I live in PA

[AllentownJake]

First Obama mispoke and he has some explaining to do. Seriously though after 15 months of campaigning this is the worse thing you have I find it kind of a good thing. Comparing stupid statements with McCain is laughable...the man can't figure out what the hell a shia or a sunni is and he's been to Iraq 8 times. I'm not going to attack another democratic candidate here.

I don't speak for the entire state but having lived here 23 years of my life and having spent 3 in Indiana and 2 in NC. The people who are progressives and democrats will understand what he meant. If they live in a smaller town they look around and know what's going on. They also probably have the crazy RW neighbor that blames everything on the democrats, illegal immigrants, and people trying to take their guns. Seriously some people out here put a picture of George Bush and a picture of Jesus next to each other. If your from a small town you know the people. Their the people who steal our signs during presidential election so that we have to come up with creative ways to protect them.

We aren't going to win these people. No matter who are candidate is, Hillary or Barack these people are going to vote for McCain. If it isn't gun control their worried about its abortion. To be honest I don't won't to compromise on either issue. I lived in Philadelphia while going to school in one of the worst neighboorhoods in the country and know what the result of our terrible gun control laws are. People going to Virginia on a weekend buying 30 guns than selling them on the street. Any attempt to curtail this inner city arms dealing has been meant with strong resistance from the gun manufacturing lobby and the NRA.

On abortion. I support Row Vs. Wade. Ed of Story.

This business we are talking about hunters is a right wing talking point. Those who are bringing it up know it and should be ashamed of themselves. When I lived in Indiana 1/4 of the gun owners I knew had guns for hunting. The rest were for "protection." I'm not sure what they thought was going to happen that they needed protection for but they felt the need for it. I also don't understand what they needed handguns for when my Grandfather a former state cop always told me handguns were stupid for protection. Shotguns work better since in the dark you'll probably miss with a handgun if you haven't practiced shooting in the dark but I digress. I support their right for "protection" however I don't support the dumping of guns in our inner cities. Any mention of any form of gun control even to prevent the gun dumping sent these people into a worked up frenzy. It was the "slippery slope" to taking their guns.

I'm all about expanding the democratic party and there are people in small town America that hold our ideals and I mean them no disrespect for their neighbors who feel the way they do. However generally speaking these people already get it and know what the chances are of converting their neighbors are. We aren't going to carry the rural counties this year. If you think we are I have PM and I have some things I'd like to sell you.

[cboy4]

1. Are you the public information officer for the state of

Pennsylvania?

It just sounds like sour grapes because more people are leaning toward voting for Hillary Clinton than Obama.

Wouldn't you agree Jake?

[AllentownJake]

2. First line

I don't speak for the state of PA. I spoke on my experience. I also didn't say anything negative about Senator Clinton

WTF is your problem.

[blue neen]

3. At least he lives in PA and knows the atmosphere here. You don't.

I also am in PA and live in a rural county.

I can't predict who is going to win in this state, but I can tell you this much. The Obama rally tickets in rural Westmoreland County were gone in half an hour. Half an hour...in a county that went for Bush the last two elections.

Obama may or may not win Pennsylvania, but it will be a lot closer then once thought.

[AllentownJake]

4. The discourse here

Has been getting worse and worse everyday. I didn't say one bad thing about Clinton yet they jump all over me.

[AirmensMom]

5. How nasty.

Can you even read?

"I don't speak for the entire state but having lived here 23 years of my life and having spent 3 in Indiana and 2 in NC."

[thunder rising]

13. Cackler's base line is +19 ... don't move the goal posts.

[cali]

15. try reading. duh.

he clearly stated that he does not speak for the state And you're obviously the fearful little hillbot who can't stand that your adored goddess will not be the nominee. Pathetic. Nothing new for you. Now, why don't you rush to call me a homophobe the way you love to do.

[EFerrari]

6. That's sounds like a good analysis to me.

The gun thing is a rw talking point and Clinton, with her history of pushing for gun control, is only setting herself up to look ridiculous again with her hunting stories I'm thinking that by Tuesday, we'll be well into Snipergate II.

Am I wrong or hasn't Obama done just fine in rural areas in the primary? I guess it was too tempting for Clinton not to try to peel some of those votes away.

[Cosmocat]

14. Live in Pa all my life ...

and in CENTRE county the last 15 or so ... Westmoreland was where I was born, and in the Hershey area growing up ... Have been pretty active with politics in the "rural" areas that are the topic of debate here ...

So, I have a pretty good feel for the state ...

I think the one point that has been lost in let another contrived controversy, is the main point that Obama was driving home wiht what he said was with the bitter statement was that these types of folks in specific, and most of us in general, are tired of having politicians make campaign promises they can't fullfill ...

I think that is a theme what runs pretty deep with these types of people, but of course the spin for this nonsense took away the context of what he said and replaced it with that was politically expedient - which kind of the point of what he was saying ...

As for Pa ... Yes, he has done well in some rural settings, but the PA rural areas aren't the same ... Not like southern rural areas that have signficant african american populations, and unlike the midwest, there is a brand of religiousity that underlies a lot of it here ... As noted, the batshiite crazy people pretty much have the Disaster in Chief on par with Jesus ...

