By Paul Zach

THERE is nothing half-baked about a poll conducted by a pastry shop chain here in the state where the battle for the US presidency has often been won or lost.

The Busken Bakery cookie poll has predicted the last four elections with uncanny accuracy. The cookies called the state, and the election, for President George W. Bush in 2004, within four points of the actual national vote tally.

This year, the bakery has sweet news for Democratic Party candidate Barack Obama. Last week, he was leading 5,051 cookies to 2,517 for his Republican rival John McCain.

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