Indiana Battleground Report: Michelle Obama, Sarah Palin Speak in State

As a longtime resident of the state, my experience is that Indiana generally doesn't emerge as a major player or battleground state in the presidential elections. This year is an exception. Representatives from both campaigns have set their sights firmly on Indiana. According to information from the latest Rasmussen polls, here when it comes down to electoral college votes, it is currently Obama 300 and McCain at 174 (this includes areas classified as "leaners"). At that site, a slight edge is given to McCain, as shown here

But when poll information is taken into account at Real Clear Politics here Indiana emerges as a "toss up" state, putting it into battleground status for the election. Every vote could truly count in Indiana this year. The Republicans and Democrats I know actually wonder if this will be one of the rare years when the majority of voters actually select the Democratic candidate.

As the polls tighten in Indiana, Barack Obama appeared in the state last week, Michelle Obama spoke yesterday in Fort Wayne and Sarah Palin is scheduled to appear on Friday. I couldn't find any verification that McCain would appear in Indiana. At this point, appearances from Barack and Michelle Obama definitely outnumber appearances from either John McCain or Sarah Palin ( based on information dating from July 2008 to now)

Indiana battleground topic: the economy is the hot topic

In Indiana, people are worried about their jobs, the stock market and the housing bailout plan. They wonder if they'll lose their jobs or face poverty during their retirement years. They don't feel reassured during this election year, especially with the turbulence in the financial markets. Many feel under siege - and say so.

With home foreclosures soaring in Indiana, housing is also on people's minds - as well as the increased costs for basic necessities - including food, gas and heating oil or fuel. Driving home the point about the housing crisis is recent news that 6,000 homes are to be sold in a tax sale in Indiana, according to info found at the Marion County Treasurer's Office here I called the country auditor and was told that more homes than ever were being sold this year in tax sales, perhaps reflecting a gloomy economy for homeowners. Indiana is also among the top states in the country for home foreclosures.

Michelle Obama speaks in Fort Wayne, Indiana - talking points and focus

Staying true to the talking points expected during her appearance, Michelle Obama kept repeating these words "Barack Obama gets it" while making connections between her husband and the average person in Indiana. She talked about her husband's pain as he watched his mother die of cancer without knowing if she had health insurance coverage. She also talked about rising grocery prices, student loan debts and the threat to the middle class. She urged voters to consider early voting. However, early voting in Indiana already has faced some controversy, with some early votes and absentee ballots at the center of some disputes already. Votes in Lake County (traditionally Democrat) could be thrown out. You can read more about that here

Record turnouts are expected on election day. Many people I know are indeed considering early voting or absentee ballots. In a direct appeal to Hoosiers, Michelle Obama said, "We need Indiana." In April, she had also noted that Indiana matters in the election. Watching the video of her speech, it was clear that spectators were moved by her words and the appeal to Indiana voters. Videos of Michelle Obama's speech can be seen here

Obama and McCain - comparing total visits to the battleground state of Indiana

A comparison of actual visits made to Indiana reveal that Obama has been in Indiana far more than John McCain, a total of six times since July. Michelle Obama has been here twice (including a September visit), John McCain appeared July 1 and Gov. Sarah Palin will be here on Friday. Palin's appearance is currently a sold-out event but will it be enough to stem the rising tide of supporters for Obama? The polls are alarmingly close in many areas. I've spoken to many Republicans who wonder why McCain doesn't have Indiana on the front burner when it comes to scheduled appearances. With weeks to go before the election, perhaps he'll still show up.

Governor Palin will arrive in Indiana on October 17th

Barack Obama showed up last week and his wife appeared Wednesday. Palin will be here Friday - and the event is alread sold out. With a significant number of polls showing that Indiana voters may still be weighing their options, every appearance could be important.

Although there is no word whether he'll appear in Indiana, McCain will appear on David Letterman's show Thursday evening (October 16). McCain canceled a scheduled appearance on the show earlier this year, prompting an on air rant from Letterman, including footage of McCain in an interview during the time he was scheduled to be on Letterman's show.

Even though the event is sold out, Governor Palin's appearance can be seen via live streaming online

Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican nominee for vice president, will campaign in the Indianapolis area on Friday at a Road to Victory Rally on October 17th. According to the latest information found at the McCain website here , the event is officially sold out. The Verizon Music Center, site of Palin's appearance, is located at 12880 E. 146th Street, Noblesville. The doors will officially open at 1 pm but anyone wanting to see the governor should show up early to allow time for parking and seating. Parking lots will open by 11 am. Those attending are requested to wear red. The event is schedule to start at 4:30. Talking points are likely to be the economy and McCain's plans for Indiana taxpayers.

More information can be found by calling (812) 425-8207 or going to the John McCain website here

To hear Gov. Palin's appearance and speech live, there are online options, including live streaming at WTHR here

Sources:

JohnMcCain.com- Calendar of Events:Palin Appearance in Indiana

Video of Michelle Obama's appearance viewed on television as well as the video section on the WTHR site here

McCain/Palin website:http://www.johnmccain.com/

McCain Puts New Tax Cuts on the Table (found at McCain website, original article in Wall Street Journal, Oct 15 2008) here

Battleground: How the Other Half Live (First Read): http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/10/16/1555296.aspx

Rasmussen Polls: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/election_2008_electoral_college_update

Real Clear Politics: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/election_2008/electoral_count.html