Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:<\/p>\n
* The Clinton campaign strongly hinted over the weekend that it would use the “bitter” flap for the basis of an attack ad against Barack Obama, and last night, the campaign followed through with a new TV spot<\/a>. The ad features citizens — it’s unclear if they’re actors — describing how “insulted” they were by Obama’s comments. One man in the commercial says, “The good people of Pennsylvania deserve a lot better than what Barack Obama said.”<\/p>\n *The polls in Pennsylvania continue to be all over the place<\/a>, though Clinton leads in each: “Yesterday we reported on the ARG poll showing a 20 point spread for Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania. Three more today so far. Quinnipiac gives Clinton a 6 point margin; SurveyUSA gives her a 14 point edge; and Rasmussen gives Clinton a 9 point margin.” SurveyUSA’s track record has been strong; ARG’s has not.<\/p>\n * Speaking of polls, SurveyUSA also shows Clinton looking strong in Indiana, leading by 16<\/a>, 55% to 39%.<\/p>\n * In still more poll news, Obama leads McCain in Michigan<\/a> while Clinton doesn’t, and Clinton leads McCain in Florida<\/a> while Obama doesn’t.<\/p>\n * People in Pittsburgh tell me this<\/a> could have some significance: “Pittsburgh Steelers chairman Dan Rooney on Monday endorsed Democratic Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential bid. In a statement, the 75-year-old Rooney said endorsing political candidates is not something he regularly does. ‘As a grandfather and a citizen of this community, I think Barack Obama’s thoughtful, strategic approach is important to America,’ Rooney said. ‘When I hear how excited young people seem to be when they talk about this man, I believe he will do what is best for them, which is to inspire them to be great Americans.'” * Clinton is expected to win next week’s Pennsylvania primary, but her net gain in delegates is expected to be rather small<\/a>.<\/p>\n * Remember Elton John’s concert for the Clinton campaign last week? It may<\/a> or may not<\/a> have run afoul of campaign finance law.<\/p>\n * Condoleezza Rice still<\/a> isn’t going to be on the Republican ticket.<\/p>\n
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\n* I suspect this will change sometime soon, but the Gallup Daily Tracking Poll shows Obama holding onto a 10-point lead<\/a> over Clinton nationwide. Gallup noted, “That 10-point lead matches Obama’s best of the campaign, and even as the controversy has dominated the political airwaves, Obama’s support remained strong in tracking interviews conducted on Saturday and Sunday.”<\/p>\n