tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273264.post-46117592678329213992008-05-11T12:12:00.000-07:002008-05-11T12:12:59.093-07:00If you're a Democrat, <a href="http://politics.nytimes.com/election-guide/2008/electoralmap/index.html">this NYT map is a little scary</a>. It's a map of solid Democratic states, solid Republican states, and the "Battleground States."<br /><br />To win the Presidency, Obama would need to take all the states Kerry won in 2004, plus take 18 electoral college votes from John McCain. States that Bush won in 2004 that Obama will want to try to flip are Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Iowa, Ohio, Virginia and Florida, while still maintaining Pennsylvania and Michigan in the blue column. Is that going to be hard for Obama? It's certainly not going to be easy.<br /><br />I do think that, with this electoral layout in mind, there is one really good choice for an Obama VP--Bill Richardson.<br /><br />He neutralizes any inroads McCain might make in Cali. He brings out the Hispanic vote in Colorado, Nevada, hopefully Florida and he guarantees New Mexico (not a big coup, it only has 5 electoral college votes). He might even be able to help with the Catholic vote, something Obama needs a bump in. He has foreign policy credentials, he has energy credentials ... and he broke early for Obama when it was still politically risky to do so.<br /><br />I think Obama/Richardson could be the winning ticket.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5273264-4611759267832921399?l=www.erikemery.com'/></div>Erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08448401616156887602noreply@blogger.com2