On two of his three campaign stops in Indiana John McCain told the same lame joke about two inmates in a chow line at the state penitentiary.  One looks at the other and says, “The food was a lot better when you were governor!”

Could it be the Senator thought he was in Illinois?

Nobody’s laughing much either way.

John McCain acknowledged that Indiana is a battleground state in his Indianapolis speech.   At one point he declared “The Mac is back!”  prompting a cheer, “Mac is back! Mac is back!”

The themes are now familiar, Obama will raise taxes, I’m not George Bush, Joe the Plumber, and one new one:  Obama will bankrupt the coal industry.  Sounding hoarse, McCain says “Indiana I’m counting on you tomorrow!” after speaking for only about 20 minutes.

John McCain’s microphone cut out early in his remarks at the airport rally and he told the crowd, “This microphone was brought to you by the Democratic National Committee.”

It got a laugh and so did the joke he told as he acknowledged Governor Daniels.  It’s about the two inmates in a state prison in the food line.  One turns to the other and says, “The food was a lot better when you were governor!”  He told the same joke at the town hall meeting he held prior to the May primary at the Emmis headquarters.

Ok, so the second entrance is pretty good, too.  The McCain plane rolled up the edge of the rally and John and Cindy McCain walked down the ramp to wild cheers.   The traveling press corps went right for sandwiches and shrimp cocktail from Harry and Izzy’s as Mitch Daniels takes the mike.

In his on stage introduction, the governor gives way to Cindy McCain who introduces her husband as “my best friend.”

The McCain rally today is the last of a campaign year that produced more than 150 such rallies in Indiana, counting the primary season.

At one of the first of those, featuring Bill Clinton in Richmond, I spotted Republican state Representative Tom Saunders in search of an autograph on his copy of Clinton’s book.  He tried to hide then.

Today Saunders is here at the airport trying to be seen in a McCain/Palin t-shirt.  He is in search only of a memorable experience this time.

The gates are open and the crowd gathers for John McCain in bright sunshine on the tarmac at the Indianapolis International Airport.  Arriving aircraft fly low over the setting.  Bleachers are set up with McCain’s bus, the Straight Talk Express, alongside.  Much of the crowd wears red.

Among those signing in at the media entrance is a crew from ESPN.  No, they didn’t stay after last night’s Colts game.  They are here to tape an interview with McCain that will be used on Monday Night Football tonight.

Here are my predictions (first presented on Indiana Week in Review but with further explanation here) for the 2008 Election in Indiana:

President: Leans Obama. This is still a Republican state and John McCain’s last minute visit may still make a difference but I think the Obama organization carries the day.

Governor: Mitch Daniels, hands down, double digits. Tune in to WISH-TV on Election night for details on the mistakes Jill Long Thompson made pursuing a Republican governor who should have been vulnerable in a Democratic year. (He hasn’t even been forced to run a negative ad!)

Attorney General: Greg Zoeller. Did I say it’s still a Republican state? Steve Carter helps Zoeller, so does Mitch Daniels and, while Linda Pence is a good candidate, she did too little TV to pull this off.

Superintendent of Public Instruction: Tony Bennett. Republican.

Congress: Rep. Mark Souder is the most the vulnerable and sounds like a loser in TV interviews so let’s call him one. All of the other 8 incumbents hold on.

Indiana House of Representatives: Democrats hold control. Brian Bosma and the Republicans tried to sneak up on some old-timers including Bill Cochran, Bob Bishoff, and Dennis Avery. That tells me they need gains in places that aren’t readily apparent. Remember, though, if Daniels wins the Republicans need just 50 to win the Speaker’s chair. Democrats need 51.

Bonus Prediction: The referendum to do away with township assessors passes.

Some of the things I failed to share so far that I won’t forget when this campaign is over:

-The voter in Anderson who told me, “I always vote Republican down the line!”  “So, you’re voting for McCain?”  “McCain’s not a Republican,” came the response.

-A visit to an African American barbershop to report on organizing efforts on behalf of Governor Mitch Daniels.  Signs posted on the walls prohibit profanity and use of the ‘N’ word.  Meantime, hip hop music playing over the sound system played lyrics peppered with, you guessed it, profanity and the ‘N’ word.

-The sister of a candidate (I will protect the candidate’s identity)  who cornered me while I was eating in a restaurant.  She wanted to know why our coverage ignored her sister while demanding more attention.   My calm explanations about lack of support and absence of advertising and more pressing races only caused her to get irritated and continue pressing her case.  Tip for beginners:  that’s not the way to get coverage.  

-The voter in Plainfield with a McCain sign in her yard who declined an interview request.  “Who are you voting for?”  she asked.  I responded that I never tell anyone.  “And you want me to tell the world?” she said.  Yes.  That’s how it works.

The Obama campaign cites IMPD for a crowd size estimate of 35,000 here on the American Legion Mall.

Barack Obama is now speaking, attacking John McCain’s economic policies and comparing him to George Bush.

The John McCain campaign just made a purchase of Indiana airtime for campaign commercials that will air over a five day period starting tomorrow.

He becomes the first Republican candidate for President to buy time here since Bob Dole in 1996.

The McCain ads you see now are purchased by the Republican National Committee.