News

November 1, 2008

Rendell says race is closer than polls indicate

While pitching for Obama, he urged the Ill. senator’s backers to vote because he said the race is close.

By Bill O'Boyle boboyle@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
Bill O'Boyle on Facebook   |   @TLBillOBoyle on Twitter

WILKES-BARRE – Gov. Ed Rendell on Friday said the presidential race between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain is closer than the polls indicate.

Rendell said Obama does not have a double-digit lead in Pennsylvania and urged people to “take an umbrella and dress warmly” to withstand the weather and to vote on Tuesday.

U.S. Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke, stood at Wilkes University’s Henry Student Union with Rendell, who said the 12-term incumbent “must be returned to Congress.”

Rendell visited the Lackawanna County Courthouse and East Stroudsburg University Friday, ending with a stop in Bethlehem.

“Stay in that line and make sure you vote,” Rendell told about 50 people at Wilkes University. “I’ve seen polls that have the race as close as four points.”

With some people dressed in Halloween costumes from Super Woman to opera singing divas, Rendell said Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has “enthused” the Republican campaign.

“She has drawn thousands of people to every event she has appeared at,” he said.

Rendell blasted the McCain campaign for its negative approach. “The ads are horrible, but they are working. They are causing confusion among voters.”

McCain campaign spokesman Peter Feldman said the Obama campaign is “running scared” and the momentum in the state is shifting to the GOP ticket.

“Hard-working Pennsylvanians reject the ideology of ‘spreading the wealth,’ giving handouts, growing government in Washington and they will reject Barack Obama on Tuesday,” Feldman said.

Rendell said Obama will not raise taxes on the middle class and will create a $5,000 tuition tax credit for every college student.

He rebuffed allegations of Obama being a socialist, noting “the two best government programs in the history of the planet” – Medicare and Social Security – were said to be signs of socialism.

Rendell said Obama wants to bring health care to the uninsured and underinsured. He said he believes Obama is doing poorly among senior citizens, noting Pennsylvania ranks second in older population.

“I’ve never been a hater,” Rendell said. “But I don’t want to just win Tuesday; I want to crush them.”

He asked supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton to put aside their feelings and support the party, noting Clinton has made nearly 70 campaign appearances on behalf of Obama.

Rendell was a harsh critic of Obama when he supported Clinton. The governor said he has reconciled those differences and is “100 percent” behind Obama.

“I didn’t think he had the same level of experience that Hillary had,” he said. “But watching him during this campaign has convinced me that he has everything it takes to be a great president.”

Tweet	Follow @TLnews

This story also appears on the following websites...