McCain's Challenge In "Must-Win" Ohio

CBS Evening News: Why Ohio Is One Of The Final '08 Battlegrounds

(CBS)  For the series, "Final Battleground," the CBS Evening News is traveling to three key areas of the country - the South, the Midwest and the West - to hone in on the states that will decide this presidential election. Ohio is one state that could swing toward either Barack Obama or John McCain, CBS News senior political correspondent Jeff Greenfield reports.

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Nobody has to spell it out for John McCain. Like every other Republican nominee in history, if he does not win Ohio, he won't win the White House, Greenfield reports.

And the terrain is daunting: with more than 88 offices throughout the Buckeye state - more than double that of McCain - and with more than 10,000 volunteers, Obama's ground game has neutralized the Republican operation that gave President Bush his narrow victory there four years ago.

"What's significant compared to '04 is that the Democrats and the Obama campaign are making a run at the collar counties. They were ignored by, largely ignored by, Kerry in 2004," said Mark Naymik of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

The "collar counties" are ones surrounding large cities like Cleveland.

That city and Columbus will likely generate huge majorities for Obama; Cincinnati, and Southern Ohio will likely be big for McCain. So the key are those collar counties - like Lake County, narrowly won by Mr. Bush four years ago.

John McCain's fate in Ohio may come down to places like Painesville, some 30 miles northwest of Cleveland. Without big majorities among working and middle-class whites in places like these, McCain simply cannot win the state.

"We're going to have to do a little bit stronger here in Lake County as other collar counties," said Lake County GOP chair Dale Fellows. "That's where the battleground is going to be to offset what we know we're going to lose in the urban counties."

Fellows says that apart from taxes and McCain's personal story, the message is to raise doubts about Obama - as with the "robocalls" that link Obama to Bill Ayers.

"What Sen. Obama represents is so far out of the mainstream but he's been able to paint himself more into the mainstream. What we're trying to do is just say, here's really who Barack Obama is," Fellows said.

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Ways To Win
Calculate paths to the presidency with our electoral vote map.

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Tim Hagan a 40-year veteran of Ohio Democratic politics, says there's a racial undertone to "out-of-the-mainstream" message - but it is complex.

"They're making a case, not in a boldness of saying, you know, 'don't vote for the black guy,' they're making the case of saying, 'vote for one of your own.' The subtlety of it is simply this: He's not like us."

A McCain victory in Ohio will not be enough to save his campaign, but it is an absolute necessity for his presidential hopes.

[scottdavene]

Although, I personally am so far to the left, that even the even the democrats appear to me to be "right-wing," I certainly hope that they win this election. If they don''t, I fear that this country, indeed the entire planet is in serious trouble. The war that the conservatives have rekindled against the Muslim nations is already likely to last for years, if not centuries. Hopefully, Obama can do something to ease the tension.
This war is really a continuation of the holy wars that began so many thousands of years ago. And unfortunately, it appears that religion has shown itself to be the biggest catalyst of hatred that the human race will ever see.
I invite you to my website: www.FreetheGods.com. There you will find a political discussion forum where political ranting is highly encouraged.

[mamami_198]

Being from Southern Ohio I would hope that North Ohio and all of Ohio would vote FOR McCain.. We are losing to to many jobs here and I do believe that Obamas tax raise on companies is just gonna hurt us more, and we are gonna see more jobs lost.. McCain''s strategy of dropping the tax to 25 percent makes sence ,, it would allow companys to free up money for extended payroll or new hirings that would otherwise be used to pay the outrageous Tax increase that Obama is suggesting...

We Support John McCain

[hbevis]

Look at the skinny appearance of Obama. He could be a puppet or assistant. He should NOT be a leader.

Posted by Timmothy8 at 06:52 PM : Oct 21,
2008

If he gets in he will be a Puppet of Allah for the Muslims. And of course of the crime boss''s in Chicago.

[timnguyen]

I am voting against Obama and his crooked campaign that employed ACORN, Foreign money that will be investigated eventually, the race card, dirty campaign literature distorting Hillarys positions, snubbing women - until they found out they might just need their votes etc etc etc....He has run a very dishonest campaign after proclaiming he would run a different type of campaign. He claimed not to take any lobbyist money but found a way around that by bundling it and using employee names to get the money instead of showing it coming from corporations. He flip flopped on everything and never kept his word. He and Michelle criticized Americans and talked down to us while praising the Europeans. He criticized our military and had to be shamed into going to Iraq and Afghanistan just once ! The campaign of fraud and illusion. I am voting against him based on his associations which he still lies about.. He will set black rights back 50 years when he loses...but it will be for the reasons mentioned...so dont cry race when it happens !!

