Bush backs off in Pa.

[Renew Deal]

May be conceding state as race tightens in West

BY MAGGIE HABERMAN in Santa Fe, N.M.
and KENNETH R. BAZINET and HELEN KENNEDY in Tempe, Ariz.
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

President Bush appears to be conceding some ground in the hard-fought battleground of Pennsylvania, as the 2004 race, which has been fought in only a small number of states, narrows even further.
Bush has visited the Keystone State 39 times - more than any other state - but a White House source said he does not plan to return soon and Pennsylvania was not on a list of the President's top 10 advertising targets last month.

Campaign spokesman Scott Stanzel called talk of Bush's pulling out of Pennsylvania "a rumor" and stressed that travel planning is day-to-day.

"The President has visited the state of Pennsylvania over 30 times and we have tens of thousands of volunteers," Stanzel said. "Our campaign has a real opportunity to be victorious there on Nov. 2."
<snip>

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/story/241604p-207221c.html

[NoBorders]

1. could be good news... n/t

[flowomo]

2. He needn't come back here anymore....

PA is a blue state. Period. Even my conservative central PA area is showing substantial Kerry support.

[lancdem]

29. Where do you live in central PA?

I'm in southcentral PA, in Lancaster County.

[Tight_rope]

53. I grow up in Lancaster...I miss the wonderful town. Keep Bush* out!

[byronm]

3. Stay out of here!

PA belongs to Pennsylvanians, we dont' want anymore madcowboy disease thank you.

[UpInArms]

5. Welcome to DU byronm!

:hi:

[Tight_rope]

52. I grow up in PA and live in Houston...I hate that he was there corrupting

the wonderful people of PA. Welcome to DU byronm!

[Mandate My Ass]

4. Good riddance

I hope he stays away.

I've been pleasantly surprised that the lawn signs in my neighborhood are almost 10-1 Kerry/Edwards over */Darth Cheney, which is a significant change from 2000.

[RobinA]

6. This Seems Questionable

I live in PA and it's been neck and neck and still is. Why back off now? I could see it if the campaign were in trouble, but that doesn't seem to be the case. My TV has been blanketed by Bush ads, with nary a Kerry ad until about the past week.

[byronm]

7. Central PA

In the "burbs" there is an overwheling support for Kerry, however out in the "boonies" and small towns Bush is ALL OVER THE PLACE with a few loan Kerry supports (although bold with home made signs and support)..

Unfortunately due to municipality restrictions i can't have yard signs in my yard :) But i will put some up during the days leading to the election to show my support.

On the flipside, almost all Bush supporters i know are lazy and won't vote because they assume he will win no matter what (since they assume he is doing a good job).. will definately be interesting to see the race heat up!

[sidpleasant]

22. No yard signs? Call the ACLU immediately!

I recently moved to a largely Republican suburb of Boston. My next door neighbor however is a long time Dem and he told me a story about lawn signs. This upscale town used to have an ordinance banning lawn signs. In an earlier election he put up a sign anyway (I can't remember if it was a Clinton or Gore sign) and was promptly told to take it down. He called the ACLU who told the town that such restrictions on political speech were extremely unconstitutional and did the town care to fight a lawsuit that they'd inevitably lose? The town backed off and my neighbor's sign remained. In a postscript, some woman wrote a letter to the weekly paper complaining about the sign and asking "what's next? Pink flamingoes?" My neighbor bought a dozen plastic flamingoes and put them on his lawn around the sign.

[txindy]

38. I hope your neighbor is on DU

Sounds like someone we would really enjoy. Sounds like someone you like having as a neighbor, too. :) Pink flamingoes!

[Tight_rope]

54. LMAO....Good for you neighbor...Welcome to DU sidpleasant!

[sampsonblk]

23. Voter apathy among Repugs in Central PA

I have seen that too. Some of them seem think to the race is over and I am hoping some of them will not bother to vote.

[GoneOffShore]

8. Where in PA?

I'm in Philly and we've been seeing ads from both sides. Though I've been seeing one */satan sign for every K/E sign and bumper sticker.

[bigworld]

9. Lancaster County

There's a LOT os Bush support here (probably the most conservative area in the entire country.... I mean, c'mon, a big portion of our population thinks zippers are Satan's tool), but there's much more support for Kerry here than there was for Gore 4 years ago.

Even out in the country, there are a number of K/E signs. You simply didn't see that in 2004.

Pennsylvania's looking good from here!


Jim

[GoneOffShore]

10. Have you spoken to any

Mennonites? They are generally anti war, big tent Christians. And anti big corporations. Back in the 70's a Mennonite minister help me get a CO rating with my draft board.

[demokatgurrl]

21. I worked with a Mennonite for a few years-

not only was he a Democrat, he was at the "left" of the party, had been a member of SDS and a conscientious objector. VERY anti-violence, completely pacifist, even down to a personal level (whether he'd fight someone who attacked his wife).

I wouldn't think there'd be many Bush voters in that group.

