Philly political elite pick sides: Clinton or Obama?

WHEN PHILADELPHIA Building Trades leader Pat Gillespie's home phone rang late Thursday night, he wasn't prepared for what he heard.

"Hello, Pat? This is Barack Obama," a voice said.

"Who the hell is this?" Gillespie responded.

But it really was the presidential candidate, phoning the influential labor leader in anticipation of a Building Trades Council endorsement meeting the next day.

Obama's 15-minute chat with Gillespie is just one measure of the fact that the smoldering Pennsylvania campaign efforts of Obama and Hillary Clinton are about to flare to life.

Both campaigns will open offices in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in coming days. Each will expand what have been skeleton campaign staffs, recruiting local pros and bringing in national operatives to prepare for what could be the decisive battle in the Democratic presidential primary campaign.

If Clinton wins key primaries in Texas and Ohio a week from tomorrow, Pennsylvania will host a seven-week dogfight for the last major prize before the Democratic convention, with both campaigns pouring everything they have into the effort.

"Four million people will come here that Wednesday morning," veteran Democratic media consultant Neil Oxman said. "Every heavyweight in both campaigns will be here."

Here's a look at some of the forces already in the field and reinforcements soon arriving for the mother of all Pennsylvania primaries:

In part because Bill and Hillary Clinton have been building relationships and helping Democrats in Pennsylvania for years, Clinton's team boasts a larger number of elected officials.

Her supporters include Gov. Rendell, Mayor Nutter, state party chairman T.J. Rooney, Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz, Congressman Joe Sestak and others.

Many are superdelegates, and all have influence with their own network of donors and activists.

Obama has fewer big names, but seems to have some momentum. Congressmen Chaka Fattah and Patrick Murphy have been on board for a while, and the campaign recently picked up superdelegates Carol Ann Campbell and Philadelphia Councilman Jim Kenney, and Leon Lynch of western Pennsylvania.

Fattah is particularly helpful here, since aide Greg Naylor is known for running a large and effective field operation.

Both campaigns have substantial union support and will pick up more.

Coming to head the Obama campaign will be political director Nicole Price and field specialist Jeremy Bird, both veterans of the Obama campaigns in South Carolina and Maryland.

Washington-based consultant Tom Lindenfeld, who managed the field efforts in former Mayor John Street's successful campaigns has relocated to Philadelphia for the duration.

The state director of the Clinton campaign is widely expected to be Tony Podesta, who has managed several statewide campaigns, including the successful 2004 effort for John Kerry in Pennsylvania (Podesta said in an interview last week he hasn't been offered a job yet).

Clinton communications will be handled by Mark Nevins, who worked on Street's 2003 campaign. Philadelphia-based operative Abe Dyk has been working for months, and will remain on board.

The Obama effort in some respects is more like a movement than a traditional campaign, running on inspiration and bringing in first-time activists.

Western Pennsylvania attorney Cliff Levine remembers when Obama came to a Pittsburgh event in June.

"The crowd was really diverse, and I don't mean just racially - young and old, people from all kinds of neighborhoods and jobs," Levine said.

"And you could see it wasn't the usual political crowd."

Former Philadelphia district attorney candidate Seth Williams was so inspired by Obama, he drove his family 800 miles to attend his Illinois announcement.

Williams became a volunteer coordinator for eastern Pennsylvania, and he said the Internet-connected campaign seems to attract hosts of activists.

The Obama campaign is proud that it managed to circulate enough petitions to field a full slate of convention delegates, while the Clinton campaign left about 10 percent of the slots vacant. The Clinton campaign's grass-roots energy is driven in large measure by politically active women who've been supporters for years.

"We had a big women's event for her in the fall," said Montgomery County state Sen. Connie Williams.

"We raised $300,000 and we have a network of women, hosting house parties and linking up on the Internet."

The Clinton campaign has had staff fundraising specialist Scott Freda working in Pennsylvania for months, but the campaign has plenty of heavyweight money men.

Among them are attorneys Alan Kessler and Mark Aronchick, who serve on the Clinton campaign's national finance committee.

And Gov. Rendell is one of the most successful political fundraisers in state history.

The Obama team has some well-known fundraisers as well, including Peter Buttenwieser and attorneys Mark Alderman and Christopher Lewis.

Mood and morale matter in campaigns, and Obama's run of primary wins no doubt gives his troops confidence and enthusiasm. It can also create a bandwagon effect to attract new allies.

Few might have expected the Greater Philadelphia Building Trades to endorse Obama, and its council postponed its endorsement meeting Friday because bad weather kept attendance low.

But business manager Pat Gillespie said he likes Obama.

"There's a sense of magic about the guy, Gillespie said, "and what this country needs now more than anything is hope."

Clinton supporters say they're just as enthusiastic as Obama devotees, in part because they're finally getting a chance to get into a fight

they've mostly watched on television so far.

"We're determined and committed, doubling down on our effort," Aronchick said.

"We're waiting for the press to even the scrutiny out, and think they will.

"We believe she's the better candidate and will be the better president." *