Biden gets mixed welcome in Philly.. Good read from Philadelphia Daily News

[Ty440]

Local Dem leaders say race is issue for many voters

By DAVE DAVIES
Philadelphia Daily News

DEMOCRATIC vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden went stumping for votes yesterday in Northeast Philadelphia, where Democrats need to earn the love of Democrats who voted overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama in the April primary.

He worked a diner, gave a rousing speech on bread-and-butter issues at a union hall, and reeled off a memorable line tying the Republican candidate to the unpopular team in the White House.

"My friend John McCain and George Bush are joined at the hip," Biden said. "And we need a hip replacement very, very badly."

So how is the ticket doing with the Northeast's white working and middle-class voters?

Mike McAleer, the veteran Democratic ward leader of the 66th ward in the far Northeast, said Obama and Biden haven't closed the deal yet.

"The Dunkin' Donut crowd tells me that we've got everything going for us but Obama," McAleer said. "They can't give me a direct answer. Do I have them right now in the 66th ward? No. But I got 60 days to get them."

Asked what the problem is with Obama, McAleer paused and said: "It's his color . . . I tell them he's half white and half black. He's got a better perspective for everything in this country."

Joe Dougherty, business manager for Ironworkers Local 401, which hosted Biden's morning event, also said race is an issue for many Democrats.

"I hear it in the neighborhood, and I hear it in the union," Dougherty said. "But I remind them (Obama's) mother was white. He sees all sides, and he could be just what we need to bring this country together."

Biden talked to the crowd of about 200 senior citizens and union members about lower taxes, trade agreements that protect American jobs, and ending what he called the Republicans' "war on unions."

Later, Biden and Gov. Rendell worked the lunchtime crowd at The Dining Car, a neighborhood spot on Frankford Avenue.

Biden smiled, laughed, shook hands and sometimes hugged diners or slid into booths next to them. Sometimes he felt the love coming back, and sometimes he didn't.

Charles Daukas said he'd vote for the Obama-Biden team.

"Put it this way, if Hillary was running I would have really went hard for it," Daukas said. "But I'm a Democrat."

In a corner booth, Biden sat down and, after a moment's conversation, planted a kiss on the forehead of Carolyn Bauer, age 89. Bauer explained afterward it wasn't such a friendly encounter.

"I told him I'm not going to vote for him," Bauer said. "Anybody who runs with a guy with a name like that is not going to get my vote. It'd be disgusting to get a man named Barack Obama as president of the United States. No way. I mean it . . . I'm going to vote for McCain and the lady."

"[Obama's] a Muslim," Bauer added. "He pretends to be a Christian, and he isn't, he's a Muslim."

Obama has attended Christian churches for years, and his children are baptized.

After his stops in Northeast Philadelphia, Biden attended a rally in Langhorne. *

[Alcon]

McCain/White Lady '04 (It's '04, Right?)

[Torie]

This rumor that Obama is black is such BS. He acts white, and sort of looks Asian to me.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

It's sad that the Muslim lie seems to be effective this election year, just like the swiftboating of Kerry was in 2004. When you speak loudly and lie, you can drown out meek voices telling the truth.

[Verily]

This rumor that Obama is black is such BS. He acts white, and sort of looks Asian to me.

He's even got an Asian sister! What's up with that?

Sarcasm

[Ty440]

Now for all you people who think Keystone Phil is delusional  for saying Mccain will carry PA....

Read this and read it again these are DEMOCRATS    racism is alive and well in the democratic party...

So the party of affirmative action and who routinely accuse  republicans of racism are about to get devoured by their own polices and members of their own party...  IM LOVING IT!!!!!!!!

Think of every big and medium size city  in the NE and multiply what these union members said  by hundreds of thousands ,, and you will see the scale of Obama's challenge

[Ty440]

This rumor that Obama is black is such BS. He acts white, and sort of looks Asian to me.

I think people still haven't forgot Jeremiah Wright  ... That issue is LETHAL  in the inner ring suburbs....

[War on Want]

Now for all you people who think Keystone Phil is delusional  for saying Mccain will carry PA....

Read this and read it again these are DEMOCRATS    racism is alive and well in the democratic party...

So the party of affirmative action and who routinely accuse  republicans of racism are about to get devoured by their own polices and members of their own party...  IM LOVING IT!!!!!!!!

Think of every big and medium size cities in the NE and multiply what these union members said  by hundreds of thousands ,, and you will see the scale of Obama's challenge

lol

[Torie]

This rumor that Obama is black is such BS. He acts white, and sort of looks Asian to me.

I think people still haven't forgot Jeremiah Wright  ... That issue is LETHAL  in the inner ring suburbs....

Trouble in Bryn Mawr and Haverford eh?

