Obama Continues Push Into McCain Territory

Democrat Campaigns Hard In Traditional Red States, But GOP Rival Predicts Election Day Upset

(CBS/ AP)  Despite John McCain's prediction of an upset, Barack Obama reached for a landslide Friday, invading his rival's home state with TV ads and building a lead in early voting in key battlegrounds as the presidential race headed into a hectic final weekend.

McCain charged that Obama, bidding to become the first black president, "began his campaign in the liberal left lane of politics and has never left it. He's more liberal than a senator who calls himself a socialist," he added in Hanoverton, Ohio, a reference to Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont.

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Read the latest news from the campaign in Ohio from CBS News and around the Web

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Yet with the economy almost certainly in a recession and the country clamoring for change after eight years of Republican rule, even some of McCain's allies conceded the obvious. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said it would take a "major struggle for him to win" - although he quickly added the Arizona senator had come back before when he had been counted out.

Privately, McCain's aides said their man trailed Obama by 4 points nationwide in internal polling.

The latest CBS News/New York Times poll, released yesterday showed Obama ahead 52 percent to 41 percent.

An Associated Press-Yahoo News poll of likely voters put the Democrat ahead, 51 to 43, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

The same survey gave McCain reason to hope - one in seven voters, 14 percent of the total - said they were undecided or might yet change their minds.

While the race for the White House drew most of the attention, minority Republicans in Congress braced for the loss of more seats in both the House and Senate.

Some said fresh polling in North Carolina suggested that incumbent GOP Elizabeth Dole had fallen further behind since airing an ad that tried to tie Democratic rival Kay Hagan to atheists.

Four days before the election, Obama was expanding his reach, and drawing large crowds as he moved methodically from one state to another that voted Republican in 2004. (Read more in Horserace)

After a stop home in Chicago to share Halloween with his two daughters, Obama took a bus ride about 30 miles across the state border, capping his day with a rally in Highland, Ind. "We are four days away from changing the United States of America," he proclaimed to a cheering crowd on a comfortable October evening.

Indiana is one of about a half-dozen states that went for President twice but remain up for grabs late this election season. Bush won the state by a 60-39 percent margin in 2004, and the competitive nature of the state this time around shows the strength of Obama's standing.

Obama used the occasion of Halloween to rib McCain in a new way, saying the Republican wore his usual costume: "Just like every year, he's going as George W. Bush."

Earlier in Iowa, Obama said, "What you started here in Iowa has swept the nation." His victory in the state's Democratic caucuses on Jan. 3 set him on the path to the party's nomination, and now to a lead in the presidential polls in the campaign's final hours.

Obama told supporters Friday to expect McCain's campaign to end in a crescendo of attacks on him. "More of the slash and burn, say-anything, do-anything politics that's calculated to divide and distract; to tear us apart instead of bringing us together," Obama told 25,000 in Des Moines, Iowa.

One senior adviser said the Illinois senator had been given the names of potential Cabinet and White House staff picks for review but had not had much time to consider them. The official spoke on condition of anonymity.

Obama could name a chief of staff as early as next week if he wins the election, in an effort to project a sense of urgency. Aides have contacted Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois to consider a possible appointment to the post, but no job has been offered.

Aides announced he would air television commercials in McCain's home state of Arizona as well as in North Dakota and Georgia. He had run ads in the latter two states earlier in the campaign before suspending that effort.

The ad in McCain's state was a soft sell in a campaign that has had its share of attacks. This spot featured endorsements from former Secretary of State Colin Powell and Warren Buffett, the nation's best-known investor.

Even so, McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis, dismissed it as a waste. "We encourage them to pick other states that we intend to win" to spend their money, he said.

Davis contended, "We are witnessing perhaps, I believe, one of the greatest comebacks since John McCain won the primary."

Privately, some Republicans expressed concerned about early voting trends, although the party had yet to unleash its final 72-hour program, designed to reach millions of voters deemed sympathetic to McCain and the Republicans.