Hard to make sweeping statements, but I think Hill is going to win the primary by at least 5 points ... Just too much working against Obama, for her ... One other factor ... Pa is one of the oldest states in the country ... Older voters are going to go for the woman of a certain age over some young whipper snapper ... I think that is the understated factor that hasn't gotten as much attention ... And, name recognition ... Hill contanstantly has the edge with riding Bill's coattails in that regard ... Politics is politics, and as they say ANY publicity is good publicity if it gets your name out ...

Rs or Ds ... It is funny ... It gets real hard to be civil ... But, if you don't talk politics, people are people ... GOOD people, hard working, honest, decent ... THAT is what I know about the people of Pa ... Hard to swallow the politics, as noted, the whole "they want to take our guns" crap ...

I can tell you this, NOT A CHANCE you can even have a whiff of being open to any kind of gun legislation and win an election up here ... Even a fricken ROW office ...

Last election cycle ... And, this is no lie ... Centre county still is very safely an R county for national elections, but three of four state reps and one of the two state senators are now Ds, and the state party sees it ... So, they helped out by including centre county with it's early voting flyer ... They sent these out to all the Rs, with the registation to send in to send in to get a mail in vote ballot ... It was the scariest, most nazi looking piece of propoganda I have seen, with this really creepy guy in a playground scoping out a little girl in a skirt ... It basically said you had to vote R because the Ds were going to let child molesters go free ... I mean, the whole ticket, freakin Register of Wills and all ...

They just play by a by a whole different set of rules ...

[EFerrari]

17. Hillary has quite a gun control record. I believe Obama is

more pro gun owning than she has been but I don't know his record as well. Now that you mention it, I remember that age is a factor in PA.

Another whole issue in PA is the election systems. Maybe not so much in the primary, but definitely in the general. I hope we can get some good monitors on the ground.

[AllentownJake]

19. I have no clue

WTF she was thinking with the gun thing the other day. I swear she thinks its 1996 and people aren't going to research every damn word that comes out of your mouth.

[EFerrari]

21. I know. It's weird because even I found it in about 30 seconds

and there's plenty of time to embarrass her with it. She just seems to go from one disaster to another.

[AllentownJake]

20. That sounds about right

Santorum was their God. I still remember the party a few of my friends had at the bar on election night watching his concession speech.

[Life Long Dem]

7. First Obama did not misspeak. Second, I won't read any further spin from you. n/t

[AllentownJake]

8. I've logged

Over 200 hours the past two months volunteering. He mispoke. He could of said what he was trying to say better.

He's human.

[EFerrari]

18. That's a LOT of hours! n/t

[npincus]

9. How are the PA papers, Op-Eds interpreting this?

[AllentownJake]

10. Well my hometown paper

Didn't seem to mind

http://www.mcall.com/news/opinion/all-a.6348993apr13,0,743721.story

[JimGinPA]

24. From The Lancaster Paper...

Specter predicts Obama victory in Pa.

http://articles.lancasteronline.com/ap/4/pa_pennsylvania_primary_specter

[PA Democrat]

11. I am from PA as well and have seen the Republicans use religion (the Democrats support abortion and

gay rights) and guns (all you hunters, the Democrats want to take away your guns) to get people to vote against their own self-interests. I live in a rural county with a 60% plus Democratic voter registration which went for BUSH in the last 2 elections. The Catholic church stepped over the line in both elections and encouraged voters to vote "pro-life" and there were "Sportsmen for Bush" signs all over the place here.

I wish Obama would have phrased his sentiments differently, but the thing is, is that he was absolutely correct in his assessment of what is happening in PA in towns that have been devastated by the economic policies of the past 20 years, including the Clinton years. PA is one of the top states negatively affected by NAFTA, in fact PA lost more than 35,000 jobs due to NAFTA during Clinton's presidency.

http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/briefingpapers_nafta01_impactstates

Of course it benefits Hillary to change the subject and criticize Obama's choice of words rather than address the REAL issue which is how the free trade policies which her husband passed and SHE herself helped him pass have hurt Pennsylvanians. She now says she didn't support NAFTA, but you know what they say about actions speaking louder than words.

[AllentownJake]

12. In 2004

The Catholic Church by my house allowed Bush supporters to place flyers on the windows of cars in their parking lot the Sunday before the election.

[blue neen]

22. Excellent post.

:hi:

[Rosa Luxemburg]

16. well it also depends on how hard the economy is hitting them

people are disgruntled with the government even the 'died in the wool Republicans' a large % of them are angry with Bush. Since McCain is distancing himself from the GOP they are going more for McCain. However, younger voters may not? As a party we need to make sure people in rural areas know it is the Republican government that has led us into this mess. I don't think 'roll up your sleeves is helful' when people are losing their homes and jobs.

[stellanoir]

23. Who the heck is "Ed of story". . .?

Kidding

Actually I LUV typos.

Thanks for the report.

[Voice for Peace]

25. Gun owners I know

have guns for protection against home invaders and/or protection against the government.. no joke. After all that was the purpose of the 2nd amendment, right? (which amendment Obama supports, I believe).

[AllentownJake]

26. No qualms with ownership

I do have qualms with people going to Virginia buying the max they can in a day than parking a van in Philadelphia and selling those guns.

[KoKo]

27. Nice Post....! K&R... n/t