What doesn't make sense to me is why this e-mail wasn't sent out early in the summer soon after the primary. Then the race was close to even and we could still register voters. Also, at that point, a greater proportion of voters could still be convinced. As things stand now its a steep, steep uphill climb, and by involving himself now, Obama is almost as exposed if the race is lost as he would have been if he'd been more involved months ago.

Its also noteworthy that the health reform debate will be peaking just as Virginia might be lost. That's not great timing and doesn't shed a whole lot of positive light on the Administration's tactics vis-a-vis this gubernatorial race.

Even more criticism can be made of Mark Warner, who only today sent his first e-mail supporting Deeds. I don't understand what he possibly thought he had to lose. For whatever reason, the Democrats in power in Virginia decided that Creigh would basically be on his own in this race, and their efforts now can be only minimally helpful.

Evan, this is NOT "good news" for Creigh Deeds. I'm a Virginia voter and Democratic activist, and I can tell you it's too late for Deeds. This e-mail is just going through the motions so no one can say Obama didn't do anything. Campaign 101, volunteers needed to be identified and mobilized long ago, you don't do that stuff less than 3 weeks out. And the bad news in the form of bad polling and "Deeds is losing" media coverage are demoralizing to activists. For my part I've been demoralized since early/mid-August and I've focused my volunteer efforts toward my endangered Democratic Delegate, Margi Vanderhye, while helping Deeds via "piggybacking" on my Vanderhye efforts.

It will take a miracle for Deeds to win, and our best realistic hope in Virginia right now is that he can get base Democratic turnout up enough to keep his margin of defeat in the mid-single digits, thus helping Democratic Virginia House candidates downballot.