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ST. PAUL -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, accepting the GOP nomination for vice president Wednesday night, sought to silence critics and strike an accord with American voters in one of the most anticipated speeches in the race for the White House. Unknown even to many Republicans a week ago, Palin wrapped a personal profile and philosophical pitch into a 40-minute talk that brought thundering ovations from delegates at the Republican National Convention.

This afternoon in Pittsburgh, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., greeted Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin. "Hey coach. I'm Joe Biden," said the vice presidential candidate. "I'm second string." Biden told Tomlin that after his wife and daughter were killed in 1972, the owner of the Steelers Art Rooney -- whom Biden called "Old Mister Rooney" -- had players from then-world champion Steelers bring an autographed football "to the hospital in Wilmington, Delaware with a signed football for my sons" as a Christmas present, "and I have been a Steelers fan since that day."

Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden came to Pittsburgh today, but decided not to march in the Labor Day Parade. He said Hurricane Gustav in the Gulf Coast made it inappropriate for him to campaign in the festive setting of the parade. "This is just not a day for national politics. Our focus should be what's happening in the Gulf," Mr. Biden said during a Downtown news conference while the parade was under way a few blocks away. Gov. Ed Rendell, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and numerous Allegheny County politicians marched at the front of the parade.

Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden is coming back to Scranton. Biden was born in Scranton. His family moved to Delaware when he was ten years old. A spokesperson for the Obama/Biden campaign says Biden will visit a home in Scranton's Green Ridge section, where he will participate in a discussion on jobs and the economy. If you'd like to take part, forget about it. Admission to the Monday afternoon Biden appearance is by invitation only. It will be Biden's first visit to Scranton since Barack Obama chose him for the second spot on the ticket last month.

Welcome to Pennsylvania. Check your assumptions at the door and take nothing for granted -- because this commonwealth is about to become the epicenter of the political universe. "The Democrats can't win the presidency without Pennsylvania's electoral votes," says Charles Franklin, professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Steve McMahon, an analyst for the Democrats, says that is why Barack Obama's campaign showcased three Pennsylvania favorite sons at its convention. "The fact that all three, Sen. Bob Casey, Rep. Patrick Murphy and Scranton native Joe Biden, are white Catholics with working-class backgrounds" -- a tepid Obama demographic --...

WASHINGTON, Pennsylvania (CNN) – This might not be the best way to reach out to those disillusioned Hillary Clinton supporters. In just her second appearance on the campaign trail with John McCain, newly-minted GOP running mate Sarah Palin was showered with boos on Saturday for attempting to praise Clinton’s trail-blazing bid to become the first female president. As she did at in her debut speech in Ohio yesterday, Palin appealed to the women in the crowd here in Pennsylvania with a political shout-out to Geraldine Ferraro, who preceded Palin as the first women to be tapped as a vice presidential...

McCain hits campaign trail with risky VP pickPosted: 31 August 2008 0555 hrs PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania : The rival US presidential campaigns descended on eastern battleground states Saturday where Republican John McCain introduced his shock pick of a female political neophyte as a running mate. The two campaigns scheduled whistle stops and duelling rallies in economically struggling Pennsylvania and Ohio as the country stood stunned by McCain's risky, unexpected choice of Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin , 44, to run for the vice presidency. But their economic messages were overshadowed by the evacuation of the coastal city of New Orleans ahead of...

Watch the John McCain - Sarah Palin Rally in Washington, Pennsylvania set to begin at 6 PM EDT. You can watch the rally online by clicking the graphic above, which will take you to Pittsburgh station WTAE-TV.

Sounds & looks drunk to me as he introducing Michelle & Barack at this campaign stop!

I kid you not. Democrat presidential nominee Barack Obama and his running mate Joe Biden kicked off their campaign today at a chicken fat factory in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. The chicken fat factory converts the fat to biodiesel.The Pittsburgh Tribune Review reports Obama and Biden, accompanied by their wives, toured the Pennsylvania Bio Diesel plant that produces 35,000 gallons a month.Obama is scheduled to address a rally of "hundreds" of supporters tonight in Irvine Park in Beaver County, the paper reported.US Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) smells a sample of bio diesel fuel during a tour of the...

