By Kathy Gill, UW senior lecturer in the Master of Communication in Digital Media Program
When I think of Pennsylvania, I remember the summer of 1976 and my first visit to Phildelphia: the Liberty Bell; the drive up from Washington, DC, and the confusing route around the airport into the city; tall ships in the harbor; street smells and the unparalleled taste of hot, soft Philly pretzels (with mustard!) and fresh-off-the-street Philly cheese steaks; Bookbinders restaurant, where I would learn to love oysters.
Little did I know that four years later I would be living in Philadelphia, serving as a liaison between urban Philly and rural dairy farmers, reuniting with the farming culture I thought I'd left behind when I escaped rural south Georgia.
It's hard for me to imagine what's going through the minds of voters and politicos as the eyes of the nation -- and the world -- focus on Tuesday's historic primary. This is the first time since Jimmy Carter clinched the nomination here in 1976 that the Pennsylvania primary has been meaningful. This contest is over 158 pledged delegates (55 at-large and 103 by Congressional District), but it's also about perception.
Take a look at the delegate chart: the candidates, Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama, are separated by approximately 7%. The super-delegates are not bound by anything but their consciences. They can change their minds anytime -- so those numbers are very soft. Plus, almost half haven't publicly committed to either candidate.
Even more important -- and overlooked: Pledged delegates are bound only on the first vote: If neither candidate achieves a majority of the first vote on the Democratic Convention floor, delegates are released from their original preference and allowed to vote for whomever they please. Just like super-delegates.
Now, I ask you: if you were the person in second place in a contest this close, would you be throwing in the towel? I don't think I would.