I'm still a little nervous about Pennsylvania because...

[4_Legs_Good]

We've been up like 10 points in PA for a while now, and still we're doing HUGE campaign events there. I know it's VERY important, but why not launch Biden/Clintons in Ohio? Why not shoot for Arkansas.

I have to wonder if the internals are as good as we're seeing if Obama is using so many resources in a state we look to be so far ahead in.

Anyone have any in side info?

David

[PCIntern]

1. City/NE PA turnout is critical here...

you have to keep everyone whipped up.

[elkston]

2. While Ohio can be sacrificed, we MUST win PA. Obama is taking nothing to chance. (eom)

[4_Legs_Good]

3. Makes sense, and that's why I love him!

I think he and the team know EXACTLY what they need. It's just that this seems 95% in the bag, so it makes me wonder if they know something I don't...

David

[Motown_Johnny]

4. he has the resources, I am sure the campaign knows what they are doing

[LibraLiz1973]

5. My guess would be that Joe has some pull & I'll tell you right now he is VERY

passionate about PA and DE. It is a "hometown" crowd for him- and something Jill would not have needed to commute for.

[4_Legs_Good]

7. now that makes a lot of sense

He does talk about it all the time.

Maybe they're trying to turn it back to Blue permanently rather than constantly a "swing" state.

I'm actually surprised McSame is still trying there.

David

[moriah]

6. I know on Thursday and Friday Obama was speaking in Ohio....

I heard those two stump speeches on POTUS 08.

I also heard Joe giving a KICKASS speech in Missouri -- I sat listening in the car for 20 minutes after I'd already pulled into the garage, I couldn't tear myself away.

[WinkyDink]

8. You can't ignore the hard-working faithful. Team Obama MUST---and I believe will---come to the

Lehigh Valley REGARDLESS of the polls.

[DarthDem]

9. Obama Was Stumping In OH . . .

. . . when Biden and the Clintons were in PA. So I'd say that's a pretty good division of resources. If I had to guess, I'd say they are forcing McClown to spend resources in the lost-cause sinkhole (for the Rethugs) of PA.

[JPZenger]

10. Obama was following up upon a promise in PA.

Obama has had small rallies in the suburbs in PA, but didn't have any public events in Philadelphia. People in Philadelphia felt slightled, so Obama apparently promised to come back for events in neighborhoods within the City. Those promises were probably made before PA.'s numbers looked so good. Besides, he was already in Philadelphia for 2 fundraisers the night before, so it was convenient to spend 6 hours the next morning in Philadelphia.

Moreover, McCain and Palin are spending time in PA. last week and this coming week, so they still think PA is in play.

[RichGirl]

11. Just to calm your nerves....

Back when Bill Clinton was doing all the talk shows. I saw him on Jon Stewart (or Larry King..can't remember) He talked about how close friends he and Hillary were with Joe Biden, and that he and Hillary had an important family event in PA so they decided that they would do an Obama rally with Joe while they were there. I think it had more to do with convenience than fears. It was a great rally and everybody got to see it on CSPAN.

[Top Cat]

12. We need PA and the are smart not to leave anything to chance

[grantcart]

13. They are putting PA out of play so that they can forget about it

I would guess that Ohio, Indiana, Florida and Virginia are going to see a lot of Pres candidates over the next 3 weeks

[quaker bill]

22. PA, FL, and OH

could make an early night of it. If you have the cash then there is no reason not to put it to bed east of the mississippi.

[polichick]

14. imo it was partly symbolic - choosing Scranton because of Hillary's and Joe's ties...

...but representing thousands of similar towns in several states.

[PaDem]

15. PA is close I think.......

both candidates are running a boatload of ads here. Tons. And obviously both campaigns continue to spend a lot of time here.

[kennetha]

16. I wonder about the difference between public polls and internal polls of the candidates

In many campaigns. you hear the candidates diss the public polls and say that their internal polls show something different.

I wonder whether candidates spend a lot more money and do a lot more sophisticated polling than the public polls do?

Anybody ever work on the polling unit of a national or state level campaign? If so, tell us more.

[Hippo_Tron]

17. Nobody who has inside info would post in on DU, but...

If you want my theory, they are trying to make sure that the lead stays wide enough that it forces McSame to pull his ads from the state.

