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3/9/2008 4:12 AM

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"Pennsylvania is the new Iowa," Doug Hattaway, a spokesman for Hillary Clinton, told "The Politico" the other day. OK, so we're flatter, have more people and actually vote at the polls rather than caucus, but you know what he means.

Between now and primary day, April 22, the presidential candidates, at least the two Democrats, will practically be residents of our state, bringing with them campaign workers and hordes of print journalists and broadcasters who are the modern-day camp followers. There will be rallies and possibly Clinton-Obama debates all over the state that will be covered endlessly by the national media.

Will either Democrat make it to Washington or Greene county? It's too early for any such decision to be made, but they'll certainly spend a good deal of time in the Pittsburgh area, and there are enough Democratic voters down here to make us a likely campaign target. And even though John McCain has clinched the Republican nomination, a visit from him would not be out of the question.

After nearly six weeks of nonstop exposure to national politics, many Pennsylvanians will no doubt complain that they are sick and tired of the whole business. (There are people who already feel that way.) But perhaps this is what we get for our years of moaning that our primary is meaningless because the nominations are settled long before late April when we vote. We wanted a voice - now we have one.

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Consider another big advantage. The campaign staffers, media types and their support people will be eating a lot of restaurant meals, occupying a lot of hotel rooms, renting vehicles and buying gas and incidentals. The result will be an unexpected influx of big money into Pennsylvania's economy.

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