Politics

Local Democrats Put Focus On DNC In Denver

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― Sen. Barack Obama has arrived in Denver where he plans to pick up his party's nomination for President.

Earlier today, Sen. Hillary Clinton released her delegates to support Obama.

Her speech last night focused on Democratic unity, a theme that is likely to be taken up tonight as well.

Pam Snyder, a Clinton delegate from Greene County, says Clinton's speech should get most Clinton voters on board with Obama.

"It's Hillary who should tell me what she would like me to do, and she wants the party to come together, and I believe Barack will be a very good President, and we cannot afford four more years," Snyder says.

Auditor General Jack Wagner says unity takes time after a divisive primary battle.

"A campaign convention is the beginning of a process over the next two and a half months, so I'm sure there will be many, many times where Sen. Clinton is out there supporting Sen. Obama and Sen. Biden," he said.

Tonight it's Scranton-born Biden, Obama's choice for Vice President, who gets prime time, it a choice Governor Ed Rendell says boosts the ticket in Pennsylvania.

"He gave us Joe Biden, and Joe is a great friend of Pennsylvania, certainly the eastern half of the state, and Joe will make a big difference," says Rendell.

"We're in a battleground state," says Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. "To have someone like Joe Biden who understands what Pennsylvanians deal with on a daily basis - blue collar, grassroots voter that Senator Obama needs to reach out to - I think Joe Biden was a choice that will be very beneficial."

Local Pittsburgh area Democrats say they like the choice too.

"An Irish Catholic like myself in Western Pennsylvania, that's going to be huge," says U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, of Forest Hills.

Democrats say they hope that Biden will help Obama, who lost to Clinton in this region, regain some traction in traditionally democratic counties.

"He fits the mold of the people of Western Pennsylvania," said U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire, of McCandless. "The working class blue collar work ethic is something that Sen. Biden can speak to pretty effectively."

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