What do you think? Is Indiana really going to be in play?
Shannon Gilson, a spokeswoman for Obama's campaign, said the campaign feels so strongly about its chances in Indiana that it has assigned Emily Parcell, who was political director for Obama in the crucial first-caucus state of Iowa, to be state director in Indiana.
"She's one of our most valued (staff members)," Gilson said. "We wouldn't put Emily in a state we weren't taking very seriously."
Maybe. Obama has a growing following here, and the new ad he's running will add to his appeal. On the other hand, this isn't 1964, Obama isn't incumbent, and McCain isn't being painted as the scary extremist the way Goldwater was. A political scientist quoted in the piece thinks Obama's campaign is just trying to mess with McCain's head: "Obama, Sabato said, has a huge fundraising advantage over McCain and can use it to try to force McCain to spend money in places, including Indiana, where he has the advantage." But that's so old-politics, not at all in keeping with a "post-partisan" candidate. Obama wouldn't go there, would he?
