Campaigns Sprint To The Finish

Obama, McCain Uncork Get-Out-The-Vote Operations As Candidates Make Last-Minute Pushes In Battleground States

(CBS/AP)  Barack Obama and John McCain uncorked massive get-out-the-vote operations in more than a dozen battleground states Sunday, millions of telephone calls, mailings and door-knockings in a frenzied, fitting climax to a record-shattering $1 billion campaign. Together, they'll spend about $8 per presidential vote.

With just two days to go, most national polls show Obama ahead of McCain. State surveys suggest the Democrat's path to the requisite 270 electoral votes - and perhaps far beyond - is much easier to navigate than McCain's.

Obama exuded confidence. "The last couple of days, I've been just feeling good," he told 80,000 gathered to hear him - and singer Bruce Springsteen - in Cleveland. "The crowds seem to grow and everybody's got a smile on their face. You start thinking that maybe we might be able to win an election on November 4th."

With just two days to go, most national polls show Obama ahead of McCain, and state surveys suggest the Democrat's path to the requisite 270 electoral votes - and perhaps far beyond - is much easier to navigate than McCain's.

Polls show the six closest states are Florida, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Nevada and Ohio - all won by Bush four years ago.

In the latest CBS News poll, Obama leads McCain by 13 points among likely voters nationwide, and by 19 points among the 1 in 5 voters who have already cast ballots.

About 27 million absentee and early votes were cast in 30 states as of Saturday night, more than ever. Democrats outnumbered Republicans in pre-Election Day voting in key states.

That has Democrats - and even some Republicans - privately questioning whether McCain can overtake Obama, even if GOP loyalists turn out in droves on Tuesday. Obama may already have too big of a head start in critical states like Nevada and Iowa, which Bush won four years ago.

"This is off the charts in some of these states," said Michael P. McDonald, a political scientist at George Mason University.

"We feel good," Obama chief strategist David Axelrod said on CBS News' Face The Nation. "And it's not just the polls. It's the early voting that we've seen. About a third of the country is going to vote before Tuesday, and those numbers are coming in very strong for us and reversing some historical patterns."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina who is one of McCain's staunchest supporters, suggested on the same program that Republicans still have reason to hold out hope.

"What we've seen in the last two weeks is very much a tightening of the race in the states that matter," Graham said, adding: "I think the undecided voter in these key states will come our way."

As the campaign closes, voters were being inundated with a crush of television ads and automated phone calls.

In a new TV ad, Obama highlighted Vice President Dick Cheney's support for McCain. The ad features Cheney, an extremely unpopular figure among the general public, at an event Saturday in Wyoming, saying: "I'm delighted to support John McCain." (Watch it here.)

Not to be outdone, the Republican National Committee rolled out battleground phone calls that include Hillary Rodham Clinton's criticism of Obama during the Democratic primary. She is heard saying: "In the White House, there is no time for speeches and on-the-job training. Sen. McCain will bring a lifetime of experience to the campaign, and Sen. Obama will bring a speech that he gave in 2002."

Obama and McCain campaigned on each other's turf Sunday. Obama was in Ohio, a bellwether state Bush won four years ago and where polls show Obama tied or winning. McCain visited Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, states won by Democrat John Kerry in 2004. He trails in both.

"I've been in a lot of campaigns. I know the momentum is there," McCain told supporters at a rally in Pennsylvania. Overall, polls show Obama winning or tied in more than a dozen or so states won by Bush while McCain trails in every Kerry state.

McCain and the RNC dramatically ramped up their spending in the campaign's final days and now are matching Obama ad for ad, if not exceeding him, in key battleground markets in states such as Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

After months of planning, the Republican Party launched the last stage of its vaunted "72-hour program," when volunteers descend on competitive states for the final stretch. Democrats unleashed their "persuasion army" of backers scouring their own backyards to encourage people to back Obama in the campaign's waning hours.

More than 10,000 Obama volunteers in Ohio were knocking on doors and planning to hit their one millionth home Sunday after a five-day push.

His campaign reported that Saturday was its largest volunteer day, with more volunteers showing up to work the phones and walk neighborhood precincts than ever before in the campaign. Said Obama spokesman Bill Burton, "Our volunteers are completely engaged."

McCain's crew says theirs are, too.

