At the AFL-CIO convention in Center City yesterday, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama made his case to the working class, largely through responses to parts of Hillary Clinton's speech there the previous day.
Obama addressed Clinton's economic proposals - and her jokes - while still maintaining his characteristic campaign theme of change.
Obama discussed his plan to invest $60 billion over the next 10 years to fix the nation's infrastructure and $150 billion to support clean-energy programs.
Both initiatives, Obama said, would help create jobs.
The speech at the AFL-CIO was Obama's attempt to gain the crucial support of the Pennsylvania working class, a group that has typically favored Clinton in other states.
Both Obama and Clinton have heavily courted this demographic while campaigning in the Keystone State, as evidenced by speeches from both candidates at the AFL-CIO convention.
Yesterday, Clinton proposed creating three million jobs in infrastructure and pledged more emergency and public-transit funding.
Like Clinton, Obama criticized presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) for his continuation of many of the Bush administration's ideals.
Obama attacked McCain's tax cut plans, his special interest ties and his response to the housing crisis.
Obama also discussed his "Road to Change" six-day bus tour across Pennsylvania, which ended yesterday. He referenced his bowling match with Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) on Saturday, in which he scored a dismal 37 out of a possible 300.
"My poll numbers dropped a little bit after the bowling . but I'm going to tear up the bowling alley in the White House," Obama said.
In an April Fools' joke Tuesday, Clinton poked fun at Obama's score, challenging him to a "bowl-off" for the nomination.
Responding to the "Rocky Balboa" film analogy Clinton used to represent her vow to stay in the race, Obama presented a "Rocky" argument of his own yesterday.
"We all love Rocky - and last time I checked, I was the underdog in this state," he said.
Obama also repeatedly emphasized during his 35-minute speech the need for not only a new administration in the White House, but also a fundamental change in the way Washington works.
"People have lost faith, they've lost trust that anybody in Washington is listening to them," Obama said. "The problems we face go beyond any single administration."
He reiterated his message of change when discussing the motivation behind his presidential bid.
"The reason I'm standing here . is because I don't want to wake up one morning 10 years from now and see that nothing has changed," he said.
