Seriously, why is PA a battleground state? How can you be up so far? and be a battleground.

[glowing]

[stray cat]

1. Because thats where the terrorists are and McCain will follow them to the gates of hell

Oh wait - wrong soundbite?

[Downtown Hound]

2. It's not

Just a media talking point is all. Obama will win PA handily just like Gore and Kerry did.

[glowing]

6. It just seems like they want to keep McCain delusionally happy thinking

he's got a chance or something? I don't get it. I'm in FL, and the enthusiasm is def. for Obama.. Now, I happen to live in red area, and I'd say 50/50 are the signs.. The rest of the county is pretty damned blue and its a record turn out year... Everyone is talking about change.. just a 3 days now.. change.. That's the code word to one another.. after that, we all just break out gushing over Obama. Def. not as many of those silly stickers saying W'04 this year.. whew.

[DebJ]

3. As a Pennsylvanian and a student teacher, let me tell you the

education in social studies is hideous. I have worked with or watched 5 social studies teachers, every one a Republican. No talk about issues. No talk about anything that matters. One teacher just gives the kids the text and a list of 30 questions to work on every day. Each of these classrooms is in heavily Democratic, urban areas. We need some
Democratic teachers! With any luck, I'll be one next year!

This is another form of voter suppression to me!

[AngryAmish]

Because half of the state are rednecks

simple racism.

[stray cat]

4. Seriously, I think because Hillary did really well there and Obama more poorly

The media has had a hard time believeing Obama could ever appeal to those Hillary voters and McCain seems to believe they can be swayed and is putting his chips on PA

[Thrill]

5. Because the media wants to keep their narrative going

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. Xactly

Obama is not winning the pop vote by ten percent and losing Pennsylvania...

That's a ridiculous supposition...

[Overseas]

7. Because Democrats dug up some hatred there

that the GOP is dieing to revive. A certain Democrat managed to stir up angry white votes and the GOP, aka Republicans, want to get those folks to vote for

Senator "Not Insane McCain."

(Apparently Palin fans have been yelling John McCain is Not Insane" at her rallies.)

[Drunken Irishman]

8. McCain needed a last stand.

He needed a state to contest for the election didn't end two weeks ago. Pennsylvania is the only Democratic-leaning state where people thought he stood somewhat of a chance (slim, but a chance). So he camped out there, made it his home base and could continue campaigning strong without looking like he conceded the race two weeks out.

[EastTennesseeDem]

10. McCain has to flip a blue state

Not Virginia alone. Not enough EV's in Virginia. He has to desperately go after one of them.

[cameozalaznick]

11. A look at the electoral map

which is after all, how we elect a pres., and these national numbers mean nothing. Anyway, a look at the map will tell you that McCain must win PA. It's his only shot. It's his last hail mary.

[John1956PA]

12. Because it uses voting machines which produce no paper trail.

Of course, I hope I am wrong about my worst fears regarding the possibility of election theft. Shame on the Bureau of elections in Harrisburg for pushing upon the counties the damn electronic machines which produce no paper trail. I went to the county commissioners meeting a few years ago and argued against the scrapping of the county's existing fool-proof paper ballot and optical scanner system. The two republican commissioners stated that Harrisburg interpreted HAVA as mandating implementation of electronic machines across the state, even though none of the then-approved electronic machines produced a paper trail. In a neighboring county which has been traditionally Democratic, the 2004 electronic voting results showed a surprising undervote in the presidential contest, with Kerry taking Bush by only a slight margin.