The ever-changing electoral map theories

By GottaLaff

Map via Votemaster

The electoral map story seems to change daily:

Despite suggestions that there will be different swing states this year, Stuart Rothenberg says "don't expect the 2008 presidential map to look wildly different from those of 2000 and 2004."

"Barring a full-scale McCain meltdown or the public's wholesale rejection of the GOP (neither of which can be ruled out), only a handful of states are prime candidates to swing from their traditional partisan bent in recent presidential elections."

"Increased turnout by black and young voters could improve Obama's showings in some states, as could his appeal among upscale whites. But those gains aren't likely to be large enough to flip many states, and so far there is no evidence that red states in the Deep South are potentially winnable for Obama because of their large black population."

Maybe so, but Obama's 50-state strategy seems like a good idea to me. Ignoring states is similar to ignoring adversarial countries in the sense that, if you open the door, a little light may make its way in. If you keep it shut, nothing changes. Why restrict the options?