“This is not a solid blue state this is a purple state and we need a candidate who can win this state and that candidate is Hillary Clinton,” Governor Rendell said.

In a conference call today, Mayor Nutter and Governor Rendell pushed for Hillary Clinton.

Rendell said that Senator Obama is diminishing Pennsylvania’s importance in this election. He added that Pennsylvania is a test of a candidates national appeal because of the states diversity, with a lot of rural areas and a mid-western tinge in the western area of the state and an east coast mentality in the Philadelphia region.

Mark Penn, the chief strategist for the Clinton campaign said that since 1948 no democrat has won the presidency without winning Pennsylvania.

“We believe that the road to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. goes right through Pennsylvania,” Penn said.

Mayor Nutter said he is doing complete full court press and outreach to every part of Philadelphia for Clinton.

“There is a tremendous amount of enthusiasm in Philadelphia and the suburbs. People have been waiting for this presidential primary to come,” Nutter said.

Rendell said that if Obama were to become the democratic candidate he and Nutter would campaign hard for Obama.

“Nobody is saying that Barack Obama would definitely lose Pennsylvania in the fall. We are much more certain of carrying the state with Clinton at the top of the ticket,” Rendell said.

To be a part of the Pennsylvania Primary voters must register by March 24, as either republican or democrat to vote on April 22.

Michelle Obama will be at Abington Senior High School today at 2:30 p.m. and at Villanova University at 5 p.m.

John McCain will be in Delaware County on Friday. He will be at the Springfield Country Club a 9:45 a.m.

Hillary Clinton will be in Pittsburgh tomorrow.