On the Ground in PA

11 Comments

1. 

   BooMan on April 13, 2008 at 1:11 pm

   Dear Fellow Pennsylvanian,

   We live in small towns and rural areas throughout Pennsylvania and we support Barack Obama for President.

   A few days ago, Sen. Obama made some comments that his opponents are now using to make him appear as if he is something he is not.  Instead of speaking to us honestly about how they intend to solve the problems we are facing, they are playing the same old Washington games that accomplish nothing.

   What Sen. Obama said is that over the last 25-30 years, working class people in places like Pennsylvania have been falling behind, and that politicians in Washington haven’t been looking out for them.  He also said that, as a result, many people have become frustrated, angry and even bitter about all the broken promises.

   He was right.

   The politicians who are now saying that we shouldn’t be frustrated are the ones who are out of touch.

   People in the towns and communities we live in have seen their jobs shipped overseas.  We’ve seen our pensions disappear.  We’ve seen our health care costs skyrocket.  We’ve seen everything from the cost of gasoline to a gallon of milk go through the roof.

   As our families have struggled to make ends meet and our communities fought to stay intact, how has Washington responded?  By giving tax breaks to the wealthy, rewarding corporations who ship jobs overseas, and turning the levers of power over to the lobbyists and special interests.

   It’s easy to feel a little frustrated when you see these Washington politicians continue to ignore you.  But it’s not the only emotion we feel.  When someone comes along who is untainted by the system in Washington, who doesn’t take money from federal lobbyists or special interests and who promises that things can be different, we feel something else–hope.

   That’s why we’re supporting Barack Obama.  Others have come along and promised change, but failed to deliver.  Sen. Obama is different than the rest.  He doesn’t take money from the special interests, and he speaks honestly about the issues we are facing.

   In addition to supporting his plans for jobs, health care and education, we believe that he can deliver on his promises to ensure economic opportunity for family farmers, to provide support for rural economic development, to promote renewable energy in rural America, to protect the rights of hunters and other law-abiding Americans to purchase, own, transport, and use guns for the purposes of hunting and target shooting, and to preserve open land for hunting and fishing.

   Unlike his opponents who have been part of the Washington establishment for decades, Barack Obama understands the struggles we are going through.  We welcomed him with open arms as he made his way through small towns and rural areas on his recent bus tour across the state.  And we will work day and night from now until the primary on his behalf not only because he has heard our frustrations, but because he speaks to our hope that Washington can actually work for people like us.

   Sincerely,

   Ted Alter, State College

   Westmoreland County Commissioner Tom Bayla, Greensburg

   Mayor John Brenner, York

   Lloyd Casey, West Chester – President, Pennsylvania Forestry Association

   Mayor John Fetterman, Braddock

   Mayor Rick Gray, Lancaster

   Scott Harrison, Warriors Mark

   State Representative Bryan Lentz, Swarthmore

   State Senator Sean Logan, Monroeville

   Carl Majji, Claysville – Corporal, U.S. Army

   Mayor Thomas McMahon, Reading

   State Senator Bob Mellow – Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Leader

   U.S. Representative Patrick Murphy, Doylestown – U.S. Congressman (PA-08)

   Perry County Commissioner Steve Naylor, New Bloomfield

   Lackawanna County Commissioner Corey O’Brien, Dunmore

   Fran Rodriquez, Lancaster

   State Representative Josh Shapiro, Abington – Deputy Speaker, Pennsylvania House of Representatives

   Major General Walter Stewart, Berks County – Former Commander, 28th 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania Army National Guard

   State Representative Dan Surra, St. Marys

   State Representative Thomas Tangretti, Greensburg

   Lackawanna County Commissioner Michael Washo, Scranton

   • 

     Cee on April 13, 2008 at 4:43 pm

     I just got home. I’m in so much pain from walking in the cold and rain that it isn’t even funny but I FEEL GOOD!!!
     I hit 67 homes. No whites asked me about these comments.
     I did talk to a former Clinton supporter who can’t bring herself to vote for Obama. She wouldn’t say why. She did say that she hates it that Clinton is such a liar.
     Another undecided white guy who is having serious financial problems was asking me about issues pertaining to health insurance and the economy.
     Only one comment regarding what Obama said. They thought he was telling the truth.