[recession1]

BREAKING NEWS!!!
THE "MAVERICK" SARAH PALIN, WHO THE REPUBS BELIEVE IS READY TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE SHE IS A BREATH AWAY FROM THE PRESIDENCY, IS ALL FOR SENDING U.S. NATURAL GAS TO ASIA!!!! WHAT???? NOT AFTER THE "MAVERICK" HAS SHOWERED HER RALLIES WITH THAT " U.S. NEEDS IT''''S OWN ENERGY INDEPENDENCE" ***!! WHAT A JOKE.. YOU CAN''''T BE SERIOUS.. ISN''''T THIS HER "EXPERTISE" THE ENERGY CRISIS??!!

[recession1]

WOW!! DID THAT GUY SAY "LOOK AT THE SKINNY APPEARANCE OF OBAMA, HE''S NOT READY TO BE A LEADER BECAUSE HE''S SKINNY"?? ARE YOU THAT DESPERATE TO CONVINCE YOURSELF HE''S THE WRONG CANIDATE TO VOTE FOR?? THAT IS THE MOST PATHETIC SHOT I''VE SEEN/HEARD TAKEN AT THE MAN THUS FAR!! PATHETIC AND JUST PLAIN SAD!!

[timnguyen]

Look at the skinny appearance of Obama. He could be a puppet or assistant. He should NOT be a leader.

[timnguyen]

I respect for a community organizer. But he could NOT be an US president.

[recession1]

BREAKING NEWS!!!
THE "MAVERICK" SARAH PALIN, WHO THE REPUBS BELIEVE IS READY TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE SHE IS A BREATH AWAY FROM THE PRESIDENCY, IS ALL FOR SENDING U.S. NATURAL GAS TO ASIA!!!! WHAT???? NOT AFTER THE "MAVERICK" HAS SHOWERED HER RALLIES WITH THAT " U.S. NEEDS IT''S OWN ENERGY INDEPENDENCE" ***!! WHAT A JOKE.. YOU CAN''T BE SERIOUS.. ISN''T THIS HER "EXPERTISE" THE ENERGY CRISIS??!!

[misha128-2009]

Can''t find a single McCain supporter willing to discuss real issues like the ecomony that affect real families across the nation, just a bunch of robo-posters trying to imitate McCain''s robo-calls that are destroying his party as well as his own campaign.

[emily022]

Maybe when this is over on November 4th, both John McCain and Sarah Palin will have a little more respect for a community organizer, as Barack Obama has a highly organized campaign in all the battleground states, as well as their own blue states, to register people and to get out the vote. He surrounds himself with intelligent people, with years or experience, he has a transition team in place, and people like Colin Powell to be advisors. He is ready to be President and Commander in Chief.

What, exactly, does John McCain have in place in case he should win? All those lobbyist he employs, I personally wouldn''t trust any of them in a position of power in the government.

[hbevis]

I think that obama is going to come out like Al Gore did. It may be just that simple.

DON''T RULE OUT ANYTHING YET IN THIS ELECTION..

[timnguyen]

Why do the world like Obama?

Because they want US to be weak

[timnguyen]

''Change'' Can Lead to Catastrophe

[joey7776]

Sorry Obslim-a Hussein, you just don''t have what it
takes. You got to go through grade school before you
reach high school..................
McCain/Palin 08 !!!

[wolfi101]

Dear McCain supporters,

As far as I can gather, there are more Democrats these days, than Republicans. And in order for the GOP to win, you need support of the Independents.

I cannot speak for all Independents, but I can speak for some: We''re not particularly fond of partisan attacks. ( We don''t care about parties. ) We want to know about the issues.

This campaign, which you are running, are filled with the racism, hatred, and fear-mongering, that is turning a whole generation of Americans into Democrats... or in the very least, against you.

[flo82-2009]

The truth about Obama

Ayres, Wright , The born Alive Infant Protection Act

www.5thingsaboutobama.com

Spread the word Ohio, get the website out.

[jubrown3]

McCain will take OHIO because we are honest middleclass people. Working hard for the American Dream. Joe the Plumber is OHIO. So say what you will, but OBAMA finally had to answer someone without a preposed speach. A real questions with a real answer. There are so many clouds hanging over BARAK that it is about to pour down on him. Too many questions unanswered, too many lies. Ohio is the heartland and it is for McCain. Don''t worry JOHN you got OHIO.

[thinkdeeply8]

Look at all the upset righties making excuses and pasting their e-mail hoaxes. They know it''s coming to an end, their hateful way of life.

[republican03]

Get a life. Obama is going to lose because he is a loser, liar and lifetime socialist. He and his liberal elite media cronies believe they are better and smarter than all of us and need them to tell us how to vote and what to think. PMSNBC is so much in the tank for them and that idiot Chuck Todd, why won''t he declare that he is voting for Obama and not pretend that he is independent. Their objectivity is gone and I cannot trust the media anymore. This election is a sad indictment on how the media colluded to get Obama elected.

God help us!