Scranton Style: Bill, Biden, and Hillary Woo the Working Class
Scranton, PA - AP Photo
SCRANTON, PA — It was a homecoming of sorts for Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton.
Joined by their respective spouses (one of whom, of course, happens to be a former President of the United States), the two former rivals in the Democratic primary made the case for Barack Obama in a region of the state where he got creamed by Sen Clinton by more than 50 points on April 22nd.
While Scranton is largely Democratic, many natives are of the working class (and white) demographic that McCain’s been targeting — and that’s been slow to warm to Obama.
BIden — who was born and raised in Scranton for 13 years — and Clinton, whose father was born here and who spent summers on Lake Winola, could make a big difference here. While Obama has a healthy lead in state polls, the GOP is hoping to turn Pennsylvania — and its 21 electoral votes — red with a strong performance in the Northeast.
Before either Scrantonite could speak, the crowd heard from President Clinton — who has been accused of less-than-enthusiastic support for the top of the Democratic ticket. Clinton attempted to put that to rest, calling Obama the candidate “who has the best ideas, who’s got the best instincts, who’s got the best ability to understand these challenges, who’s got the best supporting cast.”
Clinton also defended his wife’s efforts on Obama’s behalf. “She has done 50 events for Sen. Obama,” said the former president. “She has not only done more to support him than any runner up in a Democratic primary process in my lifetime, she has more than all the other runners-up combined.”
“The reason that’s important is that more than three-fourths of you supported her,” he said. “You need to remember, if you supported her, why you did it.”
Taking the stage to loud chants of “Hillary!” Senator Clinton — fittingly for the former frontrunner — told voters not to be lulled into a false sense of security. “The polls show Barack and Joe ahead now, and that’s good news, she said. “But I don’t pay much attention to polls.”
“If we can get a big vote out of Northeastern Pennsylvania for Barack and Joe, there isn’t any way they lose Pennsylvania. And if they win Pennsylvania, there’s no way they lose the White House.”
Biden greeted his fellow Senator with a hug and a kiss on the forehead, telling the crowd how much he loves her. “The feeling’s mutual,” Clinton said.
Biden said Clinton embodies the best of Scranton - a fighting spirit on behalf of the downtrodden. “The one thing I find about this city is what we learned in our faith and our family. There is the one most serious abuse a man or a woman or a government can engage in, is to abuse power. Abuse power.”
“This is a woman who understands what’s right and what’s wrong, what’s fair and what’s unfair, but is always, always fighting against the abuse of power by the powerful.”
On a side note, President Clinton said he and his wife celebrated their 33rd anniversary on Saturday. “You know what my best present was?” Clinton said. “She actually let me watch most of those football games yesterday, it was great. What a gift.”
Tags: barack obama, hillary clinton, joe biden, john mccain, pennsylvania, president clinton
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Yes and they are doing a good job of it. I am a McCain supporter through and through but it makes me sick to see him give away this election.
Ahh, spin this one haters….
I love the Clintons . I saw Hilary today and she was fiery mad. It was awesome.
2009 Salaries, Barack Obama - President - $400,000 John McCain - Senator - $ 169,300 George W. Bush - Retired - Priceless
I don’t want to get burnt at the stake. Thanks but no thanks. I’m voting for Obama.
Biden gave a great speech. I love Hillary, I can’t wait to vote for Obama. We need someone who has the character he has to be our President. Anyone who remembers how John McCain treated his crippled first wife knows he has no good character. He lived as man and wife with Cindy for 9 months BEFORE divorce proceedings began with Carol.(that has been admitted to by McCain and is part of the divorce records) Meanwhile Carol was taking care of 4 children and using a catheter. But Cindy sure is pretty. And RICH. And 25 years younger than him.