[TeePee4Prez]

Being from the area this article refers to I can say this.  Yeah, a lot of older Democrats won't vote for Obama based on race.  However, I don't think it'll be as bad as people think because well... McCain's policies just plain suck plus the fact that a black candidate, Michael Nutter, actually beat a Northeast Philly white Republican by a margin greater than John Kerry beat George Bush even here.  I'm thinking Obama won't pull Kerry's numbers here, especially amongst the older voters, but there are some younger voters going for Obama even though they voted for Bush in 2004.  Unfortunately for the Dems, a lot of people here are old and yes a bit racist, but I still think McCain will pull off the 66th Ward as described in the article and definitely the 55th and 64th as well, but it won't be a landslide.  Kerry won all Philly wards.

[Democratic Hawk]

So the party of affirmative action and who routinely accuse  republicans of racism are about to get devoured by their own polices and members of their own party...  IM LOVING IT!!!!!!!!

What is to love about racism? You seem to delighting in telling the Forum of racism among Democrats, in Philly, towards Obama

Personally, I find racism abhorrant. I won't even comment as to what I think of you

Dave

[Ty440]

Being from the area this article refers to I can say this.  Yeah, a lot of older Democrats won't vote for ABM based on race.  However, I don't think it'll be as bad as people think because well... McCain's policies just plain suck plus the fact that a black candidate, Michael Nutter, actually beat a Northeast Philly white Republican by a margin greater than John Kerry beat George Bush even here.  I'm thinking ABM won't pull Kerry's numbers here, especially amongst the older voters, but there are some younger voters going for ABM even though they voted for Bush in 2004.  Unfortunately for the Dems, a lot of people here are old and yes a bit racist, but I still think McCain will pull off the 66th Ward as described in the article and definitely the 55th and 64th as well, but it won't be a landslide.  Kerry won all Philly wards.

Good observation ICE HOCKEY  nice to hear from someone who knows and lives in the area...



I live right next to cuyahoga county ...I  saw  the  republican  party chairman of  Ohio gloating on TV about how Obama  will come no where near to Kerry's  227,000 victory margin in Cuyahoga county.

I knew what he meant he couldn't come right out and say it but he knows that there is a huge
percent of white ethnic democrats  who won't vote for  black man named Barrack Obama

[Iosif]

Now for all you people who think Keystone Phil is delusional  for saying Mccain will carry PA....

Read this and read it again these are DEMOCRATS    racism is alive and well in the democratic party...

So the party of affirmative action and who routinely accuse  republicans of racism are about to get devoured by their own polices and members of their own party...  IM LOVING IT!!!!!!!!

Think of every big and medium size city  in the NE and multiply what these union members said  by hundreds of thousands ,, and you will see the scale of Obama's challenge

Why pay attention to polls when you've got top notch on the ground analysis like this?

[Ty440]

So the party of affirmative action and who routinely accuse  republicans of racism are about to get devoured by their own polices and members of their own party...  IM LOVING IT!!!!!!!!

What is to love about racism? You seem to delighting in telling the Forum of racism among Democrats, in Philly, towards Obama

Personally, I find racism abhorrant. I won't even comment as to what I think of you

Dave

Did you find Jeremiah Wright  abhorrant?

I'm not gleeful about racism at all by no means.. But after hearing things like George Bush was responsible for a black  man getting dragged  from a truck for 3 miles in Texas...After hearing that republicans put up police roadblocks and tried to prevent blacks in Florida from voting in 2000...After hearing Howard Dean trying to divide us by accusing the republicans of being the "white party" Honesty I'm kinda tickled at seeing the democrats get a taste of their  own medicine

This is your party Democratic Hawk... Don't you think its better that we know these things and that they are out in the open so we at least know?

Oh and in the last governors race in Ohio I voted for J.Kenneth Blackwell...You know the guy who was running who happened to be black

[Democratic Hawk]

Did you find Jeremiah Wright  abhorrant?

Yes. Certain remarks on his part but I've the good sense to know that Wright's rantings are not reflective of Obama's views on anything

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I've no objection to that. What I do find objectionable is the way you have highlighted and seemingly taken a sense of pleasure in doing so

You must be logged in to read this quote.

What do you want me to do like? Throw a party

End of discussion!

Dave

[J. J.]

Being from the area this article refers to I can say this.  Yeah, a lot of older Democrats won't vote for Obama based on race.  However, I don't think it'll be as bad as people think because well... McCain's policies just plain suck plus the fact that a black candidate, Michael Nutter, actually beat a Northeast Philly white Republican by a margin greater than John Kerry beat George Bush even here.  I'm thinking Obama won't pull Kerry's numbers here, especially amongst the older voters, but there are some younger voters going for Obama even though they voted for Bush in 2004.  Unfortunately for the Dems, a lot of people here are old and yes a bit racist, but I still think McCain will pull off the 66th Ward as described in the article and definitely the 55th and 64th as well, but it won't be a landslide.  Kerry won all Philly wards.

There is a difference between the Nutter campaign and the Obama campaign.

Nutter, who was in the financial field, and a Wharton School graduate, campaigned as the boy next door.  Olivia won that race for him.  If anyone is like him, it's Palin.

Obama isn't really elitist (or anymore elitist than Nutter or McCain), but he comes off as one.

