The decision to effectively write off Mr. DeWine’s seat, after a series of internal Republican polls showed him falling behind his Democratic challenger, is part of a fluid series of choices by top leaders in both parties as they set the strategic framework of the campaign’s final three weeks, signaling, by where they are spending television money and other resources, the Senate and House races where they believe they have the best chances of success. Senior national Republican strategists who had been briefed on decisions made during the party’s internal deliberations discussed the overall strategic thrusts but declined to provide specific dollar figures, saying that would give too much information to the Democrats. Full

As Lambert pointed out the reason Bush and Rove may be smiling is because the know what we know not. That their Diebold machines have already accounted for their gerrymandered districts and will deliver the perfect 51-49 close call victory that only a well calculated Bolivian style election can produce. If you throw enough money to create enough buzz people will believe that it was a close call. Without a paper trail, who can tell.