Published: April 25, 2008 09:49 am            

Campaign craziness sails off to next hot spot

Call this the calm after the storm.

The presidential election that blew through our region has now flown off to other locations in the shifting quest for votes and delegates.

We’re left to feel like the guy whose crazy, demanding girlfriend has moved on to another love interest. We appreciate the peace and quiet, but we kind of miss the attention.

Think back with me over the whirlwind that was the six weeks leading up to the primary elections:

March 12: Bill Clinton was the first big name to hit our region, drumming up support for his wife Hillary’s presidential bid during a rally at Greater Johnstown High School.

March 28: The Barack Obama campaign opened a local office on Main Street in Johnstown. A day later, the Clinton campaign did the same, about 100 yards away.

March 29: Obama, the senator from Illinois, brought his presidential campaign to Johnstown – touring a manufacturing plant, visiting with union workers, meeting with local news media and speaking at Greater Johnstown High School. Obama was joined on stage by U.S. Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania.

April 9: Karl Rove, the brains behind the George W. Bush presidential campaigns, was in downtown Johnstown to headline a Republican fundraiser. He predicted that GOP candidate John McCain would benefit from a long battle between the Democratic contenders.

April 15: Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton spoke at a rally in Johnstown’s Central Park. She was joined by actor Sean Astin of “Rudy” and “Lord of the Rings” fame.

April 19: Bill Clinton was back for a second time – stopping in Somerset for a Democratic Party rally.

April 20: U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York addressed a lively gathering at Johnstown High, joined by Gov. Ed Rendell and U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown.

Monday: Bill Clinton returned, meeting with folks in Ebensburg. The same day, Casey and former Lt. Gov. Mark Singel were at Obama’s downtown Johnstown office, pumping up the volunteers for a door-to-door expedition.

Tuesday: Finally, voters went to the polls in the Cambria-Somerset region. With a strong turnout, nearly 60 percent on the Democratic side, Clinton trounced Obama in both counties and won the state.

Whew!

It was a far cry from what we expected as the campaigns got rolling last fall. Then, Clinton was the presumed Democratic nominee, and Pennsylvania would likely be irrelevant yet again.

Oops!

What we experienced instead was the wildest political season in memory, by far.

It had been decades since a Pennsylvania presidential primary mattered. With Clinton scrambling to stay in the race and Obama hoping to land a knock-out blow, we were in the spotlight and the crosshairs.

Whether it’s Clinton or Obama who emerges to face McCain, the fall will be nothing like the spring in our region. This was once-in-a-generation political excitement.

Before Pennsylvanians had their say, the previous primary was March 11 in Mississippi. Over the next 42 days, the Obama and Clinton campaigns poured millions in political advertising into the Keystone State and criss-crossed our commonwealth daily seeking support.

The General Election will be held Nov. 4 – always the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. But with everyone voting the same day, candidates are as likely to spend time in Wisconsin, Ohio or Florida as they are to visit Pennsylvania.

The closest we get to the candidates could be when a plane soars overhead, on the way from New England or New York to points west.

Yes, right now we are savoring the stillness as the campaigns dance their way through Indiana and North Carolina.

But some day, we’ll be wishing that crazy old girlfriend would pick up the phone and call – just to make sure we’re doing OK.



Chip Minemyer is the editor of The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 532-5091.

        

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