DENVER -- Upon sewing up the Democratic nomination for president, Barack Obama inherited a mixed blessing: Ed Rendell. On one hand, the governor who led the charge for Hillary Clinton's victory over Obama in Pennsylvania is a coveted ally in Keystone State politics and one who is essential to Obama's bid for the White House. On the other, Rendell's propensity for veering off-message already shows signs of rocking Obama's boat.

According to a new round of Quinnipiac polls, McCain is up by four points in Florida (47%-43%) after trailing in the state last month; Obama is up one in Ohio; and Obama is up seven points in Pennsylvania (49%-42%). These surveys were conducted from August 17-24 - before the start of the Democratic Convention.

Please join John McCain and Cindy McCain at a Road to the Convention Rally on August 29th in Dayton, OH or August 30th in Washington, PA. As the Senator and Mrs. McCain make their way across the country, they would be delighted to have you join them at the rallies leading up to accepting the Republican Nomination in Minnesota on September 4th. Please come and show your support for John McCain. Please pick up a free ticket to join us. You can reserve a ticket to pick up at one of our ticket distribution centers by following this link or...

DENVER -- While all eyes are on Sen. Barack Obama and his freshly minted running mate Sen. Joe Biden -- one week from today (the day after Sen. John McCain announces his running mate), Gov. Tom Ridge will introduce McCain along with unsaid running mate on a southwestern Pennsylvania stage. According to a Republican official, Ridge will be introducing McCain in Washington County next Saturday, which probably means Ridge is out, Mitt Romney remains the favorite, and Team McCain is planning to fight it out with Obama-Biden in the Keystone State. Many analysts and strategists are keeping a keen eye...

DENVER: When most people think of Joe Biden, they think Senate longevity, confidence, a liberal with a free-wheeling impulse to give you his never-to-be-humble opinion. What they don't think of is a man who could have a great impact in Pennsylvania. The question becomes: Can he make his impact as broad as Hillary Clinton -- another Scranton native -- did in the Pennsylvania primaries? Hillary glowed in Pennsylvania. She made Pennsylvania her second home and it stuck with voters. John Kerry, married to the Heinz ketchup heiress Teresa, did the same thing in his runup to the 2004 election. He...

Hillary Clinton's youngest brother has met a top aide to the Republican candidate John McCain, fuelling accusations that some of those close to the former First Lady are actively working against Barack Obama. Tony Rodham, who held a fundraising event for Mrs Clinton in Pennsylvania when she was battling against Mr Obama in the Democratic primaries, met Carly Fiorina, Mr McCain's senior economic adviser, in the state. Miss Fiorina was taking part in a two-day Pennsylvania bus tour designed to woo disenchanted Clinton supporters into the McCain camp. His wife Megan and their two children also attended the meeting at...

Thursday, August 21, 2008 Barack Obama leads John McCain by five percentage points in Pennsylvania for the second month in a row. Both candidates have lost some support from a month ago, with the Democrat now favored by 45% while his Republican opponent earns the vote from 40%. When “leaners” are included, Obama’s lead is down to just three points, 48% to 45%. A month ago, Obama led by six when leaners were included.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? One of Hillary Clinton's brothers and some Pennsylvania Democrats who backed her presidential bid socialized Monday with a top adviser to Republican John McCain. The Scranton Times-Tribune reports Tony Rodham attended a gathering hosted by political consultant Jamie Brazil, a longtime friend of the Clintons. Brazil is a paid national director of the Citizens for McCain coalition. Also there, McCain top economic adviser Carly Fiorina. The other guests included an attorney who coordinated Clinton's presidential campaign in northeast Pennsylvania during the primary election, and the sister of Scranton Democratic Mayor Chris Doherty. Under Wraps The...

Hmmm. You know how everyone's been talking about how Republican presidential nominee-to-be Sen. John McCain was gonna name his vice presidential running mate at a big rally in Dayton, Ohio on Aug. 29, the day after Barack Obama's acceptance speech to 70,000 of his closest friends in that Denver stadium?That still seems likely. But now comes word that McCain advance people have approached a minor league baseball stadium in southwestern Pennsylvania about hosting a rally for the Arizona senator the day after the Ohio rally. That would be the Saturday of Labor Day weekend before the GOP convention opens in...

