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The Final Lap

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 3, 2008

For Barack Obama, the way to victory may be simply to stay on course and avoid game-changing mistakes. It doesn't hurt that the political landscape favors Democrats or that the Illinois senator has a huge cash advantage over John McCain.

Headed into this week flush with cash, Obama has the lead in most national polls, is running ahead in states won by Democrat John Kerry in 2004 and is either leading or competitive in about a half-dozen states won by President Bush, including Florida and Ohio, and one-time GOP stronghold Virginia.

For his part, Obama is not taking anything for granted. "We can't let up, and we won't let up," he said last week in Leesburg, Va.

OBAMA'S FOCUS

•The financial shocks of the past several weeks.

•An unpopular war.

•A president with sub-basement approval ratings.

•Working states that picked Bush in 2000 and 2004, including Florida, , where he was greeted by throngs.

•An endgame strategy that keeps the focus on the economy and his central campaign themes - change, linking McCain to failed Bush policies and presenting policies that appeal to the middle-class.

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