North Dakota? I mean, c'mon, North Dakota?

So we're 116 days out before we start counting electoral votes, and that is a lifetime in politics, but if you're the Republicans' Apparently-Not-Ready-for- Prime-Time Presumptive Nominee, you have got to be noticing some distressing things. Like, say, North Dakota. If I were John McCain, I might be annoyed, or worried, or maybe just a touch suicidal about Rasmussen's poll for North Dakota (7/8/08 - 500 LV, 4.5% MOE):

Obama 43
McCain 43

See, the problem here for Mr. McCain is that in 2004, North Dakota went this way:

Bush 62.9
Kerry 35.5

And let's not forget everyone's favorite tune, the 2000 race:

Bush 61
Gore 33

I could keep going backward, but I think you get the drift. Everyday Mr. McCain needs to spend in a place like North Dakota is one more day that he doesn't get to spend in a place like Pennsylvania or Ohio.

Mr. McCain's problem is that there are a surfeit of states where he needs to win handily but he's on the brink of losing--places like Virginia, Indiana, and North Carolina. A way to look at what this means is to think about the places the candidates are campaigning. Since June 20, Obama has made 23 campaign stops, and 13 of them have been in red states. He's been campaigning in places like Montana, Georgia, North Dakota, Colorado, and Nevada. Meanwhile, Darth McVader has also been campaigning in places like Indiana, Colorado, and Nevada.

I mean, c'mon. The Republican nominee has to campaign in Indiana? If the Republican faithful need some razor blades, I'll be happy to set them up for them.