"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance." - Thomas Jefferson
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Dear Friend,
It happened after Iowa. It happened again in February. People counted Hillary out. They tried to say the race was over.
But you knew better. You sustained her with your support. You kept the campaign going with your contributions. You made more than a million phone calls. You believed in Hillary when she needed you the most. And in Texas and Ohio, she proved you right.
Thanks to you, this race is neck-and-neck despite the Obama campaign outraising us by $20 million in February. Now we have six weeks to make our case in Pennsylvania.
We know it's a fight. We know our opponent will outspend us. But we cannot let him have a head start in Pennsylvania, the critical next state. Hillary needs your support now -- today -- to make sure we're fighting on a level playing field.
Contribute today to help Hillary win.
You and I know Hillary can win. We have a strategy in place and a clear path to the nomination. All she needs is for you to keep standing up for her every single day.
The road ahead is long, but your dedication will see us through. Back in February, you accomplished something truly amazing for Hillary, with 300,000 of you raising $35 million to fund her campaign.
You kept us competitive even as the Obama campaign outraised us by $20 million -- an advantage they will use as they best can in Pennsylvania.
Now we all face a few weeks before Pennsylvania and all the states that follow. Hillary has to build on her victories in Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island. Can you help us sustain that energy over the next six weeks?
Hillary needs your help more than ever. As she proved in Ohio and Texas, where she was outspent by millions but won anyway, you can put her over the top.
So please make a contribution today to help us win in Pennsylvania.
There's no way Hillary would be in the position she is in today without your enthusiastic and dedicated support. I know it, she knows it, and we both tell everyone we know about everything you are doing to help her win.
Sincerely,
Bill Clinton
The new SurveyUSA poll of Pennsylvania gives Hillary Clinton a very healthy lead of 55%-36% for the April 22 primary.
From the internals: Hillary leads in practically all demographics and regions, including even the younger voters, with Obama winning only the black vote. In her weakest region, the Southeastern portion of the state that includes Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs, she's ahead 48%-46%.
Then again, the election is six weeks away, and things will probably get very interesting between now and then. But Barack Obama definitely has a lot of ground to make up if he wants to pull off an upset.
Two of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s biggest supporters, who are also two of the Democratic Party’s most successful fund-raisers, have offered to help raise millions of dollars to stage new primaries in Florida and Michigan.
Gov. Jon S. Corzine of New Jersey and Gov. Edward G. Rendell of Pennsylvania said Sunday that they would be willing to raise half the $30 million it would take to run new contests in those two states. Mr. Corzine and Mr. Rendell submitted their proposal to The Washington Post.
The two governors argue that the Democratic National Committee, and not taxpayers in Florida and Michigan, should pay for a re-election in those states.
Democrats have been struggling to find a way to seat the delegates from Michigan and Florida, who were excluded when those states held primaries in January, violating national party rules.
Mrs. Clinton won in both states, though Senator Barack Obama’s name did not appear on the Michigan ballot and neither candidate campaigned actively in Florida. Her supporters at first pressed for the disputed delegates to be seated, but both campaigns and Democratic Party leaders have been searching for an alternative solution.
Talk of the problem dominated the Sunday morning political television programs.
“I think it’s very unlikely that Florida and Michigan, given how close this race is, are going to be seated as is,” said Howard Dean, the Democratic national chairman, on “Face the Nation” on CBS. “But everybody’s going to work very hard to find a compromise within the rules that’s fair to both campaigns that will allow Florida and Michigan in the end to be seated.”
Mr. Rendell raised the fund-raising proposal on “Meet the Press” on NBC as he pressed for re-votes in the two states. Former Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota, speaking for the Obama campaign, also appeared on the program and said he would go along.
“We don’t have any problem with that,” Mr. Daschle said.
BILL O ’ BOYLE boboyle@timesleader.com
SCRANTON – The Electric City is charged for today’s visit by U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodman Clinton supporter Judie Polkowski, right, of Dickson City, draws up welcome signs along with Mary Ann Sadauskas, of Dunmore, on Sunday at Clinton campaign headquarters in Scranton.
PETE G. WILCOX/THE TIMES LEADER
Even the Easter Bunny has given a thumbs-up endorsement of the Democratic presidential candidate.
Clinton will speak at Scranton High School at 6 p.m. today, making the city her first Pennsylvania campaign stop. The senator’s family – the Rodhams – settled in Scranton more than 100 years ago and the former first lady was baptized in Scranton.
A source close to the Clinton campaign said the senator will visit her family’s old neighborhood near Weston Field either prior to, or after her speech. The source said Clinton will go door-to-door in the neighborhood along Diamond Avenue. The Secret Service has issued an order to have Scranton City police clear the area for the senator’s visit, the source said.
Many volunteers were busy making signs and phone calls at Clinton campaign headquarters on Wyoming Avenue in Scranton on Sunday.
Signs read:
“We Love Hillary”
“Electric City Loves Hillary”
“PA is Clinton Country”
“Welcome Back Hillary”
“Ain’t No Party Like a Scranton Party”
“Healthcare For All”
“Bricklayers For Hillary”
“Scranton Teachers Need Hillary”
Doors open at 4:30 p.m. at the high school, located at 63 Mike Munchak Way. Sean Pendrak, field coordinator for the Clinton campaign, said the school holds 2,500 to 3,000 people.
“We will have lots of spillover room,” Pendrak said. “But I advise people to get there early to get a seat.”
Pendrak said Clinton will fly into the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, but he did not know what time.
Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty will serve as master of ceremonies at today’s program. The mayor said he is proud to have his city selected as Clinton’s first Pennsylvania campaign stop.
