Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Don't Forget PA

It has been a long, arduous primary season filled with emotional speeches and controversial claims made by each of the candidates. The Democratic Party has had a rough go of it with two candidates – Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama – brutally battling it out for the Democratic nomination and the chance to take on Senator McCain in the Presidential election. Obama leads Clinton in both the delegate count – 1,608 to1,504 – and the popular vote. However, Senator Clinton has led and still leads Senator Obama in Pennsylvania.

Today is voting day for Pennsylvanians, and for the last several weeks Pennsylvania has been the host to all the major news agencies: CNN, MSNBC, Fox News; as well as the local news stations. Traditionally Pennsylvania has been labeled one of the most important states for Democratic candidates to win because it has the most delegates up for grabs among the remaining primary states. In conjunction with that it has served as the final primary for Democrats because usually by this point in the primary season a candidate has won the nomination. However, neither Senators Clinton nor Obama will secure the nomination with a win in Pennsylvania. So one begs the question, is the Pennsylvania Primary still important? The question is hard to answer definitively because media outlets all over are discussing the importance of Pennsylvania’s primary.

Knowing that the state’s votes won’t immediately determine a Democratic nominee some people might say that the primary isn’t as significant as it has been in the past. But don’t say that to a Pennsylvanian. For this primary there are 3 million more registered voters than the 2004 Presidential election. The last several weeks have seen Pennsylvanians registering in record numbers. If the primary isn’t important then why are all these people turning out to vote? Perhaps the reason is because the Democratic race is between an African-American man, and a White woman. This primary election has deeper implications than any other primary election has had. Democrats all over the country are unsure of what to do during this election. Many people have interests in one candidate and none what-so-ever in the other. And these conflicting interests are forcing people to vote for their candidate.

I took to the streets of Philly to experience the ever present Brotherly Love. To ask John Everyman what his views and opinions about today’s primary I met and spoke with several individuals and one couple at Geno’s Steaks in Philly. I figured you couldn’t find a truer Pennsylvanian than one who frequents Philly’s best cheesesteaks. Three of the four individuals whom I spoke with said that they would be voting for Clinton in today’s primary. The fourth was still unsure of who they are going to vote for. The most resounding reason for Senator Clinton was her experience. Sam, who lives in an apartment on Springarden Street said “Clinton has a lot more experience” and if he wasn’t running for President she “wouldn’t even know who Obama was.” Mary in Northeast Philly said she was voting for Clinton because “she’s a woman, and only a woman can get things done for women”. Mary’s view may seem a bit extremist, but many women across the nation share her opinion. The couple I interviewed lives in Center City Philadelphia and were the only two people I spoke with that are going to vote for Obama. Linda, a researcher at Temple, “truly believes that Obama is earnest and will fulfill his promises.” “He’s also more of a ‘peoples’ man’ than Clinton is,” added her boyfriend Dominic. Clearly both of the candidates have different appeals among the people.

With all things being said, I think it’s safe to say that the Pennsylvania primary is important. Just because today’s primary won’t immediately decide who is going to win the Democratic nomination doesn’t mean that it’s not important. Stephen Colbert, host of the Colbert Report, set up camp at the University of Pennsylvania for 4 shows last week dedicated to the Pennsylvania primary. Late-night television programming that has some of the highest ratings dedicated a week of its programming to the Pennsylvania primary. Everywhere a you go there are reminders for voting up, take a walk along any of the many paths at Ursinus College and you will see written in chalk on the pavement “VOTE”. There are tons of factors that exemplify why the Pennsylvania primary is important. The most important is that every Pennsylvanian will have a chance to have their vote matter.

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