11 weeks, miles to go and millions to raise

With 11 weeks to the start of the Democratic national convention - and the Republican event just days later...

With 11 weeks to the start of the Democratic national convention — and the Republican event just days later — John McCain and Barack Obama will be focused on strategy, fundraising, shoring up weak spots and exploiting opportunities to prepare themselves for the sprint to November 4. Here is what they will be worrying about:

SHRINKING THE ELECTORAL MAP

From now on, the great majority of Americans can be excused if they barely realise a presidential election is under way. They will see virtually no TV ads, visits by candidates or local news coverage. That is because this campaign, like the last two, will focus on about 15 competitive states. Both parties see the other states as reliably in their camps and not needing attention, or totally out of reach and not worth the effort and expense of trying to win them. McCain will start by trying to hold the 31 states President George W. Bush won in 2004. If he succeeds, he will be president. Obama must claim one or more of those states, while losing few of the ones Al Gore and John Kerry won in their narrow losses to Bush.

The magic number is 18. That’s how many electoral votes Obama must add to Kerry’s 252, from four years ago, to secure the presidency. For example, if Obama carries Iowa (seven electoral votes) and Missouri (11) without losing any Kerry states, he would become president.

CHOOSING A RUNNING MATE

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Obama first must decide whether to tap Hillary Clinton. Many political insiders think he will turn elsewhere. Possibilities include four vanquished presidential rivals: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, and Senators Joe Biden of Delaware, and Chris Dodd of Connecticut. Also mentioned are two prominent female supporters of Obama: Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Kansas Governor. Kathleen Sebelius. McCain is likely to look at Republican Governors Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Charlie Crist of Florida, two battleground states. Other possibilities include former Massachusetts governor and presidential rival Mitt Romney; Utah Governor Jon Huntsman; South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford; Alaska Governor Sarah Palin; and former congressman and White House budget director Rob Portman of Ohio, another key state.

DEFINING YOUR OPPONENT

BEFORE HE DEFINES YOU

Campaign pollsters say the average person still knows relatively little about Obama or McCain. Both men and their allies will race to fill in the blanks with appealing portraits of themselves and unflattering pictures of the other. Obama’s theme is “change,” and he constantly says McCain would carry out “a third term” of President George W. Bush, whose approval ratings approach historic lows. McCain portrays Obama as inexperienced, naive and more talk than action.

RAISING MONEY

Obama has assembled an unprecedented political fundraising machine, raking in $264 million in 16 months. McCain has raised $115 million in 17 months. Obama should manage to continue this extraordinary accumulation of cash. McCain is improving as he works with the Republican National Committee to expand his donor base. McCain is preparing to accept about $85 million in publicfinancing. But he needs approval from the Federal Election Commission, which cannot act until the Senate confirms nominees to the commission required for a quorum. Obama is expected to turn down the hefty check and rely on his army of private donors to finance his run.