Obama Closes In On McCain's Lead in Solid GOP States, Polls Show

By: Maria Gavrilovic
Topics: Barack Obama

(CBS)

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

(SARASOTA, FLA.) - Barack Obama is "playing offense" in key red states and, according to campaign aides, a strategy now appears to be trickling into some Republican strongholds. The latest polls in both Arizona and Georgia show Obama closing in on John McCain's lead.

According to the latest CNN/Time poll, McCain leads Obama in his home state by just 7% while, on the flip side, Obama has a 17% lead on McCain in Illinois, according to a Rasmussen poll released two weeks ago.

Today, McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds dismissed Obama's recent boost in Arizona saying, "There is no credible reason for anyone to believe that Barack Obama could win an election in Arizona –none," Bounds said, " Voters there don't like taxes, don't like burdensome government programs and don't like phonies - which is why they've elected John McCain every time he's ever run for office."

Meantime, the same trend is taking place in Georgia, where McCain leads Obama by only 5%. To put this in perspective, Bush won the state by 16% in 2004.

So what does this mean for Obama's strategy in the final stretch of the campaign? "We're trying to expand the map," Obama campaign senior strategist Robert Gibbs said today. "In a place whether it's Colorado, whether it's Nevada, whether it's in the Midwest or the Southeast."

But when asked if Obama plans to campaign in McCain's home state, Gibbs stopped shy of ruling a visit out.

"I haven't heard or seen anything. I know obviously we've seen a number of public polls as you guys have in the past few days that show – not surprisingly – a close race in Arizona and it's something that we'll watch," he said.

Obama's camp is, however, recruiting volunteers Arizona in an effort to close the gap there, reports CBS News chief political consultant Marc Ambinder.

In the meantime, Obama will continue to target Republican counties in battleground states as he tries to generate a larger turnout among Democrats. "There are Democrats that will normally participate in a state election that will not for some reason vote in a presidential election – there's that fall off or drop of vote that we want to get excited," Gibbs explained.

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by tgwoe October 31, 2008 5:00 PM EDT: YAWN....

thanks for the CONVENTIONAL WISDOM and
the predictable comments (interestingly, the loony comments have remained the very much the same from day one, showing I''m sad to say, an alarming lack of creativity among the crazies...); Reply to this comment


by jone775 October 30, 2008 8:40 PM EDT: Olivia4441: the polls are tied in your wet dreams...LMAO; Reply to this comment


by olivia4441 October 30, 2008 8:34 PM EDT: Once the election is over, the glittering generalities of rhetoric and style will mean nothing. Everything will depend on performance in facing huge challenges, domestic and foreign.

Performance is where Barack Obama has nothing to show for his political career, either in Illinois or in Washington.

Policies that he proposes under the banner of "change" are almost all policies that have been tried repeatedly in other countries-- and failed repeatedly in other countries.

Politicians telling businesses how to operate? That''''''''''''''''s been tried in countries around the world, especially during the second half of the 20th century. It has failed so often and so badly that even socialist and communist governments were freeing up their markets by the end of the century.

POLLS ARE TIED, DON''T LET THE MEDIA FOOL YOU..LAMO; Reply to this comment


by mattcat25 October 30, 2008 6:57 PM EDT: People in those so-called %u201Cred states%u201D need to evaluate their needs and vote accordingly based on their own better interests. In other words: VOTE FOR YOURSELF!

Because, from what we%u2019ve all had to experience under the Conservative Agenda they (the Republicans) are completely out for themselves and haven%u2019t shown any empathy for their dedicated supporters in many of these red states.

Hold our Government accountable to the people, starting Tuesday November 5.; Reply to this comment


by dustycm-2009 October 30, 2008 6:41 PM EDT: From an outsiders point of view, I have never seen a country lose so much respect, so quickly on a world stage.

For the last eight years, Americans have suffered under the "leadership" of George "Dubbya" Bush and the world has laughed at his mismanagement.

How citizens of your once great country can even comprehend voting for John McCain and his obvious lack of direction and guidance is bewildering!

The ties between him and George "Dubbya" can not be denied. Do Americans really want more of the same?

God help us all if Palin would have to assume Presidency duties.

Time to restore some faith America.; Reply to this comment


by dustycm-2009 October 30, 2008 6:40 PM EDT: From an outsiders point of view, I have never seen a country lose so much respect, so quickly on a world stage.

For the last eight years, Americans have suffered under the "leadership" of George "Dubbya" Bush and the world has laughed at his mismanagement.

How citizens of your once great country can even comprehend voting for John McCain and his obvious lack of direction and guidance is bewildering!

The ties between him and George "Dubbya" can not be denied. Do Americans really want more of the same?

God help us all if Palin would have to assume Presidency duties.

Time to restore some faith America.; Reply to this comment


by targaray-2009 October 30, 2008 6:32 PM EDT: - STOP THE MADNESS - VOTE FOR CHANGE - 2008; Reply to this comment


by rudy654-2009 October 30, 2008 6:28 PM EDT: If Obama wins, you will be without work, without money, and eating grease out of the dumpster behind McDonalds.

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Posted by OneAmerican8 at 03:16 PM

just another doom and gloom repo; Reply to this comment


by rickwar October 30, 2008 6:28 PM EDT: Oops - I guess I didn''''t see that OneAmerican8 was the one that should go to work for McCain. rickwar is cool on Obama. Sorry for being so quick to pounce. I guess that''''s what this election has done to me - help! I don''''t want to be like the republicans!!

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Posted by BLforO08 at 03:26 PM : Oct 30, 2008

No Problem, got ya.; Reply to this comment


by blforo08 October 30, 2008 6:26 PM EDT: Oops - I guess I didn''t see that OneAmerican8 was the one that should go to work for McCain. rickwar is cool on Obama. Sorry for being so quick to pounce. I guess that''s what this election has done to me - help! I don''t want to be like the republicans!!; Reply to this comment