What's with the headlines with questions that have obvious answers?

Yes, there will be scary groups (Republican and otherwise) gunning for Obama and the campaign was smart to foresee that.

Yes, Indiana is in play .... EVERY state is in play!

Of course, it's in play. He's polling extremely well there. Basing projections on the performance of past candidates is, I believe, folly. Obama is an entirely different candidate - as is McCain. AND, this country has had to put up with 8 years of the Bush Administration.

"The Obama campaign says it shows they're taking the state seriously. However, as Taegan Goodard notes, political experts think that the Obama team doesn't really believe this and is merely messing with the minds of the McCain team."

Good thing the "political experts" don't make the decisions in this country reference elections. What I am reading out of the campaign are these simple mantras:

Obama: All over the map and strong on electoral offence. He's building his campaign in a similar manner that his primary campaign was built on. To steal a line from the Greatest: "Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee."

McCain: Confusion. trying to tar Obama in the media and throwing everything they have at him, because they have determined theyc annot compete organizationally.

Personally, I believe McCain's "strategy" completely lacks of strategy, and are looking to create a predeliction to McCain amongst low-information voters. Obama is trying to create a wave of high information voters across the country at this point by building a significant organization everywhere he can.

Five months to the election: Is it enough time to build a nationwide organization, even withw hat has already taken place in the primaries? YES WE CAN!

Of course it is in play, GEORGIA is in play, ALASKA is in play, are you kidding me? Why wouldn't Indiana be in play?? The last poll from there, from April, had Obama only down by 8%. If it is anything like the other polls it has likely went up considerably since then. If I had to guess I'd say they are tied there now, more or less. So of course it is in play and of course they are going to focus on it.

Could be in play if Evan Bayh is chosen for VP.

Maybe that's why Obama campaign is sending one of their top guys.

Interesting turn of events.

McCain is going to have his hands full, dealing with the putative 50 state strategy of Obama.

Did anyone else see those eye-popping numbers in this morning's NY Times? Particularly the amount of money on hand each campaign has for the general election, as of April?

Obama 8 million. McCain: 21,000+ !!@#$!!!!

Well, Bayh was somewhere on the potential veep list. If he's not been written off yet, I don't imagine the state would be, either.

Good point Pauler. I have had a hunch the last two weeks that Evan Bayh indeed could be Obama's VP pick. If so Indiana would definitely be a competitive state.

The latest polling done in the state was in late April before the primary. McCain led 51%-43% in one poll, while Obama led 49%-41% in another. Obama devoted millions of dollars and weeks of campaigning to Indiana and came this close to winning the primary there.

So I do believe they see Indiana as a potential pickup. Here are some other factors in favor of this.

1-Next to Illinois, Chicago media market covers NW Indiana.
2-Obama is performing very well in the Midwest so why wouldn't he target Midwestern state IN?
3-The large student populations in the state give him a great volunteer base....troops on the ground.

I see no reason why he would not target Indiana while chossing to target tougher red states like GA and NC in the GOP dominated South.

I think Obama realizes he has to "play" in every state. Even if he doesn't prevail, his effort within each state will have an effect on downticket races. If ever a candidate had coattails, if ever a candidate brought new voters to the polls, this is that candidate. And I think Sen. Obama is aware of this fact, hence every state is in play.

What a snarky headline. Typical of effing TPMEC.

Greg, Did you think record voter turn-out through out the primaries in all states happened by magic ?

Well, may be it was magic - called Obamagic.

There's another reason that Obama is in Indiana - to strengthen his hand in Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky.

You bet Indiana is in play. Any state that is primarily within a 5-6 hour drive from northern IL is in play. Obama literally has an army of people to swarm the surrounding area with GOTV and canvassing efforts. This is why in every single primary for these states (MN, WI, MO, IN) he did substantially better than any of the polls predicted.
Not to mention a good chunk of IN is in the Chicago media market where there is some serious Obama love these days.

Here in Tippecanoe County, Indiana (home of Purdue Univ.) we had a turnout of about 35 at our first grassroots meeting last week. Already, a great plan is in motion for a daylong GOTV/voter registration music festival here in the Fall (once our 39,000 students return to campus).
So I can't speak for all of Indiana but I think this part of Indiana really has a fire in its belly. I'm so glad to hear the Obama campaign wants to amplify our voices!