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Philly poses pretty for PA primary

With three weeks to go before Pennsylvania's April 22 primary, campaign fatigue may have set in with some Philadelphians - but not those in City Hall. In a meeting scheduled for today, the recently formed Philadelphia Primary Media Task Force will

With three weeks to go before Pennsylvania's April 22 primary, campaign fatigue may have set in with some Philadelphians - but not those in City Hall.

In a meeting scheduled for today, the recently formed Philadelphia Primary Media Task Force will convene to discuss how to best take advantage of an opportunity presented.

That is: how to make Philadelphia shine before the eyes of hundreds of political journalists descending here and elsewhere in the state.

Among those leading the effort are Mayor Nutter's spokesman, Doug Oliver, and City Representative Melanie Johnson. Others include officials from the state, the hotel industry, and Philadelphia tourism organizations.

"We wanted to make sure we are thinking the same way, that we have the same message," Johnson said. "So far, it's paid off."

Strategies include making life easier for visiting reporters by providing a one-stop shopping Web site (phillyprimary.com) with information on satellite-truck parking and portable toilets, and a list of suggested locations for stand-up news shots, such as LOVE Park and Independence Hall.

There's also a media reception in the works for the night before the big debate between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, which is April 16 at the National Constitution Center.

Of course, not everything can be controlled.

Remember the last time so much political attention was showered on Philadelphia in this race? It was in October, the night of a televised debate of Democratic presidential contenders at Drexel University.

They emerged to see police helicopters and divers searching the Schuylkill for a suspect in the shooting of three civilians and an officer.