McCain, Obama compete across reshaped U.S. electoral map

Source: Xinhua | 11-03-2008 07:48

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama are making their final push for the White House across an electoral map markedly different from four years ago.

U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) smiles as he arrives for an election campaign rally in Springfield,  Missouri Nov. 1, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

It proves Obama's success at putting new states into contention and limiting McCain's options in the final hours, the New York Times reported Sunday.

Obama was using the last days of the contest to make incursions into Republican territory, campaigning Saturday in three states --Colorado, Missouri and Nevada -- that Republican President George W. Bush won with relative ease in 2004.

In what seemed as much a symbolic tweak as a real challenge, Obama bought advertising time in Arizona, McCain's home state.

Meanwhile, McCain started Saturday in Virginia, a once-solidly Republican state that Democrats now feel is within their grasp.

But he then turned his attention to two states that voted for Democratic in 2004 -- Pennsylvania and New Hampshire -- reflecting what his aides said was polling in both states that suggested the race was tightening.