Duo plans stopover at local hotel

By David Skolnick

There’s the possibility of a local appearance by the Democrats.

YOUNGSTOWN — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and Joe Biden, his vice presidential running mate, will spend tonight at a hotel in Mahoning County.

The two and their wives will spend the night in the Mahoning Valley after an evening rally in Beaver, Pa., that is to start at 7:30 p.m. They will grab some sleep and then attend the funeral of U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones in Cleveland. The funeral is to start at 11 a.m. Saturday.

There is no announced event for the Obamas and Bidens in the Valley at this time during the stopover that comes a day after the Democratic National Convention in Denver ended.

But the couples may make that sleep a quick nap.

The campaign is looking at a few different places for a possible brief early Saturday stop to visit with locals before heading to Cleveland.

The decision on a stop probably won’t be made until that morning.

The four are scheduled to hold events late Saturday in Dublin and an invitation-only Sunday event in Toledo as part of their four-day “On the Road to Change” bus tour. The tour takes them through the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan.

Obama and Biden will return to the Valley to hold public events, a campaign spokesman said.

This will be Obama’s fourth visit to the area.

Obama held public rallies on Aug. 5 at Austintown Fitch High School and Feb. 18 at Youngstown State University. He also attended a private fundraiser in Boardman on June 20, 2007.

John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, has visited the Democratic-dominated Valley twice this year. He held a town hall meeting at the General Motors Lordstown complex June 27 with some workers there and then went to a private fundraiser in Howland. He also led a town hall meeting April 22 at Youngstown State University.

skolnick@vindy.com