Landslide? Really?

Today all the blogs (that aren’t talking about the stock market) are a flutter with talk of a landslide this November— certain polls bear that out.

(CLICK HERE FOR VIDEOS AND POLL DATA)

The Straight Dope

Newsweek has a pretty damn good peice detailing exactly where the map stands now as well as where it could be after the McCain bounce (I know, I’m puking too) kicks in on a state level.

What there’s no denying, as evidenced here, is that McCain has pulled ahead on a national level. Electoral College-wise, it’s still Obama’s. But remember, there have still been no new polls released on a state level since the prom queen’s coming out party. This map is gonna shift.

Some relevant data from the entire article which can be found here:

Presidential election are fought on a state-by-state basis–not in the national polls. Here, the picture doesn’t look quite as rosy for McCain. According to Real Clear Politics, Obama currently leads in each of John Kerry’s 2004 states, including top McCain targets Michigan (+4.3 percent), New Hampshire (+0.3 percent), Pennsylvania (+5.0 percent) and Wisconsin (+7.2 percent).  He also leads by healthy margins in a pair of Bush states: New Mexico (+4.3 percent) and Iowa (+9.0 percent). If Obama can hold these advantages until Election Day, he’ll wind up with at least 263 electoral votes–seven shy of victory. That’s where the red states of Virginia and Colorado come in. At this point, Obama’s leading in the latter (+0.4 percent) and tied in the former. Win either one and the White House is his. At this point, RCP gives the Democrat 273 EVs (Colorado, no Virginia) to McCain’s 265; the prediction whizzes at FiveThirtyEight.com are even more optimistic, projecting additional Obama victories in Virginia and Ohio for a final score of 304 to 234. Which means that while McCain is “winning” nationally, Obama is ahead in the electoral college.

Holy Crap! McCain 48%, Obama 45%

File this under You’ll Never Go Broke Underestimating the Intelligence of The American People:

In what can only be described as a true sign of the Apocalypse, Richie Rich has over taken Barack Obama in the latest poll, found here.

What next? Some TV show where celebrity has-beens dance around on screen captures the attention of the nation and rockets to the top of the ratings? New Kids on the Block get back together and relese an album that not only sells, but is a hit? A totally unqualified former beauty queen becomes a heartbeat away from the presidency when a cynical old man picks her out of nowhere and puts her on a national ticket?

Oh yeah. Never mind.