Is Bush Retreating From Pennsylvania?

[Kire]

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."

Bush can narrowly afford to lose Pennsylvania's 21 electoral votes, but Sen. John Kerry almost certainly cannot.

Kerry's staff is pleased with how he is doing in Pennsylvania, but aides expect their candidate will return there to campaign. They also said the campaign will spend heavily for ads in the state. But Kerry will devote more time to Florida, Ohio and Nevada...



more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/story/241607p-207221c.html

[MikeG]

1. He can run, but he can't hide.

[PittLib]

2. Cheney is here today.

He has two stops in Saxonburg and Coraopolis (north of Pittsburgh).

[PittLib]

4. I don't think the flood victims around Pittsburgh ...

particularly appreciated Bush*'s last visit - where he feigned sympathy and then told them to apply for a low-rate loan 'cause there was no federal money available. Dickhead. Oh - and there are more than a few towns that are Bush strongholds but cannot afford a Bush visit.

[AlinPA]

3. Could be a fake and they will hit it hard in the last week.

[Kire]

6. i think so too

check the source, NYPost

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. I am still seeing his commercials on TV

Until the ads stop, I'll assume that PA is still in play.

[IrishDemocrat]

7. Play Action fake

Anyone watch football? This is a Play Action fake. He'll be back!

[durablend]

8. He's still here: no concessions...

Aside from the Hershey and NE PA visits, the ads are running nonstop (either his or the 527s).

[Momof1]

9. * is running ads like crazy, I'd say twice as many as Kerry's

And they have some new ones out. I just saw this girl saying that her mother was killed on 9/11, and how nice * was to give her a hug.

And how much he cares...blah, blah, blah

:puke:

[Joy Anne]

10. phone calls

I received two recorded Republican phone calls yesterday, one from Bar decrying John Kerry's dirty politics and another with a heavy Southern accent saying George Bush will keep us safe, with little cliplets from Kerry.

This phone number has had no Republicans at it for at least 9 years, and my Democratic next-door neighbor didn't get the calls. I don't know why I'm being punished.

I had two others last week.

[rhino47]

19. I got a live call from the republicans yesterday.

It was kind of ironic.My husband though reg as repub was at a kerry phone bank.I told the caller.Can you hold on Ill go get him.I did this for almost 20 mins before they hung up.I figured keep on occupied the less damage they can do lol.

[avatar4321]

11. I don't think he is conceding

I don't think President Bush is conceding Pennsylvania. The advertising definitely hasn't stopped here. And i think he is trying to put Kerry on the defensive by going to Jersey. He was in Southern Jersey the other day and by doing so is getting publicity in both New Jersey and the Philadelphia area. Bold move. I'm not sure how well it will work.

[dirtyduck]

12. I live in PA

And this has been my sense for a while. So few people that I talk with support B/C and the yard signs seem to be in Kerry's favor everywhere I go. That's pretty weak evidence, but I just haven't been able to fathom how the race was so tight here.

[IrishDemocrat]

13. Where in PA?

I live in Northeast Philadelphia. Slight Kerry here, but a fair number of Bush supporters.

[Momof1]

14. Hey Just read your profile

Can I assume that you will be at the BJC Friday the 22nd? I wish I could make it, but I have a 4 yr old, and no babysitter.

I was really happy driving around SC the other day and seeing all the Kerry/Edwards signs. But...all the surrounding area is heavily conservative.

If the students get out and vote, hopefully it will counter the rural conservative vote. (I was talking to my Repub brother last night, and he actually is blaming Corning & Murata's closings on Clinton):eyes:

[tigereye]

17. there are mostly Kerry signs here in my East End

section of PIttsburgh, but people around here are quite liberal. However, I have seen very few Bush signs when I drive around the city ( I drive a lot) only in the past few days are there more. I even saw one Green and one Libertarian signs today.

[anti_shrub]

15. From what I heard....

Team Bush has all but conceeded PA, and are focusing their efforts on Ohio. Since Western PA TV and radio stations are picked up in Ohio (and West Virginia) they are still going to run ads in Western PA.

[durablend]

16. Sorry, no concessions

We shouldn't have expected any...ads are still running nonstop and * is coming to bother us again on Wednesday. Something tells me he might also be back next Monday as well.

[anti_shrub]

18. Let them keep spending money in PA then

They're not going to win here, and all the time and money spent here is less spent in states like OH and FL.

[Canadian_moderate]

20. Not looking good in Lycoming County

but luckily the population there very small. My wife is originally from there and her parents live near Williamsport, PA.

Unfortunately my wife's absentee ballot for Kerry/Edwards went to Maryland, where she lived before moving to Canada. I think PA needed that vote more than MD.

Good luck and keep the faith!