Obama Could Lose Illinois

It's polls like this one that give Democrats acute visceral pain. Obama could lose Illinois. That conjecture is based on a poll of Cook County which contains Chicago. While Cook County is the one of the bluest counties in the country most of Illinois is red. To win statewide a Democrat must build up a massive lead in Cook County. The poll was conducted by political strategist Michael McKeon. The sample was 629 registered voters. Obama leads in Chicago by 61% to 29% but in the Cook County suburbs where Rahm Emanuel's machine can't help Romney leads 45% to 38%. Overall Obama leads in Cook County by 12 percent, 49% to 37%. The question that must give Obama and Axelrod heartburn is that lead large enough to withstand the red tide from downstate Illinois.