Pennsylvanians may not actually determine who the eventual Democratic presidential nominee will be, but it sure won't be for lack of trying. The April 22 primary is just 12 days away and it's impossible to travel anywhere in this state, including the South Hills, without hearing the pundits posture.

South reporters Mary Niederberger and Maria Sciullo continue to track a panel of undecided voters who we introduced in last week's edition. This week the local Democrats tell us they are concerned about the disclosure that the Clintons reported a gross income of $109 million since he left office; the resignation of Hillary Clinton's chief strategist, and the continuing concerns about Barack Obama's longtime relationship with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, whose incendiary remarks on race offended many.

Age: 69; Mt. Lebanon

Owner M.J. Flaherty Plumbing

Everybody loves to look at income tax disclosures, especially those of public servants. But the Clintons' announcement caught some by surprise.

"Those people are high rollers and I think there are so many favors granted during an administration, now it's payback time," said Mr. Flaherty, who added that "it's probably really nobody's concern.

"I guess we're all jealous we're not making that kind of money. With little deductions, they paid a lot of taxes, so they're helping the economy," he added,

Similarly, he's not particularly disturbed by the Rev. Wright issue, noting that evangelists often turn to larger-than-life actions and rhetoric.

"When you listen to those preachers, they kind of have a style of their own. They're more actors than preachers and whatever riles up the audience, the congregation, that's what they go for.

"He [Wright] is not running for office."

Mr. Flaherty said he has empathy for the former Clinton strategist Mark Penn, who this week apologized for an error in judgment in meeting with Colombia's ambassador.

Mr. Penn, the president of a major public relations firm, held professional discussions regarding a bi-lateral trade agreement with Colombia, even though the Clinton campaign opposes such an agreement.

"It's a difficult job, working for Hillary. She puts so much pressure on those who are working for her that they tend to go overboard to try to get her a victory,'' Mr. Flaherty said.

Age: 58; Liberty

Auto production worker

Mrs. Matyasovsky said she has no problem with the former President and his wife cashing in on their White House years, nor through investments made via powerful contacts.

"If people want to pay that much money [for book deals or speaking engagements], more power to them.''

She was a bit more troubled with Mr. Obama's involvement with the Rev. Wright.

"He's been his pastor for a lot of years but only came out with denouncements when this became public," she said.

In the midst of a lengthy campaign, Mr. Obama's decision to take a family vacation to the U.S. Virgin Island was something Mrs. Matyasovsky questioned.

"This is a tough fight and he knew that when he got into it. I've been working two years without a vacation."

Mrs. Matyasovsky said she is beginning to doubt either candidate's appeal. Mrs. Clinton is "a little whiny and desperate" after questioning her party's refusal to credit her with any sort of push from the primaries in Michigan and Florida.

"At this point, it seems lately the only time she opens her mouth is to get her foot out of it,'' Mrs. Matyasovsky said.

She was impressed with the quick dismissal of Mark Penn, however: "You hire people and you hope they're going to do what's in the best interest for you. If you have to take action such as bouncing him, then I have to admire her for that."

Age: 60; Liberty

Retired electrician

Bill Clinton "is a good speaker, and I thought he was a good president," said Mr. Matyasovsky. So he said it came as no surprise the Clintons have done so well financially: "The eight years he put in gives him a lot of things to talk about."

"It's not unique" for a past president to cash in with book and speaking tours, he said, but it is "commendable" that he's giving back so much.

Mr. Matyasovsky said it is generally agreed that Mr. Obama's handling of the Rev. Wright situation was admirable, although "when the story broke, it certainly made me wonder about Barack Obama belonging to a congregation like that, with a preacher so vehemently against so many things in our country."

"For what it's worth, I want to believe Mr. Obama He [went] on national TV, no excuses were made. If he wants to be president there are some things he has to do, and he did it."

But public speaking could be a downfall for Mrs. Clinton, he said, if she keeps making comments that are later proven untrue.

"I don't know how many times she told the [Bosnia] story, word for word, about being under fire on the tarmac, and then she explains it away as having just 'misspoken.'

