Electoral Math for August 2

We start with the 2004 map:

<p><strong>><a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/electoral-college/'>Electoral College Prediction Map</a></strong> - Predict the winner of the general election. Use the map to experiment with winning combinations of states. Save your prediction and send it to friends.</p>

OBAMA DEFENSE - states Kerry won which Obama cannot take for granted

Kerry states where Obama's lead is too close for comfort: 52 electoral votes
Michigan - 17
Minnesota - 10*
New Hampshire - 4
Pennsylvania - 21

*I include Minnesota because it is the home of the Republican Convention.

Toss-up Kerry states: None

OBAMA OFFENSE - states Bush won in which Obama has a reasonable chance of winning

Bush states where Obama is leading: 21 electoral votes
Colorado - 9
Iowa - 7
New Mexico - 5

Toss-up Bush states: 93 electoral votes
Florida - 27
Indiana - 11
Missouri - 11
Montana - 3
North Dakota - 3
Nevada - 5
Ohio - 20
Virginia - 13

Bush states where McCain's lead is too close for comfort: 85 electoral votes
Alaska - 3
Arizona - 10
Georgia - 15
North Carolina - 15
South Dakota - 3
Texas - 34
West Virginia - 5

When you take away all of the states that I have listed, you see that Obama has a significant lead:
<p><strong>><a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/electoral-college/'>Electoral College Prediction Map</a></strong> - Predict the winner of the general election. Use the map to experiment with winning combinations of states. Save your prediction and send it to friends.</p>

Now let's pretend McCain wins all of the states in which he's leading, while Obama wins all of the states in which he's leading. Guess what? Obama wins.

<p><strong>><a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/electoral-college/'>Electoral College Prediction Map</a></strong> - Predict the winner of the general election. Use the map to experiment with winning combinations of states. Save your prediction and send it to friends.</p>

And notice that Florida, Ohio, and Virginia are gray, which means Obama could very well win this election without winning a single one of these states!

Now it's time for my caveat: This is my look at the Presidential race as of August 2, 2008. As I posted earlier this week, Dukakis once held a much bigger lead in 1988 (granted, things were different back then). We still have 94 days, two running-mate selections, two conventions, four debates, and However, the

I would hate for Obama to lose an election he is currently favored to win. Which means, again, we need people like you and me to work hard to ensure he doesn't just win, but that he wins in a landslide.