Posted on 10/21/2008 9:23:06 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Amid reports of the John McCain camp narrowing the number of states in which it is truly competing, all eyes in the political world have turned toward Pennsylvania (in part because that's where the candidate spent his day hard at it on the stump).
With polls showing Barack Obama poised to win at least four states President Bush carried in 2004 -- Iowa, New Mexico, Virginia and Colorado -- the question has become which major state could McCain snatch from the Democratic column to maintain GOP control of the White House.
That's where Pennsylvania, with its 21 electoral votes, comes in, as Newsweek's Andrew Romano adroitly detailed earlier today. Romano also appropriately cast a skeptical eye on that strategy, in light of what the Pennsylvania polls have been indicating.
McCain's political director, Mike Duhaime, counters such naysaying.
He conducted a conference call with reporters this afternoon, and The Times' Bob Drogin relates that the operative insisted “we feel we’re going to be successful” in Pennsylvania.
One reason: Duhaime termed McCain the most appealing GOP presidential candidate to Pennsylvania voters since Ronald Reagan.
He also broke down some numbers from the '04 race, arguing that....
...since Democrat John Kerry won the state by only 140,000 votes, McCain “needs to flip” only 2,000 votes in each the state’s 67 counties.
Here's what else Duhaime had to say, as passed along by Drogin:
He said the campaign is operating three dozen offices in the state and is making hundreds of thousands of phone calls every week to identify and persuade potential GOP voters. The data mining efforts are aimed at identifying former Hillary Clinton supporters and independents who are prepared to consider McCain’s message. He said the internal data is “trending” in McCain’s direction and is showing “a lot of things” not apparent
(Excerpt) Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com ...
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
***John McCain’s political guru explains how he wins Pennsylvania***
Start acting like a conservative!
Yes, but there is probably 200,000 more registered voters around Philadelphia than there are citizens. How will he flip the dead voter?
Lamestream media hanging everything on these bogus polls.
um, the problem is that more people are RATS in PA now than then and McCain is not in the same position Bush was in, in 2004 in terms of enthusiasm and voters liking him.
I have family in the Philly burbs; they’re not going to McCain.
Fast Eddie will make sure he supresses our vote too.
He needs to concentrate on CO! I think he’ll keep OH and FL.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Pray for PA. And COLO AND VA. Pray!
No sense worrying about that, the GOP filed suit in Philly regarding ACORN ...at least the FBI is investigating and they know they’re being watched this year.
GOTV...IT’S ABOUT TURNOUT!! ALWAYS HAS BEEN ABOUT TURNOUT!
Ok, since you’re aiming this at me, among others, I’d like to hear this from McCain..he should be telling people not to get down..he should batter the press and give us something. Am I asking too much? Really? And I’m not talking about me, of course, because I’m going to vote no matter what...but there may be people who feel like me who might see the long lines and just say, “what the hell.”
ping
Just received an email that Nevada has McCain tied. Breaking News comes from Our Country Deserves Better PAC which is headed into MI for McCain/Palin.
THEY ARE IN COLORADO FIGHTING! ARE YOU NOT WATCHING THE NEWS OR READING FReeper THREADS?
My brother and his wife just moved to PA a few years ago from MD, and they are voting McCain, so there.
I think McCain will take NV.
Iowa is gone, but NH might be an omen of good things to come on election day. I think they’ll pull through for us. Not sure what to think about New Mexico, the polls will likely tighten some but I don’t know if it will be enough.
I’m not sure McCain is suppose to be your therapist.
What needs to be said by McCain to sooth you? He said he has momentum, and realizes he’s down a few points but he thinks that they can finish strong. Obama is ahead in every poll under the sun and even he said the other day, “remember New Hampshire when we were ahead and had our heads handed to us.”
It will be a close race. TURNOUT IS THE KEY. And you don’t turn voters out to vote by saying, “it’s over, Obama will be the next President.”
Look, I’m glad McCain is trying something but obviously if they wanted PA it would have been better not to have given up on the state prior to this.
Essentially we are screwed, the only thing that will give McCain the inside straight he needs will be something that moves the national polls 5 or 6 points. So far that hasn’t happened.
I can give you 100 reasons why no one should vote for Obama, it’s a disgrace to vote for him over a hero like McCain.
But it’s also obvious a lot of Americans lack the insight we are so sure of. Also, Obama is going to get an enormous black turnout. This election is all about the demographics coming home to roost.
I believe McCain can win PA. There is a big undercurrent in this election. Obama has a history of not only mobilizing voters for him but also mobilizing the opposition. I’ve seen in Chesterfield county more interest in the campaign then even for Bush against Kerry. We can not keep signs and every street and I’m talking yards signs on just along the highway has McCain Palin signs popping up like flowers. There are areas of exception like Petersburg and of course Richmond and NVA. But anyone who confuses lack of love for McCain with lack of support will be greatly surprised on election day.
Ping!
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