"To me it's just lying.''

Mrs. Clinton, he added, continues to complain about the way she is portrayed by the media, yet often appears to be the one providing answers that flip.

He also wasn't wild when she complained about the Michigan and Florida primary results: "Sometimes she demonstrates she'll do anything and everything to win."

Officials in the two states, he said, denied their voters an important chance to voice their opinions.

Age: 18; Whitehall

Senior at Central Catholic

Making big money is one thing. Doing good with it is another, said Alex Pazuchanics. So the Clintons' income tax returns neither surprised nor dismayed him.

"They're certainly entitled to make a dime off of what they did and I think, clearly, Bill at least has gotten into a lot of philanthropy since his eight years in the presidency."

"One of the endearing qualities of Obama is that he's not yet made those [Beltway] connections, and yet while she [Clinton] may be very influenced by bonds with big business, she can get things done with big business."

Mr. Obama's response speech to the Rev. Wright concerns, he said, was "very good, very eloquent," said Alex, comparing it to a speech John Kennedy gave in his race for the White House, where the latter explained what it meant to be a Roman Catholic in America.

"It was very noble of Obama not to sell the Rev. Wright down the river . . . it hurt his chances, at least early on, before he gave that speech."

Still, the association, he said, "will remain a skeleton in his closet. But at least this week, I've seen more people talking about his bowling."

Mr. Obama's lackluster showing in Altoona last week prompted some to wonder how a man of the people could lack such man-of-the-people skills as bowling. The senator bowled a 37.

"A lot of people are comparing this to [Michael] Dukakis on the tank. He probably should have practiced a little ahead of time,'' Alex said.

Alex noted that the issue of questionable primaries in Michigan and Florida did less to damage his opinion of Sen. Clinton than to raise his impression of the Democratic party.

"The party did the right thing by sticking with its guns," he said. "Thank goodness Pennsylvania waited and didn't push back to the Feb. 5 date. Now we're able to reap the reward."

Like others in the Post-Gazette survey, Alex is surprised the candidates have appeared relatively scarce in our state so far.

"Pennsylvania, in many ways, is a microcosm of the U.S. with a large agricultural base, a large industrial base, so a lot of the issues affecting Pennsylvania have already been talked about in Ohio and other states such as Wisconsin."

He has admiration for Mrs. Clinton's handling of the Mark Penn situation, however, and said Mr. Penn's departure might raise morale among her staffers.

Age: 35; Mt. Lebanon

Financial consultant

Stories that are "non-stories" continue to plague the lead-up to this primary, Mr. Tatomir said.

He pointed to the Clintons' financial disclosure as one.

"I kind of see it as a lazy story, really making something out of nothing. [Their] making that kind of money comes with the territory. They certainly don't have as much money as the Bush family,'' Mr. Tatomir said.

Mr. Obama's nuanced response to the Rev. Wright controversy must have earned him supporters. The speech included "In sum, I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright that are at issue." Mr. Tatomir said that points to the larger issue of owning up to personal belief.

"He's willing to talk about and tackle those issues, while most people just want to dismiss," he said.

"Certainly, it's one of the reasons why I'm considering voting for him."

He said the senator's response also speaks to the idea that there are shades of grey in the world, and that those who would criticize him for his past association with Rev. Wright might benefit from closer examination of their own associations.

Mrs. Clinton's character is somewhat suspect after recent events, he said. The idea that she would even consider asking for votes from illegal primaries "reeks of desperation . . . she's just the consummate politician."

Mr. Tatomire wonders just what is the big deal about being a superdelegate?

"You hear all about a government that is elected by the people, so if there's a certain class that gets an extra vote, that doesn't make sense to me."

Mr. Tatomir is also wondering "what type of people they're hiring" in the Clinton campaign if Mr. Penn can be so off the mark with his professional dealings.

And like all the members of the panel, he wonders when and where the candidates will really make their plays in Pennsylvania.

"They really didn't talk about anything or offer up all that much new this week. I was kind of hoping with a primary that matters so much this year, they'd be here more often."

Ten states still have primaries in May or June.