Cindy McCain to stump in W-B

BILL O ’ BOYLE

boboyle@timesleader.com

WILKES-BARRE – The blitz of candidates and surrogates into Northeastern Pennsylvania will continue this weekend when Cindy McCain, wife of Republican presidential candidate John McCain, visits the city.

McCain, 54, will speak at the Marts Center on the Wilkes University campus. Doors open at 4 p.m. Saturday and the program starts at 5 p.m.

Tickets are available at the Republican headquarters at 25 Public Square and at the McCain victory centers in Dallas and Scranton. There are 1,500 seats available.

This is also the first weekend of the “Road to Change” bus tour, on which key supporters of will travel throughout the state in an attempt to reach out to voters in communities.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, and about 20 members of his family will board a bus and drive around the region on behalf of the Democratic presidential ticket.

The Casey family will travel to 10 towns in two days, joining other Obama campaign volunteers to knock on 3,000 doors. Their only stop in Luzerne County is Duryea, where they will visit the home of Mayor Trina Moss at 5:15 p.m. Saturday. Moss lives at 414 New St.

Other stops include Carbondale, Honesdale, Jessup, Montrose, Scranton, Stroudsburg, Lehighton, Jim Thorpe and Pottsville.

Sandra Kase, executive director of the Luzerne County Republican Party, said Cindy McCain is a powerful speaker and she can’t wait to greet her.

“This is a fantastic idea to bring her in here,” Kase said. “People don’t know about the great work she does on domestic and foreign projects. People need to know her background and what she has done.”

Kase said the Republican organization will set up a phone bank in the Marts Center. The top five people who make calls Saturday will serve as greeters for Mrs. McCain.

She said volunteers making a minimum of 100 calls will be given VIP tickets for preferred seating at the event.

Kase said volunteers have not been told to wear red to the event as many did when Gov. Sarah Palin appeared in Scranton on Tuesday, but she said they are welcome to don the color to show Republican support for the party.

Cindy McCain founded the American Voluntary Medical Team in 1988, leading several medical missions to developing and war-torn nations during the team’s seven-year existence.

McCain will be accompanied by other prominent Republican wives – Mary Pawlenty, wife of Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, and Brooke Burr, wife of U.S. Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina.

Bill O’Boyle, a Times Leader staff writer, can be reached at 829-7218.