We love you Clintons !!! Good to see you back for the greater good for America
The dem’s say this has been the wrose 8 years in history..hmmm seems like clinton was in office 8 years ago.we still have 2 more month before Bush took over, so it must have already been a mess when bush took over
It’s sad that the Clinton’s have to campaign for Obama after the way they were treated by Obama and his campaign staff during the primaries, Especially when Obama played the race card on them
It’s sad the Clinton’s haVE TO CAMPAIGN FOR oBAMA AFTER THE WAY HE TREATED THEM DURING THE pRIMARIES. ESPECIALLY WHEN OBAMA PLAYED THE RACE CARD
Class before lipstick on a pig Palin….
What a classy group of people. That’s how you rally! The DEMS get my vote!
What a team. I have to agree, This is the only team to pull us all out of this BUSH mess.
Wow, three of the dumbest left wing numb-skulls in the same room. Quite a trio.
http://www.infowars.com/
Baldwin/Castle 2008–Say No to New World Order
Forget all the hype of this years election; who does the best in the debates, who might have friends that are terrorists, who has been the best decision maker for the past 30 yrs or even 3 yrs., who speaks more eloquently or who ‘gets it’. Politics according to me are simple: “Who will make the best LEADER?” It is very easy to answer that question and the answer is the main reason I am voting the way I am this year.
A Veteran - whether Active Duty, Retired, National Guard or Reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to “The United States of America,” for an amount of “UP TO AND INCLUDING MY LIFE”. John McCain wrote that check and made good on it, not to mention, the fact that he was in fact a POW who not only survived the toughest of situations, but maintained all the leadership principles I hold near and dear to my heart as taught to me by every officer and non-commissioned officer I worked for and around in the Marine Corps.
That is Honor, and there are too many people in this great country who no longer understand that.
All the talk in the world does not create a leader. Don’t tell me, show me. John McCain is my man.
You think that McCain will be beat…don’t count on it! Everyone said Bush would not win his second term…Everyone thought McCain was left for dead during the primary. Well Lord and Behold Bush won his second term, McCain won the Republican primary he came up from behind lake a snake in the grass and clinched the primary. The best think is don’t count him out just yet, remember America always loves the underdog. America will pick him up and will carry him across the finish line…just wait and see!
Thank goodness that we can write Hillary on the ballot. She is the real Democratic Candidate and no matter what she says in favor of the Ayres, Rezko, Farrakhan buddy, I will be writing her name on the ballot. HILLARY, HILLARY, HILLARY! You still have your supporters that will back you at the poles! Anyone need a pen?
Obama campaign has numerous surrogates
whereas for mccain , it just Mccain and Palin.
Still it is a close race.
It’s fun to watch.
The Dems are going all out for victory and still they can’t pull away.
one advice for Dems , don’t bring Nancy pelosi , you guys will definately lose.
Laura,
If you are concerned about “friends who are terrorists” please check out the individual your candidate, McCain, put on his own ticket. Read this about Palin’s judgement.
“My government is my worst enemy. I’m going to fight them with any means at hand.”
This was former revolutionary terrorist Bill Ayers back in his old Weather Underground days, right? Imagine what Sarah Palin is going to do with this incendiary quote as she tears into Barack Obama this week.
Only one problem. The quote is from Joe Vogler, the raging anti-American who founded the Alaska Independence Party. Inconveniently for Palin, that’s the very same secessionist party that her husband, Todd, belonged to for seven years and that she sent a shout-out to as Alaska governor earlier this year. (“Keep up the good work,” Palin told AIP members. “And God bless you.”)
for the rest of this article see:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/10/07/palins_unamerican/
Or perhaps you’d like to discuss McCain’s friendships with Keating, and his involvement in the Savings and Loan scandal, or his relationship with Abramoff and his deep ties with the gambling industry.
This desperate attempt to make Obama seem “scary” by linking him to a controversial figure who everyone, democrat or republican, who worked on the education system in Chicago worked with at one time, is ridiculous. McCain has many many more skeletons in his closet than Obama does. He is only pulling this out now because he has no other hope to win and no positive vision to share. Obama, on the other hand, has been calm, steady and clear in his vision, and pretty much every expert agrees his health care plan and his tax plans are better for the majority of Americans.
