Palin schedule shows McCain on the defensive?
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/10/06/art.palinnc.ap.jpg caption="Palin will go to Greenville, North Carolina Tuesday."](CNN) - The McCain campaign announced Sarah Palin is set to make a stop in North Carolina Tuesday night, two days after the Republican VP candidate stumped in Nebraska - two reliably red states that haven't voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in at least three decades.
Palin's most recent travel schedule is the latest indication Barack Obama and the nation's ailing economy have put John McCain on the defensive, even in states where the prospect of a Democratic win was unthinkable only four years ago.
Palin's visit to North Carolina comes as most recent polls of the state show Obama and McCain essentially in a dead heat there. A CNN/Time Magazine/Opinion Research Corporation poll of North Carolina last month showed the candidates dead even, while some recent polls have even suggested a slight Democratic lead. CNN/Time Magazine/Opinion Research Corporation will release a new North Carolina poll Tuesday morning.
Election Center: Check out the latest state polls
Then there’s the unknown variable of an anticipated rise in turnout in the African-American community. In 2006 that voting bloc made up 26 percent of North Carolina's electorate, with 85 percent voting for Sen. John Kerry. Obama is expected to win an even higher percentage of the black vote this cycle, with a higher expected turnout as well.
"The North Carolina of today is far more diverse than the North Carolina of twenty or even ten years ago," CNN Senior Political Researcher Alan Silverleib said. "The state’s changing economy has attracted thousands of new voters willing to pull the lever for a Democratic nominee. Second, the state’s sizable African-American voting bloc is extremely energized by Obama’s candidacy. Third, the economic downturn has made Tar Heel voters — just like voters in the rest of the country — much more receptive to the Democratic message of change."
Palin's appearance in the state comes more than five months after McCain held his last public event there, delivering a speech in early May at Wake Forest on his vision for judicial appointments. The event came the same day as Indiana and North Carolina's Democratic primaries and was largely overshadowed by the still-ongoing battle between Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton.
McCain-Palin spokesman Ben Porritt said Monday the campaign remains confident the Republican ticket will carry the state.
"This is a state that Barack Obama has put millions of dollars into," he said. "This is an opportunity to speak to our supporters there and makes sure they turn out."
Porritt also declined to say whether McCain has any plans to visit North Carolina before Election Day.
The North Carolina visit comes after Palin traveled to Nebraska's Second Congressional District Sunday, prompting pundits to speculate the McCain campaign is worried the Obama could peel off an electoral vote there. Nebraska, like Maine, awards its electoral votes by the winner of each congressional district, and the second district - which includes Omaha and its surrounding areas - is the most Democratic.
But Palin told Nebraska voters Sunday she was not visiting the state because the campaign was worried about a possible loss there.
“The pundits today on TV—one of them was saying, check out the vice president’s schedule, check out where she’s going—she’s going to Nebraska,” she said. “But the pundit was saying the only reason she’d be going there is ‘cause they’re scared, so they got to go there and shore up votes. And I wanted to reach into that TV and say no, I’m going to Nebraska because I want to go to Nebraska."
Your blogs are unintelligible Griff. What are you trying to say? I can't even figure out which candidate you are trying to slam.
She will soon have to do some campaigning in Alaska...
I just wonder how this lady is going to win him any more votes or help him gain in the polls. All of the idiots that are going to vote for mcshame or his bimbo vp pick have come out of the closet already.
Apparently, they are not many.
Go Obama/Biden 08!
Everyone that I know here in NC is voting for McCain/Palin. I spoke to a lady who was running a booth for democrats at a local town festival over the weekend. She told me that the 6 people running the booth were only voting democrat at the state and local level but were voting for McCain/Palin for President. She also told me that other democrats that she knew were also voting for McCain.
That seems to be a trend here in NC and Virginia by comments that I am hearing.
Gov. Palin Does Have Some Small Town Political Experience,
But She Is Not Ready To Take It To The Next Level!
what are they going to do for the people of the u.s.a. ,as far as i heard nothing , they dont say anything just spread lies . sorry im for obama. he didnt pull out of michigan
My heart aches for this country and I pray we can recover from the terrible mismanagement of our govenment, the mistakes in our foreign policy, the war and Wall Street in the last eight years. I'm tired of electing underachieving silver spooners to the presidency and John Mc Cain fits the bill and so did George Bush. We need someone with intelligence for complex issues who can stay calm during crisis and understand how difficult it has become for our young families and the elderly to make it in these tough times.
Barack Obama is a decent man and an intelligent human being. Joe Biden and he will make a solid team and will guide us out of this man made hell we are going through.
Independent Voter
Obama/Biden
Palin needs to go home and bake cookies and leave the VP job to someone who will make a positive difference!
I am an old fashioned conservative from NC and McCain and Palin make me shamed to call myself a Republican. The way they are running their campaign give all Republicans a bad name. I just wonder what my great hero, Ronald Reagan, would say if he saw these clowns dragging the Republican name to the ground. Me and my whole family is voting for Obama so we can get a "real conservative" to run in 2012 who truly represents our conservative ideals. You have lost all my respect, Mr. McCain!
The media is a set of scrondrels especially Fox news...they don't like Barack and encourages people to go after him....why don't they bring up the keating case with mccain now that it is out also. Barack was never accused of doing any wrong things with Ayers. and that Sarah palin needs to go back to Alaska and answer questions as to why she fired the man. she lied her way through fame and leave her special needs child who need her at this time ....or am I mistaken that this child is really her grandchild. who is with this child the whole time she is out on the road....i need answers. She is no public speaker...she sound so country "dog gone it" This is no small time governor affair here. This country is at state economically.
