Facing another must-win political battle, Sen. Hillary Clinton emerged victorious Tuesday in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary, but it’s unclear how much the victory will help close her delegate deficit against the better-funded Sen. Barack Obama.
“It’s fair to say she had the entire political establishment in the state,” syndicated columnist Mark Shields said Tuesday night on the NewsHour. “He had the money. There was a kind of parity of resources.”
In the six weeks since the Mississippi contest, Clinton worked to show her blue collar bona fides in the Keystone State and highlight her Pennsylvania family roots — and went on to win more of the blue-collar workers, women and white men in an election where the economy was the dominant concern.
Obama, meanwhile, was favored by black voters, the affluent and those who recently switched to the Democratic Party, a group that comprised about one in 10 Pennsylvania voters, according to the surveys conducted by The Associated Press and TV news networks.
“The future of this campaign is in your hands,” Clinton told supporters at a Philadelphia victory rally. “Some people counted me out and said to drop out, but the American people don’t quit and they deserve a president who doesn’t quit either. Because of you, the tide is turning.”
On Earth Day, Clinton proposed creating more “green jobs” to kick-start the flagging economy and help minimize climate change.
“We’re going to end the war on science and have a renewed commitment to science and research,” she said.
Clinton ended her speech by co-opting Obama’s “Yes, we can” slogan into a more determined “Yes, we will.”
Obama’s most politically powerful supporter in Pennsylvania, Sen. Bob Casey, said the Illinois senator managed to cut into Clinton’s polling lead, which was well into the double digits as recently as the beginning of April.

pbs.org

Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, shares a moment with Caroline Kennedy as Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., watches, during a rally in Scranton, Pa., Sunday, April 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
By The Associated Press – 1 day ago
IN THE HEADLINES
Obama had $42 million for primary at start of April to Clinton’s $9 million … Clinton, Obama swap most negative attacks 2 days before Pennsylvania primary … McCain says cutting taxes and stimulating the economy more important than balancing budget …
Obama, McCain show cash on hand
WASHINGTON (AP) — Barack Obama raised $41 million in March and had $42 million available to spend against debt-ridden Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton in April, campaign finance reports filed Sunday show.
Clinton reported raising $20 million in March and had $9 million for the primary available at the beginning of April. But she also reported debts of $10.3 million, putting her in the red.
Overall, Obama had $51 million in the bank at the end of March, with nearly $9 million of that available only for the general election.
The money positioned Obama to undertake an expensive April campaign in Pennsylvania, where he has outspent Clinton and cut into her lead. Pennsylvania votes on Tuesday.
Obama’s fundraising in March led all candidates, but was still lower than the mark he set in February, when he raised more than $55 million. He has raised $235 million in his campaign.
Republican John McCain’s report showed he raised $15.2 million and had $11.6 million in the bank. The Arizona senator’s March figures were his best fundraising performance of the campaign.
Clinton, Obama trade negative attacks days before Pa. vote
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama swapped some of the most negative attacks of the campaign two days before the Pennsylvania primary, each unleashing television ads Sunday that accused the other of maintaining ties to special interests they both claim to reject.

ap.google.com

Earlier this year, many Pennsylvania municipal waste treatment plants were put on notice that they had to clean up their act, and meet much tougher clean water standards. Instead of biting the potentially huge local tax burden, they responded by suing the Department of Environmental Protection.
Governor Ed Rendell responded by proposing a modest increase in funding for local sewage treatment plant upgrades. This week, a broad coalition of organizations announced a much larger proposal of their own. Agriculture has a piece of what’s called the Pennsylvania Fair Share for Clean Water Plan.
The plan, supported by Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association, Pennsylvania Builders Association, Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation would help wastewater plant ratepayers and farmers finance improvements needed to address Chesapeake Bay and statewide water quality improvement mandates.
“For the first time, the five groups that have the most at stake in meeting the water quality mandates have put together a funding plan we hope will help end the controversy over how these projects should be paid for,” noted Matthew Ehrhart, CBF’s Executive Director for Pennsylvania. Here’s what’s in the $170 million package:
$100 million to help wastewater plants finance required improvements;
$50 million in direct cost share aid to farmers to install conservation practices, including $35 million for REAP farm tax credits and $15 million in cost share grants;
$10 million to county conservation district to expand technical assistance to farmers;
$10 million to restore cuts to the Department of Agriculture budget in farm programs.
The plan also calls for reforms to the state’s nutrient credit trading program that will help to make it a viable alternative to provide for both environmental improvements to the Bay and sufficient future sewage capacity for new development.
Why state must face its commitment
“Production agriculture is facing significant and potentially devastating economic burdens, said Joel Rotz, governmental relations director for Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. “Farmers are trying to comply with increased regulations recently imposed under revisions to federal and state regulations governing the handling and land application of manure and other nutrients, but they cannot do it alone.”

americanagriculturist.com

University Park, Pa.; - After a weekend off, the Penn State women’s tennis team was back in action tonight facing the Mountaineers of West Virginia. The Nittany Lions won every match of the night in their 7-0 routing of the Mountaineers at the Penn State Indoor Tennis Center.
In doubles action, sophomore Sarah Lotto (Toronto, Ontario) paired with senior Katelyn BeVard (McLean, Va.) to defeat West Virginia’s Stacey Percival and Natalia Prinz, 8-6. Junior Lauren Holzberg (Easton, Conn.) and sophomore Lauren McCarthy (Danbury, Conn.) took down Stephanie LaFortune and Monica Lyskawa, 8-7 (7-5). Senior Jenny Shular (Peachtree City, Ga.) paired with junior Leyla Morzan (Vancouver, British Columbia) to defeat Monique Burton and Colleen Speaker, 8-4.
In singles action, BeVard and Holzberg both won thrilling three-set matches. Bevard defeated Percival 6-4, 7-6, 6-4, while Holzberg defeated Lyskawa 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. Shular had a convincing win over Prinz (6-0, 6-2) and Lotto took down Speaker (7-6, 6-3). McCarthy faced Ashley Pilsbury and defeated her (6-3, 6-3). Morzan finished out the night for the Nittany Lions defeating LaFortune in one last exciting three-set match (6-0, 3-6, 10-6).
“Shular played extremely well today,” said head coach Dawna Prevette. “She was a true leader on the court. Even though we won 7-0 today, West Virginia made us earn each match.”

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