"This part of the state is a swinging part of the state," said Jean W. Harris, Ph.D., chairwoman of the University of Scranton political science department.
So swing-area Scranton could be a perfect place to start rebuilding his support with a visit billed as "official," focused on passing a key part of his jobs plan and in a place at the heart of a metro area whose unemployment rate has been the state's highest for 18 months.
To Dr. Harris, Mr. Obama's re-election is the only reason to use Scranton as a backdrop now.
"I don't think there's any other reason for him to be coming to Scranton in late November 2011," Dr. Harris said. "At this point, you know it's a campaign visit."
Monday, November 28, 2011
Obama in Pennsylvania
Our chapter on elections and campaigns discusses the battleground states of the electoral college. Pennsylvania is one such state, which may help explain the president's visit this week. The Scranton Times-Tribune reports:
