The Pundits Make Their Election Day Calls: How Does Your Crystal Ball Compare?

Less than 48 hours from the election of our lives, here is what some of the best known minds in the business are predicting. What does your crystal ball say? Better yet, what does your gut say? And, if you're that confident, enter the Washington Post's Pick Your President Contest. Remember, a presidential candidate needs 270 votes to carry the Electoral College.

Fred Barnes, executive editor
The Weekly Standard
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 50%/252 vs. McCain 50%/286
Senate: 55 Democrats vs. 43 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 255 Democrats vs. 180 Republicans

Paul Begala, Democratic strategist and former presidential adviser
CNN political analyst
Presidential Race (Electoral): Obama 325 vs. McCain 186
Senate: 58 Democrats

Donna Brazile, Democratic strategist
Presidential Race (Electoral): Obama 343 vs. McCain 195
Senate: 59 Democrats vs. 39 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 264 Democrats vs. 171 Republicans

James Carville, former presidential adviser
Democratic media consultant
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 365 vs. McCain 173
Senate: 60 Democrats
(Sources: washingtonpost.com, CNN)

Chris Cillizza
Washington Post politics reporter
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 52%/312 vs. McCain 48%/226
Senate: 57 Democrats vs. 41 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 266 Democrats vs. 169 Republicans

Eleanor Clift, McLaughlin Group contributor
Newsweek contributing editor
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 52.1%/349 vs. McCain 46.5%/189
Senate: 58 Democrats vs. 40 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 265 Democrats vs. 170 Republicans

David Gergen, former presidential adviser
CNN political analyst
Presidential Race (Electoral): Obama 338 vs. McCain 200
Senate: 59 Democrats

Mark Halperin, TIME Magazine
Presidential Race (Electoral): Obama 349 vs. McCain 189
Senate: 58 Democrats vs. 40 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 263 Democrats vs. 172 Republicans

Arianna Huffington, editor-in-chief
Huffington Post
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 51.1%/318 vs. McCain 45.6%/220
Senate: 58 Democrats vs. 40 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 254 Democrats vs. 181 Republicans

Morton Kondracke, executive editor
Roll Call
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 54%/379 vs. McCain 45%/159
Senate: 57 Democrats vs. 41 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 269 Democrats vs. 166 Republicans

Bill Maher, host and comedian
HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher"
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 52.5%/375 vs. McCain 46%/163
Senate: 57 Democrats vs. 41 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 259 Democrats vs. 176 Republicans

Chris Matthews, Host
MSNBC's "Hardball With Chris Matthews"
Presidential (Popular/Electoral): Obama 52%/338 vs. McCain 46%/200
Senate: 56 Democrats vs. 42 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 264 Democrats vs. 171 Republicans

Markos Moulitsas, DailyKos founder
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 54%/390 vs. McCain 45%/148
Senate: 58 Democrats vs. 40 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 268 Democrats vs. 167 Republicans

Ed Rollins, GOP strategist
Campaign chair for Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR)
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 52%/353 vs. McCain 45%/185
Senate: 57 Democrats vs. 41 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 249 Democrats vs. 186 Republicans

George Stephanopoulos, host and former presidential aide
ABC News "This Week"
Presidential Race (Electoral): Obama 353 vs. McCain 185
Senate: 58 Democrats vs. 40 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 263 Democrats vs. 172 Republicans

George Will, Conservative columnist
Presidential Race (Electoral): Obama 378 vs. McCain 160
Senate: 57 Democrats vs. 41 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 256 Democrats vs. 179 Republicans

Juan Williams, NPR news analyst
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 51%/326 vs. McCain 47%/212
Senate: 58 Democrats vs. 40 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 258 Democrats vs. 177 Republicans

The Zaftig Redhead
Blogger Extraordinaire
Presidential Race (Electoral): Obama 321 vs. McCain 217
Senate: 56 Democrats vs. 42 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 259 Democrats vs. 176 Republicans

While the overwhelming majority of the pundits are seeing good things for Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and his Democrats, don't count your chickens based on these foxes -- they've been known to be wrong, a lot. But if you really want more, you can find more pundit predictions here.

Copyright 2008. The Zaftig Redhead. All Rights Reserved.