WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT THE "IT'S TIME FOR ACTION TOUR" DAY TWO

"McCain Makes Inroads In Rust Belt" -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
McCain "On Traditionally Democratic Turf" In Ohio:
Youngstown Vindicator: "Even if he fares poorly on Election Day in the Democratic-dominated Mahoning Valley, John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, says it's important to make his presence known in the area." ("McCain Makes His Area Presence Known," Youngstown Vindicator, 4/22/08)
· CNN's Wolf Blitzer: "And John McCain is on traditionally Democratic turf right now, practically under the noses of both Clinton and Obama, duking it out in Pennsylvania." (CNN's "Situation Room," 4/22/08)
· CNN's Dana Bash: "Youngstown, Ohio, is a Democratic stronghold. McCain is trying to make inroads here as he closely tracks the Democrats' race to be his opponent." (CNN's "Situation Room," 4/22/08)
· Cleveland Plain Dealer: "McCain made three stops in Youngstown, an area dominated by union households and middle class workers who supported Democrat John Kerry over Republican George W. Bush in the 2004 presidential election." (Mark Naymik, "McCain Swings Through Youngstown," Cleveland Plain Dealer's "Opener's Blog," 4/22/08)
· Columbus Dispatch: "McCain's visit to Youngstown was part of his 'It's Time for Action Tour' this week, reaching out to blacks, displaced factory workers, people living in poverty and other 'forgotten Americans' more associated with the Democratic Party than the GOP. He chose one of the most reliably Democratic parts of Ohio: Mahoning County has voted for a Republican presidential candidate only twice since 1932; the last time was for Richard Nixon in 1972." (Mark Niquette, "McCain Sells Free Trade In Ohio," Columbus Dispatch, 4/23/08)
· The Wall Street Journal: "Sen. McCain traveled to Youngstown as part of his 'It's Time for Action' tour, a weeklong trip to the nation's economically challenged areas. Youngstown, a Democratic stronghold of about 80,000 people between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, fits that bill." (Elizabeth Holmes, "McCain Softens Economic Pitch In Hard-Hit Ohio," The Wall Street Journal, 4/23/08)
The Associated Press: "McCain, on a weeklong tour of 'forgotten' places where people are struggling with poverty and job losses, made a stop at a shuttered steel fabricating plant in Youngstown with broken-out windows and a crumbling, weed-strewn parking lot." (Libby Quaid, "McCain: Free Trade Can Help Resurrect Hard-Hit Steel Towns," The Associated Press, 4/22/08)
· McClatchy: "Standing before a nearly shuttered factory pocked with broken windows, John McCain on Tuesday urged Americans to reject the 'siren song of protectionism' and embrace a future of free trade." (Matt Stearns, "McCain Picks Failing Ohio Factory To Laud Free Trade," McClatchy, 4/22/08)
· USA Today: "John McCain came to the Rust Belt on Tuesday to promote worker re-training for the new economy and to denounce 'the siren song' of protectionism." (David Jackson, "McCain Denounces 'Siren Song' Of Protectionism," USA Today, 4/22/08)
· CNN's Kyra Phillips: "For his part, John McCain will campaign in working class Youngstown, Ohio, today, part of a tour that takes him off the beaten path for most Republican candidates." (CNN's "American Morning," 4/22/08)
Cleveland Plain Dealer: "Republican presidential candidate John McCain, in his first post-primary campaign swing in Ohio on Tuesday, promised to do more for Youngstown than make it a campaign stop. 'Political candidates have a way of passing through the Mahoning Valley and observing only the serious economic troubles here,' the Arizona senator said at a town hall-style meeting at Youngstown State University." (Mark Naymik, "McCain Swings Through Youngstown," Cleveland Plain Dealer's "Opener's Blog," 4/22/08)
Austintown Fitch High School Teacher Jill Martin: ''We teach them this is a Democratic area. ... So, they know when a Republican comes here, it's a big deal.'' (Stephanie Warsmith, "McCain Speaks At YSU, Reaches Out To Democrats," Akron Beach Journal, 4/23/08)
Youngstown Townhall Attendee: "He's straight talking to us. He's not leading us on with a bunch of things that he thinks that we want to hear." (WEWS-TV ABC, 4/22/08)
Tyler Eucker Of Hartford, Ohio: "I liked a lot of things he said. ... I was undecided before I came. But I liked what he said about health care and the global economy." (David Skolnick, "McCain Makes Three Stops In Youngstown," The Youngstown Vindicator, 4/23/08)
Former AFL-CIO President Jack McConnell: "I was for you 8 years ago, but I'm a Democrat and I couldn't vote for you then. But I can now." (WJW-TV Fox, 4/22/08)
In The Headlines:
Akron Beach Journal: "McCain Speaks At YSU, Reaches Out To Democrats" (Stephanie Warsmith, "McCain Speaks At YSU, Reaches Out To Democrats," Akron Beach Journal, 4/23/08)
Akron Beacon Journal: "McCain Talks In Youngstown, Pledges Job Training" (Stephanie Warsmith, "McCain Talks In Youngstown, Pledges Job Training," Akron Beacon Journal, 4/22/08)
The Associated Press: "McCain: Free Trade Can Help Resurrect Hard-Hit Steel Towns" (Libby Quaid, "McCain: Free Trade Can Help Resurrect Hard-Hit Steel Towns," The Associated Press, 4/22/08)
Cleveland Plain Dealer: "McCain Swings Through Youngstown" (Mark Naymik, "McCain Swings Through Youngstown," Cleveland Plain Dealer's "Opener's Blog," 4/22/08)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "McCain Makes Inroads In Rust Belt" (Timothy McNulty, "McCain Makes Inroads In Rust Belt," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 4/23/08)
USA Today: "McCain Denounces 'Siren Song' Of Protectionism" (David Jackson, "McCain Denounces 'Siren Song' Of Protectionism," USA Today, 4/22/08)
Youngstown Vindicator: "McCain Makes His Area Presence Known" ("McCain Makes His Area Presence Known," Youngstown Vindicator, 4/22/08)