Obama a Shoe-in, Say Bookies

[Nambe]

Source: Online Casino Reports

Barack Obama's increasing lead in the polls just two weeks out from the 2008 US presidential election is being mirrored by his shortening odds in the race for the US presidency.

Obama is now a stunning 1/10 favorite (Ladbrokes), making the task for his opponent John McCain, 11/2, seem nigh on impossible.

So strong is Obama's lead that his odds of winning over 370 of the 538 Electoral College votes on offer have narrowed to 15/8. The odds on him winning by the narrowest of margins, 270 to 289 votes, are at 12/1, which incidentally is the same chance McCain is given of winning by that slim margin. ...

Read more: http://www.onlinecasinoreports.com/news/theheadlines/20...

[billyoc]

1. That one Irish bookie, Paddy Power, already paid off the Obama bettors!

[Mr Hedley Bowes]

2. Print this out and stick it on the fridge

Good to have a point of reference on November 5!

[Hekate]

3. What did the bookies say about Gore 2000 and Kerry 2004?

Just asking.

Hekate

[Drunken Irishman]

4. Not sure about 2000, but Intrade predicted a Bush victory in 2004.

Their electoral map and Bush carrying Florida, even though the polls suggested Kerry could eek out a victory.

[Hekate]

5. Okay. By the way, did you see this?...

Barack Obama is Irish!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EADUQWKoVek

I laughed and cried so hard at the same time, then sent it out to the family.

Hekate

[sakabatou]

6. LMAO

[legin]

19. For 2004

they had
Kerry 6-4
bush* 4-6

which was about right

(Roughly that I remember)

They have been pretty accurate except the Hillary - Obama primary.

[Demit]

7. It's shoo-in. Unless they mean Obama is going to give McCain the boot.

[slackmaster]

8. You beat me to it

I refuse to toe the line, or to tow it!

[MetaTrope]

13. Elliptical reference to a Sole Brother?

[RaleighNCDUer]

22. Really? What's the derivation?

I always thought it was "shoe-in", as in a salesman getting his shoe in the door. Top door to door salesmen would brag about "if I get my shoe in the door, I'll make the sale" - thus leading to "shoe-in".

Then again, shoo-in would be turning the "shoo out" on its head - shoo out the cat, or shoo out (away) the flies so it would be an example of "opposite speak" - shooing is what you do to unwanted critters, so shoo in would apply to those you do want. I don't see how that would apply to the inevitability attached to "shoo in", however.

I like words. Words are cool.

[Hekate]

24. You shoo the flies away from the pie, kind of wave at them easily. No strain, no sweat.

The most well-liked girl in school is a shoo-in to become Homecoming Queen.

That's the context I remember from childhood.

Hekate

[Demit]

25. I think you know the answer: "Google is your friend."

And that means "Look it up yourself."

[RaleighNCDUer]

26. That is true enough -

but it is a sure way to short circuit some interesting conversations.

[timtom]

28. I gotta admit

I like your answer on this

[yava]

32. funny bumper sticker of the past :)

I used to live in the Boston area during the Reagan vs Carter campaign and the morning after, the Italians had this sticker on:
<Ayatolayou so!>

[machI]

9. Just winning is not good enough, Let's go for the landslide!

Vote Obama

[northernlights]

11. I'm with you...

It's not just enough for Obama to win. I don't think it's even enough for him to win by an EV landslide. I want it to be a popular landslide too.

In fact, I believe we *need* it to be a landslide. I fear the backlash of the hardcore right wingnut whackadoodles on November 5. They were graceless, viscious winners. I've been harrassed, poisoned, my property trashed and my animals assaulted by them. I fear what they might do as borderline losers.

I believe the only way they'll slither back under the rocks they slithered out from under is when they wake up on November 5 and find themselves the new 15 percenters. As vilified by the country as they once vilified us.

Besides which, I'm not sure I want to live in a country where a significant percentage thinks * is great and Caribou Barbie greater.

[llmart]

27. I think I saw it here on DU....

I want the bumper sticker that says "Now THAT'S a mandate" to put on my car after November 4th.

[machI]

33. Plus a big margin of victory throws a wrench in the Republican plans to steal via DieBold

The Republicans would have a much easier time of stealing a close one.

Vote Obama, don't give the dirty mustards a chance.

[Berry Cool]

10. That's "shoo-in," not "shoe-in"

As in, "shoo him into office, because that's where he's going."

Just sayin'.

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. And, ironically, it comes from horse racing

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/5/messages/953...

You'd think an online casino site, talking about betting, would get that right.

[RaleighNCDUer]

23. Excellent. Answers the question I had about derivation. nt

[timtom]

29. And, Viola!

There's your interesting conversation.

(And that's "Voila!" I just did that to be amusing ).

[Doctor_J]

14. As in, "yeah, yeah, he's in - let him through"

[rucky]

15. When did it become legal to bet on elections?

[Kolesar]

16. Betters could become our best advocates for clean elections that are not fixed

Ok, maybe not "the" best advocates, but they could get talking (!).

[timtom]

30. Tralala. Today is the day of the language police.

With your permission, that should be "bettor".

[Kolesar]

34. You betcha'

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. 1960, for Ladbrookes

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/septem...

[disndat]

17. Correction please,

That should be spelled, "shoo in."

[struggle4progress]

20. Hatch then count. Please.

[Zhade]

31. HA! Indeed.

Nice phrasing!

[Dutch]

35. Well said!

[Arugula Latte]

21. Hear that, Diebold?

You'd better give up your plans to steal it ... We're on to you!

[UTUSN]

36. & with the winnings we will send them bookies to spelling/idiom school!1 n/t