Historiann commenter and special correspondent Indyanna filed this report late Wednesday night after attending both an Obama rally and watching the Phillies put the Rays to bed. (It’s a shame about Rays! Sorry–I couldn’t resist. I’ve been waiting for the Phillies to win all week long so that I could roll out my bad joke!) So, without further ado, I give you Indyanna:
I went to the Ed Rendell event tonight which ended just in time to catch the last two outs in the Phillies victory. Turnout was modest, but it wasn’t really so much a general rally as a meet-up of the local Obama activists to fire everyone up for the final week. The gov. is touring the western end of the state to guard against any complacency and because this one apparently could be the deal-breaker if anything goes wrong. It probably won’t, esp. as the Philadelphia area’s baseball euphoria should have positive political transfer effects, much the way the Mets victory in 1969 kept Mayor Lindsey in office in NYC.
The gov. poured rivers of scorn on the Republican campaign and called for them to be not just beaten but “punished,” as he says they’ve run a mean and unworthy campaign. He dismantled the notion piece by piece that Obama would “raise your taxes” or that he is a “wealth spreader.” In fact, he quoted both McCain and Palin as advocating various types of wealth transfer, and not just from the poor to the rich. Then he dropped the mike and literally rushed up the aisle without waiting for questions, muttering that he had to catch the end of the Phillies game! Ed. note: like a true former Mayor of Philadelphia!
The big news is that Rep. Murtha is apparently in a tighter race than expected, given that the hunter and gatherer crowd hasn’t been wild about his leftish zigs and zags. But the money he’s showered on this district over the years is maybe the difference between actually HAVING to hunt and gather and just doing it as a cultural statement.
Historiann 
Governor Rendell is on our campus as I write this, while my History 101 students are taking their second exam, otherwise I would give a report. He did himself and Obama no favors, however, by towing along congressman Paul Kanjorski, who is so ethically-challenged that he may end up being the only incumbent Democrat who loses his seat this year. And that to a opponent, Lou Barletta, who has risen to political prominence on the basis of his anti-immigration policies in Hazleton. ARRGGGHHHH!!!!!
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Oh, I’ve heard about Barletta. Sounds like the district will lose either way, unfortunately. Do you think McCain has a chance in PA, Profane, or do you think he’s whistling past the graveyard?
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And what are Mr. Historiann’s (if these exists such a person) thoughts on Evan Dando ??? Hmmmm ?
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Thanks for the on-the-ground report, Indyanna. As good as the polls look, I just can’t help but think that the McCain campaign knows something we don’t. They practically have Palin camping out there today. Why spend so much time if it really is a lost cause?
And for Fratguy, I met Evan Dando a lifetime ago, when I still did things on Friday nights like go to bars and hear live music! I’ll have fill Historiann in on the details sometime.
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Despite the polls and prediction markets, McCain definitely has a chance in PA. I would not be in the least bit surprised if we wake up on Wednesday morning to an overall Obama victory coupled with a loss here; based, that is, on the entirely non-scientific conversations that I have had with my students and the local population. Obama gets significant negative reactions from those connected with rural PA, and, surprisingly, those in the urban working class. This is what Joe was supposed to take care of!
The only silver-lining for me where the Kanjorski/Barletta race is concerned (for which see this timely article in TNR: http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=5d6688e6-5f56-49c1-8ab0-e1c17f384fc2) is that I live in a gerrymander just across the Susquehanna from the 11th district. I have the choice of an incumbent freshman Democrat who won against the odds two years ago against a corrupt Republican, or his challenger, both of whom I am comfortable with.
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I think Obama will keep Pa. in the blue column. He should get a tsunami of votes out of Philadelphia that will wash over the western suburbs that Hillary carried last April. The Susquehanna Valley is the heart of the fabled “Republican T,” but even there the Republican mayor of a Harrisburg suburb has reportedly endorsed Obama. In the southwest corner it will be close but McCain needs it to be more than close. I drove down to Johnstown this morning. Cambria County is the Murtha stronghold, the only blue Pennsylvania county in 2000 not contiguously attached to any other blue terrain. There were more McCain signs in the remote countryside than Obamas, but in J-town the funky 1920s minor league baseball park that leans out over the Conemaugh River is shuttered up just like the Bethlehem Rolling Works. I think the need for butter outweighs the fixation on guns this time around.
More concerned about Murtha. When I got into Philly there were robomessages on my phone from Bob Casey and from Hillary urging support for Jack. And while I read the day’s blogpostings I got an actual call from a volunteer in J-town reading a script urging support for him. It’s not quite clear how much of a threat he’s facing, but I’m sure he can become Obama’s SecDef or roving something or other if the popular mandate is withdrawn on Tuesday. It’ll be hell on wheels for the northern Appalachian district if it has to be represented by some (reported) carpetbagger out of Virginia.
The Amtrak station in Philly was literally jammed with red clad Phillies fans returning from the huge parade today. I hoped to get a picture to send along, but my phone wasn’t accepting any storage commands for some reason.
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p.s. I had to really pound the wikis hard to connect the dots with the Shame about Rays and the Evan Dando riffs! You learn something new every day on this corner.
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Got a call today from Bill Clinton on behalf of Jack. It looks like they’re pulling out all the stops back in my other district. The state is said to be flooded with die hard McCainiacs this weekend, but we see none here in the east. Having stopped General Lee, we ought to be able to hold off the “Straight Talk Express” for three more days.
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Wow, if that doesn’t beat all! I just got a call from Mrs. Murtha, here in Philly. They’re sending the Big Dog himself in for a rally for Jack in Johnstown tomorrow afternoon. They’re pulling out all stops to hurl back this carpetbagging Cavalier from Virginia. I’m on my way to Johnstown tomorrow, but I’ll be on a train that will be in the mountains somewhere west of Harrisburg at 2 p.m. Otherwise I’d send in pics and a report for the blog.
Beyond that, Philadelphia seems primed to offer blowout margins to Obama come Tuesday. PA, FL, and Ohio may decide the case early enough that night to let people get some sleep, but then again, maybe not.
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Bill Clinton will be at our campus tomorrow at 6:30, unfortunately along with Kanjorksi. I am envious that Indyanna got called by a real person, as I am being robo-called into submission. . .
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I should say that all of my calls have been of the automatic variety. I don’t know how they got my Philly number, though, as it only exists for DSL purposes and I don’t even know what it is, except when the bill arrives.
It’s nice to see Pennsylvania getting a little last minute attention.
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Thanks for the on-the-ground reportage, gang. Too bad that you’re missing all of the celebrity appearances–but, duty calls…
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