Focus on the real issues, not hype. If you still support McCain, that is your right. But don’t fall for stupid scare tactics and lies. We Americans can do better than that.
Joe Biden is always talking about being for the hard working people of this country.How can he relate to us when he has never held a job.
Put the voting machines in abortion clinics and let the people of Scranton and the rest of Pennsylvania see what they are really voting for or against.
I feel sorry for president Clinton and his wife. Hilary owes too much money for her unsuccessful campaign, and Obama has so much money. So i can see even they really don’t like Obama, they have to come out campaign for him. I am suspicious that Obama probably pays them a lot of money eachtime they come out campaign for him. It is sad situation.
Raza, voten por McCain/Palin, I will. McCain is the only one who can lead our country. Go McCain! Go Palin! We know McCain but we don’t know Obama/who?
The ACORN myth that republicans are screaming about…
…will be blown wide open in the next few days. The truth about the voter registration group will become known and another false republican smear campaign will be exposed and discarded. They are getting desperate now, today McCain said he’d “whip” Obama and Palin said that we should fear Obama and his ties to terrorists. When will rational Americans reject this divisiveness?
I have never heard such foolishness in all of my life. McCain and Palin are stooping to the lowest level. They are doing everything they can to stir hatred among all Americans for Obama. Don’t let them pull the wool over your eyes. Do your own research and get your own answers…then make you decision.
Hillary, I love you but enough is enough. Obama is not worth it and he will lose. Save yourself for another day. You know what I mean.
Three millionaires who wouldn’t live in Scranton PA if you paid them, have a phony rally to help Obama….the guy they campaigned AGAINST as inexperienced. The Clintons can’t possibly want him to win if Hillary is to run again, and we know the Clintons keep running………..vote McCain and save us from this ilk…………..Biden hasn’t lived there in 50 years!
I wonder if they sold tickets to see the three stooges
I am glad to see the Clinton’s and Biden be so passionate about their support of Obama. I would disagree with those who said Obama played the race card back in the primary. It was a hard fought primary and got a little nasty on both sides but in the end, the differences were not that great. Obama’s leadership qualities edged Hillary out by just a little bit. I totally agree with Heidi’s last statement of let’s “Focus on the real issues, not hype. If you still support McCain, that is your right. But don’t fall for stupid scare tactics and lies. We Americans can do better than that.” Thanks Heidi. Go OBAMA / BIDEN
Dear Bob,
I am sorry to break your bubble, but Joe can relate to the middle class of America. In fact
))!)
in many ways he is the “regular Joe”, not Palin’s “sixpack Joe”. His father was a Chevrolet
salesperson, my sister in law bought many a car and truck from Joe’s father. Joe lived
the American Dream….received a good education, got married, widowed and remarried.
He used to eat at the local Italian restaurant Katie’s in Wilmington. He would say hello to
everyone he met. For a senator he was a “regular Joe”. You have to remember where he
is from….. Delaware…..the “regular state”. Not much left wing or right wing politics, the democrats are about 1 degree of left and the republicans are about 1 degree of right. Honestly, in our state, politics are about the give and take for the good of the state. And honestly, I am not sure how it going to survive. In manufacturing…..Chrysler and Avon are closing down shop,
the GM plant is tetering. DuPont has cut back both manufacturing and research. MBNA, one
of the largest credit card companies closed up. So the State of Delaware, I believe, is
the biggest employer, with the Christina HealthCare, up there too. Neither really produce
anything. So small businesses are taking up the slack, but they are very service oriented,
and they really do not produce much. Production= raw material+hard work+technology.
