McCain pulls ahead of Obama 48-47 Zogby – Those Pesky Undecideds – Obama's Missteps

In the final weekend before the election, things are tightening - , (Zobgy), has McCain pulling ahead of Obama, (see excerpt below) – everything is within the margin of error. It is, from a rational standpoint, 2004 all over. The polling, the media, and the fact that Obama’s romance with the media (or certain aspects) has gone a tad downhill in the past week, while McCain has been making inroads in places that were given up to Obama all along – blue collar workers, and independents.
“Pollster John Zogby: "Is McCain making a move? The three-day average holds steady, but McCain outpolled Obama today, 48% to 47%. He is beginning to cut into Obama's lead among independents, is now leading among blue collar voters, has strengthened his lead among investors and among men, and is walloping Obama among NASCAR voters. Joe the Plumber may get his license after all. "Obama's lead among women declined, and it looks like it is occurring because McCain is solidifying the support of conservative women, which is something we saw last time McCain picked up in the polls. If McCain has a good day tomorrow, we will eliminate Obama's good day three days ago, and we could really see some tightening in this rolling average. But for now, hold on."”

The AP is reporting that one in seven voters are still persuadable, however, at this late date, those undecideds or persuadable voters, generally break conservative and have already made up their minds.

Which is why John McCain has been grinning ear to ear the past two weeks – he also has the benefit of internal polls. Apparently the undecideds have decided. So, what would persuade an independent to break “right”? Some headlines with links to articles that may hold the key:

Starting in Massachusetts

It goes to Character:

Obama has an aunt in South Boston” (The Globe)
”Boston Housing Authority ‘flabbergastered’ Barack Obama’s aunt living in Southie”(The Herald)

Invasion of privacy

”State employee says she was ordered to check out Joe the Plumber”(Columbus Dispatch)

Taxes: (Speaking of Joe the Plumber)

First, it’s 250,000 taxable income (Miami Herald)
Then it was $200,000 (CNN)
Then it was $150,000 (courtesy of Biden (American Spectator)

Obama’s response

Obama’s New Attack on Those Who Don’t Want Higher Taxes: ‘Selfishness’(ABC News)

Never Mind Taxes, What’s the State of His Campaign?

Obama “Raffles” chance to join Him Election Night (CBS Chicago) - $25.00 dollar donation for a chance to be in a spot where the press is charged a higher rate : up to $935 per reporter(Chicago Sun Times)
Why would a campaign that had the money to run a 30 minute infomercial need to charge the media for access and raffle off the same spot to supporters?

The Romance with the Press – Depends on the Press

The NY Post, Washington Times and Dallas Morning News, conservative leaning newspapers, endorsed Senator McCain, as a result, they are no longer welcome on the Obama Plane (The Drudge Report. )and
The Khalidi Tape, Mistake or Cover-up (Augusta Chronicle)(Referring to the LA Times refusal to release a tape of a dinner for Kahlidi (PLO),with Obama in attendance>)

These examples, sans Ayers and Wright, go to character, temperament and the economy (both of the campaign and the nation). Add this to the fact that pollsters (Suffolk University for one) have, in many instances, given large leads to Obama, where there are undecideds in sufficient number to either tie or give the lead to McCain (Of all States - Massachusetts - Suffolk Poll). Suffolk University also conducted polls in Colorado, Ohio, Florida and Nevada, giving an Obama what can only be described as an “inflated” lead.

What’s wrong with inflated poll numbers? Contrary to conventional wisdom that huge leads in the polls demoralizes the opposition into simply not voting, the opposite occurs; those younger voters, or those less inclined to get out the vote, figure, why bother? Obama is so far ahead, no one can beat him (It doesn’t help Obama that these voters exclusively watch and read media that is pushing the same story). Obama understands this because, unlike smiling John McCain, Obama is telling CNN that “It’s gonna get nasty” and his supporters “"Don't believe for a second this election is over. Don't think for a minute that power concedes anything. It's gonna get nasty, I'm sure, in the next four days," Obama told a crowd in Columbia, Missouri, on Thursday night. “ , he went on to blame the Republicans for anything that might come out against him: too little, too late.

