Report: 'Florida May Be Falling From Obama's Grasp'

St. Petersberg Times:

Barack Obama could be on the verge of falling out of contention in Florida.

Despite spending an estimated $8-million on campaign ads in America's biggest battleground state and putting in place the largest Democratic campaign organization ever in Florida, Obama has lost ground over the summer. Florida has moved from a toss-up state to one that clearly leans toward John McCain, fueling speculation about how much longer the Democratic nominee will continue investing so heavily in the state.

Obama can still win Florida despite the polling gains McCain has made since naming Sarah Palin his running mate, and there is no sign Obama is pulling back in Florida yet. Far from it. Obama allies say he has about 350 paid staffers in the state and about 50 field offices, including in places not known as fertile ground for Democrats, such as Sun City Center, Lake City and Sebring.

Read the whole story: St. Petersberg Times

Comments

[Phil123]

Since 2000, Florida has ruled that hand recounts are illegal. They must be done by machine.

The Dems will have no basis to try to steal Florida this time. Obama has no chance.

[poco767c]

Yes it was the Dems, those pesky liberals.

[likeicare]

Maybe this is the kick-in-the-behind that Obama's campaign needs to get it off of its run-out-the-clock strategy.

There's a time and a place for being "cool" and not fighting every bully who comes along, but there's also a time for standing your ground and not letting someone else dictate the rules to you.

This is that time.

The question the Obama-Biden campaign should be asking is, Why do the Rethuglicans get to make up the rules -- and break them whenever they want -- for the campaign?

Who made them god?

[AzRealProgressive]

No one is making up any rules, or dictating rules to anybody. The message that resonates with voters will win. For most folks the message is what it is all about. And Obama right now seems to be losing in the area in Florida with his message. And the media with their anti Palin campaign is not helping.

[Andman0121]

hm, and here I thought the media was giving McCain and Palin a free ride! Alaska is close to Russia and that gives her foreign policy expertise??? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! They should be reporting on THAT and not this ridiculous lipstick nonsense and you know it.

[BillCarson]

Florida may look tantalizingly close in the polls, but I suspect it's not in play.

Florida has a republican Governor and republican Secretary of State and a history of "suspicious" outcomes.

Florida still has a mixture of paper ballots and voting machines without a voter verified paper trail. http://www.verifiedvoting.org/verifier/map.php?&topic_string=5std&ec=mixed&year=2008&state=Florida

Don't make the same mistake Gore did in 2000. My two cents is that Obama would be better off concentrating on Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Win those three and the presidency is his.

[AzRealProgressive]

First, you are wrong about the suspicious outcomes statement. That is pure political rhetoric, and not fact. Gore should have blown GWB away by 20 points, but his message did not resonate with the voters. Same way with Kerry. the same precincts who were Democratic that voted against Gore in 2000 also voted against Kerry in 2004. And Ohio and PA seem to have the very voters that lean towards McCain/Palin, Catholic, white, blue collar.

[Tropiholic]

You don't speak for anyone but yourself fakeprogressive. Making things up and presenting them as facts has gotten really old and boring. 0bama is doing a fine job and will win WITHOUT having to cheat, Deal with it!

[BillCarson]

Although Florida voting may not look suspicious to you, to others it does.

Here's one example...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/melinda-henneberger/mechanical-glitch-ignored_b_43331.html

>And Ohio and PA seem to have the very voters that lean towards McCain/Palin, Catholic, white, blue collar.
Could be. We will see.

[Jigglypuff]

Yes, everything about this upcoming election process in Florida is suspect. Witness the new "No match, No vote law" enacted just three weeks prior to the end of voter registration of unsuspecting citizens. Here's a pertinent editorial:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-miket1108sep11,0,2240401.column
The question is: do the good citizens of Florida care or will they put up with another sham election?

[BillCarson]

Thanks for the link! I've been collecting election "scam" techniques on my blog. This'll be a nice addition!

[PumaAnn]

MN poll today shows a tie.

