Larry Eichel reports...
We're in North Carolina working on a story for later in the week, and we're at a very well-attended Obama town hall in Wilmington, N.C. It's part of a two-day Obama swing through the state before he returns to Indiana, which is shaping up as the more important of the two May 6 primaries.
At an Obama event, a local non-dignitary usually gets to introduce the candidate. Here, it was a kindergarten teacher. She got so excited that she said that this was, "Sorry, honey," bigger even than her wedding day.
So when Obama took the microphone, he asked for a round of applause for the teacher, and a round of applause for her husband.
He's delivering a slightly retooled stump speech that is a little less about hope and change and a little more about the specific concerns of working people struggling to get by: "Having politicians bickering back and forth doesn't help you. Having us talk about superdelegates doesn't help you...I'm going to spend all my time talking about you."
He tells the crowd: "Lately, my opponents have been trying to make this election about me and not about you." He's also emphasizing his family history and the opportunities he's had, saying "That's why I love this country."
All in all, the emphasis is just a little different, more about bread-and-butter issues and a little more openly patriotic. Not sure how much difference any of that makes. He's in good shape in North Carolina. But it might help a little in Indiana, where the race looks very close.
The Inauguration: Jan. 20 blog brings you coverage of President-elect Barack Obama's transition into office.
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Thomas Fitzgerald joined The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2000, and has covered Harrisburg as well as city, state and national politics for the newspaper. He was a “boy on the bus” in the 2004 presidential campaign and during primary contests in 2000 and 1996.
Nathan Gorenstein has covered politics and government in the city, state and nation for the Inquirer. He's worked in the city hall bureau, had a stint on the business desk, and once covered the suburbs. After serving as assistant regional editor, he was named editor of the "Politics" web site.
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