"There's no doubt that we've got an uphill battle," said Rich Beeson, the RNC's political director. But, he said, "I'm not going into Election Day with any trepidation that they've put any state away" by banking early votes. "We still have a lot of voters that we can and will turn out."

The RNC reported making 5.4 million voter contacts last week, compared with 1.9 million in the same week in 2004, and it says it's volume has steadily increased since October began. Overall, it says 26 million voters have been contacted by volunteers over four months.

On Saturday alone, the RNC says an estimated 3 million voters were contacted by phone or in person, and it saw so many volunteers show up to help that in at least one state, Colorado, the party ran out of canvassing packets. Some 180,000 were gone by midday Saturday; more were printed.

McCain planned visits to media markets that hit battlegrounds Florida, Virginia, Indiana, New Mexico, and Nevada on Monday. A repeat trip to Pennsylvania also was slated before McCain returns home to Arizona.

Obama planned visits to Florida, North Carolina and Virginia on Monday and a quick stop in Indiana Tuesday morning.

[kiee1]

To All . In swing states, We all have the right to vote I have read much today about some states are not prepared for the huge turnout, make the, keep the polls open . Democrats ,You who early VOTED vote early tomorrow return to your pooling place,15 to half be fore they close. The polls cannot close when there are voters waiting pass the people who have have not yet to vote forward in line . They will have to stay open as long as there are voters waiting, Please lets not allow the G.O.P. STEAL another ELECTION. This iI a very import notice for voters in key swig states . Please let all votes be counted !!!!!!!!!

[oldguy4truth]

RCP National Average 51.2 44.2 Obama +7.0
Favorable Ratings 17.0 9.3 Obama 7.7
Intrade Market Odds 90.7 10.0 -
Electoral College Obama McCain Spread
RCP Electoral Count 278 132 Obama 146
No Toss Up States 338 200 Obama 138
Battleground States Obama McCain Spread
Florida 48.5 46.0 Obama 2.5
North Carolina 47.8 47.8 Tie
Virginia 50.0 45.8 Obama 4.2
Ohio 49.3 45.0 Obama 4.3
Missouri 47.2 47.6 McCain 0.4
Colorado 50.5 45.0 Obama 5.5
Nevada 49.6 43.4 Obama 6.2

[Confidential416]

I am tired of republicans same ole'' politics... I''m tired of their fear tactics and mudslinging....They destroyed this country financially and our global creditbility.. now mccain wants to privatize social security, and tax your health benefits... keep the rich getting richer while telling the american people it will trickle down....
I am an independent voter PA - voting Obama.
A vote for mccain is a vote for the same
A vote for Obama is a vote for change
Vote obama

[concorde5]

Republicans had their chance to prove themselves the last 8 years. The only thing they proved is that they are completely incompetent.

Stop your whining, b*tching, and moaning. You Blew It! Now it''s time for the dems to lead again. Back to balanced budgets, surplusses, job creation, wealth creation for ALL americans and not just for the priveledged few at the top.

[tuffone31]

Let''''s review his platform:

No American Oil.
No American Coal.
No American nuclear power plants.
No American free trade agreement.
No more 22nd Amendment to U.S. Constitution.*
*Obama: President for Life.

VOTE: McCain/Palin 2008
LIVE FREE OR DIE.

[tuffone31]

This must be the end of our Free Press.

A day before election day, it is also revealed now that Obama wants to repeal the 22nd Amendment to our U.S Constitution permitting only two terms for President.

So that, Obama can aspire to become our president for the rest of his lifetime.

O GOD, DELIVER US FROM THIS HOUR.

VOTE: McCain/Palin 2008
LIVE FREE OR DIE.

[Confidential416]

A vote for McCain is a vote for the Same
McCain uses fear to get your vote

A vote for Obama is a vote for Change
Vote like you are the tiebreaker
Vote for Change - we are tired of the same ole'' politics
Vote for Obama

[nellybelly52]

McCain and Palin, can turn the economy around. If we look at the state of the union, there is only one state that is in an expansion. That state is ALASKA, why do you ask...Oil, resources, infrastructure investment, tax reductions. Palin may sound like an idiot, but she has assured that ALASKA will survive this economic recession.

Obama will hand out money to people, tax those who can help, and not invest in resources such as coal, oil, infrastructure. He will assure that more cash is handed out to special interest groups, banks, financial instituitions, while hard working Americans get taxed out of jobs and savings.

