Two huge projected wins for Barack Obama -- Pennsylvania and New Hampshire

So much, it appears, for John McCain's Pennsylvania strategy.

The instant the polls closed in the state, as well as in New Hampshire, ABC News and NBC News called them both for Barack Obama.

It should be noted that CBS News and CNN held off on Pennsylvania.

(UPDATE: CBS, as well as Fox News, have given Pennsylvania to Obama; CNN, as was the case during the primary season, is being more cautious in its projections and is holding off in making a call for the Keystone State.)

(UPDATE II: CNN just joined the pack -- Pennsylvania for Obama.)

If these calls prove correct, it seems unlikely that McCain can win any of the states -- which accounted for 252 electoral votes -- that Democrat John F. Kerry won in 2004. The Republicans had seen New Hampshire, to some degree, and Pennsylvania, to a much larger degree, as possible pickups.

Without either, every state deemed competitive across the rest of the country -- all carried by George W. Bush in 2004 -- would have to end up in McCain's column for him to win.

That's a tough task. Still, among these other states where the polls have closed -- which include Virginia, Indiana and Florida -- none have yet to be called for Obama.

-- Don Frederick

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Comments

[barrett hays]

I hope and pray that Obama wins, we need a compassionate and fair immigration policy for our brothers and sisters from Latin America!