Favorite quote (paraphrased) of the week: Howie Carr (WRKO) to a caller: I was convinced John Kerry was going to win a week before the election too.
Another perspective: Your best friends can unintentionally hurt you. The media crush on Obama became apparent early on in this election, to everyone, the constant negatives against any rival: Hillary Clinton, McCain and of course, Sarah Palin, play great with a dedicated base, but how well does it do in the middle? The blatant sexism is another story, one which has been played endlessly and the cost will be weighed on Tuesday.

With three days before the nation heads to the polls, minds have been made up, it won’t be a landslide, it will be close, but the odds now favor McCain.

The Gender Bias Factor 2008 - Happy Halloween

Throughout this election process, there were a lot of ism’s tossed around; racism, ageism, and of course, sexism; calling into question gains that were thought to have been made to eradicate all isms by this great country. It goes without saying that all three exist, and will, undoubtedly continue to be fostered; by those on the right and the left. What is most astonishing is that, as a group, women are a “safe” target; especially those who would dare to break with “tradition” and attempt to assume roles that are traditionally male. From the beginning of the primary season, 2007 to be exact, conversations around one Massachusetts family event astounded this Bay Stater. In discussing the field of contenders the male voters (All family members are generational Democrats, with one notable exception) immediately dismissed Hillary Clinton – why? “Who would elect a woman”, their choice at the time: John McCain – McCain? At that time, McCain was considered as the least likely (minus Ron Paul and Tancredo) of getting past Iowa – the reasoning, there was simply no-other candidate on the other side with similar ideals. The argument from the conservative feminist was simple: Clinton is a moderate and the best your party has to offer, give her a chance – indeed, by sheer numbers, women have the upper hand, and would tip the balance in her favor – a viable candidate, that would, in all likelihood grab some Republican votes alone the way. (The irony is: Clinton went on to win the Massachusetts Primary and McCain, as a result of his win of the Republican nomination, quickly fell out of grace - but Obama, a man, who was not a Republican, was perfect!)

As the months wore on and the primary season began, the treatment of Hillary Clinton in the press and by a certain Campaign disintegrated into an all out anti-feminist rant. Clinton was, as promised, an open book, no baggage that anyone didn’t already know about – she was upfront - she was, above all, a moderate. It was the devil we knew that got our attention. What shocked women, of both parties, to attention was the reality that the male establishment continued to dominate; not just our salaries, but our position in the grand scheme of things. The other emerging Candidate, Obama, was accepted, based on gender – by a percentage of the base. Unlike Hillary Clinton, Obama was not put through “the wringer”, no one questioned him, and the press continues to protect him (referring to most recently, the video tape of Obama at a Khalidi dinner party that the LA Times refuses to release). Clinton, who ran a brilliant campaign, was thwarted by the male bastion that makes up the DNC – Dean, Reid, Kennedy, Kerry, aided by one power hungry Nancy Pelosi (women can be their own worst enemies – that’s the central theme of women’s studies courses). The process was long, and after revelations including “bible clutching, gun toting” Pennsylvanians and radical pastors, were made clear, Clinton proceeded to dominate the remaining states. Too little to late, regardless of the popular vote, the process was undermined by the Super Delegates, and those Super Delegates were men (and Nancy Pelosi and her daughter Christine (who cast the tipping vote in favor of Obama).

Enter Sarah Palin, a popular (with the Republican Base) conservative vice-presidential candidate (Also of note: McCain has surrounded himself with women, they receive higher pay to boot, the Obama Campaign is not so "liberated" - fewer women in positions of power, making less than their male counterparts - this may have been the trouble vis-a-vis a male relative) – she is being eviscerated at every point – not on politics – but on her gender. If the left-leaning press were willing to eat their own (Hillary Clinton), they apparently have decided that with Palin, a conservative, nothing is off limit. Gleeful reports came from local and national news outlets over a disgusting display in West Hollywood, which depicted an effigy of Palin being hung from the rafters. This was not a problem, because gender is not protected – race and sexual orientation are protected under hate crimes legislation – but gender is not. That in and of itself, is the reason that women, more than ever, regardless of party, need to make their voices heard – and push for legislation that includes gender on an parity with race. Historically speaking, women were the last “group” allowed to vote, it is high time a message was sent; as women, enough is enough. One way to send that message is to vote for the McCain/Palin ticket – if, one is so opposed to a moderate Republican Senator who votes with Democrats more frequently that his base approves, and Palin, because she is a Republican woman – then do something and ask your congressmen and senators (and any women you might find that hold these offices) – to make crimes against women – hate crimes. The video below, depicts an Obama Halloween nightmare – don’t let it fool you – it is specific to the treatment received by Hillary Clinton at the hands of her own party –not because of her policy – but because of her gender. A thank you is in order to all those Clinton Supporters who refuse to bend to party and are doing everything they can to put an end to this type of bias. For more information visit: Hillbuzz Women working for women, regardless of party, because of bias. Perhaps, just perhaps, a message will be sent this Tuesday, that gender bias will no longer be tolerated in this great nation. The polls certainly are moving in that direction. McCain/Palin 08, Palin vs. Clinton 2012. It's a win-win for a "Majority-Minority" that has been last on the agenda since reluctantly given the vote in 1920. Let us not let another 24 long years go by before we see another woman elevated to the top or the bottom of a major political party ticket.

