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."
after the election lets go to Disneyland and we'll bring all our illigetamate chidren with us.
Many thanks to the talented writers at Saturday Night Live...
Could you see the presidential nominee in 2048 saying " Yeah, I was at Bin Laden's house, but I was 8 years old when 9/11 happened.
Once a terrorist always a terrorist!
North Carolina is a beautiful state and every time I travel there I comment about how nice the people who live there are. I would really hope that they don't get sucked into this trash that McCain and Palin are throwing around. Remember folks: the economy, the wars, reducing your Medicare and Medicaid, Social Security issues, instituting a draft so that he can start more wars ( Iran, Russia, etc ), taxing your health care. This country is in dire straits right now and McCain has no idea what he would do to help. ( Oh, he will lie about what he will do. ) The only people who cannot see the handwriting on the wall are the die hard Repubs and the racists.
My prayer would be that when Sarah goes to No. Carolina the people tell her to take a hike.
The RNC is so out of touch I laugh when I see their rallies.
I challenge the public to find one African American standing in back of the podium when Palin or McCain give their speeches.
It reminds me of that game I used to play with my kids.."Where is Waldo?"
ROJAMA TO YOU THAT WAS A VERY UGLY STATEMENT YOU MADE ABOUT OBAMA AN ATHEIST OR MUSLIM WHY DON'T YOU DO US A FAVOR GO OVERSEAS. WE NEED POSTIVE PEOPLE NOT NEGATIVE ONES LIKE YOU AROUIND.
OBAMA BIDEN 08
PEOPLE VOTING FOR MCLEMMONS AND FAILIN SEEM LIKE AS DUMB AS THEY ARE!! I CANNOT BELIVE PEOPLE WILL VOTE FOR SUCH RETARDED INDIVIDUALS. REPUBLICANS NEED THEIR HEAD CHECKED. THIS IS NOT A POPULARITY CONTEST IT IS OUR LIVES AND WELL BEING AT STAKE.
LETS PUT SOME INTELLIGENT, FOCUSED, CALM, INDIVIDUALS TO RUN OUR COUNTRY. THAT IS ONLY SENATORS BIDEN AND OBAMA.
This new attack campaign makes McCain seem so much older to me. He looks like a really old man who is out of touch and doesn't know how to compete in today's world. Will he ever understand that Bush's economic advisors and Bush's campaign people are just running him into an earlier grave than before. And to send the idiot Sarah Palin out to do his dirty work is even more ridiculous. I guess she thinks she did a good enough job in the debate to boost her confidence...wrong!!!!! She is still an idiot as evidenced on SNL. Good luck up against the Harvard grad Sarah.........People would like to know how to get their finances in order. We do not want to hear about someone who did somthing crazy when Obama was 8 years old.
Palin: wink wink wink, kisses to the audience. open my buttons on my blouse too.
"...but in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope."–Barack Obama
Palin has set women back thirty years. Just what McCain wants, so even when he loses the election he will have gained in his mind.
I am so ready for this to be over so I never have to see McCain/Palin again and have to listen to them say maverick, POW, maverick, 9/11, maverick.
How many navy planes did McCain crash before he was a POW? Look it up. He was an irresponsible brat playing with tax payers naval jets and wielding the threat of daddy's power.
Osama bin Biden is gonna ruin this country.... u all know it..,,
everything is the dems fault.. but if a republican says anything about obama... omg.. THATS RACIST.. .get a life u hippies..
MCCAIN/PALIN 08
Campbell brown you are not a true journalist, you are so GOP and very hateful of Obama starting from the primaries.
I already know of 4 people that voted for Bush that are fed up and voting for Obama, but no one that voted for Kerry voting for McCain. Not a good time to be a Republican. The GOP better start wagging the dog...it's their only chance.
Trinity United Church of Christ adopted the Black Value System written by the Manford Byrd Recognition Committee chaired by Vallmer Jordan in 1981. We believe in the following 12 precepts and covenantal statements.
These Black Ethics must be taught and exemplified in homes, churches, nurseries and schools, wherever Blacks are gathered. They must reflect on the following concepts:
Commitment to God
Commitment to the Black Community
Commitment to the Black Family
Dedication to the Pursuit of Education
Dedication to the Pursuit of Excellence
Adherence to the Black Work Ethic
JUST SOME OF THE MISSION STATEMENT FROM OBAMA'S CHURCH. Notice the word BLACK about 10 times.
If Sen.Obama Is Palling Around With Terrorist, than Gov. Palin Is An Unfit Mother,
And She and Her Husband Are Members Of The "AIP"
google; "VIP" Convention Video
Billy Joe @ 8:44 pm
You are a complete idiot! CNN....why do you even allow that kind of racist garbage on this website?
It has become crystal clear that the Mccain-Palin ticket does not have the diversity it takes to focus on our country for the next 4 years. There decision to turn this campaign into a negative smiring contest has only solidified my decision to vote for Barrack and Joe. Our country and its financial institution is upside down and all the GOP can do is avoid the real issues and trash their competition. If we took that attitude into how we interact with foreign leaders from around the world, I am pretty sure we would find ourselves less respected like we are currently, under the Bush administration whom I voted for 4 years ago. Americans are looking for a stable, reliable, non judgemental, leader who does not concern himself with what side of the isle he is on.
I cannot tell folks how more and more offended the McCain camp makes me every day. They have been smearing their opponents ala Rove, and playing obvious tawdry tricks to desperately seek attention. I now cannot WAIT to vote for Obama. I am talking now to everyone I know about the real McCain–the angry, confused, bitter egoist who uses people to get what he wants and lies about those who get in his way. And I hardly need to point out to friends and family that Palin is simply a dumb opportunity who has NO intellectual curiosity whatsoever I am an independent and the Republican party is turning me permanently away with this lying mud-slinging. I won't forget it. I am now sending a check to the Obama/Biden campaign. And in case you haven't figured it out, you television pundits who continue to go to bat for Palin have lost all of your integrity.
I think Obama should go to Arizona......
bayou Joe, you are as intelligent as Sarah Palin (Dumb brunette)
Wow, I cannot believe that Palin's negative tactics are being rejected to a large extent shown by the responses here.
One would think that McCain and Palin were intelligent enough to understand when their negative tactics are about to blow up in their faces...
...maybe not.
John McCain chose a "COUNTRY FIRST" motto, and then
selects a totally unqualified woman to be possible president of the
country. This woman is a threat to our national security. How is SHE going to protect us? The foreign enemy will know that we are a weak target if Sara Palin is ever allowed to command. John McCain may even be captured AGAIN while he is asleep in the White House. His "judgement" after all allowed him to crash five planes and get captured. Americans Had better think twice before helping the republican party fool this country again. WE THE PEOPLE are the country.
I am glad to hear the truth come out about Obama I live in IL this guy is no one to be proud about, He is as bad as they come He did nothing for us in IL and he's record proves it. IL. is one of the States that are in the RED so much for the skills he talking about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bayou Joe - Never have I read so much misinformation in a post in my life.
You really are a nut job. It's fine if you want to vote for McCain, but it would be nice if you would do so with some facts behind that vote.