Obama should go all-in in Pennsylvania and end this race

[TAWS]

He should spend the whole next 4 weeks campaigning in the state and spend as much money as he has. Call in as much favors to get endorsements, bus volunteers to the state, and attack her on NAFTA at the debate. Hillary cannot recover from a loss or close win in Pennsylvania. If he doesn't stop her at Pennsylvania, the race will go on for at least 1 and a half months.

Pennsylvania will be important in the GE and all the campaigning he does will also help him in the GE. North Carolina and Indiana are also important but he will likely not win them in GE.

[flor de jasmim]

1. A satellite town hall meeting broadcast in many states, and with

questions taken from each, would be great. It would also allow people from different states to hear just how similar their concerns are to those of other places. Maybe take questions for an hour instead of 30 minutes...

It would be very expensive, but he's got the money to do it.

[cliffordu]

7. live webcast everything!!!!!

[Ravy]

2. I believe so to. A win there would pretty much sew this up. nt

[grantcart]

3. I think he opened the bank on the media buys

some are saying that he is outspending her 4:1

[Alter Ego]

20. Misleading.

Clinton doesn't need to outspend him--remember, she's got PACs up the wazoo working for her, so she doesn't need to spend her own money when she has others spending theirs for her.

[Levgreee]

4. it's more cost-effective to cover all the different states

he doesn't need PA, he can get what he can, and win large margins in the other and he'll be good as gold

[leftynyc]

11. But a win in PA will end this

Superdelegates will flock to Sen Obama.

[KittyWampus]

26. Clinton has the entrenched, pre-established Democratic Machine in her corner.

Yes, Obama has lots of money and volunteers but a great deal of his organization had to be built from ground up.

Furthermore, is there electronic voting?

[leftynyc]

28. I have no idea about the electronic voting

I just feel that after the high expectations of her in PA, if she loses, the press will be merciless and if there is a large wave of superdelegates announcing for Sen Obama - hopefully enough to put him over 2025 - that'll be that.

[bhikkhu]

5. PA is important and attainable, but the 50 state strategy should stand...

my view, something of my admiration for Dean, and OR hasn't voted yet!

[PseudoIntellect]

6. I agree. If he muscles out a comeback there, it would exhaust every last argument from the Clinton

campaign about how she could win it still.

But lose by just 1 vote, and Hillary will undoubtedly throw a party and gain some momentum. I'm guessing it'll be around 5-8% victory for HRC. Hopefully he'll close the lead some more this month.

[crankychatter]

8. She won't drop out no matter how PA turns out

mho

k/r

[Jawja]

9. She will after enough

Super Delegates throw their support behind him, which is what they will have to do if they want to avoid a big convention fight and a loss in November.

If Obama can win Pennsylvania, it is over for the Clintons. They will have no momentum (as if she really HAD any) and no money.

[democrattotheend]

19. If he wins PA it's over

Even some of her advisers concede that.

[KittyWampus]

27. You mean like after Obama wins Texas, it's over?

[olkaz]

29. Yeah, like that.

It's already over, it's just that the superdelgates will make it official after Pennsylvania.

[democrattotheend]

33. If he'd won the popular vote, it might have been

Although the fact that she won Ohio by 10 points gave her credibility to stay in it.

[crankychatter]

23. I'm with you guys but

I've seen the determination and power of candidates backed by war profiteers, energy transnationals and the medical industry before...

in many, many campaigns

I'm hopeful... sorry I'm not optimistic

hope for the best, be prepared for the worst

[BeyondGeography]

10. Risky...Then if he loses by a few points the media will say it's a crushing defeat

At the end of the day, he needs to do significantly better with white voters in Pennsylvania than he did in Ohio and keep it close. That will give him all the ammunition he needs with the party to say he's a reliable choice as the nominee.

[davidpdx]

12. I disagree with you about attacking her

this is exactly what the Clinton campaign wants. The other things seem like good ideas. I honestly don't think he'll win Penn outright, but he may be able to keep her win to a very minimal gain in delegates.

[Independent-Voter]

35. Better to just ignore her, just like fly on shit. McCain is the real opponent now.

[KansasVoter]

13. I 100% agree. If he wins PA then Hillary WILL quit and the SDs will flock to him!

[Vinca]

14. I don't think she'd drop out. They've got themselves convinced

they will be living in the White House again, no matter what they have to say and do.

[crankychatter]

16. I think Obama can win Kansas

Call me crazy

even Republicans are sick of Bush and corruption

you watch

[crankychatter]

15. An early defeat of Clinton by SD's will fuel her arguments and hurt us

MHO is that Senator Obama is well advised and correct in this matter.

[BlooInBloo]

17. Yah - because his strategy has SUCKED so far...

Gotta love DUers and their 1000s of miles away armchair strategery.

[democrattotheend]

18. I'm really torn. Probably too risky

He is gaining traction in PA, but I am afraid if he goes all in it will up the ante, and Clinton still has a lot of advantages. Obama needs to avoid getting blown out in PA but he can't make it a must-win for himself. If he goes all in and he pulls off an upset, it's over, but if he goes all in and doesn't win, it'll be a much bigger setback than if he sticks to the current strategy. I figure the campaign has internal polls and they can make the judgment as it gets closer about whether to go for the knock-out punch or continue to downplay expectations.

[quantass]

21. PA has openly admitted that they will NEVER vote for a "colored"...

so i think it foolish for Obama to put all his eggs in one basket if the majority of voters have said in the news that they will not vote for him simply because of his color. Ed Rendell even admitted so too that the voting block will not vote for someone of color...granted this man is biased towards Clinton but when you look at the demographics of this state it looks crazy to focus too much on it. I think his goal is to try to reduce the damage by focusing attention on Philly and Pits...but not so much that he forgets about the upcoming more important contests of NC, and IN.

I'd be very pleased if he walks away with a 10-15pt loss. He can make up for it with a big win in NC.

[crankychatter]

24. Evidence of this assertion is anecdotal and refuted by the polls

White Fright is a canard

nevertheless I concur with your conclusions

[IsItJustMe]

22. I agree. It is time to take the bull by the horns and end this thing once and for all.

[Dawgs]

25. Isn't that what she tried on February 5th?

:shrug:

[kentuck]

30. He is out-spending Hillary 3 or 4-1 in PA...

So, it appears he is trying to do exactly as you suggest. He also understand the importance of the popular vote in PA. He cannot let Hillary overtake him in the popular vote. That is her only chance for legitimacy.

[Independent-Voter]

31. I don't agree. Keep riding steady, and let Veruca embarrass herself some more

The 50 state strategy is working fine. Just a few more weeks till Veruca puts the final nail in her own coffin.

[Infinite Hope]

32. Exactly. Hire another 50 field workers at $50,000 TOTAL over the next 2-3 weeks.

And get their message out there.

[backscatter712]

34. I say he keeps doing what he's been doing.

He and Axelrod have brought us this far, I'll say their judgment is better than mine.

Obama is campaigning like hell in PA, but he's not going to abandon other states.

And judging by the poll swings, I'd say he's having quite an effect.

[Bullet1987]

36. He doesn't want to campaign too hard in a state most see him losing by double digits

even though now a couple polls seem to be disagreeing with that. If he campaigns hard and loses, it could come back and hurt him.

[MadBadger]

37. Agreed.