McCain tries to steal Pennsylvania; Obama's poll numbers widen

Got 'em right where we want 'em. We like being underdogs. We're the comeback kids. It's not over 'til it's over. Where's that Saks Fifth Avenue credit card - I need some new pants.

If you were playing the '70s game show the $25,000 Pyramid, "Things overheard at McCain Headquarters" could be the answer.

And with 13 days to go, anyone in the political game knows there's plenty of time left. Anything can happen in the last two weeks.

Down polls

It would be preferable for the McCain campaign if poll numbers start turning around, however. Reuters is reporting this morning that Barack Obama's numbers are moving up for the third day in a row.

The latest C-SPAN/Zogby poll results with our full coverage of Election 2008">Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll -- a three-day rolling poll -- gives the Democratic nominee for President a 10-point lead with a 52 - 42 margin.

Says pollster John Zogby, "Obama just keeps growing, he has expanded his lead among almost every major voting group. McCain seems to be out of steam for the moment."

Pennsylvania

He's showing plenty of steam, however, in Pennsylvania. Not in terms of polling, but emotion. Speaking to a crowd yesterday, McCain yelled, "Stand up, stand up, stand up and fight. America is worth fighting for. Nothing is inevitable here. We never give up. We never quit. We never hide from history. We make history."

Historically speaking, short-term anyway, Pennsylvania is blue. They haven't voted red since 1988. A compilation of current state polls, show McCain down by 11 points.

And unless Bill Ayers starts stumping for Obama or Joe Biden continues talking, the chances of reversing these numbers seem daunting. Especially in light of the party breakdown. There are 1.2 million more Democrats than Republicans in the state.

So why the heck would McCain continue to spend time in the Keystone state? It could be his only option.

It ain't that bad

McCain advisers say internal polling shows different results. The real Obama lead is about half what the public polls indicate, they say. And they say by turning about 2,000 voters per county from voting Democrat to Republican, the McCain campaign can steal the state.

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