Candidates Must Appeal to Cities, Suburbs

Tonight's presidential debate is the candidates' last chance to address respective suburban and urban issues.

1 minute read

October 15, 2008, 2:00 PM PDT

By Judy Chang


"...Whatever strength Mr. McCain may have in the suburbs, he can't take it for granted. The economic collapse has hit the metropolitan areas hard. The majority of home foreclosures are in the suburbs, so Mr. McCain won't increase his lead there unless he persuades suburbanites that he understands how much of their future is tied up in the falling values of their homes and their retirement accounts.

By contrast, Mr. Obama, with his huge lead in cities, needs to be careful tonight that he doesn't scare off suburban voters who see him as a city person and still think that their tax dollars and the allocation of resources unfairly benefit cities at the expense of bedroom communities. What Mr. Obama should be talking about is a more inclusive and productive 'metro policy,' one that recognizes the need for cities and suburbs to work together on regional problems, like transportation and pollution."

Tuesday, October 14, 2008 in The New York Times

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