[Keystone Phil]

Being from the area this article refers to I can say this.  Yeah, a lot of older Democrats won't vote for Obama based on race.  However, I don't think it'll be as bad as people think because well... McCain's policies just plain suck plus the fact that a black candidate, Michael Nutter, actually beat a Northeast Philly white Republican by a margin greater than John Kerry beat George Bush even here.  I'm thinking Obama won't pull Kerry's numbers here, especially amongst the older voters, but there are some younger voters going for Obama even though they voted for Bush in 2004.  Unfortunately for the Dems, a lot of people here are old and yes a bit racist, but I still think McCain will pull off the 66th Ward as described in the article and definitely the 55th and 64th as well, but it won't be a landslide.  Kerry won all Philly wards.

Except this isn't a Mayoral race. People have come to accept a black man being Mayor here. This is different. Plus, our Republican candidate was...uh...yeah.

Obama losing any NE wards hurts badly. He's going to lose a few. He's going to come out of Philly weaker than Kerry and Gore. He's going to lose the state.

This is exactly what I have been talking about and people have laughed it off. Maybe some people will think twice next time.

[Keystone Phil]

Mike McAleer, the veteran Democratic ward leader of the 66th ward in the far Northeast, said Obama and Biden haven't closed the deal yet.

"The Dunkin' Donut crowd tells me that we've got everything going for us but Obama," McAleer said. "They can't give me a direct answer. Do I have them right now in the 66th ward? No. But I got 60 days to get them."

Asked what the problem is with Obama, McAleer paused and said: "It's his color . . . I tell them he's half white and half black. He's got a better perspective for everything in this country."

And this is huge.

Mike McAleer is the Democratic ward leader for the major NE ward that borders mine. I don't know McAleer personally but I work/know plenty of people that do know him. I see what he does and doesn't do in the community.

These are the people I am talking about. When I mention that so and so doesn't have a yard sign up or seems hesitant, it means something. McAleer won't have his people pushing Obama on Election day. He has better things to do. McAleer, along with being a ward leader, is part of my State Senator's staff. My State Senator is up for re-election this year. His people will be pushing him.

Several Democratic candidates in the NE are refusing to use the official Democratic sample ballot in November because Obama is at the top of the ticket. I bet McAleer tells his people not to push it either. My State Senator is going to win rather easily but they aren't going to risk it.

Another ward leader in the area (I won't mention who he is...not like that matters to anyone here) was asked by a friend of mine, "What are you going to do now that you guys have Obama?" The ward leader shrugged it off and said, "I focus on the local guys. They get us what we need."

Just remember this, guys. It's so cool that this is getting coverage in my neighborhood, discussing people that I know. It gives me faith that I'm not crazy when I say this stuff. 

[Eraserhead]

If Obama doesn't carry PA, I'll eat my shoe. Seriously.

[Keystone Phil]

If Obama doesn't carry PA, I'll eat my shoe. Seriously.

Instead of addressing what your own leaders in the state say, you continue to dismiss the idea of him losing the state.

[Nym90]

If Obama doesn't carry PA, I'll eat my shoe. Seriously.

Instead of addressing what your own leaders in the state say, you continue to dismiss the idea of him losing the state.

Almost as bad as continually dismissing every single poll taken in the state since April.

[J. J.]

Except this isn't a Mayoral race. People have come to accept a black man being Mayor here. This is different. Plus, our Republican candidate was...uh...yeah.

Obama losing any NE wards hurts badly. He's going to lose a few. He's going to come out of Philly weaker than Kerry and Gore. He's going to lose the state.

This is exactly what I have been talking about and people have laughed it off. Maybe some people will think twice next time.

I don't know if he'll lose the state, but Bush actually improved his percentage in Phila in 2004.

I still have PA as a tossup.

[Keystone Phil]

If Obama doesn't carry PA, I'll eat my shoe. Seriously.

Instead of addressing what your own leaders in the state say, you continue to dismiss the idea of him losing the state.

Almost as bad as continually dismissing every single poll taken in the state since April.

Because I'm actually discussing real factors instead of polls taken months before the election?

I haven't continued to dismiss them. I just refuse to believe that that defines this race.

[Sbane]

I will continue to trust the polls. I never thought Philly was going to give the same margin for Obama as it did for Kerry or Gore. It could still happen depending on how blacks voted in 2004, because we know they will give 95%+ to Obama and they will turn out heavily. But he will lose ground in NE philly and Bucks which he must make up somewhere else in the state. I would guess it is in Amish country and the phila burbs. I want to see some poll where they break down their results by area and compare it to Kerry. Has anyone seen anything like that for PA?

[Keystone Phil]

I will continue to trust the polls. I never thought Philly was going to give the same margin for Obama as it did for Kerry or Gore. It could still happen depending on how blacks voted in 2004, because we know they will give 95%+ to Obama and they will turn out heavily. But he will lose ground in NE philly and Bucks which he must make up somewhere else in the state. I would guess it is in Amish country and the phila burbs. I want to see some poll where they break down their results by area and compare it to Kerry. Has anyone seen anything like that for PA?

Obama is going to make up his loses in NE Philly and Bucks county in...Amish Country? Seriously?

Uh...yeah...