During a break in the meetings, Angie York and Toni Reisinger, Oil City High School classmates and members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1050, discussed why their union is backing Clinton as they grabbed a smoke outside the hotel.
"She wants to bring jobs back to Pennsylvania," said York, 37, an aide at Polk Center, a state residential facility in Venango County for people with mental retardation. She and her husband, a steelworker, have three children, ages 14 to 20.
"Obama doesn't care about Pennsylvania," she said. "He doesn't know what [Clinton] knows. We are a manufacturing state. I don't think he has a clue what it's going to take to bring jobs back."
York said she did not catch his speech because she felt ill and overslept.
Kathy Jellison, president of Harrisburg's Local 668 of the Service Employees International Union, certainly heard Obama speak. Her union, which has 65,000 members statewide, backs the Illinois senator.
"He was fabulous," said Jellison, 53, relaxing in the hotel lobby. She and her husband, who is retired, have a 25-year-old son. "There was an excitement in the air when he discussed the issues. He used no negativity, and he had the crowd in the palm of his hand. I think he probably swayed some undecideds."
Clinton "did well in her speech," Jellison said, "but she didn't have the same feeling."
Obama "can take us in a whole new direction. . . . People want a change. They don't want more of the same. I think Clinton brings some of 'more of the same' with her. Obama brings youth and the promise of change."
Back to the smoking crowd: AFSCME member Reisinger, 37, a clerk-typist at Polk Center, said Clinton is more prepared for the presidency than is national front-runner Obama and predicted that she would easily win the April 22 primary.
