way to put it. LOL

[jazzjunkysue]

23. This verifies the polls: They're really in play.

THe candidates have access to better polling info than we get, and if he's there, he knows he really needs to be.