Ground Game

This American Life goes to Pennsylvania, a battleground within a battleground, to figure out why, and how, John McCain and Barack Obama both think they can win there. And we get to know the ordinary people who've become the candidates' most forceful foot soldiers. Prologue: Host Ira Glass goes to a McCain rally in Lehigh, PA, outside of Allentown. Obama has double-digit leads over McCain in almost every poll. So why does McCain still think he has a shot? (5 minutes) Scranton: In Scranton, there's a "Citizens for McCain" office. But really, it's a "Democrats for McCain" office; flipping Democrats is vital if McCain is going to win. Producer Nancy Updike spent some time with these anti-Obama Democrats, who apparently have a message that's pitch perfect for their fellow disgruntled party members. (9 minutes) State College: While McCain gathers stray Democrats, Obama is trying to find new ones—in the reddest part of the state. To do that, his campaign has launched enormous registration drives, especially among college students. Producer Sarah Koenig followed registration workers around State College, home to Penn State University, to see how they were doing. (13 minutes) Union Halls: No one much likes to talk about it out loud, but everyone knows it's true: There are a lot of people out there who say they won't vote for Obama because he's black. To fight this problem, Richard Trumka, secretary treasurer of the AFL-CIO, has been traveling around the country giving a speech to fellow union members. It ends with a plea: You must stand up, and deal with race directly. Talk about it. Producer Lisa Pollak spent a month hanging out with union members, eavesdropping on their conversations, to see if Trumka's directive was working. (17 minutes) State College, Part Two: We continue our story about voter registration in State College, where there are only a few days left until the registration deadline. (7 minutes) Scranton, Part Two: Nancy Updike's story about Democrats for McCain continues. (10 minutes)