For the first time, this North Carolinian now believes that NC is truly in play

[Seen the light]

I've been pessimistic towards Senator Obama's chances of winning NC since the beginning, but I think the tide has started to change. Barack, Michelle, and Biden have all visited NC in the past few weeks and we've been BLANKETED with ads since the convention. You put that together with the CNN poll that showed Obama down by only 1 here going along with the Obama wave this past week.....NORTH CAROLINA IS IN PLAY!!!!!

[1Hippiechick]

1. Yeah...NC is now appearing as "pink" on some of the national maps...loving it - have you heard the

ad that uses the sports analogy? I think it's brilliant. Guy is talking about Obama and McCain both supporting guns, but who will keep the jobs here? And then he launches into supporting Obama.

My favorite part of the ad is when he says, "You don't take a coach who has lost for 8 seasons and bring him back for a 9th season..."

Great ad - should resonate with the guys, IMO.

[Seen the light]

2. Ray Shockey right?

Yeah, great great ad.

[11 Bravo]

9. And how are things on the Hill? (Class of '74)

[1Hippiechick]

19. Not an alum but on staff here, and I am happy to report that the SDS is alive and well at UNC - here

are some pics of peace marches back in the spring - just for you! :) I work in South Building and made these from the steps facing the quad. The students were VERY HAPPY to see someone on the steps taking their pix (I was shooting with one hand and giving the peace sign with the other - at other times I felt like I must have looked like Richard Nixon, with both arms in the air giving the peace sign when I wasn't shooting! LOL (I was ALSO very NERVOUS because I looked up and saw some shooting back towards South Building, and I was concerned that I might appear in the Gazette on the steps taking pix. Fortunately, I wasn't. WHEW! There ARE state rules/regs about political activity, ya know.) I have more pix, but here are just a few. I also took several around campus after Eve Carson's death - I have some nice ones of the memorials, if you are interested. :(

PS - if you haven't been back to campus in a while, the tan building to the right in the first couple of shots is the newly renovated Campus Y - looks nice, doesn't it? Beautiful interior, also.

[Frank Booth]

3. 15 electoral votes. That would be HUUUGE. Bigger than Virginia.

It'd be nice to see the electoral map change. I'm getting sick of it coming down to Florida and Ohio every year.

[jerryster]

21. You may want to prepare for Florida again.

I've seen polls showing Florida as a toss-up. I'm sick of it too, but since we lost there in 2004 this is a good thing. If Obama wins it McCain is an deep trouble. If it stays close throughout the campaign McCain will have to spend time and money to try to keep it red.

[gateley]

4. K&R! nt

[HowHasItComeToThis]

5. OBAMA IS THE DECENT CHOICE

WOW, I WAS REC FIVE

[Obamarulz11]

6. If we win NC, VA, and IN. It will be a stroke moment for McSame/Pier Diem

[tekisui]

7. Go Big Blue!

[NorthCarolina]

8. NC here checkin' in for obama-Biden 08

:patriot:

[GreenInNC]

12. We got Mecklenburg

now lets go get Union, Gaston and Iradell.

[NorthCarolina]

16. I hope we Dems have enough of Mecklenburg to oust Rep. Sue Myrick

eom

[GreenInNC]

24. Taylor could use some help

I am sure the Harry Taylor campaign could use the volunteers. Give em a call

[RedLetterRev]

10. Kickin' and Rec'in from the huge (but blue!) metropolis

of Yanceyville. Obama signs all over the county up here. There are only two yards with McKook signs in the county, but we know who those two old sunsabitches are. Greensboro is papered-over with Obama signs. It's looking really hopeful.

[ladyVet]

22. Hello, Yanceyville!

I'm about 15 miles south of you, in rural northern Alamance County. Good to hear you are blue there, so far Obama/Biden signs outnumber "those other guys" by a wide margin here!

:dem:

[RedLetterRev]

26. Well, I might've passed right by you today

on my way to Black Mountain to perform a wedding. Once you get into Burlington, there are a few more of the idjit sorts of signs, but the Obama signs still outnumber 'em. (I just got back and had to hit DU once before hitting the hay. Five hundred miles in a day is a bit much, even for me, to wind down all at once.)

From all the local DU folks there seem to be, we might just have to have victory pig-pickin', maybe here at the farm if we can pull it together and November isn't too cold. Or maybe we'll just invade Hurseys and set 'em on their ear heh!.

[depakid]

11. Just get rid of Dole

and keep McCain spending resources in the state.

That would be victory enough.

[abburdlen]

13. I just wish

I just wish Jesse Helms was still around to see it.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

14. It's very Obama-ish here in SE NC

Wilmington and surrounding beaches. In fact, I remarked to my boyfriend earlier on that a car I'd seen was only the second one to sport a McCain sticker in a sea of Obamas.

[abburdlen]

15. where abouts in Wilmywood are you?

shameless plug for Wilmington's Drinking Liberally 1st & 3rd Tuesdays at Orton's in downtown Wilmington...

[SaveAmerica]

18. Road Trip!

:beer:

[SaveAmerica]

17. You got that right!! You can feel the energy among Democrats all around here!!

I can get used to this political love!! (But that's because I'm not home to see all the commercials and am going to all events that come my way).

[mnhtnbb]

20. Dole is down 5 points to Hagan, too, in one poll.

http://www.ncdp.org/content/new-poll-shows-kay-hagan-leading-elizabeth-dole

[ncgrits]

23. Hillsborough checking in! BLUE BLUE BLUE

Of course Orange County is always solid blue, but this time I've helped Republicans change their registration! And my business partner (a 2-time Bush voter) is now totally on board for Obama (and so is her formerly Rush-listening husband)!!!

We know folks from the coast to the mountains that are enthusiastic Obama supporters. I'm feeling really hopeful.

[BlooInBloo]

25. It's not. But it's one of the biggest money-sinks we have against McLiar...

So it's very important to campaign hard there.

[Awsi Dooger]

27. I agree

States like that won't go our way in '08 but I don't mind forcing McCain to spend money, and perhaps allowing some voters to get accustomed to voting Democratic on the federal level.

IMO, the current trading price is too low at roughly 73-27. If it drops below 70, particularly to the 66 or 67 range, I'll be investing in the Republican ticket to win North Carolina.

This is increasingly like the primaries, Obama the favorite to win overall, but some of the odds on individual states too friendly to Obama. He's not going to steal the mid level red states from McCain any more than he swiped places like Massachusetts, California, Ohio or Pennsylvania from Hillary.