Carly Fiorina, the ousted Hewlett-Packard chief, makes her pitch in W-B. BILL O ’ BOYLE boboyle@timesleader.com WILKES-BARRE – Carly Fiorina believes Sen. John McCain is the best choice to be the next president of the United States, and Monday she said voters will cross party lines to choose who is best for the country. Carly Fiorina, the former CEO at Hewlett-Packard and a supporter of Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, was in Wilkes-Barre on Monday. Fiorina, the ousted chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard, signed on with the McCain campaign 18 months ago and is one of the few surrogates...

Hat tip to CampSkunk for finding this good news! Guys this is a HUGE get. We were after Rendell just a few short days ago for trying to block efforts to bring aboard Hillary's delegates in Pennsylvania - he told people not to sign that nominating petition. And now he's saying he's going to vote for her on the first ballot. This is huge - HUGE I tell ya! Lauding 'cathartic' effect of roll-call vote, Rendell to cast his convention vote for Clinton. ...Clinton's largest backer in Pennsylvania says that he too will take the opportunity to cast his vote...

The speculation began first with Hillary, then it was Clark, a strong flirtation with 'change' soul-mate Kaine flipped to an eye towards stability with Indiana's Bayh, but now all of that has shifted over to Biden -- Joe that is -- that outspoken senator from Delaware that hails from the same part of Pennsylvania as Hillary Clinton's family and makes C-SPAN so darn interesting.

According to the pool report, Sen. Barack Obama told a crowd of over 1,300 in California not to worry, "I will win." Speaking at his third California financial barnstorming event yesterday -- a day that brought in a total of $7.8 million -- Obama was welcomed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She said he was a leader "that God has blessed us with at this time."

BELLEVILLE, Pa. -- The folks in this picturesque mountain community with red barns and Amish buggies have been voting overwhelmingly Republican in national elections for decades. But tough economic times in Mifflin County and in rural areas all around the country have created possible openings for Democrat Barack Obama. President Bush won nearly 70 percent of the county's vote in both 2000 and 2004, but the standard of living here has declined steadily during his administration. The farm equipment factory that employed 500 workers here is closing. So is the milk plant. Farmers are facing skyrocketing feed and fertilizer costs,...

Craig Williams has just returned from ANWR and will give us his trip report! This trip was planned well before the Texas Tea Party. Mr. Williams is running against a first term candidate who has taken money from CAIR. CAIR has yet to denounce terrorism!

Rumors of a contentious Democrat convention appear to be greatly exaggerated. David Morehouse, a senior campaign adviser to Sen. John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, says the threat of revolt is a perception some small constituencies would have you believe, "but these are the same people that would bite off their own nose to spite their face."

MANHEIM -- John McCain's last stop on a three-day swing across Pennsylvania provided clues as to how the Republican plans to beat Barack Obama in a battleground state the Democrat is favored to win.

Sen. John McCain reminded Pennsylvanians Tuesday that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama said the state's small-town voters "cling to guns and religion" because they are "bitter," a gaffe that possibly contributed to Mr. Obama's loss in the state primary and might haunt his general election campaign in this battleground. Mr. McCain told a town hall meeting that this state's voters are the "heartland," and "beam of hope and liberty for everyone in the world." His reprise of the "bitter" flap - an off-the-cuff remark made by Mr. Obama at a private fundraising event in San Francisco prior to...

Politicians often give long answers to short questions. Republican presidential candidate John McCain did the opposite Tuesday when a woman challenged his conservative fervor. Speaking to more than 2,000 people in York, McCain won deafening applause when he answered only "yes" to the woman, who read her statement from notes. "We conservatives believe that you dismissed our serious quest for responsible, limited government," she began. "In your quest for the presidency, we want to know if it is in you to become a passionate and forceful leader with a conservative agenda to fight the lure of socialistic programs promoted by...

John McCain's admission to the Weekly Standard's Steve Hayes ("Shayes" to friends) that he would consider the possibility of choosing a pro-choice running mate is rightly seen as a trial balloon to gauge reaction among conservative base voters to such a move. "I think that the pro-life position is one of the important aspects or fundamentals of the Republican Party," McCain told Hayes. "And I also feel that -- and I'm not trying to equivocate here -- that Americans want us to work together. You know, [former Pennsylvania Governor] Tom Ridge is one of the great leaders and he happens...

