Tim Kaine to Campaign in Pennsylvania for Barack Obama

MEDIA ADVISORY
For Immediate Release
April 18, 2008

RICHMOND - Tim Kaine will make two campaign stops in Pennsylvania on Saturday. Prior to next week's Pennsylvania Democratic primary, Governor Kaine will appear at "get-out-the-vote" events, in Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, PA.
Public schedule follows below:

Saturday, April 19th

WILKES-BARRE CANVASS KICKOFF
South NEPA Regional Headquarters
41 S. Main Street
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Doors Open: 9:00 a.m.

SCRANTON CANVASS KICKOFF
Lackawanna County Headquarters
409 Lackawanna Avenue
Scranton, PA
Doors Open: 11:30 a.m.

Thank you Governor Kaine, and go Obama!

has Pennsylvania within the margin of error: Clinton 47%-Obama 43%, compared to Clinton 50%-Obama 41% last Monday.  Zogby has it Clinton 47%-Obama 43%, and the last PPP poll has it Obama 45%-Clinton 42%.  In other words, this thing is neck and neck, in a state that Clinton was supposed to win by a landslide.  If Obama can somehow manage to pull off the huge upset in the Keystone State, this thing is O-V-E-R, and we can all turn our attention to John McCain and his many "McCain moments."  I can't wait.

Clinton will win.  But by how much?  Even her own campaign will admit they were counting on a big win to bring 'em closer in the Pop vote and Delegate count.  If Obama can keep it within five, then it is a virtual tie, and her argument that "only I can win in Pennsylvania" loses a lot of muscle.  

Also, there aren't many "big population" states left.  I mean, we know she'll do well in Appalachia.  She'll do well in terms of delegates in Kentucky, but there's no guarantee on how many Democrats come out in a pretty red state, so it's hard to determine the effects on the popular vote.  And she'll win West Virginia big, but the population just is too small to make a huge difference in delegates or popular vote.  I'd expect Obama to win Oregon, South Dakota, Montana, and North Carolina (only Carolina being a big treasure chest), while losing Pennsylvania, Indiana, Guam, Puerto Rico, Kentucky, and West Virginia.  

Now there is no way that Hillary can catch up in terms of delegates.  But in terms of popular vote, which would make a compelling argument to superdelegates, she has a chance.  But there are two key factors: she has to win Pennsylvania (and win it big), and she has to carry that momentum into a slim defeat in North Carolina and a big victory in Indiana.  If she can't do that, she won't win the popular vote, and will have no argument before the superdelegates that doesn't include "overturning the will of the people."

endorses Barack Obama:

The formal act of endorsing a candidate is generally (and properly)limited to editorial pages and elected officials whose constituents might be influenced by their choice. The rest of us shouldn't assume anyone cares. My avoidance of offering a formal endorsement until now has also been affected by the pull of old friendships and my reluctance as a teacher and commentator to be openly partisan. But my conscience won't let me be silent any longer.

I believe that Barack Obama should be elected President of the United States.

Nice, especially coming from Bill Clinton's former Labor Secretary...

which I think will help on the foreign policy/military angle and provide some bolstering of Obama's credentials.

This episode is political satire and metaphor of the highest caliber. Hillary, seemingly unwittingly (did Colbert sandbag her?), lays the groundwork for Murphy, Edwards, and ultimately Obama to change and elevate the quality of the national discussion. Colbert serves as the medium for the transformation.

(1) The candidate who portrays herself as the detail-oriented policy wonk who can fix anything is given the opportunity to come in from New York to fix the broken down big screen. Hillary walks onstage and dutifully delivers her lines, and the audience remains under control and does not boo her (Colbert clearly made sure that the audience members would hold their fire during Hillary's appearance.) Finally, with Hillary's "expert" advice, the big video screen is up and running.

(2) Colbert then uses the big screen "fixed" by Hillary to run a devastating deconstruction of the shameless "gotcha" approach of ex-Clinton apparatchik George Stephanopoulos and ABC's Charles Gibson during Wednesday night's "debate," i.e., inquisition. The circle of guilt-by-associations leading back through the Pope, who was a Nazi youth, all the way to Hitler is a particularly sharp thrust.

(3) Rep. Patrick Murphy, who was an Army Captain in the 82nd Airborne Division in Iraq, comes on to talk about why he has endorsed Obama for President. Murphy's handling of past tense verbs is a little clumsy, but he is earnest, coherent, concise, and obviously knowledgeable about the realities of Iraq. Colbert gives Murphy essentially free rein, and Murphy brings up the point that Obama is a "once in a generation" kind of leader.

(4) A very relaxed John Edwards waltzes in to deliver his "Edwords" lines with good timing and grace, including a dig about worrying about getting bitten by James Carville--thereby reminding savvy viewers of Carville's going nuclear and calling Bill Richardson "Judas" after Richardson endorsed Obama. Is Edwards hinting at how he is leaning?

(5) Using the wonders of 21st century technology, Jedi Webmaster Obama then appears behind Colbert on the same big screen that had earlier been "fixed" by Hillary and proceeds to put the media's pointless faux "distractions" on notice at the very top of Colbert's famous "On Notice Board"--to the great delight of the live audience, which roars its approval with sustained cheering.

It is game, set and match--for Obama.

And Colbert, more than any other media figure (though Jon Stewart and Keith Olbermann make their fair contributions), seems to be the genuine Voltaire of our era.

Great analysis.

I could have sworn that Clinton was on as well.

Oh, I forgot where I was.

Do you have a link to Clinton being on that show, or any other time recently?  As far as I know, only Edwards and Obama were, but let us know if/when you find the link.  Regardless, this site has strongly and publicly endorsed Barack Obama.  If you'd like to post a video of Hillary Clinton, that's what the user diaries are for on this community blog of ours.

for not having cable and never watching TV? :)  

Clinton probably wishes she hadn't been duped into appearing.

Guess I should have put the Comedy Central link in my comment.

We have come a long way when the candidates themselves will appear on a comedy show the night BEFORE a hugely important primary....

OBTW, we have Bill Turque, political writer from the Washington Post on Inside Scoope Sunday (4/20 6:30-7:30).... his Biography of Gore back in 2000 was suposed to have been a factor in that election while he was a top editor for Newsweek... and we also have Judy (money raising machine) Feder on Monday night (4/21 7:00-8:00) both are expecting hard questions from the host and audience......

Do mine eyes deceive me, or is John Edwards wearing an Obama pin? I can't think of anything else shiny, round, and with a hole in the middle...