You do not all three to suceed, but you do need two of them! Remember Japan has
Zero raw materials….Zero ….and they suceed in making productive jobs. And that is what America needs. Yes Joe can feel the pain ( that’s palin without the l
You can vote for whoever you want…just think about it a little……
Bill Kristol thinks McCain is running a stupid and pathetic campaign, WOW
http://www.barackobamacans.blogspot.com
Come on Clintons! I can SEE that you’d rather PUKE than support Obama. Come on! Break the rules a little and throw your support where you really want to put it…with McCain!
They only had a couple of thousand people there. I guess it was kinda like a disappointment to have that few since they were expecting a lot more.
Hillary and Bill please stop supporting obama - he is no good for this country and you know it! Stop playing the Pelosi, Read and Dean games.
We love you Hillary. That’s why we’re voting McCain/Palin.
It is totally a shame that the people of this country can sit in the same room with a man who just totally sank the Office of the President of the United States. Impeached for Lying under Oath and then with the assistance of a Democratic Congress and a few Republicans was not convicted. Is this a man for whom I should listen and believe, I don’t think so.
The others on the stage Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton all members of the lowest rated congress in the
history of the United States. That should say something to all of us.
YEA I BELIEVE, NOT!
americans knew better than that bill, and hillary. when mccain was up in the polls what were you doing to obama? you are hinting people to have doubts about him. and now what obama is ahead in the polls you were saying that mccain is another bush. you are a big opportunists. if i were you just take care of your daughter, and devote your time with the times you missed out with her. the americans are intelligent enought to get fool by you. we want a president we want, not who the clintons, and acorn want. america our future is in your hands.
This is almost laughable - Ok it is Laughable! The Clintons supporting Obama? Correct me if I am wrong here - these are the same Clintons who said Obama was wrong for this Country, and inexperienced, and could not be trusted. His associations were questioned at every turn(Mainstream Media ignored it of course - what a surprise!) and now they are like long lost friends? This goes to show, that here Bill Clinton was the President of the United States and he will not even do whats good for the USA and tell the truth. I guess why should he because he didn’t do it when he was President. Let me remind you - supporting Hillary is one thing - supporting Obama is like trusting a Cobra to not strike with your face in front of his! I might of supported Hillary if she ran in 4 years and yes I am a Republican (Whats good for the country is what matters not what my affiliation is - try it sometime) but now she is as much of a joke as Obama is with doing a complete aboutface on this guys character and experience. Democrat or Republican - You should be an AMERICAN first! How refreshing that would be.
i want to answer biden of shouting abuse power. who abuse power? obama has raised 50million dollars just to fund ayers radical teachings, obama has given acorn 800,000 dollars to fund their illegal activities, has ask rezko to help him pay his mansion, has sat in the pew for 20 years of pastor wright abusing america, now mr. biden what else could obama do when he wins? you are old enough to figure out what is right, and what is wrong. if you think it is abuse of power for the governor to fire her staff for insubordination because he does not want to fire the trooper who has threaten a family in alaska. then is that the kind of abuse you want to do when you be in power. this only shows that palin’s administration is no messing about. and you will have no space in that kind at all mr. biden. it is so pathetic that you think that you think that way. just compare the abuse of power that obama is doing, it is so unacceptable.
the clintons have no principles at all, hypocrits, only opportunists. does all of them knew or ever realize that the acorn has stolen their primary election? they are too clever not to know that but then they are pretending that they are stupid.
i wasted my money donating it to hillary clinton, if only i knew what they are after, i could have kept my money for mccain, and palin.
Hey Palin 2012:
You don’t have to be a hater to pull this trio apart and along with them Sen Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid. Pelosi has already stated that they are planning to come back early so they can assist Barack Obama with his agenda. The fist thing out of the box is another $150 Billion in tax payer dollars that initially have to be borrowed and added to the already mamouth debit that the current congress and the White HOuse has gotten us into. This is the fiscal responsiblity that all of the liberal minded hand out folks want right? I for one believe that we should live within our means and that means bitting the bullet and working our way out of this mess not borrowing our way out of it. THat is how we got here in the first place.
Find a GOOD ECONOMIC 101 guy and start reading.
