Cook Political Report: Obama beats McCain by 9 points nationwide head-to-head . . .

Irrelevant thanks to the Electoral College. And I would say the same if McCain was ahead of Obama by 9%.

This election is going to mirror 2000 and 2004.

McCain will win in the Rocky Mountain States, Alaska, and the South.

Obama (assuming he gets the nomination) will win in the Great Lakes, New England, Hawaii, and on the Pacific Coast.

The wild cards will be Florida, Ohio, Missouri, and possibly Iowa and New Mexico.

I expect the winner to have less than 280 electoral votes again.