A Fair Fight In Indiana

Washington Post: Hoosier State Shapes Up As Key Battle Where Clinton And Obama Each Have Equal Shot Of Victory

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Anne E. Kornblut.

---

Something unusual appears to be developing in the Democratic presidential race in this state: a fair fight.

Wedged between Illinois, which is Sen. Barack Obama's home state, and Ohio, which Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton dominated on March 4, Indiana may be the one state remaining on the primary calendar where both candidates begin with a roughly equal chance of coming out ahead.

That fact alone makes it stand out from states such as Pennsylvania, where the playing field for the April 22 contest offers big advantages to Clinton (N.Y.), or the Oregon race a month later, which clearly tilts toward Obama.

In Indiana, Obama has a home-field advantage, while Clinton has the backing of the popular Sen. Evan Bayh and may have an edge on the kind of economic issues that are likely to dominate the discussion before the state's Democrats vote on May 6.

"If I had to pick -- and I'm not usually shy about saying who's going to win -- I couldn't tell you today," said Rep. Joe Donnelly, a Democrat who represents Indiana's 2nd District and has not committed to either candidate. Others entrenched in Indiana politics put Clinton ahead, if only slightly.

The state's Democrats have reacted to their sudden relevance with enthusiasm -- thousands waited in the cold to see Clinton at several stops last week -- and the campaigns have responded by pouring resources into the state. Obama arrived here first, making an appearance March 15 in Plainfield, and the Clinton campaign is launching an attempt to limit his following on campuses with its own blitz on the numerous colleges and universities around the state. On Monday, Chelsea Clinton is set to help kick off the effort, appearing with her father, former president Bill Clinton, in South Bend before traveling to Bloomington.

Obama's bases of operation are likely to revolve around the Hoosier State's three major universities -- Notre Dame in the north and Indiana University and Purdue University farther south -- and build out into their respective host cities of South Bend, Bloomington and West Lafayette. The African American populations that spill over from Chicago are expected to favor Obama, as is Indianapolis, the state's largest city.

Former congrssman and 9/11 Commission member Timothy J. Roemer is among a long list of Democrats slated to begin working the state aggressively for Obama.

While both campaigns grudgingly admit that the race here is competitive, each is seeking to portray the other as starting with a lead in pursuit of Indiana's 72 pledged delegates.

"We think he has some advantages starting out," Bayh said, referring to Obama, in an interview after spending the day traveling around the state with Clinton. "Twenty percent of Indiana households watch Chicago TV. The city of East Chicago is actually in Indiana."

As a result, Bayh said, a big swath of Indiana is already very familiar with Obama's message and the messenger himself.

---

Campaign Calendar
Check out the upcoming primary and caucus dates.

---

But demographics and some of the state's similarities to Ohio, where Clinton won big on March 4, suggest that the senator from New York has a leg up. In southern Indiana, factory towns and areas around Evansville look like prime targets for her economic message aimed at blue-collar voters. Her allies also see strong potential for her in the Indianapolis suburbs.

Clinton already has a 5 to 2 lead among Indiana's 12 superdelegates (her supporters include Bayh, former Democratic National Committee chairman Joe Andrew and Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker). The five Democrats who represent Indiana in the House -- several of them locked in tough races of their own -- remain uncommitted.

"Clinton would probably have an upper hand," said Jay Howser, who was campaign manager for Rep. Brad Ellsworth in 2006 and who is not aligned with either presidential campaign. "Although there's probably a heavy base of African American support for Obama in Indianapolis, it's a state that responds well to Clinton."

Clinton's alliance with Bayh, son of Indiana legend Birch Bayh, is already paying off. She hitched herself to the senator and former governor Thursday for a "Hoosiers for Hillary" tour that began in his birthplace, Terre Haute, a working-class and culturally conservative pocket of the state.

At every stop, the two talked about their long friendship, their seats next to each other on the Senate Armed Services Committee, their joint trips to Iraq and Afghanistan, and their late-night political discussions. Recalling a recent conversation on the Senate floor, Bayh said: "I told her, I said, 'Many of our families are facing challenges.' . . . You know what she said to me? She said, 'Those are the people I want to fight for. And if you will stand with me, I will stand with you to build a better America.' "

The handicapping in other state contests also makes Indiana uniquely important. Its primary falls on the same day as voting in North Carolina, where Obama is widely considered to have the advantage. If Clinton wins Pennsylvania, as expected, she hopes to ride that momentum into the remaining contests, including those in Indiana, WestVirginia, Kentucky and Puerto Rico. Losses in Indiana and North Carolina would quickly blunt any claim to momentum for her.

