Forgetting 2004 Results

The New York Times and other media outlets are making much of the fact that Sen. John McCain is busy defending states that President Bush won in 2004 while Sen. Barack Obama is trying to win some of those states. They're headlining this as though this is somehow a blow against McCain.

It isn't.

Here's a memo. If McCain holds the states that Bush won in 2004, McCain wins. He doesn't have to pick up any additional states. McCain merely has to hold serve on the 2004 tally. Bush won in 2004, and if Obama can't pick off states from Bush's tally in 2004, Obama loses. That's why both candidates and their running mates are crisscrossing the country to impress upon the crowds in those battleground states.

It really is that simple.

If Obama can't pick up any states from Kerry's total in 2004, he's going to be wondering where it all went wrong. I can help him figure that out quite easily.