Obama Continues Pennsylvania Bus Tour
HARRISBURG, PA. -- Barack Obama will campaign in eastern Pennsylvania today, marking the fourth day of his "Stand for Change" bus tour. Obama has gone back to "Iowa-style" campaigning, hosting smaller, more intimate events as he tries to reach out to voters on a more personal level.
"We were having these huge rallies and it's just hard to get questions and have a lot of interaction," Obama told reporters over the weekend.
"When we're having an event a week and so you couldn't really take time for the retail politics that I enjoy and think helps people know me better. We can take a little more leisurely pace when we have 6 six weeks to campaign in the state."
Obama will focus on high energy and gasoline costs today on campaign stops in Lancaster and Allentown. In recent days, he has accused the Bush administration of cozying up to the oil and gas industry, charging that Dick Cheney has met with oil executives 40 times.
Obama's "Big Oil" ad, which began airing in Pennsylvania on Friday, has drawn criticism from the Clinton campaign. In the ad, Obama says, "I don't take money from oil companies or Washington lobbyists, and I won't let them block change anymore." The Clinton campaign accused Obama of taking more than $160,000 from the oil industry. The Obama campaign responded by saying that Obama does not accept campaign contributions from lobbyists or PACs.
Obama will also pick up the endorsement of Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., today.