Is Massachusetts in Play? – 1980 Revisited

Massachusetts as a Red State - Impossible! - On the 2008 electoral map, MA has been blue since the primaries – most probably because this particular state trends Democrat in most cases – the key here is most cases. What is noticeable to residents in this state is the sheer number of campaign commercials airing from both the Obama Campaign and the McCain campaign. One outside of the Bay State might think that this is the norm, however, most often, the Bay State is given little to no notice from either party. In 2004, commercials ran on most national networks, sporadically at best – 2008 is another ballgame. Perhaps it is easy to explain – both campaigns have ridiculous amounts of money to burn – therefore, the least competitive state is being treated like the rest of the country. That said, a recent series of articles in the Springfield Republican, the major daily in Western Massachusetts, is getting a good deal of attention. The basis of these articles is human interest mixed with politics, perspectives from ordinary people on why they chose a particular candidate. One woman’s story has resulted in a high comment count, perhaps the highest commented story on this site; it is not the woman’s reason for voting Obama that is in question, it is the comments that accompany the article. The woman who has chosen to vote for Obama is doing so for economic reasons; that said, she is someone who has needed assistance from the State for her entire adult life – it is evident that the message getting across to Bay Staters that the Obama tax plan is nothing more than additional hand-outs (to put it kindly), is working.

What about the polls? The state is considered safe due to two polls, one taken by Rasmussen and one by Suffolk University. The Suffolk Poll gives Obama a 19 point advantage over McCain. Suffolk University, a Boston based institution, has been conducting polls on its home turf as well as in states across the country, specifically in Nevada, Florida, Ohio and Missouri, Colorado and Virginia (Key States). The Massachusetts Poll, taken October 22, 2008, was based on a total of 400 registered voters (from Suffolk Marginals). 24% of those from Central (Worcester) MA and Western MA, the balance from the Eastern portion of the state with the heaviest concentration, 35%, from Boston North, 8% from Suffolk. The balance of Republican, Democrat and Independents (15%, 36% and 49% respectively, which is an approximate make-up of the electorate). Question 11 asks the respondents which of the six candidates on the ballot they would choose. Baldwin received 1%, Barr, 1%, McCain 31%, McKinny 1%, Nadar 3%, Obama 47%, Undecided 17% and Refused, 1%. 18% of the respondents either refused to answer or remain undecided – in Massachusetts, in a poll that is heavily skewed to Eastern Part of the State, which is where the highest concentration of Democrats reside. This schematic gives Obama a 16 point lead over McCain among likely voters, the subsequent question asked those Undecided on the 22 of October, which way they were leaning – which gave Obama an additional 3 points. Should 18% lean to McCain; according to his poll, Massachusetts’s 12 electoral votes would be added to his tally. Looking at this polling data, one could also consider Massachusetts to be – in play.

Why so many undecideds at this late date? Some possible and plausible reasons: 1) The State has been under control of one party for the past two years, prior to that, Massachusetts normally chose a Republican governor to offset the Democrat Legislature, with the result being a heavy burdened tax base, yet with a conservative advocate to alleviate some of the pain. Duval Patrick was elected based on hope, change, and “Yes We Can” – this message was an economic message, based on tax relief for the middle class and the fact that climate did not favor a Republican; this was the lead-up to the 2008 primary season. The reality: tax breaks for the middle class did not appear and the state budget went out of control; which is now resulting in budget cuts and bailouts from the Federal government (see comments on the article referred to in the first paragraph). Regardless of party affiliation, the Massachusetts fiasco can only be blamed on one group – there simply are no Republican’s (or a limited minority in the legislature) to blame. It is the perfect marriage, regardless of party, that can wreck perfect chaos in government. Lastly, there is a general dissatisfaction in the Democrat Base over John Kerry’s Iraq vote and his Endorsement of Obama over Clinton. John Kerry faced his first opponent from his own party in 24 years, handily defeating Ed O’Reilly by 61% - leaving 39% of the vote on the table. Support for Clinton in the Bay State remains high – would these voters go to McCain? - It is possible and probable