[yellowcanine]

24. No, not in that group - but that was no typical Mennonite, either.

Many and maybe most Mennonites (and Amish) separate personal nonresistance (as distinguished from pacifism) from what is proper for the government to do in terms of law enforcement and foreign policy. And in fact, at least in Lancaster County, many Mennonites are conservative politically and do support Bush. Many Mennonites also vote while most Amish do not.

[Mixxster]

11. Hi bigworld

I'm from Lancaster County, too, and I'm pleasantly surprised at the number of Kerry/Edwards signs I see.

[lancdem]

34. Hi Mixxster

Another Lancaster County resident here!

[SkipNewarkDE]

16. BenCo for Bush

I work and keep horses in the heart of Pennsyltucky. I work in Reading, PA, which is a staunchly conservative town. The population seems to be trend older here, and the gun lobby is pretty strong. The "God-n-Gunz" crowd is pretty scary here, actually... a few blocks down the street from me is a huge gun store, with a big advertisement for God's great works:



Driving down route 10 through Lancaster County, there is a company called BenCo, that has this HUGE wooden sign, with a cut-out stencil of Bush's smiling head, that says "BenCo loves Bush."

BUT get into Chester County, Unionville, estate area, and the story is different. This is the location of the bluest of blue bloods. I went to a party at an estate a few weeks ago to benefit the Cheshire Hunt (a fox hunting equestrian group) and there was a majority of Kerry stickers, and the talk regarding the debate was decidedly pro-Kerry. Indeed, a lot of the estates and houses had Kerry signs. I was at Radnor Hunt for a three-day-event (another equestrian competition) and there were bunches of Kerry stickers and such on the Lexus' and Mercedes.

So one would think this would be Bush's base right here. His base is turning their collective backs on him, at least in this area of PA.

[phylny]

49. Skip, this is totally off topic

but three things about your post caught my eye.

First, you wrote "Pennsyltucky" which is what my husband used to call it, second we used to live in Chester County (Exton, so we didn't really count as "Main Line"), and third, we went to school in Newark, DE.

Sorry, but I had to intrude ;)

[SkipNewarkDE]

50. Wow Six Degrees of Separation

Yeah, I live in Newark, DE. Thanks to this wonderful economy, I, a computer engineer, was unable to find a development job in my area for over a year, and ended up getting a job all the way up to Reading, a commute of some 65 miles each day. I have horses in Chester County.

And this portion of PA IS Pennsyltucky, holy shit it is like a different state here.

We now leave this wonderful biography and return you to your regularly scheduled rant.

[yellowcanine]

17. Sorry but that is a cheap shot against the Amish and I have to call you on

it. To say "big portion of our population thinks zippers are Satan's tool" as an example of conservatism is a gross and inaccurate simplification of the Amish way of thinking - exactly the kind of simplification of complex issues we rightly complain about when Bush and the Republicans do it. Yes, many Amish support Bush, but it has nothing to do with zippers. Many also supported King George III during the Revolutionary War, but not for the reason one might think. I am not going to go into a long discussion of Amish religion and philosophy here but just suggest that if you want to be informed about them you should read some of the material published by Don Kraybill, a sociologist at Elizabethtown College.

[K8-EEE]

36. Oh, Zip It!

The zipper thing was funny! Lighten up dude...

[bigworld]

42. easy now

I was trying to be funny, geez.

I've ready Professor Kraybill's excellent book and I do consider myself pretty well-informed about the Amish, thank you very much.

For all interested, there's a simple FAQ on the Amish at http://www.holycrosslivonia.org/amish/amishfaq.htm#bel


jim

[SkipNewarkDE]

45. Amish Have Sense of Humor

Actually, one of my best friends is an Amish guy, and he would probably have laughed at that joke about the zippers. He's pretty hilarious when pointing out quirks of his lifestyle.

[lancdem]

31. You live in Lancaster County? Me, too!

I agree with your observations. I've seen oodles more Kerry signs than I saw Gore signs in 2000, and a surprising number in affluent, Republican-leaning areas.

:hi:

[RobinA]

28. Philadelphia Suburbs

I'm seeing Kerry ads now, but up until a week ago it was all Bush all the time. I have to admit, however, that I HATE political TV ads and tend to tune them out because they are generally soooo bad. Unfortunately, Bush's endorsement at the end always gets my attention because I can't abide the man's voice on my TV.

[ender]

41. ??? where are YOU?!?!

everywhere around philly that i see its about 10-1 kerry over bush in signage.

dunno what you're looking at though...

[lancdem]

30. All recent polls show Kerry pulling into a lead here

- even if it's a small one - after having been running about even here when Bush was doing well after the RNC. This has been a blue state the last three elections.

[cthrumatrix]

12. Penn say "buh bye" to awol...

[LeinesRed]

13. good news! Should Kerry rethink Missouri?

as far as a campaign swing or two?

[robbedvoter]

14. We may pick up a senate seat there too - anti-war rep sunning

against Specter. I heard him in a debate and was impressed. I hope we get him in the Senate.

