My electoral map had 3 toss-up states on it, now it has 2. John McCain has led the last three polls in that state by an average margin of 5 points. Missouri is a swing and it will go back and forth. For now though, I’m going to put this one into the leaning McCain column. Click here to view my map with leaners.

This leaves Obama up 252-249 with 37 electoral votesd undecided. Yes, for the first time in 208 years, a tie is definitely possible.

Body Slammed

What difference could the potential entrance of Former Minnesota Governor Jesse “The Body” Ventura into the U.S. Senate race make to the re-election chances of Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN.)? A massive one. Unlike other Third Party Candidates, Ventura would enter with plenty of name recognition from his time as Governor.

In a year of low Congressional Approval ratings, one can’t discount the possibility of “The Body” going to the U.S. Senate. Coleman’s approval ratings are hovering around 50%. A lot of people would like a change, but the clownish Al Franken isn’t the solution. It’s a sad situation that Minnesota Democrats have put themselves into. Jesse Ventura would be a more credible choice for Minnesota voters than Al Franken.

For Conservatives, the choice is clear. Coleman’s pro-life, Ventura’s pro-abortion and disdainful of religion. Ventura can’t be counted on for judges, is sympathetic to the 9/11 truth movement, and has a somewhat unpredictable and inconsistent ideological vain. However, this may be one bridge we don’t have to cross as it’s not certain that Ventura will run. We’ll have to see what impact he has, when and if he does announce.

Newt Gingrich writes an article  talking about the truly remarkable changes that Bobby Jindal has brought to Louisiana:

You may have heard his name mentioned as a possible vice presidential running mate, but if you don’t know anything more about Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, you should.

Governor Jindal is leading a revolution of conservative reform in Louisiana. He is the most transformational young governor in America today. The principles that motivate his Louisiana Revolution are the same pro-innovation, pro-competition, anti-bureaucracy and anti- big government principles that I urge each week in this newsletter - the same principles that are so desperately needed in Washington, D.C.

From providing 1500 poor children an escape from failing public schools to increasing the number of Charter Schools in Louisiana from 42 to 100 to passing Six Tax Cuts. These are impressive accomplishments and by the way the Governor has only been in office six months. The response from the Club for Growth? CFG’s Nachema Soloveichik says Gingrich’s piece is Gavomit (combination gag and vomit)-inducing. ‘

That’s funny, because that would be thoughts exactly on the Club’s bizarre inexplicable war against one of America’s finest governors. Some say we should not criticize the Club because they do so much for conservative candidates across the country. Yes, the Club does do good, however they’ve also shown a destructive tendancy. When the Club stops their senseless attacks on fine men like Governor Jindal and learns there’s a  difference between Bobby Jindal and Lincoln Chaffee, I’ll let up. Because, the truth is that we need more men in politics like Governor Jindal and not less. The withering fire of conservative “friends” like the Club for Growth does not help bring these type of people into the process.

Barack Obama wants seventeen weeks of your life–if you’re a middleschooler. He wants to require Middle and High Schoolers to do 50 hours of Community Service per year. And when you get to college, because you don’t quite have enough on your plate already, he’d like to make you put in 100 hours of Community Service.

Now, for a moment, let’s leave aside little practical considerations such as, “What constitutes community service?” Is helping with Vacation Bible School at your church community service? If not, why not? What about Mormons who, as part of their faith requirements, already render two years of service away from home? Why is the government going to add to that? Does forced volunteerism make kids better? Do the forced efforts of middle schoolers make communities better?

Let’s also forget for a moment (because our politicians will forget it for far longer) that under the Tenth Amendment, this would be an issue that would belong to the States or the people. Usually this type of thing is instituted at the school board level.

Despite government meddling from whatever level, as a matter of principle, teaching kids to care for others is not really a function of States, or even school boards, but rather it’s the job of parents and houses of worship to instill these values.

The presidency is an awesome responsibility as it is. But being Commander-in-Chief of America’s Armed forces isn’t quite enough for Barack Obama. It is not enough to succeed George W. Bush as President of every School board in America. Such petty usurpation of the rights of government entities are beneath the junior Senator from Illinois. Barack Obama will set the values of all of America’s children through a program, usurping the roles of parents as he goes.

What do kids need parents for? Under Obama, they’ll have Big Daddy.