It may all be to late, but North to ALASKA will many go, and watch the rest of America suffer.

[earthlived]

A vote for McCain is a vote for America. A vote for Obama is a vote for America''s enemies.

[tannerbird]

The republican party with Bush/Cheney will go down in history as the party of hurt,greed,and the theft of a nation. The republican party if it does not change will be burnt toast for ever.

[olivia4441]

Help spread the word! "Flush Obama!" The 2008 presidential election takes place Tuesday, Nov. 4. Americans who love freedom and still believe in The American Dream must vote for John McCain. The alternative? Well, it%u2019s equivalent to flushing more than two centuries of greatness down the toilet.

[tannerbird]

McCain would be better off having Bin Laden on his side than Cheney. He has done more to hurt this country than any person in the history of America.

[closethippy1]

This presidential race reminds me of how the racehorse Secretariat used to win, by getting further and further away from the rest of the pack, and that''s what Obama is doing.
This is going to be a landslide, a blowout. Time for the rightwing nuts to sit down, relax and shut up.
From now on we Liberals are going to be stirring the ship and get ourselves out of this nasty strom Jr got us in.
Once we see the sun again I expect rightwingers to say "Thank you, sir!"
Oh, how sweet!!!

[bigsk8fan]

unfortunately for palin, failure as the vice presidential candidate usually leads to NO future success as presidential candidate. just ask quayle, kemp, edwards and lieberman.

[formrusmcsgt]

While the neocons like to portray Bush as the "Savior" of the Repub party, we see that the reverse is true.

Bush has caused the Repubs to become a minority opposition party that lost control of the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives.

Ahhh, the magic that is Bush......

No wonder no Repubs will campaign with him.

[formrusmcsgt]

WASHINGTON (CNN) A new national poll suggests Sarah Palin may be hurting Republican presidential nominee John McCain more than she''s helping him.

A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Sunday indicates McCain''s running mate is growing less popular among voters and may be costing him a few crucial percentage points in the race for the White House.

Fifty-seven percent of likely voters questioned in the poll said Palin does not have the personal qualities a president should have. That''s up 8 points since September.

Fifty-three percent say she does not agree with them on important issues. That''s also higher than September.

"Just after the GOP convention in early September, 53 percent said they would vote for Palin over Joe Biden if there were a separate vote for vice president. Now, Biden would beat Palin by 12 points if the running mates were chosen in a separate vote," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/02/poll.one.party/index.html

[jtleseth]

AD MAN HAS TAKEN TIME OFF UNDER THE GUISE OF ONE THING OR ANOTHER......MEANWHILE OLD MAN RIVER JUST KEEPS FLOWING ALONG.......AND GALIVANTS, AND HOPSCHOTCHS,,,,AND PLUGS,,,,,,,,MAN HE IS RED BULL PERSONIFIED.......I like to remember the story of the old bull and young bull on the top of the hill,,and see''s a bunch of heifer''s,,,the young bull says "lets run down there and service a couple of the heefer''s"
the old bull says,,,,,"LETS WALK DOWN AND SERVICE THEM ALL" ......................ah yes ,,,wisdom over pees and vinegar.....

[jtleseth]

"In the White House there is no time for speeches and on-the-job training. Senator McCain will bring a lifetime of experience to the campaign and Senator Obama will bring a speech that he gave in 2002. I think that is a significant difference," the voice of Clinton is heard saying. YOU GO GIRL.....AH YES, BACK TO THE PAST...

[tapsettle]

Cant beat the conman and a sheep heard behind it.
-----
Posted by sher747

That would actually be very funny if it wasnt so sad. Bush has pulled off probably the biggest con in american history, bankrupting the nation and reaping international ridicule on the US via his ''war on terror''. Do you think Bush will suffer? His wars have reaped his family and friends billions, whilst dumbos like you wave the flag at your dead family and friends as they come back from his chosen resource zones. I suspect very few future presidents will pull off such a massive con as Bush has, and still you dont get it do you.

[tapsettle]

Posted by sher747

Did you have a point or were you just throwing up on your keyboard? If you cant see that Bush was a disaster then congratulations, you are in amongst the top 1% of the dumbest arse-holes on the planet.

ps. I hate all american news stations, but Fox the most because it does so much harm.