Ohio: The Mother Of Presidents
CNN's Bash, on McCain’s reaction to losing OH: "There's no question ... reality is setting in in the McCain campaign."
Pol. consultant Kirsten Powers, on the loss of OH: "It means it's pretty much over for John McCain. I don't see another path for him. We're obviously waiting for VA. I don't see many opportunities in the West for him" (FOX).
Syndicated columnist Mark Shields, on Obama's OH projected win: "No Democrat with the exception of John Kennedy has ever won the White House without carrying the Buckeye state. It's the mother of Presidents. It's fiercely fought" (PBS).
MSNBC's Scarborough: "The thread has broken. If someone can tell me where McCain can pick up Ohio's 22 electoral votes, I'd like to hear it. ... We don't want to call it because folks on the West Coast are still voting but I think it's over."
National Review's Rich Lowry: "If Obama holds the rest of the Kerry states, which seems likely, and McCain holds the rest of the Bush states, which seems unlikely, it's over" (FOX).
New York Times' Brooks, on McCain losing OH: "McCain will have to hold every red state. If he loses another Florida or Indiana, it becomes very, very hard" (PBS).
CNN's Malveaux: "Clearly, the race is not yet over, but there is a lot of anticipation, a lot of excitement, that it is going clearly in [Obama's] way."
Meanwhile, CBS is having fun with metaphors.
CBS' Schieffer: "I don't see how John McCain can win now. I mean, I guess it's still possible mathematically, but when you look at the map, winning Ohio, I think I think Barack Obama is going to be the president of the United States and I mean that's just the shortest way I can put it, but I think that's where we're heading."
CBS' Couric: "The cake is baked, in your view?"
CBS' Greenfield: "The deal is sealed."