     Keep the faith folks.

     • 

       Drew J Jones on April 13, 2008 at 6:18 pm

       I’m tellin’ ya: He’s going to benefit from this, because the narrative is turning away from its focus on the guns and God bit to the issue of “bitterness” about government and economics.  And, with that focus, Obama will win the argument handily.  Even over at the Faux News blog, I’d say a solid 1/3 to 1/2 of comments — especially from Pennsylvanians — strongly agreed with Obama.  Most of the comments that didn’t were just typical GOP trash.

2. 

   gaiilonfong on April 13, 2008 at 1:23 pm

   You are right about Erie, I have friends there and the Obama campaign office syas that he is coming but still don’t have a date….

   Another interesting read here at TPM

   http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/04/well-here-we-go-again.php

   • 

     CabinGirl on April 13, 2008 at 1:44 pm

     That TPM post just about sums it all up, doesn’t it?

     • 

       idredit on April 13, 2008 at 6:39 pm

       McClatchy;

       [In PA]

       White women begin to turn away from Clinton

       LEVITTOWN, Pa. — Like many women over 50, Paula Houwen was eager to vote for Hillary Clinton for president.

       “I was impressed when she was first lady. She wasn’t the country’s trophy wife,” the 56-year-old suburban Philadelphia pharmacist recalled.

       Today, though, Houwen’s no longer a Clinton fan.

       “I do not like the way Hillary Clinton has run her campaign,” she said.

       Clinton’s strongest core of support — white women — is beginning to erode in Pennsylvania, the site of the critical April 22 Democratic presidential primary, and a loss here could effectively end her White House run.

       more

       More witnesses come forward with Clinton’s other whopper, on bitter-gate

       Noteworthy Political Scientist, Theda Skocpol writes to TPM

       Clinton Was For Characterzation of Working-Class Voters Before She Was Against it

       I have been in meetings with the Clintons and their advisors where very clinical things were said in a very-detached tone about unwillingness of working class voters to trust government — and Bill Clinton — and about their unfortunate (from a Clinton perspective) proclivity to vote on life-style rather than economic issues. To see Hillary going absolutely over the top to smash Obama for making clearly more humanly sympathetic observations in this vein, is just amazing. Even more so to see her pretending to be a gun-toting non-elite. Give us a break!

       I wonder if she realizes that gaining a few days of lurid publicity that might reach a slice of voters is going to cost her a great deal in the regard of many Democrats, whose strong support she will need if she somehow claws her way to the nomination — and even more so if she does not clinch the nomination. The distribution of “we’re not bitter” stickers to her campaign rallies is the height of over-the-top crudity, and the reports are that very few audience members seem to have much enthusiasm for this nonsense. Not surprisingly, people cannot see the reasons for so much fuss.

       Yes, she wants a big break, she desperately wants the nomination she and Bill believe is hers by right. We all know that. But where is her authenticity and her dignity and her sense of any proportion?

       gaaawd. Make her stop.

       • 

         Cee on April 13, 2008 at 9:32 pm

         LEVITTOWN, Pa. — Like many women over 50, Paula Houwen was eager to vote for Hillary Clinton for president.

         Idredit,

         Yes. I’m a witness. The woman that I mentioned above was even a little hostile when she was saying she wasn’t supporting Hillary any longer.
         She won’t vote for anyone.

   • 

     Indianadem on April 13, 2008 at 2:20 pm

     Loved it! Thanks for the link.

3. 

   Dongi 2 on April 13, 2008 at 2:04 pm

   I wish I lived in PA so I could work for Obama in the primary.  But, I will work for him in NY in the general election come next fall.

   Viva Obama, viva Obama, viva Obama.

   ps How do I add a You Tube reference or citation to my entry.  Help!

   Help and love are the most beautiful verbs in human language.

   • 

     ask on April 13, 2008 at 5:27 pm

     If you want to embed a YouTube video you simply ‘cut’ the entire code in a box called ‘Embed’ just to the right of the video.
     Then simply paste it into your comment/diary entry without adding any other code.

4. 

   BooMan on April 13, 2008 at 3:38 pm

   Another local endorsement for Obama.