Patriot News: Mayor Stephen Reed and Obama brief

Republicans are criticizing Mayor Stephen Reed’s proclamation calling last Thursday “Campaign for Change Day,” in Harrisburg, a theme tied to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

“The people of Harrisburg who were counting on their elected officials to work on their behalf are unfortunately in for a rude awakening,” Blair Latoff, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, said Monday.

Reed, who had been a supporter of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton during the presidential primary, was the featured speaker at last week’s official opening of Obama’s Harrisburg headquarters. He gave a short speech to nearly 100 Obama supporters, endorsing Obama as the candidate of “change” over John McCain’s “politics as usual.”

“Do not underestimate the John McCain candidacy,” Reed told the assembly, saying “all kinds of tricks” would be played.

Some McCain supporters were not surprised by Reed’s proclamation, but are not asking for equal treatment.

“We don’t need a proclamation,” said Dauphin County Republican Committee Chairman John McNally. “Everyday is John McCain day.”

Brief on A2 of today’s Patriot-News. Photo courtesy of PennLive.

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