# McCain not as forked as the McCain Forked thread, but still forked **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 8, 2008, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951 "2008-10-08T03:49:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 38
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/741 "2008-10-29T16:16:24Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Find your county [here](http://www.elections.state.il.us/VotingInformation/EarlyVotingLocations.aspx) and show up. Don’t dawdle, early voting in Illinois ends Thursday. > > You’ll need a photo ID. [Here’s](http://www.elections.state.il.us/Downloads/ElectionInformation/PDF/EarlyVoting.pdf) a (2 page pdf) pamphlet. Thanks! I think I’ll still vote on Nov 4, though. I have to work tomorrow… ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/742 "2008-10-29T16:17:12Z")
Obama is finally going after Palin – and this without even mentioning her name and with only McCain speaking apparently. [http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/](http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/) Good strategic I’d say. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/743 "2008-10-29T16:18:09Z")
And meanwhile look at this [state](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/latestpolls/index.html) polling coming in today … ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/744 "2008-10-29T16:25:58Z")
This is kind of ideal, I think. Let’s hear about the polls tightening nationally, so that people still want to vote. Meanwhile the state polls are nice and blue. I think McCain’s message is only gaining real traciton where he already had traction. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/745 "2008-10-29T16:30:29Z")
The state polls do indeed look great. Though I am a bit skeptical that Obama is really 12 points ahead in PA when he only appears to be around 6 points ahead nationally. Overall I get the impression that the polls are all over the place. Obama is ahead and will probably win but there is still a fair amount of uncertainty over the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/746 "2008-10-29T16:30:41Z")
> [@5-4-Fighting](#): > > Good strategic I’d say. Ahhh, hell! “Good strategy” or “Good and strategic,” take your pick. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/747 "2008-10-29T17:09:48Z")
> **[Gallup Daily: Obama Maintains Edge Over McCain](https://news.gallup.com/poll/111619/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Maintains-Edge-Over-McCain.aspx)** > > Barack Obama continues to hold an edge over John McCain in Gallup Poll Daily tracking, up by 49% to 46% using the traditional likely voter model and 51% to 44% using the expanded model. Gallup’s numbers are out. Their traditional poll has widened slightly to a 3 point lead for Obama while their expanded model is unchanged at 7 points. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/748 "2008-10-29T17:32:53Z")
My issue with Rasmussen is that they modify their LV screen on the fly. That may give them the best chance to be calling it the closest but it makes day to day comparisons less meaningful as the changes may more reflect refinements of their modelling than changes in the raw data. Gallup is more transparent with their LV screen and therefore day to day number comparisons means more for trending purposes … but which LV screen is more accurate? Will Hispanics come out in numbers this time or not? Will marginal McCain supporters not bother or come out? The margin of Obama’s win hangs in the balance. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/749 "2008-10-29T17:41:42Z")
> [@5-4-Fighting](#): > > Can we out here in reality-based land also interpret this as, not so directly working in Obama’s favor, but working to enfranchise a greater number of voters, in response to projections of much greater voter turn-out in this highly exciting election year? Why one over the other? My guess is that Crist _is_ interested (for whatever reason) in making sure everybody who wants to vote can vote. But certain members of the GOP seem to believe that this is heralding McCain’s doom in Florida. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/750 "2008-10-29T17:44:28Z")
Just as further illustration of how much the issue is one of who is actually a likely voter is this from Gallup’s daily comments. > [@](#): > > Obama has a slightly larger lead among the pool of all registered voters, currently at 51% to 42%. These percentages have been stable throughout October, and the current figures precisely match the average for the month to date. So among those who _have voted_ Obama is significantly ahead. Among all RVs he’s significantly ahead. His lead only narrows when you start to assume that certain people who have not yet voted but who intend to will not, and how you categorize those folks is where the variablity creeps in. Please use [this](http://www.cnnbcvideo.com/thankyou.html?error=thanks&nid=qUykrdal5D.sWHc3pRZExTYyMTg4OTc-&id=-12216664-qHncnGx) to send a reminder to your friends to vote!! (It’s a hoot.) ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/751 "2008-10-29T18:40:33Z")
it appears that mccain is going back to the national security tact. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/752 "2008-10-29T18:59:04Z")
John Ratzenberger AND Victoria Jackson?! Add in Kelsey Grammer and my memories of the 80s will never be the same. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/753 "2008-10-29T20:52:08Z")
For what it’s worth, some inside dope from my local rag: [QUOTE=Sr VP of Advertising] …if Barack Obama wins the presidency of the United States (which right now is a strong probability and will be considered a landmark event), the San Francisco Chronicle will produce a Special Commemorative Edition Newspaper with 25,000 to 35,000 distributed the afternoon of Wed November 5th (if for some reason Obama doesn’t win, the Special Edition will not be produced and no special edition ads will run). [/QUOTE] Maybe “if for some reason Obama doesn’t win” they would run a special edition on Thursday about how the election was stolen… ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/754 "2008-10-29T20:55:26Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > it appears that mccain is going back to the national security tact. “tack” Please. Thank you. _That_ was tact. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/755 "2008-10-29T20:57:23Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > Maybe “if for some reason Obama doesn’t win” they would run a special edition on Thursday about how the election was stolen… Huh. They don’t think there’s a market for a McCain Special Commemorative Edition Newspaper in San Francisco? Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/756 "2008-10-29T21:02:05Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Huh. They don’t think there’s a market for a McCain Special Commemorative Edition Newspaper in San Francisco? Go figure. Those damn capitalists!!! ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/757 "2008-10-29T21:15:04Z")
I think that decision was probably made by the Marxeting Department. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/758 "2008-10-29T21:18:20Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > For what it’s worth, some inside dope from my local rag: > > Maybe “if for some reason Obama doesn’t win” they would run a special edition on Thursday about how the election was stolen… “Another Old White Guy Becomes Pres”…nothing to see here. Story on page 12. I’m thinking of the scene in Citizen Kane, where the editors make the choice to go with “Fraud at the Polls”. This would all tie together so neatly if William Randolph Hearst had been associated with the SF Chronicle. But he ran the SF Examiner, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/759 "2008-10-29T22:09:19Z")
Today’s [electoral-vote.com](http://electoral-vote.com) forkage: It’s even worst than that, he’s (nearly) dead Jim! In order to win, McCain would need to do ALL of the following: Maintain his lead in the “weak GOP” states: AZ, SD, MS, WV Maintain his lead in the “barely GOP” state: GA Take all of the tied states: MO, ND, MT Take all of the “barely Dem” states: FL, NC, IN Take all of the “weak Dem” states: VA, OH, CO, NV In other words, he has to run the board of every single state except those that are currently listed as “strong Dem” (10% or greater lead in polls) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/760 "2008-10-29T22:14:42Z")
[McCain’s now running robocalls in Arizona](http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/mccain_now_running_robocalls_i.php). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951.md?page=37) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951.md?page=39)