The candidates' schedules

One week from now, we will decide the thing for once and for all. Word came yesterday that the the RNC has bought advertising time in Montana in an effort to win its three electoral votes for John McCain. The last Democrat to win in Montana was Bill Clinton in 1992 when Ross Perot was on the ballot. This year, Ron Paul is on Montana's ballot.

In any event, where the candidates go during the final days of the election can tell us a lot about what they hope to accomplish on election day. So without further ado, here is what we know about the candidates' and their surrogates' schedules as we go forward. First the Democrats and then the Republicans

Democrats

Today:

Obama: Pennsylvania, Virginia
Joe Biden: Florida
Michelle Obama: New Mexico, Colorado
Hillary: New Hampshire

Wednesday:

Obama: North Carolina, Florida
Joe Biden: Florida
Michelle Obama: North Carolina
Bill Clinton: Pennsylvania, Florida

Thursday:

Obama: Florida, Missouri
Joe Biden: Missouri
Bill Clinton: Florida, West Virginia, Minnesota

Republicans

Today:

McCain: Pennsylvania, North Carolina
Palin: Pennsylvania

Wednesday:

McCain: Florida
Palin: Ohio, Indiana

Thursday:

McCain: Pennsylvania
Palin: Pennsylvania, Missouri

Friday:

McCain: Ohio

Saturday:

Palin: North Carolina

Analysis of what we know

Bill and Hillary Clinton add substantial heft to the Democrats as surrogates for Senators Obama and Biden. Both the Democrats and Republicans appear to be leaving the mountain west; Michelle has events scheduled today in Colorado and New Mexico, and after that, there are no more scheduled events for the candidates in the west.

Pennsylvania gets a lot of love with four scheduled person days by the Republicans and two by the Democrats, a total of six scheduled person days there with a moderately strong emphasis by the Republicans who spend more time in Pennsylvania than in other state on their schedules.

John McCain spends only one day in Florida, but the Democrats will be there three days in a row with five scheduled person days for a total of six scheduled persons days with a decided emphasis on the state by Democrats.

North Carolina is going to get some more attention. At the moment, the Democrats have scheduled two person days there and the Republicans have scheduled two person days there. The Republicans obviously expect the polls to remain tight there, because they have an event schedule on Saturday for Palin. Four scheduled persons days in North Carolina at the moment.

Missouri gets the next amount of attention. The Democrats have scheduled two person days there, and the Republicans have scheduled one.

Presently, the Democrats have no more scheduled events in Ohio, but the Republicans have two.

Miscellanae include one visit by the Democrats to each of New Hampshire (Hillary), Virginia (Obama), West Virginia (Bill Clinton), and Minnesota (Bill Clinton). At the moment, the Republicans are still trying ensure Indiana's electoral votes with a visit by Sarah Palin. All-in-all, the candidates and their surrogates currently have events planned in a total of 12 states: nine of them were red in 2004, and three of them were blue. Aside from the red state-tilt of the candidates' campaigns, there is special emphasis on Pennsylvania by the Republicans and Florida by the Democrats.