Apr. 18, Feature - As the Pennsylvania primary approaches, The influx of spending on advertising is one way to tell a primary is near. In Pennsylvania, Senators Clinton and Obama have spent a combined $13 million dollars, with Obama outspending Clinton by a margin of 3 to 1.

Andrew Stelzer has more on the varied methods and messages the candidates are employing to try and mount a last minute surge in the polls.

With the networks already saturated with ads, Cable TV stations in Pennsylvania have also seen an increase in advertising by the candidates, especially Obama, who with a massive fundraising edge, may feel he can better target specific demographics with ads on ESPN, MTV, and other channels.

The two democrats advertising themes in Pennsylvania have been roughly the same as throughout the campaign. Both have ads promising jobs in the largely working class state. Clinton has one TV spot playing up her connections to Pennsylvania, and seemingly attempting to portray her family as working class.

"This is me in Scranton, where my father was raised and my grandfather worked in a lace mill. Every August, we'd pile into our car and head to our cottage on Lake Winola. There was no heat or indoor shower — just the joy of family."

Clinton has several ads featuring her endorsers—Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter, Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell, and Senator Evan Bayh. The spot with Nutter, running in Philadelphia, a largely African American city, has Hillary and a different African-American person in every shot.

Obama, on the other hand, is airing an ad targeting women, but at the same time displaying his multicultural heritage. It features his Indonesian sister, his white grandmother, and his black wife all speaking his praises.

Both candidates have commercials attacking each other over Obama's 'bitter' statement earlier this month—one of the few personal attacks which Obama has fought back on through his ads. A new internet ad by the Obama campaign hones in one of his more frequent criticisms of Hillary Clinton—her acceptance of money from corporate lobbyists. It features a clip from a daily Koz debate in August of 2007.

'A very straight forward question here which is will you continue to take money from Lobbyists?

"Yes! I will! I will! Because a lot of those lobbyists whether you like it or not, represent real Americans."

Meanwhile, although the race could be virtually finished with a win or a strong showing by Obama in Pennsylvania, both democrats have hit the airwaves in both Indiana and North Carolina, which holds their primaries on May 6th. Hillary Clinton previously aired an ad asking North Carolina voters to write in to a special website, ncaskme.com with questions, and in her newest ad she answered one of these questions. A woman named Tammie asked what Clinton would do about rising gas prices.

"Well, Tammie, I hear this everywhere. People like you and everyone else are paying way too much at the pump. We need to reach energy independence and the only way we'll do that is to stop buying oil from over there and start creating alternative renewable energy over here.

I'd invest $150 billion in research and development of new kinds of energy. Let's put more hybrid vehicles on the fast track. And when we create new clean energies and technologies, we'll be creating new jobs right here in North Carolina. So there'll be plenty of work to drive to."

And presumptive Republican nominee John McCain also continues to launch new ads, including one that portrays him as bi-partisian.

"As President, John McCain will take the best ideas from both parties to spur innovation, invest in people and create jobs. Taxes — simpler, fairer. Energy — cleaner, cheaper. Health care — portable and affordable."

McCains ad is airing in both Pennsylvania and Ohio. With the Republican nomination already mathematically secured, McCain is likely looking to attract democrats or independents undecided on who to vote for in November.

For Election Unspun, I'm Andrew Stelzer.