The Obama campaign has been careful to play down the significance of any single contest now that it holds the lead in pledged delegates. But in a nod to Indiana's symbolic importance, the campaign has put it in the hands of Mitch Stewart, the former caucus director for Obama in Iowa.

David Axelrod, Obama's chief strategist, said Friday: "Pennsylvania is an uphill battle for us. West Virginia is an uphill battle for us. Kentucky is an uphill battle for us." But he added: "Indiana is going to be a real fight."

[blkpresident]

Kstar42,

You and the voters in Ohio already had your say. Now it''s on to some SMARTER voters in PA., who won''t vote for a lil'' woman over a man. It''s as simple as that. What''s wrong with the water in Ohio? Somewhere in NY a lonely kitchen stove is missing Hillary''s touch. Got apron, lil'' woman? Go bake a batch of brownies or something. She''ll have plenty of time after PA.

[tawpdawg1]

***Does anyone actually believe that Obama''s religion is clouding his judgement? Don''t you LISTEN to him? It just make me literally sick that this is what will cost us our shot at allowing this BRILLIANT human being the chance to lead us out of the complete MESS the last doof (who, by the way, wears his religion on his sleeve, if THAT tells you anything) has gotten us into. Gawd Dammmmm naw naw naw I think I have a problem with religion. Just IMAGINE if there were........................................................................... none...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................you see? Its easy if you try. OBAMA IN ''08 - YES WE CAN!

[tawpdawg1]

***If all those parishioners are buyin'''' Wrights snake oil up there then they probably drink it and then wander around town chanting "Gawd DAmmmmm America, naw naw naw Gawd Dammmmmmmmmm America" with their eyes spinning around like they''''re mesmerized by Rev Wright or some kind of zombies. Like them Obamabots I been hearin'''' about on here. I''ll tell ya what''s a Gawd Dammmmmmm shame naw naw naw is eveyone is gonna hold it against the greatest presidential candidate to come along since Bobby Kennedy. Since the Kennedy''s were Catholic and the mass was in Latin noone could tell if the priest was sayin Gawd Dammmmmmm America naw naw naw (probably not) so they had to take him out of their picture with a bullet. We''re gonna give ourselves the SHAFT over some religious sermons the whole point of which was to make MONEY. He just tells what he hopes most of them want to hear and so does YOUR preacher. Gawd Dammmmmmmm shame it is yes yes yes.

[tawpdawg1]

***Just face it about Rev Wright and every other religion in America. The leader of your church tells you what he thinks his people want to hear and if he is spot on most of the time then the congregation puts lots of MONEY in when they pass the hat and make a big donation now and then to lock up a good spot in heaven (or maybe donate some labor or pour em some concrete or the like. Its a write off, ya know.) and the church leader gets a big smile and counts up all the dough back in the back room outta sight and skims some and reports some and then the BIG church bosses collect from all the local guys and count it all up back in the back room outta sight and skim some and report some and then they hire some lobbyists to lobby lawmakers for tax-exempt status for their "church" (now the lawmaker gets a spot in heaven guaranteed by their man) and really the whole thing revolves around MONEY and GREED just like eveything else here. Thats why Rev Wright said naw naw naw Gawd Dammmmmmmmmmm America because he thought thats what most of his flock might want to hear given all the oppression out there and all, and they might put some extra money in the kitty this week cause he got em so fired up and maybe he gotta hot tip on a pony at Belmont that he might just drop an extra 20-spot on the nose and then YOUR guy says whatever it is that he says on Sunday that gets YOUR congregation all excited and in the giving mood. Just doin a little speculatin here. Does anybody get my point?

[kstar42]

After PA., the Obama shuffle won''''t just be plowing some new ground (especially since missy won''''t be around any longer)we''''re going to unleash the Obama shuffle on OLD man McCain and steamroll his OLD *** too.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by BLKPRESIDENT at 05:58 PM : Mar 25, 2008

You never seem to amaze me how much of a racist pig you are......Better watch it...theirs more smarter white folks out their then there are black...Keep pissinggg us off.when push comes to shove your Obama will be burnt toast come election.....By the way keep the lil missy to your self...been threw this many times before.....ohhh and remember who is the racist pig? Barack....White people don''t like that.....

