CNN Kool-Aid Hysteria of the Day: Even reliably red Montana in play as Election Day looms

CNN ^ | 11-2-2008

[My Favorite Headache]

Sen. Barack Obama leads Sen. John McCain in CNN's latest Electoral College estimates.

1 of 2 George W. Bush won Montana by 20 points in his re-election victory four years ago. But it seems times have changed in the state.

CNN's new Electoral College map, updated Sunday morning, moves Montana from "leaning John McCain" to "tossup."

The move is partially based on the new CNN poll of polls in Montana, compiled Friday, which suggests that McCain has a 1-point lead over his Democratic rival, Barack Obama, 46 percent to 45 percent. Nine percent of voters are undecided.

"The fact that Montana is up for grabs has to be extremely unsettling for the McCain campaign," said CNN Senior Political Researcher Alan Silverleib.

"Montana's usually a reliably Republican state in presidential campaigns. It's been won by the Democrats only twice in the past half century. If you're a Republican and you're fighting for Montana in the last few days of the campaign, you're not in good shape."

Three electoral votes are at stake in Montana, a state Obama visited in late August. McCain, the Republican nominee, has not campaigned in Montana during the general election.

With Montana moving to "tossup," CNN estimates that if the election were held today, Obama would win states with 291 electoral votes -- more than enough to capture the White House.

McCain would take states with 157 electoral votes, while states with a combined total of 90 electoral votes would still be up for grabs. A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win.

CNN is also moving Iowa, and its 7 electoral votes, from "leaning Obama" to "safe Obama." The latest poll of polls in Iowa, compiled Sunday morning, suggests Obama now has a lead of 14 percentage points in the state, 53 to 39 percent.

[Verginius Rufus]

Either it will be over before Montana's results come in, because Obama has carried a couple of states further east that McCain had to have, or else McCain will be doing better than the media predicted, in which case he'll win Montana comfortably.

If it is close, we may be left hanging on election night as key states depend on provisional ballots...i.e., phony votes that even the local officials had to set aside as questionable.

[GaryLee1990]

Don't watch CNN. Don't even visit their website. After the election, me and a couple of friends are starting the "Boycott CNN" project. We're going to be encouraging people to write into CNN and tell them that they won't watch them anymore.

RightWingIt.com

[andy58-in-nh]

Operation Depress Republican Turnout continues as planned.

One slight problem, CNN: we don't believe your bullshit any more, nor do the American people.

[Condor51]

CNN: Obama 80%, McCain 10%!!!

Poll consisted on 850 CNN employers who are likely to vote. CNN management is looking for those 10% McCain voters who will be immediately terminated due to 'budget issues'.

Additionally, 10% of those polled were listed as undecided as CNN found they didn't speak English and understand the questions. However CNN Pollsters believed they lean Obama.

[EQAndyBuzz]

Got news for Y’all. New York is in play.

[beagleone]

Here in Australia the headline today says more or less "Obama on the verge of landslide win"

This is total B.S.

This race is tighter than Roseanne Barr in bicycle pants.
And the momentum is in McCain's favor. Obama is on the defensive and has been since Joe the Plumber popped the question.

[Tuxedo]

We need a few anti-satellite missiles to shoot down CNN and MSNBC.