[NewAmerican]

On the other hand, Florida is going to go Democrat. Florida is deeply hurting from the housing crash, and Floridians have seen their home values plummet. There will be heavy incentive for them to vote Obama.
They know that McCain is going to play the fiddle while Florida economy burns.

[Vote For America]

Obama 273, McCain 265
http://voteforamerica.net/electoral.aspx

Sept 13 Polling Update
http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=52&ArticleName=Daily+Poll+Update

A Referendum on Who?
http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=48&ArticleName=A+Referendum+on+Who%3f

The Red November: An analysis on campaign marketing:
http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=50&ArticleName=The+Red+November

[Moorehater]

It doesnt matter anyway, Floridians are either too stupid to know how to vote or cannot vote because of immigration status.

[AzRealProgressive]

You are so very, very wrong. Calling all Florida people stupid because you disagree with how they vote is presumtuous arrogance on your part. Imbecilic ,and it only helps McCain.

[Julie02]

Please do not let me see.....

Florida
Florida
Florida

again on a Whiteboard.

[WWIIVETSDAUGHTER]

Please watch the video on "Obama Waffles" where the sentiment is we didn't mean for this to be racist - we have great respect for Aunt Jemima. I don't know what more needs to be said. Just as we can never forget our need to be vigilant against terrorists - we need to be vigilant against the ignorance of the worst in ourselves. See this on the Huffington Post - I have never been more disappointed by the depths to which we willingly descend into ugliness. Shame, shame, shame.... I wondered when it would come to this. Clearly, Obama must be in the lead or no person would take this risk threatening his or her own integrity unless carried away by one's own stupidity in the heat of the moment.

[dgscol]

It is not clear that we can have a legitimate election - parts of many states have uncertifiable voters who are not US citizens. These districts are not being excluded from the election : parts of California, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and even Illinois and New York!

There could be several tens of millions of illegal voters!

[Beachchick]

http://www.newsweek.com/id/158392/page/1

[BillCarson]

Do you have a link?

[AzRealProgressive]

He does not need one. There has been laws passed, one here in Arizona, another in Indiana, as quick ezamples that require a form of identification to prove who you say you are. A response to that very problem.

[McChimp]

Let the MSM milk the idea that Mc L I A R is ahead in every poll, they did the same for Gore in 2000 and Kerry in 2004.

And I've not seen any signs of the O Team writing off Florida, because not only are they running ads non stop there and have PLENTY of campaign offices in contrast to the McLobbyist campaign, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama are stopping there on Monday I believe, and Bill Clinton was able to carry the state TWICE.

I don't see Mc L I A R winning Florida because Palin's far right views will turn off the Jewish voters there. Also Mc L I A R is having to spend a lot of money there and in a lot of other purple states, he won't be able to compete as effectively as Barack is doing. Obama has a great ground game going that the polls don't reflect.

[NoSillyName]

When I think "Florida", I like to remember Global Warming. Someday Florida will be mostly underwater and that pleases me. I do like St. Augustine. Oh, and the Dali Museum in St. Pete. Beyond those two things, Florida and its election ruining are worthless, IMO.

[jacqmac]

has ANYONE read what 'our troops', the ones that McCain loves so much and lavishes such PRAISE on, THINK about that man? Guess what! The TROOPS vote and they JUST MIGHT DECIDE THIS ELECTION! Obama/Biden '08

[rocky786]

º¤ø„¸ º¤ø„¸ º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨
º¤ø„¸ º¤ø„¸ º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨
º¤ø„¸ „ø¤º°¨ Obama-Biden 2008!!!¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨
¸„ø¤º°¨ „ø¤º°¨YES WE CAN !!!!!!¨°º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸
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[rocky786]

Everyone knows this is gonna eventually be a landslide victory for OBAMA !~

[ObamAtomic]

Adam C. Smith,St. Petersberg Times . LIARS LIARS LIARS LIARS LIARS LIARS LIARS LIARS

[AzRealProgressive]

New polls have Florida up by 9 for McCain.

[rocky786]

Common FLORIDA, wake up!~

OBAMA / BIDEN '08