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Statistics showed Democrats ahead among pre-Election Day voters in Iowa, North Carolina, Florida, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada. Bush won all six in 2004, and McCain needs to win most of them to claim the White House this year.

In Georgia, one of the states where Obama began advertising on Friday, official figures show 35 percent of the early votes have been cast by blacks, and lines have been longest in and around reliably Democratic Atlanta. In the 2004 election, blacks accounted for 24 percent of the state's ballots.

McCain was on the second day of a bus tour through battleground Ohio, a state that supported Bush and has voted with the winner in each presidential election for two decades.

"We're closing, my friends, and we're going to win in Ohio. We're a few points down but we're coming back and we're coming back strong," he said.

Later Friday, Schwarzenegger joined him at a rally in Columbus.

"John McCain has served his country longer in a POW camp than his opponent has in the United States Senate," Schwarzenegger said. "I only play an action hero in the movies. John McCain is a real action hero."

McCain hit the same theme in a new television ad that had the feel of a campaign-closing appeal.

In it, he pledged to fix the economy, cut government waste and safeguard the nation's security.

"I've served my country since I was 17 years old. And spent five years longing for her shores. I came home dedicated to a cause greater than my own," said the former Navy pilot who was shot down, held and tortured for more than five years as a Vietnam prisoner of war.

[mh4cbs1]

VOTE McCAIN!!

FOUR More Years of Republican Prosperity!!

More Huge Tax Cut wealth redistribution to the Super Rich!!

More Massive Spending on the Needless-War in Iraq to help our Economy!!

More Corporate Welfare!

More Deregulation of the Financial Industry so they can continue to thrive!

Privatize Social Security! Invest your retirement safety net in the market!

AND Get a Hocky Mom Vice President - just think, someone just like your next door neighbor could get to be President. WOW!!!

Guys... who would rather get drunk with, Joe Biden or Sarah Palin?? DUH!! So Vote for Palin!

[abbe91]

Posted by ribbie-14 at 03:32 PM : Nov 01, 2008

And you didn''t mention Palin''s husband, member of AIP.


"The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government", "and I won''t be buried under their d*a*m*n flag."

"I''m an Alaskan, not an American. I''ve got no use for America or her damned institutions."

Jo Vogel, Founder of AIP

Sarah Palin addressed the Alaskan Independence Party Convention a little over 6 months ago, happily telling its attendees that she shared its "vision of upholding the Constitution of our great state", curiously not mentioning the Constitution of the United States. She encouraged AIP to "keep up the good work".

[rbi149]

Palin''s brother-in-law was an unfit police officer (according to her). Isn''t that worse than a half-aunt whom Obama had seen once in 4 years? Get real. Guilt by association will bite you REPUBLICAN''Ts much harder than it will Democrats. After all YOU''RE the guys whose supporter lied about being attacked by a "6'' 4" black Obama supporter".
Republican Ethics is an Oxymoron, morons.

[rbi149]

McCain''s WIFE was a drug adddict and Sarah Palin was too busy to keep her daughter from getting pregnant out of wedlock. And all you have is this BS about a half-aunt living illegally in Boston. Do you know what all YOUR relatives are doing currently, morons?

Have a nice Nov. 4th.

[fbla1805]

A good reason to vote for Obama/Biden and not for McCain/Palin?

How about affordable health care for working middle class families?

John McCain%u2019s health care plans will destroy employer-based health insurance (says the US Chamber of Commerce!).

For the millions of Americans that have it, that insurance is worth about $12,000. a year!

After destroying this, McCain will offer instead $5,000. in tax credits!

That%u2019s $7,000. per year that McCain%u2019s plan will steal from each American working family.

Worse, McCain%u2019s plan will throw us out of group insurance rates, forcing us onto the market as individuals, with no market power, up against the powerful, unregulated health-insurance industry giants.

And anyone with a precondition will not get any insurance at all, as is the case today.

[windmaster12]

Palin Loves to call Obama a Socialist Redistributor

Yet Lines up to accept her Alaskan Tax rebate Check Fueled by Oil Co. Profits-
Along with the rest of Alaskan''s

She''''s the only Candidate to accept Socialized Redistribution of tax revenue
Direct From the oil Co''''s to people


It turns out she''s the real Socialist!!!!!