Although this is all speculation, (based on polling, higher commercials, and a climate that just does not bode well for entitlement programs), one cannot help but wonder if the Bay State will step back in time – to 1980. In 1980, Massachusetts was written off as “Safe” for Carter – food for thought. The balance of the polls across the nation are tightening, and, in these final days, one thing is certain, this will be a tight race – where it will be impossible to predict an outcome and anything can happen.

LA Times Won't Release Obama/Kahalidi Tape - No Problem! - Transcript Available!

AProposed Transcript of the tape being withheld by the LA Times between Obama and Kahalidi was released today by Chicago Against Obama

"While Sam Zell is selling out the future of his own people by refusing to release the tape of Barack Obama toasting known anti-Semite and PLO functionary, Rashid Khalidi, I have been fortunate enough to receive a probable transcript of the toast…


HERE IT IS:

****BEGINNING OF TRANSCRIPT***********

Um, ah….Salaam

Um….My distinguished guests….ughh….it is an honor to be here…

uhh….It is truly refreshing to be surrounded by such a large group of people in which…uh.. I can truly see eye-to-eye with…uh…and completely agree…

Reverend Farrakhan..ughh…great to see you tonight…you always look great in a yellow bow-tie…and..uhh…tonight is no exception….

Bill..Bernadine….I see you everyday…so I don’t need to say much…but…ughh…you know I love you….keep doing the work you do….it’s time to start a revolution

Reverend Wright…..ughh…you are the father that I never had….I’ve never missed a sermon…and…uhh….I never will…

Michelle, while I find your frown so beautiful….I hope to one day make you proud of this country..and uhh…happy…and finally see you smile….

uhhhhh…with that being said…If everyone could please hold off from hitting the hookah…I would like to say a toast..to my, and Yasser Arafat’s, best friend….Mr. Rashid Khalidi….

Rashid…..you are my best friend….spiritual compass…..and baby sitter (crowd laughs..and cries)

I want to thank you for your constant indoctrination….I want to thank you for your imput..and..uhhh…reminders…that Israel is a constant sore….and..uhh…needs to be eliminated off the map….

I also want to thank you for introducing me to your many contacts in the middle east…I am sure…uh…that their imput……and uh…money…..will be of great use to me as I run for President of these great 57 states…..

While David Axelrod may be forcing you to move away from me during the campaign….I am confident…that..uhh…our friendship will not only remain..but actually prosper..during our time of absence….

Rashid…you ARE my middle east adviser….and you ALWAYS will be…

Here’s to Rashid……(A chant of Messiah can be heard in the background….also audible…is a voice (thought to be Ayer’s) screaming REVOLUTION…REVOLUTION..over and over…)

Salaam….

**************END OF TRANSCRIPT*************

IN LIGHT OF THE LOS ANGELES TIMES NOT RELEASING THEIR COPY OF THE TAPE….CONSIDER THIS PROBABLE TRANSCRIPT TO BE ACCURATE, AND FEEL FREE TO DISTRIBUTE IT TO ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE AN HONEST ASSESSMENT OF SENATOR OBAMA, PRIOR TO CASTING THEIR VOTE

L.A Times Contact Information:

Los Angeles Times
202 W. 1st St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 237-5000
Fax: (213) 237-7679"

Now as to the accuracy of this transcript one might have some reservations, however, the point of the release is evident - it is a statement on the Press today. Why would the LA Times refuse to release the tape? If the tape is not damaging the transcript and tape would be all over it's website and YouTube, however, the Times continues to withhold the tape; which leads to speculation that they've got something to hide. This speculation is not unwarranted given the history of certain press outlets, including the Times to slant (being kind here) articles in the direction of Obama. Although it is generally agreed among journalists and editors and lawyers that the tape belongs to the Times and it is their prerogative to release or not to release, it is also the prerogative of their subscribers to cancel the paper, including a boycott of their website and all related products.

