Hillary Clinton wasted no time in getting cozy with the people of Pennsylvania last week. She had lunch with her childhood friend, Charlotte Iori in Old Forge on Monday and chatted about the economy. In Harrisburg on Tuesday, she held 15-month old Charlie Verner-Waldner and later told a crowd of more than 2,000 about the importance of a good future for kids like him. By Friday night, when she hit Pittsburgh, New York’s junior senator had perfected her Pennsylvania pitch, which focused on key issues like the economy, the Iraq war and, of course, her experience.
“I don’t want you voting on a leap of faith,” Clinton told one crowd. “I want you to look at the record, and I want you to look at the results, and then I want you to vote for the person you think can deliver.”
Her Pittsburgh stump marked the end of week one of a six-week marathon to woo voters and vie for the188 delegates up for grabs in the Keystone State’s April 22 primary. While a Pennsylvania victory may not effectively give the country a Democratic nominee it could be Barack Obama’s chance to seal his lead in a way that neither math nor momentum can question. For Hillary, it’s the difference between making the case that she’s still a viable candidate and a symbolic “end of the road” for her campaign.
“Pennsylvania’s such a microcosm of the United States,” Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, a Clinton supporter, told Newsweek. “I think you will get a real feel for what the future will look like for the Democratic nominee coming out of [here.]”
According to a recent SurveyUSA poll of likely Pennsylvania voters, Clinton holds a 19-point lead over Obama, who’s coming off wins in Wyoming and Mississippi. She’s also garnered an important endorsement in Gov. Ed Rendell, who traveled with her all week. And her advantages don’t end there. The state has a significant older population, is predominantly white and heavily Catholic—all of which tend to trend her way. Then there’s the small fact that this is her home turf, sort of. Clinton’s father, Hugh Rodham, was born and buried in Scranton. As a child, Clinton often spent summers in the area and made sure every crowd she spoke to knew it.
Aware of her strengths, Clinton hung out near her old stomping grounds and had lunch at Pat Revello’s pizzeria in Old Forge early in the week. She said her hellos to the crowd of supporters outside before settling down. Inside, families huddled in booths with slices in one hand and cameras in the other. Revello, who cut his honeymoon short to accommodate the Clinton camp visit, said he was happy to do it because Clinton gets that their city is blue-collar ties and old fashion values. It’s a small town that, like many small towns across the country, has felt the backlash of a dwindling economy in a very personal way. “It’s such a big issue because it trickles down to the person who buys a slice of pizza from us,” Revello said. “I mean we’ve had to raise our prices because the oil and the flour—everything is so high. I like Obama, but we just need a shot in the arm and I think she can do it.”
Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey, an undecided super delegate, says he plans to pay close attention to the candidates as they tour his state, adding that he’d like to see the nomination wrapped up sooner than later for the sake of the party. “I think the goal here has to be a victory in November—a solid victory.” Still, in two recent polls with head-to-head matchups, McCain edges out Clinton and Obama. With one week down, that’s something to think about in the five weeks to go.