Its interesting to me how there has been very little Clinton/Obama contact. It would certainly be in her best interest to see Obama defeated, so she may run again in 2012. I will not be voting for Obama…way too many “ifs” and shady associations, including the Odinga connection in Kenya, which the news has not really gotten into. Good luck to all.
Come on clintons are you retarded yall only said a few weeks ago that obama was inexperienced put your money where your mouth is and suck up your dumb pride and support John McCain and Sarah Palin ”Change We Need” thats true but not that kind of change obama is a idiot whom doesnt know who or what he supports. says hes pro-hunt and pro-gun. its my right anyone wants to take that from me will have one hell of a time trying
Hillary told us during the primary that Obama was not qualified. Now, she wants up to believe her when she changes her mind. Don’t think so!! She has lost all credibility.
The return of the brown shirts and the USSA. Brilliant. Maybe now we can cozy up to Russia and help them get the USSR back on track and, combined, we can dominate the world. Anyone who does not agree - well, you will be disappeared or put in a re-education camp until 2+2=5.
Nice job Winston. Double Plus Good in fact.
The sheeple in this country, with their herd mentality and their stupidity in chasing a bumper sticker slogan, are about to get the government they deserve. The rest of us are SOL.
the Clintons are dumb.
The need to campaign for mccain, so that he will win and Hillary can run against him in ‘12. If Obama wins, that means Hillary cant run for 8 more years. and By then she will be forgotten.
If she is smart, she wouldnt support Obama. She is throwing away her career.
McCain/Palin 08
liked hills and bill but didnt realize that liberal dems really want a new world order. they want socialism and complete government control. found that obamas radical political ideology is the direct result of his years seeking guidance and advise form other radical folks like ayers, frank (from his book), wright, his own wife, ayers wife,rezco etc etc. what do they all share in common? what binds them all together in one cause and one cause only? turning this country into a democratic socialist america where, as black theology has it “Capitalism must be replaced with democratic socialism in an effort to eliminate racism”. get it people? goal, dreams of obama is to get rid of free market principals replace it with welfare state so that everyone is then equal and doesnt have any more than anyone else has in life.
Why is spending out of control, it takes a village to raise one Clinton kid. It takes one hockey mom to raise 5 kids. ?? Only one canidate has gone after corruption and cut spending, yes the jet didn’t sell on e-bay but it was a sign to the people that change had arrived. The stock market drops 300 points everytime Bush speaks. What if he did something, instead of talk about doing something to show the American people he was helping them? It would instill confidence and help recover the stock market. The canidates talk the talk and maybe Sarah Palin doesn’t speak as eliquently as most politicians, but she walks the walk. Tell me what you’ve done not what your going to do. Look at the records.
[...] can Obama lose Pennsylvania when you’ve got both of the Clintons as well as favorite son Joe Biden out on the trail in Scranton, the blue collar locale that seemed to be ground zero for Obama’s inability to connect with [...]
HA! The Clinton’s are the poster childen for “abuse of power” - what with Bill using the oval office for his trysts and all….I mean didn’t they back a u-haul truck up to the white house at the end of their term and fill it up with “souveneirs”?
What a JOKE!
Oh just what I want..the kool-aid gang. Bill Clinton did not do anything for the United States of America, but disgrace us.
Obama now says he wants to “spread the wealth around” yea to the Clintons and the like.
Hello America are you awake?
There is no better way to continue to currupt America then do it from the inside out..What do you think will happen if Obama is elected on November forth..I don’t listen to the media of what his appoinate says..I listen to what he says and does. He says enough for me, all on his own. That is why I fully support the McCain/Palin ticket….DRILL BABY DRILL!!! Help take the strain off my wallett at the pump!! And secure my safty in this great country that I live in!!
McCain/Palin “COUNTRY FIRST”
[...] Joe Biden was last in Scranton on Sunday–at the same venue–stumping for his ticket with … [...]