[Hawaii Hiker]

18. Good article in Philadelphia Inquirer about PA race

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20081012_Polls_give_Obama_clear_lead_in_Pa_.html?page=1&c=y

I think it's a matter of not taking anything to chance...As the enclosed article states, "Pennsylvania is becoming more New Jersey than Ohio" (as far as voting trends) but it's not a guaranteed lock like a California, New York, Illinois, etc. so it's good to be aggressive & not let up in advertising & appearances.....

[fujiyama]

19. Obama knows that Appalachia is still a tough sell

Certain regions will still be difficult. That's why he's busting his ass off in those states. Appalachia runs through parts of PA, OH, WV, VA, TN, and KY.

PA and VA look like good bets. Partly, because they still have urban centers which have young professionals and African Americans. In fact, VA has been polling quite a bit better than OH, which has proven to be especially stubborn. Obama has had leads there, but it's still VERY close. I'm actually starting to think NC may be more likely to go blue than OH (NC also has been a magnet for hi tech jobs attracting many professionals). He is however starting to close in on WV, which is less evangelical and until Bush won in '00, was very Democratic (went to Carter in '80 and Dukakis in '88). I still am skeptical of WV (I'm not relying on ONE poll, that too by ARG to get my hopes up over that state) but God it would be nice to see it go Obama's way especially after watching the primary results there. We also know that TN and KY are not seriously being disputed.

I think we'll see some interesting realignments in this election and revelations about race in this country. Ohio is technically not a southern state, but jobs have dried up and educated professionals have left the state. VA and NC (as well as CO, another very state where Obama is favored to win) have absorbed many of those and likewise we may start seeing those demographic changes reflected in this election. I think we will also see some of what we saw in the primaries - race simply means less in those states than the rust belt. But then again, things have become SO bad that we hear people with racist feelings saying, "Yeah, he's a fucking n*gger, but I'll still vote for him". I heard this myself. It's difficult to really reply to, because the racism is shocking and disgusting, but at the same time it's good to see that people are willing to put aside their prejudices and almost, sort of, come to their senses.

[jn2375]

20. McCain not running many ads here anymore, Obama is burying

McCain in TV ads today. Mostly all positive. Obama all over the radio. Last Sunday is was mostly all negative McCain ads every commercial break. This week is the exact opposite with Obama winning the ad war. Barely any McCain TV ads today. My feeling here in PA is McCain is slowing giving up on PA. The campaign calls have slowed, no mailers from McCain or phone calls. My bet is we will be hearing shortly that McCain is conceding PA to Obama. The union support here has been relentless. I never was afraid McCain would win PA not with the huge turnout Obama will be getting out of the Philadelphia area. That makes up almost 1/3 of the vote.

[AllentownJake]

21. Why things are still happening in PA and other states that are polling well

They are sticking to that strategy. It takes 270 electoral votes to win the White House. In Barack Obama's calculation PA is a critical state Arkansas is not. Nobody knows what can happen in the last two weeks of an election. Barack Obama is continuing to work on the states he planned to regardless of polling to sure up his electoral map.

It takes months to build up a Presidential Election team recruit volunteers and identify supporters for GOTV for a General Election. Obama appearences and other big surrogates are generally used for Volunteer recruitment and local TV coverage. DU is all talking landslide this week. However, If we turn our attention away from the critical states and one of them falls we could lose the Presidency. Getting within 3 points in Arkansas would be great however the Electoral College is winner take all.

We are on offense in Ohio, Florida, NC, VA, Iowa, Colorado, New Mexico, Indiana one district in Nebraska and Missouri.

We are on defense in states like PA, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Minnesota. Obama is disciplined and once a strategy is mapped out we keep to our strategy. The only number that matters is 270. Everything after 270 is gravy but 270 first and foremost.

[CANDO]

23. I'm in the Reading area.

PA has an older population and the racial attitudes of that generation are hard to break. In Muhlenberg Township north of the city, McCain/Palin signs are fucking EVERYWHERE. I attribute that to racism. Reading is a crime ridden small city who's better days are behind it. Mostly minorities inhabit the city, like many other small to medium sized cities across the US. The townships surrounding Reading are "white-flight" areas. I noticed one of my neighbors who supported Kerry in '04 now has a McCain sign in his yard. My wife and I are in our 40's, and the older suburban neighborhood we live in is teaming with retirees who are not about to change their good old comfortable Republican ways.