Up the Northeast, Obama told the crowd he needs them on board in November.
“I need North Philly, I need all of Philly,” Obama said to the supporters packed outside the Mayfair Diner shortly before 10 a.m.. The crowd of about 5,000 – which was smaller than in North Philly -- was dotted with union signs, from the teamsters and the firefighters.
Obama made much the same speech again, hitting the economic message hard. He noted the statement several weeks ago by Republican candidate John McCain that the “fundamentals of the economy are strong.”
“I don’t know about you, but where I come from nothing’s more fundamental than a job. Where I come from nothing’s more fundamental than health care and a pension,” Obama said.
Mayfair, a working class majority white section in the Northeast, is not exactly Obama country. Political insiders have expressed concern about Obama’s support in that part of the city.
Tristianna Jackson, 38, of Mayfair said there was more support in the area for McCain than Obama. But she thought the economic downturn might be changing people’s minds.
“I think it is [changing minds],” she said. “I think people are changing over.”