For Russell, 'change' means new thinking, not just new congressman By Jon Stevens, Staff writerjstevens@observer-reporter.com WAYNESBURG - When William Russell decided to run for Congress in Pennsylvania's 12th District, he knew it would be a difficult task to unseat an entrenched Democratic incumbent like John Murtha, D-Johnstown. But what the 46-year-old retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel is finding on his campaign stumps through the sprawling district is that many people think Murtha has lost touch and it's time for a change. "We are hearing a lot about change, especially in the presidential race," Russell said during a stop Thursday in...

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) continues to hold a narrow lead over U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in Pennsylvania, edging his Republican rival by 5 points in the race for the state's 21 electoral votes, according to a new poll. The Franklin & Marshall College poll, released today, surveyed 641 registered voters from Aug. 4-Aug. 10. While Obama led 44 percent to 36 percent among all survey respondents, he led 46 percent to 41 percent among likely voters. With both candidates securing support from a large majority of their party's voters, Obama's lead, significantly, comes from the support of almost...

PRCN-WPSU (2008-08-12) Senator John McCain has been taking a campaign swing through the Keystone State this week. On Monday, he made appearances in Harrisburg and Erie, and on Tuesday, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee has scheduled appearances in Lancaster and York. Riding on his campaign bus through Harrisburg Monday, McCain discussed a wide range of issues with reporters. He focused largely on the economy, but as the fighting between the Republic of Georgia and Russia continued, McCain took a hard stance on Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying, "I think it's very clear that Russian ambitions are to restore the old...

Ridge said he was proud of how McCain has handled the crisis unfolding in Georgia. ...“He has kept a cool head, taken calls from Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili -- and really behaved very presidential in his perspective of this crisis,” said Ridge as McCain shook hands with the crowd that gathered around him. “He has been to Georgia several times,” Ridge added. “He doesn’t need to look for it on a map.”

Russell team takes aim at Murtha’s House seat BY MIKE FAHERThe Tribune-Democrat August 09, 2008 11:39 pm — While Republican congressional candidate William Russell gave a television interview in an Upper Yoder Township backyard, campaign manager Peg Luksik worked a crowd of about 15 on a nearby porch.Her high-energy pitch included showing off several varieties of Russell T-shirts and urging supporters to each take two bumper stickers to better advertise the candidate while driving.“This really is a little-guy campaign,” she said. “Anything you can do, we certainly appreciate it. It does make a difference.”The campaign event last week, complete...

Sen. John McCain on Monday is campaigning through Pennsylvania with former governor and vice presidential contender Tom Ridge.

A longtime Western Pennsylvania politician once said, “You run with the top of the ticket when you can, and run away from it when you have to.” Which explains U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire’s short answer as to whether he will campaign in his district with Barack Obama: He’ll “consider it.” Altmire -– a previous skeptic of offshore drilling who now supports it, pitting him against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi -– said it will depend on when the presumptive nominee comes to town and if their schedules mesh. “I am not going to avoid it,” he added.

William Russell is back on the campaign trail. The 12th Congressional District Republican candidate, who is attempting to unseat longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. John Murtha, held his first Cambria County campaign event Wednesday. It was a modest affair on a back porch in Upper Yoder Township. But Russell said he is gaining momentum. “This campaign has heard from thousands of people over the past few weeks,” he said. Russell, who spent his career in the military and served in both Iraq wars, nearly saw his campaign end in February when a judge ruled that he had not gathered enough valid...

According to the Indy Star, Barack Obama has not asked Sen. Evan Bayh to be his running mate. At least not yet. The Star is reporting that the length of Obama's visit to Indiana -- he arrives around 6:30 p.m. this evening and does not leave until 3:30 p.m. Wednesday -- has fueled rumors that Bayh will be Obama's choice. Add to the fact that his wife, twin sons and father, the former Sen. Birch Bayh, will be joining him on this trip, and Bayh watch is on every political radar screen. The first rule of picking a vice-presidential running...

The Heartland supersized Sen. John McCain last night at a ginormous motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.D. While no one shouted "Free Bird" to McCain while he was speaking -- a pop culture homage to Lynyrd Skynyrd whose 2008 version of the band is playing at the rally -- the Republican presumptive nominee did call attention to the larger than normal size of his crowd: "As you may know, not long ago, a couple hundred thousand Berliners made a lot of noise for my opponent. I'll take the roar of 50,000 Harleys any day."