[Renew Deal]

15. I doubt it.

Spector is considered "moderate" and a friend of the unions. He was targeted by the fundies and had to go through a primary. I haven't seen anything that tipped me off to him losing.

[demokatgurrl]

18. He is NOT conceding Pa-

I live here. He is here every other goddam week. The poll numbers are vitually tied, and he NEEDS this state. He's not giving up. I wish it were true but it's not.

As for the Senate, it's tough, but possible. Congressman Joe Hoeffel is within 9 points. He SHOULD win- Specter was almost beaten in 1992 by a nobody named Lynn Yeakel. Joe is very popular, at least in the areas that know him (Philly and surrounding areas). If Joe doesn't win, I predict President Kerry will give him a job. He works hard for the party, not just for himself. He's a great guy, who SHOULD be in the Senate.

[PCIntern]

20. gurrrl

these guys have the real polls and the trend lines for Bush are way down here.

We always knew they would be...

[w4rma]

25. The article says he's not going back for at least a while. (nt)

[lancdem]

39. The polls here for Bush have gotten worse

since the debate, despite all his advertising. He is behind here anywhere from 2-7 points and his share of the vote is usually in the low 40s. He has no chance of winning any state where he polls that low.

[Ravenseye]

19. Was it Carville who said...

Pennsylvania is Pittsburgh on the left, Philadelphia on the right, and Alabama in the middle.

Here in Pittsburgh there is an unquestionable majority of Kerry support. I'm going to go out and take a picture later of one street here in the city (Squirrel Hill) which is definatley a Dem area. There is a strip with about 10 houses, all have yard signs. 9 are Kerry/Edwards, 1 is Bush/Cheney. I'd say thats about the general standings in this part of the state. 9:1

If the people in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia simply turn out to the polls, the state stays blue.

[malachi]

33. I couldn't agree more. I live in Philadelphia and the news here is

that there are 225,000+ new voters registered. The most in 20 years. Believe me, if enough voters turn out in Pitt and Philly and Kerry has a huge plurality, it doesn't matter how well the chimp does in the rest of the state. His ass is finished.

[Charles19]

51. In Philly Too

Kerry will carry the state well, Philadelphia is about 2/3's Democrat and very motivated to get out the vote.

[Gardeaux08]

43. Hey,

I'm in the Alabama part of Pennsylvania...Poconos...and it's a pretty good mix in my hometown. The town where I go to school, however, is a predominantly Christian farm town and Bush seems to be taking over as far as signage is concerned but the college professors and students usually tip the scale back to the left.

[CBHagman]

26. He's practically been LIVING in the Keystone State.

Do you remember how Bush couldn't get out of New York fast enough after accepting the nomination at the RNC? The first thing he did was go to Pennsylvania. I can't recall if he even spent the night in NYC; there was talk he was just coming in to make the speech and then would advance to PA immediately following.

Anyway, I hope Kerry-Edwards keeps building support there, no matter what Shrub Person and Dr. Evil do.

[underpants]

46. True - how different is the voting in Pa. from Ohio?

The image that I have is that at least Northern Ohio is/votes a lot like Pa. but I could be wrong.

[Lugnut]

27. I hope he stays away

He's been here in NE PA so frequently he could call himself a part-time resident. Good riddance.

[Supersedeas]

32. but will Woodruff and Leslie announce the concession like Kerry in MI

[lancdem]

35. Kerry's not conceding Michigan

Did you mean Missouri?

[AlinPA]

37. We are being bombarded with Bush* ads. (Western PA, near Pitt)

[Renew Deal]

40. I drove through there this weekend.

There were tort reform ads all over.

[durablend]

44. No concession in my eyes

* is going for broke on the TV ads...if there's any thought of him giving up, I'm not seeing it (and Crashcart is also here for another visit today--I forget where).

As for signs, I'm also seeing a lot more K/E signs than I'd expect, but it's still predominantly * around here (another central PA view)

[nolabels]

47. What happened, I thought (ex-gov)Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge ...

was his point man


WASHINGTON (IWR News Parody) - Tom Ridge today demonstrated how the American public can protect themselves from biological or chemical attack with duct tape. Also, see this critical application of duct tape.
(snip)
http://www.internetweekly.org/iwr/cartoons/parody_tom_ridge_duct_tape.html

[Love Bug]

48. I wish he's concede Minnesota, dammit

I'm sick of his visits here all the damn time.

[Rex_Goodheart]

55. I am so depressed.

I wake up every morning with a sick feeling in my stomach, that more people in these battlegound states will vote for Bush than Kerry.

Why is this race even close?

Don't people care that Bush lied to us about nuclear weapons? Don't they care about other people's children in harm's way? Don't they care that Bush has infuriated the world and has made it less safe? Don't they care that people in Iraq who witnessed Abu Ghraib and who see innocent civilians massacred by the thousands will never accept a Bush-imposed "solution" on their country?

Why are young people walking our campuses holding Bush/Cheney signs but not volunteering for service in Iraq?

I am so sick to my stomach right now I can hardly stand it. Lord help us, and I don't even believe in a Lord.