Fox news...I am sick of you'll especially Steve.
McCain should be scared with all the lies he brought including Sarah Palin and she only been in it for 5 1/2 weeks, she is not clean herself.
The news is not saying this and I found it by doing a google search and type in
Palin had an affair
you will see what I am talking about it is saying this
Funny enough Palin for years was pallin around with a group of Alaskan radicals that saw America as imperfect enough that they wanted to secede from the union.
Palin was a member and or strongly affiliated with a radical Alaskan secessionist party whose founder died in plastic explosives deal gone bad. Her husband was definitly a member from 1995-2002 according to voting records. While is is questionable to call them terrorists, they were definitely radical secessionists who did not fall in line with the Republican credo of ‘loving America’ or McCain’s slogan ‘Country First’.
People vote early because
There were a lot of votes uncounted for during the last election due to human error, voting machines breaking down are there were not enough voting machines that cause the votes not be counted for.. The lines were extremely long and some waited more than 4 hrs. to vote.
To make it stranger it all happen in the inner cities.
Sound strange doesn't it. Well it did happen and it was the 2004 election
Please
Everyone should ask in theire state are the machines ready to do this and do they have enough plus are there any alternatives to vote in case something happens.
There is going to be a huge turnout and there will be problems. Be prepared and be patient.
America is fired up and ready to vote.
Vote early America because you might have to stand in line a very long time. It happen before and those votes were not counted.
Obama is the most inexperienced presidential nominee since–um, Kennedy? Lincoln? Truman?
C'mon NC. Vote for Obama and flip the bird to the GOP.
don't believing mcsame obama is only raising taxes on people that make 250, 000 a year. get your fact right and stop listening to lying mcsame.
McCain should change his slogan to 'The Wealthy First'
"McCain–an albatross around Sarah's neck."
Sarah Palin a role model for your daughters?
How sad for your girls.
Intellectual/Experience versus Geezer/Gidget
I know which ticket I'm voting for.
Thank GOD the tide is turning more and more toward Obama. If these liars are put back in office we are going to hell in a handbasket,
MCCAIN SHOULD BE ON THE DEFENSE. HE HAS DONE NOTHING BUT LIED TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE PLAYING US LIKE WE ARE STUPID!
FOOL!!!!!!!!
MCPalin is running on empty. This is the most pathetic presidential ticket in the last 60 years. It is almost an affront to the American people. MCWar and Airhead Barbie offer absolutley no solutions to America's problems and no clue as to what direction the country should be led, This ticket is the ultimate bridge to nowhere. time to muzzle the pitbull and put Mcsenile out to pasture., An Obama victory in the most lopsided presdential race of the last 60 years is on the horizon. So long arrogant elitist and good riddance to Caribou Barbie as well.
OBAMA 08
Palin needs more states to spread lies in.
Go Obama!
One can see that the McCain/Palin ticket has really nothing to offer to America. At this point of time, they should be more interested in telling the people what good and better ideals they have for them rather than spending this precious time attaking obama on non-sensical matters that reveal to be untrue. They are really out-of-touch. They are panicking and are so desperately DESPERATE.
FOR THE OBAMA HATERS WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO OFFER TO THE TABLE. FOR CHRIST SAKE ALWAYS HATIN WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT THE SITUATION. AT LEAST HE IS TRYING THATS MORE I CAN SAY FOR BONNIE AND CLYDE. MCCAIN ISN'T DOING NOTHING BUT SCHEMING AND PALIN IS HIS SIDEKICK THE DYNAMIC DOU. THE COUNTRY IS NOT JUST USA BUT 0THER COUNTRYS ARE FEELING THE CRUNCH AND ALL YOU SAY IS WHAT HAS OBAMA DONE WELL HE IS GIVING FOR THOSE OF US WHO BELIEVE IS HOPE. YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH THAT MACCAIN HAS OFFER NOTHING BUT CONTINUING RESOLUTION FOR THE NEXT 4 YEARS. I GET SO TICKED OFF HOW SOME NOT ALL ARE JUST BASHING AT OBAMA. LIKE HE CAUSED ALL THIS WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY. HEY SOMEONE HAS TO BE THE FALL GUY. SORRY FOR ANY ONE WHO IS A SUPPORTER FOR MCCAIN HE IS GETTING EXACTLY WHAT HE DISHED OUT. WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. WHEN YOU DIG ONE HOLE MAKE SURE YOUR DIGGING FOR TWO MCCAIN AND PALIN. HE IS ONLY FOR ME , MYSELF AND I THAT IS MCCAIN. IF HE CAN'T USE YOU THEN HE DON'T NEED YOU. CALL IT AS I SEE IT.
I want to thank the African Americans and the Youth Votes who are responsible for this year's success in the election to pick an able minded ticket. Thanks to them we will have a good future again.
Palin I hate you so much, you are scum of the earth!
Obama: the product of an Atheist and a Muslim – and he's running for President of the U.S. I wish my employer would transfer me overseas.
If John Mc Cain and his advisiors were intelligent at all the only plane ride they would be scheduling for Mrs. Palin would be a one way ticket back to Alaska. This woman obviously is not intelligent enough to be Vice President. Every time she opens her mouth she quickly inserts her foot. She does not represent "soccer moms" or "joe six pack" she represents the same politics that George Bush stands for and that is the last thing that our country needs right now!