Morning Reaction: "I'm not sure right now that McCain can carry seven states" (Updated)

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Morning Reaction: "I'm not sure right now that McCain can carry seven states"

by Kula2316
Sun Oct 12, 2008 at 01:49:58 AM PDT

Rise and shine!

For the record, a Republican said the title quote and admitted he is facing an "Obama tide" in his district that may threaten his hopes for reelection. We have several reports this morning that focus on the potential Obama landslide in the making.

Also, several newspapers endorse Obama today and a new poll out of Colorado has Obama up big.

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As election day gets closer, Obama continues to make inroads in areas where McCain should have no problems. Several reports out this morning focus on Obama's gains. The Los Angeles Times has a great piece this morning on McCain's problems in traditionally conservative areas:

Rep. Mark Souder, an Indiana Republican, said he was looking at an "Obama tide" in his district and wondering about his own reelection: "Can I withstand a firestorm?"

"The impression of McCain on the economy is that he wanted more deregulation than Bush" at a time that voters are demanding more help from the government, he said. "I'm not sure right now that McCain can carry seven states," added Souder, whose home state has not picked a Democrat for president since 1964. "In the end I think McCain will carry Indiana. But if you are fighting for Indiana, you are in trouble."

And problems in Florida as well:

In conservative Naples, Fla. -- a heavily white, Republican area -- retirees and other residents have been hard hit by plummeting property values, rising tax bills and skyrocketing insurance premiums -- and McCain advisors, citing internal campaign polling, concede that the GOP nominee is "underperforming" there.

The Miami Herald is reporting this morning that some Florida Republicans are beginning to slowly distance themselves from McCain, including top surrogate Charlie Crist:

Even Gov. Charlie Crist, who helped deliver Florida for McCain during the primary, said he will spend the final weeks before Election Day minding the state's weak economy rather than campaigning for the Arizona senator.

''When I have time to help, I'll try to do that,'' Crist said last week, after he flew around the state with McCain running mate Sarah Palin. Saturday, he skipped a McCain football rally and instead went to Disney World.

I guess Crist is another one who disagrees with the current direction of the McCain campaign:

Crist has stressed the need to focus on the economy and, close allies say, has grown troubled with the negative direction of the McCain campaign as it focuses more on Obama's connections to 1960s radical William Ayers, rather than on pocketbook issues.

Seems funny, doesn't it, that McCain's top surrogate in Florida won't be doing much campaigning for him in the final few weeks? The New York Times also takes a look at Republican hand-wringing this morning in Concern in GOP after rough week for McCain.

What are they smoking? McCain campaign sees Iowa as still in play.



more

For the record, a Republican said the title quote and admitted he is facing an "Obama tide" in his district that may threaten his hopes for reelection.

Signs of a demoralized GOP.

Update:

REPUBLICANS' DOWN-BALLOT WORRIES....

The New York Times had an interesting piece today about the widespread consternation in Republican circles about the prospects for the McCain/Palin ticket. It included ample advice from party leaders and state chairman, some of which contradicted itself.

But there was one tidbit about the party's down-ballot concerns in the article that jumped out at me.

The difficulties of the McCain campaign have led some Republican leaders to express concern that he could end up dragging other Republican candidates down to defeat. "If Obama is able to run up big numbers around the country," said Mr. Anuzis, the Michigan party chairman, "the potential for hurting down-ballot Republicans is very big."

One sign of that has emerged in Nebraska, where Representative Lee Terry, a Republican, ran a newspaper advertisement featuring words of support for him from a woman identified as an "Obama-Terry voter."

Now, I've noticed that Rep. Chris Shays (R) has tried to tie himself to Obama in his re-election campaign in Connecticut, and in Oregon, Sen. Gordon Smith (R) has done the same thing. This isn't especially surprising -- Connecticut and Oregon are "blue" states where it pays to be tied to a popular Democratic presidential candidate.

But Rep. Lee Terry is a conservative Republican in Nebraska, touting "Obama-Terry voters." Ben Smith even has a picture of the ad.

Granted, Terry represents Omaha and the surrounding area, where the Obama campaign believes it can possibly pick up an electoral vote, but that doesn't make it any less unexpected.