[ewnnrj]

But the big news is Obama''s leap to 20 point lead in North Carolina, and regaining his lead nationwide - he has survived - he will triumph.

[popstom1]

Don''t memoirs show insight to obama mind

[liberalvet]

Posted by VOTE2008YES at 03:13 PM : Mar 25, 2008

I find it amuzing that you and the so called important guest on POTUS 08 are still attempting to use Obama''s Memoirs against him. They are old news. Only a racist pig would attempt to turn the memoirs into an anti-white theme, and many of you unfortunatly still exist in America. You, the so called important guest, and Sean Hannity can all jump off a roof for all I and other racial acceptant individuals in America could care.

[downsteamjim]

the Obama shuffle on OLD man McCain and steamroll his OLD *** too. Posted by BLKPRESIDENT
I hope you''re black. If a white person said this, they would be hound for making a racist statement.

[obama8years]

The great Obama hypocrisies Amongst his many other flip-flops and after Barrack stated he was never present in the pews or present during the many highly inflammatory remarks stating clearly that he had no knowledge and was unaware of his pastors remarks%u2026 he has now in his speech on Tuesday now has made a full 180 degree turnaround now stating that he was indeed present during his pastors racially insensitive remarks not only admitting he was present but still remains firm in defending his anti-U.S. charged sermons.

Is this the person we are now considering as a nominee for the presidency
of America, that remains decided in crediting those demonstrating there devotions to Africa and the partisan views, at the same time beholding to such inflamed Anti-American, sentiments amongst his own many other now controversial and racially charged and currently exposed contradictions of judgment that Obama himself can no longer keep hidden within into his own consistent and excused in played upon speeches keeping himself under the radar of the voting multitudes left into Barrack Obama%u2019s dilutions now being so falsely mislead by his own blind faith.

[liberalvet]

and get ready because according to Hannity there is a lot more to come...more facts that have not being heard as of yet.

Posted by VOTE2008YES at 03:13 PM : Mar 25, 2008

Looks to me like you are quoting Sean I''m a right wing troll Hannity to me. Maybe you should pay more attention to what you are posting....and less on spewing lies....

[blkpresident]

dowmsteamjim,

After PA., the Obama shuffle won''t just be plowing some new ground (especially since missy won''t be around any longer)we''re going to unleash the Obama shuffle on OLD man McCain and steamroll his OLD *** too.

[tawpdawg1]

Fair? fight in Indiana. Depends on just how many dittoheads heed Limbaughs call to commit voter fraud there as they did by the tens of thousands in Ohio.hey Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann --you shoud have heard Limbaugh on AM radio today. He was on there ridiculing you and your state laws concerning his "OPERATION CHAOS". He said if you arrest him he would broadcast his show live from your jail and then cackled. Might as well tell you to your face that you ain''''t nothin'''' to him. How does that guy sleep at night?

[downsteamjim]

lil'''' missy and grandpa are out!
Posted by BLKPRESIDENT

How many times have you posted the same or nearly the same thing! Plow some new ground

[downsteamjim]

Contrary to your implication...
Posted by BLKPRESIDENT

Au contraire, It was your words not my implication.

[blkpresident]

lil'' missy and grandpa are out!

[blkpresident]

Contrary to your implication, I actually follow who I think is the best candidate, which just so happens to be a MAN, who is NOT a woMAN or an OLDman.

[downsteamjim]

Only Mr. Obama can determine if he was asleep or not when Rev. Wright was ranting. And, whatever the man says I would believe....posted by BLKPRESIDENT

It seems that you follow blindly. If Obama says that the moon is cheese does that make it so.

[blkpresident]

popstom1,

Obama never once said Rev Wright would be invited to the White House during his administration, so what''s the problem? I''d understand if Obama snubbed America and allowed rev Wright to hold the Bible when he was being sworn in, but that''s NOT the case. Let''s get back to the real issues here: OLD man Mccain''s age and lil'' missy''s idea of foreign policy (baking a batch of cookies for our terrorist enemies isn''t exactly my idea of commanding fear and respect from the terrorist).

[popstom1]

Rev Wright America created AID''S to kill all colored
people Obama judgement