The battleground

View Larger Map
Sarah Palin's speech -- reflecting the heavy overwatch of Karl Rove -- made mention of very few specific US states. But it did mention most of the states that feature in the map. Clearly this is where the strategists expect the election to be won and lost. Forget all that stuff about one side chasing the other's sure things on the east coast or the plains. The action will be on a belt from the Appalachians and along the Great Lakes. Unfortunately for Rove, just as Obama impressed a crowd in Germany most of whom don't have the vote, Palin's hockey mom schtick was likely big in Ontario.