Gallop Traditional Obama Lead Shrinks to 2, Margin of Error +/-3 – and CNN's Brown Finally Discovers Obama Breaks a Promise!

So much for Polls – the Gallop Poll’s Traditional Voter Model (those most likely to vote), is now within 2 points, and the IBD/TIPP has been fluctuating between +2 and +6 for the past week (now at Obama +4), further, pollsters are becoming increasingly leery of calling the race. Why is that? Without the internal campaign polls, it’s all a big guessing game – except, McCain is grinning from ear to ear – while Obama is clearly telling his people not to relax. It’s a horserace – modeled on elections from the past 2 generals. The only way this could be a landslide, at this point, would be if this were a repeat of 1980 (judging from the current polling trends, and outcomes, given the same Common man (Reagan) versus Elite Socialist (Carter) schematic), and then, that too is gross speculation.

This sudden realization that the media push for Obama may have personal ramifications (loss of jobs, for example, due to layoffs), has given some who may be more astute at seeing which way the wind might be blowing, a reason to suddenly become a bit less partisan. Campbell Brown of CNN had decided it was time to point out that Obama broke a promise on Campaign Finance. Although McCain pointed this broken promise (goes to character), in debates and campaign speeches, the media has ignored any criticism of Obama, heaping it back on McCain. In Browns commentary, she points to the huge amounts of cash Obama has on hand –enough to bore the country for 30 minutes on almost every prime time network tonight. What Campbell may also be aware of is, historically, large sums of cash do not necessarily translate into winning an office. One only has to look back to February and March of 2008 to understand that point. The Republican Primary had one candidate who was rolling in cash (Mitt Romney), while others McCain and Huckabee, were desperately trying to get their message across on a shoe string. The result - by Super Tuesday, the man with the most robo-calls and television commercials was out of the race and those that were cash strapped – were still in the game. Other big-money primary and general election losers of the past were Kerry and Forbes, who went on to defeat despite being well-funded.

Speaking of Obama Cash, The Obama Infomercial will be seen on almost every network with some glaring exceptions: ABC, FOX News and CNN. ABC will be enjoying an increase in viewership as well as FOX and CNN (the later two will run segments of the infomercial as “news”).
Will the Obama Infomercial convince anyone at this point in time, to change their vote? Not unless someone is so incensed that the World Series was delayed in order to accommodate Barak that they switch to McCain.

It bears repeating, no-one has a crystal ball when it comes to November 4th, polls are merely “best guesstimates”, pundits get paid to pontificate, party lines are drawn, and independents, for what its worth, generally vote the same way they always have when it comes down to the crunch, unless of course, you have a Jimmy Carter in office, or his twin trying to get into office.

New Mexico Entertainment Bi-Monthly Declares Obama The Winner!

The New Mexico Sun (CNN Reporting) decided to go out on a limb with their latest issue and declare Barack Obama – President. Talk about trying to beat the odds. Perhaps they should have done a little digging, and placed a lot less faith in the polling process.

Immediately following the 1980 election, Warren J. Mitofsky, of CBS News, pondered why the polls had been so amazingly – wrong The problem must have fallen to the pollster, not CBS – as the outcome did not, in any way shape or form, meet the standard of the polling results.



In the final days before the 1980 election, Jimmy Carter led Ronald Reagan in all the polls, additionally; many felt that Ross Perot would take votes from Reagan, giving Carter an additional lead.

History tells us otherwise – and history, my friends, has a way of repeating itself. Reagan won with the help of Democrats who were jumping ship left and right based on Carters lack of expertise in governing, and the crisis, economic, military, etc., that resulted from the Democrat Body United in Washington - today, Carters doppelganger is experiencing the same fantastic polling numbers, (has the same mindset and the same Congress) with one exception for McCain, he is actually polling better than Reagan in that final week. McCain has his own bunch of Democrats for McCain, along with the entire Republican base (with exceptions of those conservative journalist and party players from Washington who are backing the other team, and all 10 of them are a drop in the bucket. The editor at the Sun should have done his research. Perhaps a better headline: "Obama Blames Fox News for his stunning defeat!" (That groundwork is already being laid by Obama - just in case) In past elections, Carter blames a late debate, Kerry Blames Bin Laden, Gore blamed the Supreme Court (had all military absentee ballots been counted, that would have been a moot point, and Gore was the one that requested the case be brought!), so, now Obama must cast about for a scapegoat.

