Police estimated the crowd at between 100-125,000 people at a rally in Philadelphia today. And CNN is reporting Clinton will go down to Miami, Arkansas, Nevada and New Mexico with the Kerry campaign. I really hope this isn't too much too soon for President Clinton, but its clear, he is a huge draw as well.

Kerry's running scared. He calls Clinton begging for help, and they end up campaigning in an area that's supposed to be a lock for him. Trying to shore up the base there, Johnny boy? Afraid because Bush has since 2000 doubled his support in the African American community? And for what? The Democrats have exploited the blacks for years, and what have they done for them? More pandering, more race-baiting. Meanwhile, Bush has more blacks in key positions than a Democrat, including Clinton, has had. Plus the Republicans share more of the same cultural values with African Americans than do the Democrats. On top of that, Republicans have done more to make business ownership possible for blacks.

Where you going next, Johnny? NYC, LA? Bring Bubba down there with you. And if you think he's doing this for you, I've got some WMD's to sell ya. Billy's doing this for one single reason: He loves--he needs--to be the recipient of audience adulation once again.

America grew tired of Bubba, so thank you for resurrecting that windbag and solidifying Bush's base in the meantime.

To arms!

Dear Mr. Battleground State -

Clinton & Kerry spoke today in an area that Bush would already concede is a lock for Kerry. All of Bush's appearances in the Philadelphia area have been outside of the city. The appearance today was designed to energize people to turn out and vote. Increasing turnout in the predominately Democratic areas of Philadelphia (and Pittsburgh) can offset the vote of the rest of the state and allow Kerry to win Pennsylvania.

Signed,
Another battleground state

Veritas, please, or should I say MIB, please...if anyone's scared right now its the Repugs. All of their ads are about fear, and they had to drag out Guiliani, and maybe Ahnold? Now thats tired.

And following Clinton's appearance in Philadelphia, he went off to Florida. Clinton's call to vote for the one "who makes you think and appeals to hope" was vintage Clinton.

~Adam

I'd like to hear the specifics on that statement, or are you referring to the anti-gay sentiment shared by a few African American preachers and their flocks with the GOP's ultra-right wing as "cultural values"?

This is a marvelous illustration of how to lie with statistics. The book is probably banned now, and by both parties at that.

For an extremely hypothetical example, let's say that in 2000, out of every 1000 African-Americans who voted, 995 voted for Gore, four voted for Nader, and 1 voted for Bush. Suppose that in a week, we learn that out of 1000 such voters, 998 vote for Kerry and 2 vote for Bush. It would be entirely true to say that "Bush has since 2000 doubled his support in the African American community." On the other hand....

So what are the real numbers?

From a meager 9% in 2000 to a still-a-bit-meager-but-quite-significant 18%, Bush has increased his support of the African American population. It was some research group that just did this (PEW? I can't recall now. Too much partyin' going on here.)

To arms!

According to today's NY Times Bush's support in the African-American community has gone from 8% in 2000 to 16% today, with many in the community citing Bush's support of the constitutional ban against gay marriage as a key reason to support him.

That's what I wanted. Thanks.

Remember: no major pain reliever is more effective than Tylenol. (How many different conclusions can be drawn from that statement?)

I wonder if the GOP was endorsing a ban on African American marriage, would Bush's support double in the gay community?

I'm okay with discrimination so long as it's not discriminating against me.

I heard on local radio here in Washington this evening that Mayor Street gave city employees the afternoon off to attend the rally. Wouldn't surprise me at all, but given how these stories take on a life of their own, I'm just curious if you Philly guys have a fact check on that one.

Even if true, I don't think it would have made a major impact on the clearly big crowd numbers. It appeared that large numbers of people came in from the 'burbs as much to see Clinton, as to see Kerry.

As an aside, scottie is correct about the need for the Democrats to inspire turnout in the predominately Democratic areas of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, as they have done successfully in the past. I would just add that, with the exception of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, those are pretty much the ONLY premondimately Democratic areas of the keystone state.

GOP strategists believe that lackluster turnout among conservatives, especially evangelicals unconvenced by Bush's conservative credentials in 2000, gave Gore the edge 4 years ago. I'm personally skeptical of whether that sufficiently explains why PA went blue rather than red in 2000, but some stats from central PA seem to support it. If there is anyone wondering why Bush is running to the right, you'll find your answer there.

The Democrat cause would be solid if there was a more viable Senate candidate on the ballot, but it may not matter in the end. On the flip side, if Pres. Bush could capture the Reagan Democrats, we wouldn't even be talking about Pennsylvania, but he has not been able to make that connection.

[ October 25, 2004, 08:36 PM: Message edited by: PennState4Ever ]

I haven't heard anything about the Mayor allowing city employees to take off to attend the rally, but I will check the Tuesday newspapers. I am sure a lot of center city office workers (both private and public sector) took very long lunches to attend the rally. A co-worker of mine attended, intending to leave the rally at 1:30 to get to a meeting. I was told it was the area was too crowded with people to move and get out of the crowd early. After the rally, I saw a lot of people, college students to senior citizens, carrying signs headed to buses and commuter trains, so the crowd was much more than center city office workers.

[ October 25, 2004, 09:17 PM: Message edited by: scottie ]

Coming from Texas and having lived there during Bush's joke of a governorship, I can guarantee you that Bush is NO FRIEND of the African-American community. Segregation is alive and well in Houston, Dallas and elsewhere in the state. And there are still heinous crimes against African-Americans in the state. No, he is not a friend of that minority.

