The final Sunday

The Sunday before a presidential election is always odd. The candidates are madly criss-crossing the country in one final effort, the press are trying to predict the result while covering themselves for all eventualities and the country is wondering who is still really undecided at this point.

This morning’s papers and the Sunday shows are dominated by process talk—which states are in play, whose ground game is better and reflections on the campaign as a whole. Structurally, these conservations favour the frontrunner. They tend to emphasise the momentum that he has. Indeed, it is noticeable how Obama is spending most of his final few days on the trail in states that Republicans won last time out. On Monday, Obama is even rallying in North Carolina—a state that he’ll win if it is a landslide.

McCain’s strengths and weaknesses in this election were shown up by events late yesterday. McCain’s strength is that he can go