The ONLY reason McCain is focusing on PA is no early voting

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

It's a goddamn disgrace.

A national campaign is focusing on a state where they trail in every poll ONLY because the voting laws in the state lend themselves to exploitable election day chaos.

If PA had early voting McCain would have pulled out a month ago.

[msongs]

1. so who is in charge in PA that has NOT implemented early voting...hmmmm nt

[BlooInBloo]

2. That's one of several reasons.

[Cosmocat]

5. yeah, he has to make his stand somewhere ...

I noted the lack of early voting at the time.

I think if you get past the paranoia a bit, it just means that it gives him a little more time in Pa, as opposed to states with early voting where he is likely already losing.

[abumbyanyothername]

3. I think McCain's internals are showing

that he can win PA if he can disrupt Philadelphia voting sufficiently.

Between the Scranton bishop and the race effect, he appears to be doing as well, or better than Bush in areas outside of Philly and the suburbs.

We need a national voting law/constitutional amendment.

[Two Sheds]

10. How can he disrupt voting without massive Democratic complacency?

PA has a Democratic governor. If urban voters are obstructed on 11/4, then poll watchers for Obama should be able to find that out. When they do, they can call lawyers for the campaign who can call the municipality and the state to send over law enforcement to remove the obstruction. Governors and mayors can do that.
The biggest problem to me, other than BBV machines, is that without early voting, the logjam at the polls will be extreme. Again, that goes back to the state. If PA has a Democrat for Secretary of State, it is his or her reponsibility to see that voting machines are allocated in sufficient numbers to all precincts. The Diebolds of the world make the machines, they don't decide which locality gets them or how many they get. This was a problem in Ohio, where their SoS was a GOPer with a role in the Bush/Cheney campaign.
If Rendell is on the ball and the Obama ground game is everything it's cracked up to be, the people of PA should be able to vote next Tuesday, if they have the patience.

[msanthrope]

11. Hi--I'm an 'Obama urban poll watcher.' Legally, the Repukes can challenge,

challenge, and challenge, so that they engage the poll workers, the Committee of 70, and slow down the voting so that people leave....see, for each challenge, you have a poll worker who has to take care of the issue...

As for getting law enforcement involved....well, to do what? To remove people who are doing what is ethically wrong but legal?

So yeah, the Obama ground game is out there, but it's going to be a long slog....

[Two Sheds]

12. Sounds fun. Bring a toothbrush

at least PA doesn't have an elected GOP sec. of state. He was appointed by the Governor, whatever his party.

[msanthrope]

13. 6:30 to 8 p.m., minimum. I'm gonna bring my Blackberry and

try to post from there......

[ieoeja]

4. That plus desperation.

They have written off Virginia and Iowa. They will probably lose more. So he absolutely needs Pennsylvania to make up for the losses.

As for Ohio and Florida ... he has to operate under the assumption he will win those or concede the election now.

[4themind]

6. Even if he scoops up P.A. it's still over if

Obama wins NM, IA(where he's leading by double digits in most polls), VA, and colorado, along with the kerry states (again where he's leading by double digits except in NH). AND even if McCain wins Ohio and FLorida in that scenario.

[Buzz Clik]

7. Well, every minute in PA are minutes not spent in VA, NV, CO, etc.

[polichick]

8. According to Chuck Todd, the reason McShame is focused on PA and Iowa is that...

...they are pretty much the only places where the RNC has a decent ground game.

[bushisanidiot]

9. Election day chaos will NOT help McHate overcome Obama's 10 point lead there.

there's no way in hell McHate can steal a state where he is losing by 10 points.
not saying he won't try! we know there will be voter supression at the polls by repukes, but it won't be nearly enough to turn a solid blue state red. no fucking way.