Bush’s chances slim without Florida win

[unfrigginreal]

By Adam C. Smith
St. Petersburg Times

Wonder why President Bush returns to Florida today just three days after he left?

Look at the electoral map.

Amid the dizzying and often conflicting array of polls flooding the media, the only gauge that really matters is the Electoral College. It takes 270 electoral votes to win the White House, and the bottom line for Bush is that without Florida in his column, the path to a second term looks bleak.

“Bush can’t win without Florida, but Kerry can,” said Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, voicing a sentiment echoed on both sides of the aisle.

snip

Bush’s biggest opportunity is Pennsylvania (21 votes), which Gore narrowly won in 2000. There, the polls look neck-and-neck but lately are showing a consistent, albeit narrow, Kerry lead. Even some Republican strategists are quietly writing off Pennsylvania.

By many estimates, whoever wins two of the big three – Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania – will be president.

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/news/nation/9986978.htm

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And the good news out of Penn this morning is that Kerry is pulling away.

http://wearabledissent.com/101/floridaballot.html

[flpoljunkie]

1. Thanks for the link. Interesting analysis from Adam Smith.

[DemNoir]

2. Frame this and hang it on the wall

It's rare to see anything in mainstream media even suggesting the possibility that Bush may lose.