August 04, 2008 Murtha's reckoning Thomas Lifson Rep. John Murtha's disgrace in denouncing the Marines of the Haditha incident is not going to fade away gently into the night. William Russell, has returned from a tour of duty in the military and is running against him. His campaign has produced this video featuring Darryl Sharratt, the father of one of the Marines accused by Murtha of being a "cold-blooded killer." His son Justin Sharratt has subsequently been fully vindicated, and all charges dropped. Darryl Sharratt's video does not have the produiction values of a normal campaign commercial, but in his...

Paul Kanjorski’s re-election campaign could be in trouble, according to a Washington, D.C., political handicapper. The non-partisan Rothenberg Political Report has changed its analysis of the 11th Congressional District race between Kanjorski and Republican challenger Lou Barletta to “Toss-up/Tilt Democratic.” The contest previously was described as leaning Democratic. Kanjorski, a 12-term Democrat from Nanticoke, is airing early ads to “try to boost his standing,” according to the latest Rothenberg report. Barletta, the Hazleton mayor, challenged Kanjorski in 2002. Kanjorski won by 22,000 votes in the heavily Democratic district. A Republican has not held the seat since Jim Nelligan rode Ronald...

He’s a 17-term incumbent who’s bloated his district with so much pork that the Journal once described him as having practically built the town himself. Nothing’s going to dislodge him unless he commits a major felony — and even then, per Abscam, I wouldn’t be so sure — but if there’s any justice this clip will put Bill Russell within single digits. Russell’s active military duty ended just two days ago so presumbly this signals the start of his campaign in earnest. I can’t find any polls online, but follow the last link to MM’s post and you’ll see that...

HARRISBURG - Ralph Nader has landed a spot on the Pennsylvania presidential ballot again. The question is, can he keep it this time? Nader, an independent who was knocked off the ballot by Democratic challenges in 2004, submitted nearly 55,000 signatures to the Department of State yesterday. That's more than twice the number needed. The department counted and reviewed 24,665 signatures, the number needed for third-party candidates to place their names on the fall ballot, spokeswoman Leslie Amoros said. In 2004, a group of Democratic voters challenged Nader's petition and Commonwealth Court ruled that a majority of the signatures were...

I hold in my hand proof that Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell wants Barack Obama to lose the presidential election this November. What do I have? I have a July 31 press release announcing that Rendell has established a “Chief Diversity Officer” for the Keystone State backed up by the legal force of the state government. Rendell’s action is great news, of course, for the leftist-multiculturalist cause of “diversity.” But Rendell’s action is also an early warning indicator: It’s a signal to non-leftists, in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, of what an even greater emphasis on “diversity” might look like. That is to...

August 1, 2008 - 9:21am After retiring from the military, Russell joins his own campaign By Alex Roarty UNIONTOWN -- Bill Russell knows how to make an entrance. Now can he do the seemingly impossible? Just past midnight Friday, the Republican congressional candidate literally roared into his first campaign event in three months, driving his motorcycle into the center of Uniontown with the help of the military veterans biker group "Rolling Thunder." After shaking hands with many of the 40 supporters gathered to greet him, Russell wasted little time taking aim at his opponent, U.S. Rep. John Murtha (D-Johnstown). In...

The latest Quinnipiac Swing State Polls are out: Florida: Obama leads McCain, 46% to 44% Ohio: Obama leads McCain, 46% to 44% Pennsylvania: Obama leads McCain, 49% to 42%

Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign released its latest television ad today entitled "Celeb." The ad takes a swipe at the perception that Sen. Barack Obama is "the biggest celebrity in the world" because of his much covered Middle-East/European tour last week. The ad opens with a huge crowd screaming "O-Bama! O-Bama!" then flashes images of Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Obama -- not together and by the way not very subliminal lining him up with the Britney and Paris celebrity train wrecks) -- hitting the screen with the announcer proclaiming that "Barack Obama is the biggest celebrity in the world."...

The Sen. Barack Obama campaign held a conference call this morning on one of the key battleground states in this race: Pennsylvania. Team O, led by Gov. Ed Rendell, stressed the importance of registering and winning over the one-million-plus, un-registered voters spread out over the Keystone State.

It's complicated. Pennsylvania is a "purple" state that must go Democrat blue instead of Republican red for Barack Obama to win the November election. John McCain does not need Pennsylvania to win the White House, but Obama sure does.