The only President since when, to NOT meet with the NAACP?

And why should he? They're a bunch of racist idiots who are the puppets of Jackson, Sharpton and others.

That wouldn't surprise me one bit. Frickin' government employees spend WAY too much time screwin' around instead of working. Hey! Our tax dollars are paying for you pinheads to actually earn your pay and stop sloughing off during working hours.

Nothing about this in the Phila. Daily News (and nothing about this was reported on TV last night after the football game).

Hey, I'm not a government employee, but why aren't you also criticizing the private sector employees that let their employees take 3-4 hour lunches yesterday to attend the rally?

Typical Redumblican attitude. Thanks for keeping up the ignorant stereotype. Thou doth protest too much.

I don't let my employees do that, I can tell you that much. Worse, I don't even let my employees take those ridiculous "cigarette" breaks. I stopped that a few years ago. Every hour or two the gals up front would walk outside, light up, and spend 15 or so minutes puffing those cancer sticks. Not anymore. No smoke breaks period. Anyone who does has the time deducted from their pay. That had a big effect on them, since after I instituted that policy, they stopped doing it.

...and then I told those gals you're only getting two squares of toilet paper for each visit to the john and, by god, now we don't have to run down to the Wal-mart every week to buy toilet paper.

It took me a while and several threads, but I think I've got it. Veritas is actually a flaming liberal who wants to make conservatives look as bad as possible.

Keep up the good work "Veritas."

I was wondering is Veritas was Philly Fan after then meds kicked in

OK Veritas, a few of the things i can see your point on, but leave your mean spirited, friggin untrue generalizations outta here.

As a GOVERNMENT employee and supervisor, I actually work for a living, don't take 3 hour lunch breaks, don't polish my nails while reading the paper at my desk, don't try to figure how i can screw the most money outta idiots like you-well ok, the last one we government employees do.

There are many government employees who work hard every day, just like in the private sector. Yes, there are "deadbeats" and "excess baggage" in some areas, but that exists everywhere.

Ok, that's my rant for today-it's time to go back to work-my 4 hour lunch break is nearly over.

Thank you. I'm trying. It's a never-ending battle, though, with you Leninists here, that's for sure!

Mean spirited? The truth hurts, doesn't it? Government workers, at least almost all of them, are like union members--lazy. Try working in the private sector where you don't get every holiday known to man off and you don't get 8 weeks of vacation in your first 6 months. Job security exists in these government jobs because the AFSCME has bullied the government into giving away the store. What a joke.

It's companies like mine and people like me who bust our asses to pay the taxes that pay the salaries (and ridiculously, overly generous benefits) of these lazy-ass government workers.

To arms!

Geez Veritas, lighten up. I suppose you also think Social Security and Medicare are a joke right??? You imperialists are really something.

Veritas is a troll. I think he/she/it can be safely ignored in these threads.

It's kind of like asking MIB or Wm1865 to lighten up, don't you think?

Guys, guys, guys...it's impossible to have a civil debate or argument with a liar.

OH! The redundancy!

LOL good one Veritas. You obviously hang around some sorry government workers. You probably need to find new friends.

I personally, can tell you of a lot of good government workers. But since your mind is already made up, based on half truths and lies, so be it. A good quote i live by is "it is better to keep one's mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt"(paraphrasing someone else here-forgot whom).

hhhmmmm No waste in the private sector? let's just ask the employee retirement funds (government and private) that lost billions with Enron and Worldcom. No unions in the private sector increasing costs and 'demanding' holidays? OH no, private enterprise workers still work 6 days a week/12 hours a day. They always work Christmas and July 4. Oh yes, and those hard working private banks-NEVER get off Columbus day. OH NO. No airlines wanting the government to bail them out with billions of dollars?? oh no, NEVER!! No huge oil companies making billions of dollars in profits each year wanting, the government to give them billions in tax breaks to drill in Alaska--OH NO. perish the thought.

Joe in Philly, I will take your advice in the future.

post during working hours.

...but won't allow his "own" employees a smoke break.

OH, the Hypocrisy!

Wow Veritas I'll bet you can't keep a good employee either being such an ogre. I doubt I could stand working for you, if I had no choice I'm sure I'd subtly sabotage your company. Keep up the good work I'm sure you and your company are getting far swimming upriver like that.

[ October 26, 2004, 07:40 PM: Message edited by: gobar ]

Wow. Did you think of that all by yourself? Sounds like a government worker who finds it hard to accept the truth.

Sabotage, eh? How typical. What a sourpuss you are. My employees are quite happy with their jobs. Over the last 5 years I can count on one hand the number of people who have quit/resigned, and all but one did so because they moved out of town. I believe in promoting/advancement from within, illustrated by the successful rise of many individuals in my organization. My company is strong, my employees are happy, and I'm happy.

Leave it up to some bitter kiddie like you to try and spoil it for the whole group. Come on over here and tell our people this and see how long you last.

Veritas, I don't for a second believe you. You sound horrible. If no-one's quit you must just be extremely easy to steal from.

[ October 26, 2004, 07:42 PM: Message edited by: gobar ]

Why is it so hard for you to believe someone can run a business and have satisfied employees? Not every business owner is a mean ogre, you know. wink

oh the hypocracy.... did i spell that right? eek! eek! eek!

No PF you didn't. It's h-y-p-o-c-r-i-s-y. All that beer swilling is beginning to show in your spelling! wink

Of course you didnt, but I think we all get it - the judge is back!