Brilliant BRILLIANT Political Move!!

[Yael]

The day after the useless debate, the Obama campaign scheduled a “whistle stop” train tour of South Eastern PA. The line runs from Philly to Harrisburg.

Not only was this cost effective as the only “venue” was the rental of the car from Amtrak (forgetting additional security detail – and I am not sure if the campaign has to pay for that??) but it got the Senator a lot of exposure in the area. Up close and personal with thousands and thousands at every stop.

Here are the results from yesterday, noting Penn State as well.

I put the train line in pink, noting that it is actually a bit north in reality (basically where the word “Philadelphia” goes across the counties).




Can you say landslide? :bounce:

[redqueen]

1. Wow!

Thanks... that's great to see. :D

[roguevalley]

12. they are still counting parts of philadelphia aren't they?

[redqueen]

17. Not sure... as of this morning I think they were though, yes.

:)

[dchill]

2. Maybe he should have kept going.

Just sayin'. :)

[Ned_Devine]

3. He's pretty smaaht!

He knows what he's doing

[Cha]

4. Wow, Yael! This is an amazing

graph/chart you've set up for us to ponder! Nice pic to top it off..thanks:)

[Bucky]

5. Getting more votes wherever he goes only helps if we can clone him

he needs TV mojo

[ClayZ]

6. Very nice!

K and R

[1776Forever]

7. Just goes to show that when people hear his message they know he is the best candidate!

:bounce: :toast: :bounce:

[DangerDave921]

13. What's that message again? LOL

Something about hope? Or change?

[quantass]

8. What about the BUS Tour -- Where is that line? (IMPRESSIVE Find btw!)

[Yael]

20. That was Pittsburgh up to Penn State and over to Philly, I believe

I created that graphic in Paint. :P

[Jane Austin]

9. Thanks, Yael.

And thanks for all your hard work.

Are you the Apple Air singer?

ld

[Olney Blue]

10. We're going to need trains for the GE- start booking now!

[Coexist]

11. you should post this at barackobama.com

[Yael]

21. Feel free!

:hi:

[Zachstar]

22. Good Idea!

[Adelante]

14. You're the best, Yael

I was so hoping somebody would figure out the return on the whistle stop tour :yourock:

[Tatiana]

15. Wow! Thanks for putting this all together.

The train tour really seems to have made a huge difference!

[JBoy]

16. Very cool. What's the train service like in Indiana?

[hfojvt]

18. Well of course Dauphin would vote for him.

:evilgrin:

Looks like he took Union county too, but lost Clinton county.

[Zachstar]

19. Perfect evidence of why Obama needs to do train trips deep in Indiana and North Carolina!

Just this time go DEEP into Clinton strongholds! Make it 2 days each!

[NoodleyAppendage]

23. Very interesting. But, couldn't this also be because he picked a route already friendly to him?

Just wondering...the data you present are correlational, not causational. So, it could equally hold that the route selected was going through counties that may have swung his way regardless.

It certainly doesn't look like the train "stumping" didn't hurt him. He should try the same in NC and Indiana.

J

[Zachstar]

24. I agree to an extent it would have been better if he went through DEEP PA to try to sway

He needs to get in to the little known rural areas of Indiana. Areas where there may be but 10 people at his speech but those 10 people can talk and interest others.

Indiana is going to be a battle. Clinton knows its not a firewall state and she will fight tooth and nail to keep it from going Obama. So he MUST get into those deep rural areas!

[suston96]

25. Terrific! But the pundits say those are the counties he was supposed to carry.....nt

[FedoraLV]

26. What's better

he wants to make Amtrak decent:
http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:6iOOvvuGnngJ:www.barackobama.com/issues/additional/Obama_FactSheet_Transportation.pdf+obama+amtrak&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6&gl=us&client=firefox-a

rail riders agree:
http://www.narprail.org/cms/index.php/resources/more/the_map_of_narps_vision/

(Click on the dream map and the comparison to the actual map: it will rock your world.)

How'd we get this way?

Remember that our nation train system runs on freight-built and maintained tracks and bows to private freight companies' schedules and priorities -- we're the only industrialized nation that has this backwards notion -- and our national rail service (not a corporation like Delta ...) is not accorded the same sweetheart deals as our national airline industry.

This is exactly the kind of situation where changes in national policy would be the most effective agents in making a difference: we deserve a 21st century national rail (and bus) system that is not stalled in the 70's and is a real alternative to driving or flying. (<http://www.nationaltrainday.com/about-train-day/going-green>)

(The whistle-stop tour was on Amtrak equipment and Obama was proudly seen off by Amtrak personnel: let's hear it for a president who will take mass transportation seriously!)

-FedoraLV

[Yael]

27. The Amtrak system here is fabulous

We are about 1:15 to NYC from the main Philly station.

From the burbs into Philly, it takes half the commute time to take the train than to drive and attempt to find parking -- and you will pay the same to park in Center City than you will to take the train. You can walk from the 30th street main station to the center of downtown in about 10 minutes.

It is a win-win.

[GeorgeGist]

28. dupe ...

as in sucker!

[Yael]

29. Huh?