Wyant notes that Democratic pollster Anna Greenberg, who has done many rural surveys, told the My Rural America meeting that Obama needs to "reassure voters who have doubts about his experience and abilities; address the poor economy and the 'anger and frustration' of those left behind; and address the significant concerns that voters have about his positions on national security and his patriotism." Greenberg told Wyant that she wasn't referring to farmers, currently enjoying high incomes and land values, because farmers are "such a small percentage of the electorate." Wyant writes:
Perhaps that explains why some long-time Democratic activists are frustrated over what they view as Obama’s senior campaign staff’s failure to actively court the farm vote. “The real question is why Barack Obama is not up 10 to 20 points in farm country,” one leader told Agri-Pulse. “John McCain has given farmers and ranchers absolutely no reason to vote for him,” said another long-time Democrat. “There’s no reason every major farm group isn’t endorsing Obama---but this campaign doesn’t seem to get it.”McCain opposes ethanol subsidies and said he would have voted against the new Farm Bill. Obama wasn't as enthusiuastic about the bill as Sen. Hillary Clinton but voted for it.
Campbell said the campaign's rural strategy is based on Obama's experience in community organizing in Chicago: “neighbor talking to neighbor, listening to people’s concerns and asking for their votes.” But our guess is that the effort will be concentrated in states the campaign thinks it can win, especially larger states like Ohio, Pennsylvania and Missouri.
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