Hotsheet Live: Who has the general election advantage?

CBS News political director John Dickerson was joined on Hotsheet Live Friday by Politico's Jonathan Martin, National Journal's Reid Wilson and Erin McPike of Real Clear Politics to discuss the chances for the men seeking the White House in November.

Wilson said the make-up of the electoral map is going to make the general election tough for the Republican candidate, increasingly seen to be front-runner Mitt Romney.

"The Republican path to victory has to go through a lot of states that President Obama won [in 2008]," Wilson said.

McPike agreed. She said "it is an uphill climb for Mitt Romney - that's the bottom line."

Martin said that disadvantage puts "the onus on Republicans to make gains."

Each panelist concluded the show with an endorsement of a piece of political journalism. Martin highlighted Inside the Circus, an eBook by Politico's Mike Allen and Evan Thomas.

National Journal's Reid Wilson likes his publication's Influence ally.

Real Clear Politics' Erin McPike said she endorsed CBS News contributor Scott Conroy's article titled Obama's organizational advantage on full display.

Dickerson chose Robert Caro's article in The New Yorker called The transition.

Watch the entire discussion, including the panel's thoughts on Mr. Obama's Friday conference on women and the economy, in the video above.