In a football game, a team has to get to the opponent’s side of the field before scoring and winning. The same rule applies in presidential elections. One week before the end of this election, there are 15 battleground states, 14 of which were won by Republicans in 2004. In fact, the only reason why Pennsylvania (the only one won by Democrats) is still considered a battleground state is because McCain realized he can’t win without it, even though polls show a two digit lead for Obama there. Of all 15 states, only four are currently leaning for McCain: West Virginia, Georgia, Montana, and North Dakota, all won by Republicans by two digits in 2004, and totaling only 26 electoral votes. By battling McCain in his red zone, like in Indiana, Obama is in field-goal range. With one week left in the race, McCain can’t afford to keep playing defense, and desperately needs a miraculous Hail Mary to score a touchdown. But first, he has to win his own state of Arizona, where his lead shrunk from 7 percent to 5 percent in the last 24 hours, despite the fact that Obama is not campaigning there.
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