Lest we forget, Presidents are not popularly elected

Each State, through rules it basically sets on its own, selects "electors" who in turn sit in the electoral college.  Those electors then decide who will be the next President.  So certain States take on a magnified importance.  For example, who cares how many votes either party gets in California because they are all going to Obama.  Conversely, little New Hampshire and its lonely four delegates may get quite a bit of attention because those votes are in play.  Last election, based upon the strength of support within the African American community, North Carolina, a normally reliable Republican State, voted for Obama.  It was won of his real keys to victory. Well, the latest Rasmussen tracking poll of likely voters in North Carolina has Mitt up 51% to 43%.  How important do the Democrats believe North Carolina is to Obama's reelection chances?  They picked Charlotte for their convention.