I don''t see her lining up to advocate giving the money back to the oil co''s.

Dumbya Bush just oversaw The Nationalization
Of Freddie and Fannie
A Commie Chavez Move
And Control of many of our Largest Financials
VOTE GOP
THE NEW RED COMMUNISTS!!!

The RepugnantCon''s have Sunk to Mccarthyistic, Goebbells style, Sterotyping Propaganda--
The truth is they are Woefully incompetent-
That they''ve proved these last 8 years.

[shebapic5]

in reference to all bagdads why don''t you close your eyes and open your ears with the economy the way it is you are probably just as broke as we are.We have enough issues in the world without your petty ignorance, go read a book (hopefully the bible) and stop your tacky threats!!!!!

[lostcountry1]

in regards to baghdad dipstick, if abc and fox news has reported that obamas aunt or whoever,is illegally hiding in some room, you KNOW it must be a lie. dont you think that the obama people would have known about her,and prevented some paparazzi b.s. like this from surfacing?in nevada in the last three days i have seen nothing but lies and smear tactics being used by the repugs.does SWIFT BOAT VETERANS ring a bell.desperation brings out the nastiest of polititian wannabees. if you never tell a lie, you never have to remember what you said.

[mairin27]

Hey idiot liberal, I dont need to post any link, this astonishing scandal has already been reported by ABCNews and FOXNews.
------------------------------------------------------

Posted by BagdadsHere6 at 10:14 AM : Nov 01, 2008

SO BAGDADS YOU''VE COME OUT FROM UNDER YOUR BED, AFTER THE DEATH THREAT YOU POSTED? ALSO WHY SHOULD ANYONE LISTEN TO YOU, YOU CAN''T EVEN VOTE? SINCE YOU STILL HAVE A GREEN CARD AND STATE YOU WERE BORN IN BRAZIL. ONCE YOU BECOME A CITIZEN YOU GIVE UP YOUR GREEN CARD REGARDLESS IF YOU HAVE DUAL CITIZENSHIP AS YOU CLAIM.

"CBS News Management Explain
This Presidential Canddate - Death Threat Posted by :
BagdadsHere5 (AKA) BagdadsHere2 - (AKA) - BagdadsHere
____

Its better for Barack HUSSEIN OSAMA not to win the nomination.
He might not survive to reach the oval office. Jesse Jackson is still
alive because he never won a nomination.
Posted by BagdadsHere at 03:17 PM : May 11, 2008
____

have a feeling that MICHELLE OSAMA will have to do the same thing
JACKELINE KENNEDY did: Pick up the pieces of her
MUSLIM HUSBANDS brain.
Possted by BagdadsHere5 at 04:56 PM : Oct 11, 2008

Did the FBI released you JERK? Welcome back, believe it or not
I missed you to record my posts in your HD.
Posted by BagdadsHere5 at 05:11 PM : Oct 11, 2008
______

RE : BagdadsHere5
I always enjoy under-covering Potential :
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE ASSASSINS
and Those who post comments, in Support of them

[lostcountry1]

the fact that this story is being presented by ''EXXON MOBILE'' is enough to validate the fact that BIG OIL'' needs mccain and the grand oil party to continue doing "business as usual".more desperate rants to try to pull one last ''FAST ONE'' over the eyes of americans.i think they should take over all oil companies by ''emminent domain" so they cannot hold americans hostage with price gouging. it is the only real problem as to why no-one can afford to pay for anything else.who is worse, the theif that robs you, or the leader of the theifs?they dont call it the GRAND OIL PARTY, for nuthin!

[ofbyfor3]

this astonishing scandal has already been reported by ABCNews and FOXNews.

Posted by BagdadsHere6 at 10:14 AM : Nov 01, 2008

Astonishing scandal? Hardly. The fact that she''s probably the daughter of one of Obama''s grandfather''s many wives HARDLY makes her a ''close relative''.

