CNN calls Virginia for Senator Obama

Depending on which poll you look at today, it's 49% Senator Obama to 45% Senator McCain, or 53% Obama to 44% McCain in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Mithras, who has a job, as opposed to me, who will be leaving law school to face the worst American economy in the history of the universe, was wondering which swing state he should go to, if McCain abandons his campaign in Pennsylvania. Looks as though the list of those states may be a little shorter than he thought it was. "Virginia Republicans," writes CNN, "have not won a statewide race since Democrat Mark Warner won the governorship in 2001."

Speaking of which, since when did we start calling swing states "battleground" states? There's a navel-gazing academic essay in there somewhere about the militarization of language in a militaristic, sovereign-country-invading society.

And speaking of Virginia, Brendan has pointed out that Ralph Stanley of Dickenson County has endorsed Obama in a radio ad that warms the cockles of my Piedmont heart.