Whatever happened to Truth in Advertising? Barney Frank ‘s New Campaign Commercial

Barney Frank, the Congressman responsible for the destruction of our financial systems (see Freddie, Fannie and the host of Frank Pals that pushed our system over the ledge), is up for re-election. Frank has gotten a bit of press in the Bay State the past few months, most of it positive from the Globe and like-minded outlets; however, judging by the hundreds of comments which accompany each article, the people just aren’t buying it. Now Frank comes out with this commercial blaming Fox News and the Republican’s for the entire mess and further, insists that he is the one that will be able to save the day. This one is worth watching for the laughs.

LA Times withholds Damaging Obama Video – Layoffs eminent.

The LA Times, about to lay off yet more employees, is holding onto a tape that would be somewhat damaging to Barak Obama. The tape, taken at a Palestinian Celebration, with Barack Obama and Rashid Khalidi (yet another individual who Barack “does not know”), apparently would further damage Obama’s image. Gateway Pundit has the full story here

It comes as no surprise that the Times would refuse to release a video tape of this nature, as the Times organization actively supports the candidate, which could be the reason why circulation continues to plummet. What will it take to prevent the doors on these giants from closing? The only salvation for these outlets would be a return to unbiased reporting - and it may be too little to late.

Obama - Signs of Distress – Waiting for the October Surprise

There have been recent signs of stress coming from the Obama Campaign. First, the banning of a television station over an interview that asked Biden tough questions. Additionally, Obama is limiting his accessibility to the press. He has not held a press conference in over a month.. Yesterday, an audio tape surfaced, from 2001, in which Obama describes his views on socialism outlined here on Hillbuzz. There is a strange silence on the blog which routinely is barraged by comments from Obama supporters.

Is this the October surprise? This is doubtful because October surprises generally are released within the last five (5) days of the campaign. It’s early!

Zogby just released its Monday poll numbers and the news is not good for Obama – dropping daily in the polls.

This was never meant to be a runaway election, and there are surprises in store for a certain campaign in states that are otherwise considered safe,(See John Kerry groveling for votes in Massachusetts, a first in 24 years John Kerry Fights for his Image - why? One has to ask. Answer: read the comments) add an October surprise, and that will add further momentum to the McCain campaign. What factor would that October surprise or this tape have? Little to none, minds have been made up, the lines are drawn, all we have to do is sit back and wait for the results.

Why is McCain so Confident? - Internal polling may be the key.

While the public relations machine for Barack Obama continues to pound away, while CNN, CBS, Zogby, Rasmussen, NBC and Fox show Obama leading in their respective polls (by varying degrees), John McCain continues to stand firm in the face of what, almost every pundit considers to be, insurmountable odds. Polls, mathematical predictors of outcome based on probability, are at issue, specifically the wide range of results shown here at Real Clear Politics. Real Clear Politics takes an average of all polls done, regardless of the sample used, and reaches a conclusion. Currently, Obama is shown to be leading nationwide by 7.6% according to this method. Some polls have been shown to be more accurate that others over the years, with the IBD/TIPPS poll having been the most accurate in 2004. Currently that poll “average” shows a virtual dead heat with 10.1% of the respondents, not sure (or refusing to answer). According to this poll, Obama is at 46.5 percent and McCain at 43.1 percent, there is a 3% margin of error, and an additional 10 points that are up for grabs.

Then there are those polls that the public and the press are not privy - the internal polls done by both campaigns. It is safe to say, at this point, the pollsters, who use a variety of formulas, questions and samples in order to achieve results are confusing due to the range of results as well as the percentage of undecideds. Therefore, one has to look at the reaction of the campaigns to try and guess what their internal polling data suggests. Both McCain and Obama are making stops in states where perhaps, their internal polls show that they need an edge. Interestingly, the VP candidates are most likely in states that are not critical - to shore up the base, as the balance is in line with that particular campaign. Both candidates ignore states that are considered “safe” one way or the other. What’s it all mean? Not one of “us” knows – literally, who will be elected on the 4th of November, not the pollsters, not the press. It will, in all likelihood, be yet another horserace. As Palin suggested, It's not over untl it's over.