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The Verdict is nearly in......

The venerable and well-regarded The Cook Political Report has the figures as at 31 October for the US presidential election like this:

"Since early September this race has shifted rather dramatically in Obama's favor. As long as the focus is almost exclusively on the economy, this race is almost unwinnable for McCain. It would take a major external event, the proverbial October Surprise, to shift the spotlight to national security or some other subject that would allow McCain to highlight his strengths. At this stage, the most relevant question would seem to be: "How big will the train wreck be for the Republican Party up and down the ballot in November." Obama currently has a 286 to 139 Electoral vote edge, with 113 Electoral votes in the Toss Up column. 270 are needed to win."

Check in at the Report's web site, here, for updates on the race.

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