McCain abandons Michigan

[Oli]

McCain Campaign Writes Off Michigan


John McCain conceded battleground Michigan to the Democrats on Thursday, GOP officials said, a major retreat as he struggles to regain his footing in a campaign increasingly dominated by economic issues.

These officials said McCain was pulling staff and advertising out of the economically distressed Midwestern state. He also canceled a visit slated for next week. Michigan, with 17 electoral votes, voted for Democrat John Kerry in 2004, but Republicans had poured money into an effort to try to place it in their column this year.

The decision marked the first time either McCain or his Democratic rival, Barack Obama, has tacitly conceded a traditional battleground state in a race for the White House with little more than a month remaining.

In a campaign now unfolding across more than a dozen states, the decision allows McCain's resources to be sent to Ohio, Wisconsin, Florida and other more competitive states. But it also means Obama can shift money to other states like Virginia, Colorado and North Carolina where he is trying to eat into traditional Republican territory.

By pulling out of vote-rich Michigan, McCain conceded a large part of the electoral map in the heart of the industrial Midwest.

The move underscored McCain's troubles on the economy, which he has acknowledged is not his strongest subject. It also underscored his struggle to beat an opponent who has the money to compete in many states President Bush won four years ago. Polls show Obama has pulled ahead or tied McCain in many of them.

http://www.courant.com/news/politics...,3107975.story

Doesn't look good for the Maverick

[PapaGrande]

Except Bush didnt win Michigan. Also Obama has pulled back from some states after stating he was going to run in all 50 states.

The fact is there are some states where it is not going to be close, what is stupid about pulling valuable resources from an area if its clear you have already lost? Like I said, Obama has been pulling back from some areas as well and he has more money to spend. I don't blame either one of them, its a reasonable strategy. Lets be honest, some states are so clearly blue or red it doesn't make sense for a candidate to spend a lot of time or money there.

The way this country has been going this should be a landslide for Democrats, the fact that Obama's lead is still in single digits is very telling to me.

[meghanchavalier]

I wish John McCain would pull out of every state so I could have peace of mind again.

[PapaGrande]

I wish John McCain would pull out of every state so I could have peace of mind again.

Obama and McCain are 80% the same.

[meghanchavalier]

They can be as similar as they want to be, but I'm choosing the lesser of two evils and that's Obama.

[yodajazz]

I wish John McCain would pull out of every state so I could have peace of mind again.

Obama and McCain are 80% the same.

It still hard for me to believe that a party (Republican) can start a war under false pretenses and not be called to account. Like they can just say, "my bad" and people can forgive them, while people are still dying for their decision. McCain supported the war from the beginning. That's the difference. The Iraq war has not made the US any safer. Just like allegations of torture produce more harm to our over all image, than good information. At least give another politcal party (Democrtas) a chance.

[Justawannabe]

For me it's not just the candidate. There is a whole machine behind both of these guys, and the republican machine scares the piss out of me. Just what they did to the justice department is terrifying and should have any secular American up at night in cold sweats.

The fact that they lie is just considered something government does. The right seems to have an odd view of what is morally okay and what is not. They went on a crusade to get Clinton because he lies under oath about a blow job (or series of them, lucky guy) but lies that get people killed by the thousands... that's war, and you have to make allowances for war or we'd never see one.

Sean