I’ve been obsessing about Pennsylvania for quite a while now, and I promise to try and make this my last post on the PA myth (in short: I was somewhat skeptical regarding the media’s tendency to predict–following the selection of the Scranton-born VP Joe Biden–that Biden will help secure PA for the Obama camp). Today, Salena Zito of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has a thoughtful, well-balanced analysis of McCain’s chances to win Pennsylvania. Here’s the argument for McCain:

Pennsylvanians don’t see McCain in the “failed Bush policies” category by which Democrats try to define him. Instead, they see a war hero, a brand that resonates in the blue-collar areas where their unions are trying to persuade them otherwise.

And also the argument against him:

University of Virginia political science professor Larry Sabato says his tentative conclusion is that McCain should not allow the money to run in Pennsylvania unless he has unlimited resources, and instead should look west. His argument: If McCain is close in Pennsylvania, then he already is well above 300 Electoral College votes and won’t need it to win.

However, what made this article notable is the piece of the puzzle that’s missing: Biden doesn’t seem to be a factor. So much so that in a 700 word piece, the name of Pennsylvania’s third Senator is not even mentioned. Not once.