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

[icenzi13]

Governor Crist made optical scanners mandatory this year and of course they sent out new voter cards a few months ago.. How many people do you think will show up at the polls with their old cards and they will probably be refused.? I am sure the election will be rigged down here beside the fact there are many bigoted elderdly down here also who won't vote for a black man.

[SunshineDaydream]

the sec of state went to court fighting against independent testing of the machines.

[akkadian]

I think that says it all...
I don't suppose they are D iebold machines, by any chance?

[Darkdonnie]

Are you not a bigot when you assume that many of the elderly are bigoted and not vote for a black man? Maybe they won't vote for him because he would be the worse thing to happen to the US since 9-1-1.

[Darkdonnie]

Are you not a blgot when you assume that many of the elderly are blgoted and not vote for a bl@ck man? Maybe they won't vote for him because he would be the wo rse thing to happen to the US since 9-1-1.

[jlgcox]

The question needs to be asked because anyone that continues to vote for the same policies regardless of the person running for office is either a bigot OR stupid. In my opinion: BOTH!

[nomobull]

how

[ezbreezer]

My 88 yr old mother is voting Obama and so are her friends. The ones that are still alive.
The elderly have seen quite a few presidents, and tell me Bush is the WORST PRESIDENT EVER and they should know.

[RobinL]

You are kidding right? I think many older people will still not vote for a black man even if he's obviously the better choice. Hopefully younger and thinking people will not be as stupid.

[ezbreezer]

There are also quite a few blacks who did not vote before, but who will be at the polls Nov 4.
This group is ignored by most polls.

[reggie1298]

Despite what Florida democtrats would have you believe, voting just isn't that tough. If someone can't open the mail, see that he needs the enclosed card to vote, put the card in his wallet, and just ....well, VOTE, then he simply isn't smart enough to vote in the first place. Call that what you want to.

As for the elderly bigots? Again, when libs get desperate, out comes the race card! If Obama loses, that's all we're going to hear.

[SugarMan]

"Stick to the fight when you're hardest hit. It's when things seem worse that you must not quit."

[teapartydude]

Need more ads on how McCain will destroy Social Security, cut benefits, and raise the eligibility age so you may never get any payment(s).

[reggie1298]

Yep, it's time to start lying more heavily. Let's call it "The September Strategy."

[StillIRise]

I think McCain already has a monopoly on the September Strategy lies!

[Chillinout]

If you are going to defend the man, at least learn his policies.

Then again, if you did that you would understand that his policies are indefensible.

[Tropiholic]

0bama is doing very well in florida, this is hogwash.

[Freddiejr]

I agree, I live in FLORIDA.

[SunshineDaydream]

yep, we've been talking about it all day. this article is ridiculous. the only thing that points to the race being over for o in flo is the first sentence. that isn't a report, that is an opinion. an opinion that the rest of the article doesn't even support.

why would hu ffpo even post this?

[sharonh]

"He is farther behind in the state than John Kerry was at this point in 2004, even though McCain began buying Florida TV ads only last week".

That's the key, Mcc's campaign, the worst ever, has only began and then it will be downhill from there. Ha, I am a resident and believe O will handily take the state.

[FogBelter]

Watch for fraud ... Bush has infrastructure in your state.

[VOTER]

Soon Floridians will learn the truth about Sarah ..........­.

"Sarah has never been to Florida explained her Campaign Staff.
But she was on the state's border, an outpost selling Florida Oranges."

[sharonh]

Related to Anita Bryant, maybe?

[akkadian]

one of the most rotten states of the union, largely responsible for foisting GW on an innocent world

[sharonh]

A state cannot be rotten, only people; like I don't blame the state you are from for you.

[reggie1298]

And when did you figure this out? That sounds like something my first grade teacher might have said in an ungurded moment.

[Freddiejr]

Don't stay stuck in the past. It's wasted energy.

