Published: April 14, 2008 04:38 pm            

Voters benefiting from this exercise

The May 6 primary is still more than three weeks away. With the Democratic presidential primary still competitive, Indiana has become a national battle zone. The coming weeks should hold much drama.

Hoosiers are still pinching themselves over their newfound status as a state where the presidential race may ultimately be decided. That status was underscored on Friday when Sen. Barack Obama, who is battling Sen. Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination, clearly signaled Indiana’s importance.

At an early-morning news conference in Indianapolis before heading out to an afternoon town meeting in Columbus and an evening session in Terre Haute, Obama said Indiana could be a “tie breaker” in the race.

Clinton is favored to win the Pennsylvania primary April 22, and Obama has an edge in North Carolina, which holds its primary the same day as Indiana. Hoosier Democrats could settle things once and for all, especially if Obama wins here. The race at the moment appears to be a toss up.

Terre Haute and the Wabash Valley got another healthy dose of presidential politics on Friday. And what a day it was. Former President Bill Clinton started the day in Terre Haute campaigning for his wife with a visit to a local Clinton campaign headquarters, which had been destroyed by fire the night before. He then headed north to the town of Clinton, where he spoke to an enthusiastic audience at South Vermillion High School. From there he traveled to Greencastle for another campaign appearance.

That night, Obama took center stage with his town meeting in Terre Haute North Vigo High School’s gymnasium.

For one of the few times in modern political history, Indiana voters are getting an opportunity to see the candidates and their powerful surrogates up close and to hear campaign pitches firsthand. It is a remarkable experience, and long-deserved.

With so little chance in the past to meet presidential candidates, Hoosiers are learning how to deal with the onslaught of attention from national campaigns. They are adapting quickly. While it is easy to be wowed initially by the celebrity of the candidates, voters are now settling in and focusing on the messages the candidates deliver.

Obama and Clinton each have well-developed political skills and enormous personal appeal and charisma. Those are important attributes in a candidate for high office. Yet voters cannot ignore the fundamental philosophies and policies being advocated by the candidates. The more time we get to spend with them in our communities along the campaign trail, the better informed we will be. And the end result will be meaningful and responsible voter decisions on election day.

– Tribune-Star, Terre Haute

        

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