Politics

Indiana Early Voters Turn Out In Record Numbers

(CBS) Days before Indiana's critical Democratic primary, early voters are turning out in record numbers.

The Indiana Secretary of State's office says more than 14,000 absentee ballots were processed Thursday. That brings the number of early primary ballots cast to 127,247

Seventy-two delegates are up for grabs in the Hoosier State.

CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports for Sen. Barack Obama, northwest Indiana is virtually home territory.

He and Sen. Hillary Clinton sparred Friday over skyrocketing gas prices.

Both candidates detoured briefly to North Carolina Friday night where Clinton talked about suspending the federal gas tax.

"If the choice is you pay the gas tax or the oil companies pay the gas tax from their record profits, to me the choice is clear," Clinton said.

The Obama campaign responded with a new Indiana campaign ad that says, in part: "It's an election year gimmick saving Hoosiers just pennies a day. Barack Obama's plan: investigate price gouging by oil companies."

In fairness, Clinton wants that too. But for the Obama campaign, it was a welcome return to the issues after a week mired in controversy.

"I know it's sometimes easy to get caught up with the divisions and distractions – divisions that have nothing to do with the challenges we face," Obama said.

But he was asked about arguably the biggest distraction Friday.

"I don't think what happened with Rev. Wright was helpful," he said, in a massive understatement.

Friday night's Real Clear Politics average of Indiana's Democratic primary polls shows Clinton with a 6 point lead, roughly 47 to 41.

In the past month, Obama had narrowed the gap. Last week, he pulled even and went ahead for four days, but fell behind again the day of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's appearance at the National Press Club.

Still, he told our CBS 2's Susan Carlson, there's time to recover.

"I'm confident we have a chance of winning," he said. "We just have to work very hard."

About 300 steel workers gave Obama a rousing welcome at Munster Steel Company Friday afternoon. His message was aimed at the working class, struggling in this difficult economy.

"Here in Indiana, we've seen almost 100,000 well-paying manufacturing jobs, vanish," Obama said to the crowd.

His plan to create new jobs includes using $60 billion from the highway trust fund to improve infrastructure.

"Our roads, our bridges... that is the steel that puts people back to work," Obama said.

"I think he's inspiring," said Munster steel worker Fred McCraw.

Winning over the Indiana steelworkers may be crucial to the Obama campaign. Twenty-five percent of the Democratic voters statewide come from this region, in northwest Indiana.

And he told CBS 2 later, Obama feels a close bond with the people he talked to Friday.

"Working in the shadow of the steel plants just up the road, as a community organizer helping people find jobs after the mills closed, I feel a special connection to this area," he said.

Obama supporter Pat Betz said, "I took a vacation day and I kept my schedule open today because this is an opportunity and we do need change."

Change seemed to be the key word, and that message resonated with the audience.

"He's a candidate for change," said Delores Hildreth.

"I believe that he is going to bring the change that we are looking for in the United States," said Ernest Mosley.

For Obama, Indiana could be the knock-out punch.

But Clinton is not about to go quietly. Hillary, Bill and Chelsea Clinton have made a combined 87 stops in 53 cities over the past 6 weeks; as she took the lead, lost it, and now appears to be pulling ahead again as the campaign enters its final weekend.


CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine in Chicago and Susan Carlson in Munster, Ind., contributed to this report.

(CBS 2 and the Post-Tribune are news partners covering stories in the communities of northwest Indiana. Send story tips to tips@cbs2chicago.com. (© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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