Now it is time for the local press panel to give us some perspective on the up coming election.
9:50: Denny Heck does his best James Lipton impression introducing the panel of Stu Elway, Deirdre Gregg, and Peter Callaghan. The panel is in total agreement that Washington is Obama's state to lose. Also, the panel agrees that the Sarah Palin effect will not change the way Washington state will go in the national scene.
10:05: Peter Callaghan: "In an inverse of the national scene, Rossi is painting himself as the change candidate while Gregoire is touting values and experience."
10:15: Callaghan regarding the OSPI race: "This race again will be referendum on school reform.”
10:20: Elway: "I have Bergeson slightly down in my poll but there is a huge pool of undecided of 52%." Gregg: "The Attorney General race is still a big advantage for McKenna. Ladenberg is hanging his hat on the BIAW lawsuit."
10:30: Callaghan: "Obama is going to be tired. He has to carry Burner, Gregoire, Goldmark, and everyone else in the state to victory."
10:35: Heck: "With all mail voting, we don't have an election day anymore, but an election month." Callaghan: "There is an interesting trend where a Democratic candidate will have a lead but in recent elections the absentee ballots that come later have trended more conservative. So it is a close race for a Democrat say 3-4 percent, don't call it on election night."
10:40: Elway: "The youth vote is a wild card this year." Gregg: "The economy going sour is having an impact on this election. Not as much as I thought last year."
