Obama / Long-Thompson set up shop in Summit City

(Photo credit - Fort Wayne Journal Gazette)

As a part of his "States which John McCain has taken for granted" tour, Barack Obama’s presidential campaign opened a campaign office in downtown Fort Wayne, along with five other new offices across Indiana. The office, which serves jointly as a local office for the Jill Long-Thompson gubernatorial campaign, is located at 904 S. Calhoun Street, directly across the street from One Summit Square - Fort Wayne's tallest building - let the symbolism speak for itself!

Obama’s Indiana campaign staff announced that offices in Evansville, Fishers, Muncie and South Bend will also open today. An office in Bloomington will open Monday.

Fort Wayne City Councilwoman Karen Goldner, D-2nd, friend of this blog, as well as national delegate and volunteer for the Obama campaign, reported a huge turnout at the new headquarters this afternoon. She said the offices officially are for the “Campaign for Change,” a coordinated effort for Obama and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jill Long Thompson.

In addition to the Fort Wayne office and several other satellite offices which also opened today in the Hoosier state, Obama opened an office at the state Democratic Party headquarters and plans to add at least 20 regional offices around the state in the coming weeks. He is also running TV ads statewide.

Some Republicans, scared shitless by Obama's inroads into this (insert laugh-track here) solidly Republican state, say Obama is simply trying to get Republican rival John McCain to spend significant resources in a state he otherwise would largely bypass.

Jay Kenworthy, spokesman for the Indiana GOP, said he doesn’t believe McCain plans to staff an office in Fort Wayne. The party opened a Victory Center in May at the corner of Harrison and Berry streets, which he said will be used by Republican candidates on every level. I had the pleasure of sitting across the street from the "Victory Center" this morning as my family and I enjoyed the 40th annual TRF parade. I snapped this photo of the sign on the front of the "Victory Center" Metro Building. Much like the views of the Republicans these days, things appear to be a bit warped. . .