When will you people realize that your stupid ''guilt by association'' tactics based on the thinnest threads are only pulling McCain DOWN. It''s not working.

[grouchyjohn]

GROUCHYJOHN

people who "refuse to answer" have NEVER been put in the "undecided" column

Prove your claim



Posted by smclimans at 10:19 AM : Nov 01, 2008





When pollsters call someone''s house they say, "I''m conducting a survey - would you like to participate?"

If you say "no" the conversation ends there, and they don''t put you down as a "respondent".

If you say "yes" and you answer a series of questions, but REFUSE to answer that one, it goes in the "undecided" column.

Are you REALLY that stupid, that you don''t know the first thing about polls, and how they''re conducted?

[huanaco]

THANKS GOD, THIS CAMPAIGN IS ABOUT TO FINISH . HOW WE AMERICAN CAN TAKE ALMOST TWO YEARS OF THIS IS A MISTERY FOR PEOPLE AROUND THE PLANET EARTH. HOW MANY MILLIONS WASTED ? THIS BECOMING A CHINESE TORTURE DEAL, IT HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY TO CHOOSE A PRESIDENT. HONESTLY, I AM SICK AND TIRED ABOUT THE WHOLE THING. DON,T YOU THINK SO ?

[kenmalcass]

BAGDADSHERE6 IS A METH SMOKING, WHITE HOOD WEARING KKK MEMBER AND NEEDS TO BE ABOLISHED FROM THIS EARTH ALONG WITH AIRBOATBOY1 AND RIXMIX98...MAYBE JUST MAYBE I WILL GO OUT BACK AND GET MY NOOSES FOR THESE CLOWNS AND LYNCH THEM FOR ALL AMERICA TO SEE!!!!! I HATE YOU AND WISH NOTHING BUT DEATH AND MISERY UPON YOU!!!!

[kenmalcass]

AIRBOATBOY...DID YOU FU***** YOUR SISTER LAST NIGHT??? YOU KNOW THATS ALL YOU ARE GOOD FOR...

[airboatboy1]

Theres no place where I can find so many farleftwing liberals to be mocked. I stay here for fun. I enjoy laughing at you liberals

Your sure gonna enjoy the election results then!

[kenmalcass]

THERE IS A WHOLE BUNCH OF OBAMA HATE AND LIES, BUT WHAT YOU PEOPLE DON''T REALIZE IS THAT WE ARE NOT STUPID AND WE KNOW THE REAL TRUTH WHY YOU RACIST COWARDS WOULD NOT VOTE FOR MR. OBAMA!!! HE IS MORE QUALIFIED THAN THE POW AND THE *** PALIN... AND TO PUT HIM IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS HITLER YOU TRAILER TRASH, METH SMOKING FOOLS NEEDS TO DIE A HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE DEATH AND MAYBE I WILL BE THE ONE TO DO THE LYNCHING!!!!!

[rixmix98]

Theres no place where I can find so many farleftwing liberals to be mocked. I stay here for fun. I enjoy laughing at you liberals.

Posted by BagdadsHere6 at 10:21 AM : Nov 01, 2008



Yeah. I can read all the laughter in your messages.

[smclimans]

In past elections, when pollsters make calls
to determine which candidate has a lead,
an AVERAGE of 20 to 30 percent
"refuse to answer" the pollsters question.
The pollsters never include the people
who "refuse to answer" in their polls
and count ONLY the people who answered the question

HOWEVER, in this election,
A RECORD NUMBER OF PEOPLE ( 60 to 80 percent )
are refusing to answer pollsters question
about McCain or Obama.

60 to 80 percent !!!

If 60 to 80 percent of people are refusing to answer the polls,
then the polls are ABSOLUTELY meaningless.
AND
if a majority of those 60 to 80 percent who are
"refusing to answer" are McCain supporters
because they don''t want to be labeled
"politically incorrect" by the stalinist left media,
then Obama''s so-called "lead" is
NOTHING MORE THAN A MIRAGE

[kenmalcass]

south carolina will turn blue biotches!!! gobama!!!!!! WE LOVE YOU HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA OBAMA!!!!!