AP: Obama, McCain Essentially Even

The Associated Press, which has favored Obama throughout much of this race, reports that their AP-GfK poll shows Obama with 44%, McCain with 43%. Their evaluation of these numbers:

McCain and Barack Obama (are) essentially running even among likely voters in the election homestretch.

This represents a real shift after the third debate.

Three weeks ago, an AP-GfK survey found that Obama had surged to a seven-point lead over McCain.

Here is where early voting via absentee ballot makes a difference. Early voters can change their minds but not their votes.

Whoever wins, a close race is more fun than a landslide. On the other hand, one could reasonably argue that a landslide gives whoever wins a real mandate, where a close race does not.