Red-Blue balance shifts in US electoral map ?

According to a BBC analysis, "one of the many things that makes this (America's presidential) election so intriguing is that perhaps the old paradigm of 'Red States' (those that voted for George W Bush) and 'Blue States' (Al Gore or John Kerry states) may be less relevant". If that is accurate, it means Republican candidate John McCain , as I have reasoned earlier in an entry in Clare Street, "certainly cannot take the American heartland for granted" in his bid for the top post.

Barack Obama plans to visit Iraq, Afghanistan