[SunshineDaydream]

to blame that on this state is simple-minded. the voters were the victims. this was a well thought out plan set up years before.

[LibertarianVoter1]

What facts do you have to base it on that voter fraud took place in Florida in 2000? Because the Democrat candidate lost by a slim margin?

[lobo1939]

I wish to hell Huff had more than one screener censoring our comments. takes for.......­.........e­ver to get a comment up.

Now: Polls, if taken of my three step sons and two children all in 30s would never find them because like their piers, THEY DON'T HAVE LAND LINES. They keep in touch with e-mails, cell phones and blackberrys. Gallop and the rest of them are soooooooo 19th century.

[Pupster]

Although actually the Repubs have been leading in Florida all year, watch for the Jewish vote to gravitate towards Obama as they learn more about Palin's Pentecostal beliefs.

[proveit2me]

So that readers don't start thinking the St. Pete times is some conservative rag:

http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/article808444.ece

[SunshineDaydream]

the article doesn't make any sense. the only place that points to the race being over in fl is the first sentence. the rest of the article points that the race is on.....bc it is flippin' september!!

[reggie1298]

Yeah, but the debates. Um, er, ah, duh...

[liberalrebuttal]

So ?

Who really thinks that Democrats will ever win Florida with a Republican governor and voters who don't know how to vote ?

Seriously.

[MsLourdes]

I have been unsuccessful all day in using Obama's website. My intention was to do phone calls from home. Everytime I logged in the application quitted. Could it be due to the volume of calls today? Please let me know if you encountered same. Could it be dark forces trying to sabotage the effort? I'm somewhat paranoid..­........

[SunshineDaydream]

call the o team.

[reggie1298]

We were able to keep if overloaded and shut down most of the day. They brought in some techs and were able to bypass our jamming program. Well, we're done for the day - got to report back to Rove.

[nomobull]

DELUSION IS AWFUL

[trader z]

What a week for the G.a.ffe T.w ins.

First, Joe Biden b.o,ne-h ea d edly urges a disabled veteran in a wheelchair to “Stand up” during a campaign rally.

Next, Barack Obama mocks John McCain for not using a computer to send e-mail — despite MSM articles dating back to 2000 that report he can’t type because of the war injuries inflicted by his Vie.tn ame se t.o.rtu.re­rs.

Who will their next v.ic.ti.ms be?

[Freddiejr]

YOU!

[biglith]

He was a POW you know.

[bronxlcsw]

I spoke to my sister today in orlando florida. As some of you know the cuban exile community has been voting solidly republican since the Bay of Pigs Invasion. They have complete control over Miami and the elections there. Orlando on the other hand has a rather large Puerto Rican community. In fact the puerto rican population is growing rapidly and much faster than the cuban exile comm in Miami. Also, the Puerto Ricans who come straight from the Island are citizens and thus can vote on day one they are here. I think one of the CNN analytst pointed this out that they could be key in florida. By the way Puerto Ricans are 80% in the democratic side.

[ezbreezer]

The younger Florida born Cuban - Americans are much less stridently conservative than their elders.
Miami is in a deep recession. The Jeb Bush era is over and done.
Cuban-Americans are no longer an automatic republican bloc.

[bronxlcsw]

Thats correct. In fact i think 2 congressmen Lincoln Diaz and the other guy are getting strong challenges from younger generation opponents.

[Pupster]

The census this year reported that non-Cuban Hispanics outnumbered Cuban Hispanics in Florida this year for the first time. Changes the dynamics certainly.

[suekzoo]

None of the Democrats 4 million newly registered voters (through the primaries only!) are showing up in any of the polls. The race is not at all as close as it would appear.

[reggie1298]

Oh, OK. I'll call McCain and tell him not to bother anymore.

[ezbreezer]

Send Telegram : McCain STOP don't bother STOP

[Pupster]

Nor are people without landlines, mostly the under 35 crowd who are firmly behind Obama.