For Weeks Now Both CNN & MSNBC's Electoral Vote Map Has Obama At 263.......

[global1]

we been hearing the polls are going his way in so many states - how come they are still holding at 263? Shouldn't they have pushed it past that number already? What gives?

[SoonerPride]

1. Gotta keep the horse race going. It's all about ratings.

If they said it was over there advertisers would bail out.

[JBoy]

12. It's in Wolf Blitzer's contract.

[damntexdem]

14. The electoral map that counts won't be created before Nov. 4.

So just feel a bit assured based on those that don't actually count.

[FSogol]

2. Doesn't this CNN map have Obama at 277?

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/

[Puzzler]

5. Yeah... I think CNN has been at 277 for at least a week now.

.

[featherman]

3. They just can't bring themselves to pull the plug

[liberal N proud]

4. Kool-Aid for the sheep

It is all about keeping the viewers tuned in

[high density]

6. They refuse to admit that Obama is well on his way to "closing the deal"

The "McCain might make a comeback" narrative is much more attractive to them.

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. They don't know what to do

If they put him over 270 in the prediction, then they are opening themselves up to all kinds of criticism, both before and after the election, so they don't want to do that.

The problem is that their whole set up is devised for a "close electoral contest," and we don't have that right now. We have a blow out. So they are struggling to figure out what to do. One of the consequences is that they count Mccain states even if he is up by only 5% or so, while NOT counting states where Obama is up by 7% or more. It's a comedy. But the main dilemma is clear: they had a whole apparatus built around the idea that elections would always be relatively close, which is, historically, a very stupid thing to do. Now they're stuck with the apparatus, and an election tending towards blowout results. So they look dumb, and hold Obama up at 263, likely until election night.

[Avalux]

8. I saw CNN this morning give Obama 343 or something like that - blowout.

The said McCain MUST win Florida, Ohio and PA to have a chance. They seem to be reconciling themselves to Obama's commanding lead.

[WeDidIt]

9. Cnn gave up and put VA in Obama's column

Only MSNBC has been proceeding under the facade of "horse race".

Hell, I'm shocked (Up)Chuck Fraud hasn't thrown PA into the tossup category. After all, McCain is making a play there and Obama doesn't lead there by as much in teh way of double digits as he leads in VA.

[Schulzz]

10. If they put him over 270, they couldn't talk about Obama "not closing the deal" anymore... nt

[hvn_nbr_2]

11. They have to keep hope alive for the Corpo bosses. nt

[On the Road]

13. Although It's Not the Intent

I think this narrative of a close race is helping Obama supporters to stay focused and make a final push. It's going to be an electoral blowout.

[TeamJordan23]

15. John King: We cannot give Obama the state of Virginia yet b/c its never been blue since 1964

That was his rational the other day for not making Virginia blue on the CNN map.

Hey John - an African American has never close to winning a general election, either.