“Of course we’re very proud to have her here and have our city be the focus of the nation,” Doherty said. “But beyond that, this is a rare opportunity for any city or region to have a presidential candidate that knows your area intimately. She knows the city and its streets. She knows the Hill section and Nay Aug Park. This is not a fake relationship; it’s the real deal.”
Doherty said Clinton was baptized in the Court Street Methodist Church, the same church her father was buried from and her niece was recently baptized there. The mayor said Hillary and her brothers – Hugh and Tony – still own the family home at Lake Winola.
“She’s one of our own,” Doherty said.
At the Steamtown Mall, shoppers were eager to talk about Clinton’s visit and her candidacy.
“I like her; she’s a smart woman,” said Eliza Burke, of Nanticoke, who was shopping with her husband, Joe. “I like (Barack) Obama too, but Hillary has more experience.”
The Burkes said they go to a lot of political events, like debates, and feel more people – especially younger voters – should get involved with the process.
“I think it’s time for a change,” said Joe Burke. “We always vote for who we think is the best person for the job and we think it’s Hillary.”
The Burkes’ granddaughter was visiting with the Easter Bunny, who gave Clinton a thumbs-up endorsement.
“I’m glad she’s coming here,” said John Marko, of Nanticoke. “I really think she will make an excellent president. She’s the most qualified candidate.”
But if there was a warning for the Obama campaign, it was not about the dangers of negative campaigning. It was about the importance of having a consistent message and an effective chain of command.
Power was the third Obama adviser to stir up a cloud of dust in recent weeks by apparently substituting his or her own views for Obama's: In addition to the "monster" comment, made to a Scottish newspaper, Power told the BBC that Obama's plan to withdraw all troops from Iraq within 16 months was subject to change once he took office.
Susan Rice, another foreign policy aide, committed the misstep of opining that neither Obama nor Clinton was ready to handle a 3 a.m. phone call announcing a foreign policy crisis. Rice probably meant that no one can be fully prepared for the burdens of the presidency, but John McCain was only too happy to jump on her words and announce that he, at least, feels up to the job.
Perhaps most damaging of all, Austan Goolsbee, a University of Chicago economist advising Obama, apparently sought to reassure Canadian officials in the days leading up to the Ohio primary that the senator wasn't really as critical of the North American Free Trade Agreement as he sounded on the stump. A memo produced by the Canadian consulate in Chicago suggested that Goolsbee felt the heated antitrade rhetoric was "political maneuvering."
The actions of Obama's advisers raise as many questions about Obama as about the advisers.
The first is the obvious one: whether he truly intends to follow through on what he's been saying. For most of the campaign, Obama has gotten good mileage out of the idea that he says what he believes while Clinton's plans are hedged to allow for extra maneuverability. But in Obama's effort to stay to Clinton's left on Iraq and NAFTA, he may have gone further than he wanted, or could deliver.
When Clinton, during the Ohio debate, promised to opt out of the trade deal if Canada and Mexico didn't agree to changes, Obama quickly agreed. He later referred to using "the hammer of potential opt-out" to enhance environmental and labor requirements in NAFTA.
Jackson, MS - Mississippi for Hillary today announced the endorsement of former Governor of Mississippi William F. Winter. Governor Winter announced his endorsement to a crowd of over 150 supporters who had gathered for a meeting with Chelsea Clinton on Sunday in Jackson, Mississippi.
"Hillary doesn't need an introduction to Mississippi," said Governor Winter. "I couldn't think of anyone that I am prouder to be supporting than Hillary. I believe Hillary is our best opportunity to provide real leadership in Washington that is going to solve the mistakes made over the past eight years."
"I couldn't be prouder to have the support of my friend, Governor William F. Winter," said Senator Hillary Clinton. "Governor Winter is a dedicated public servant and leader in Mississippi. He is a champion of the best values of the Democratic party."
Governor William F. Winter served as governor of Mississippi from 1980-1984. Prior to that, he served as a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives and Tax Collector of the State of Mississippi as well as State Treasurer and Lieutenant Governor.
After days of misleading denials, Sen. Obama has finally acknowledged that a meeting took place between his senior economic advisor and Canadian officials regarding NAFTA. But Sen. Obama now claims that the detailed memo obtained by the AP describing the meeting - and Goolsbee's downplaying of Obama's anti-NAFTA rhetoric - is inaccurate. This is at least the fifth different explanation offered by Sen. Obama and his campaign.
1. 2/27/08 - 'No conversations have taken place' with the Canadian government on NAFTA. "Earlier Thursday, the Obama campaign insisted that no conversations have taken place with any of its senior ranks and representatives of the Canadian government on the NAFTA issue." [CTV, 2/29/08]
2. 2/27/08 - Obama advisor just said 'hello.' "Goolsbee: Canada's consul general in Chicago contacted him ‘at one point to say ‘hello’ because their office is around the corner." [ABC, 2/29/08]
3. 2/28/08 - Rice: 'There had been no contact.' "The Canadian ambassador issued a statement that was absolutely false. There had been no contact. There had been no discussions on NAFTA. So we take the Canadians at their word...period." [MSNBC, Susan Rice, 2/28/08]
4. 2/29/08: Sen. Obama: 'It did not happen.' Anchor: "So, completely inaccurate, did not happen, end of discussion." Sen. Obama: "It did not happen." [WKYC TV, 2/29/08]
5. 3/10/08 - Sen. Obama: The meeting did happen, they did discuss NAFTA, but advisor just said Obama wanted to make NAFTA 'stronger for U.S. workers.' "So here’s what happens. You’ve got one of my economic advisors goes and visits a Canadian embassy and they’re asking him questions and he says, 'Well, Senator Obama isn’t planning to repeal NAFTA, but he wants to amend it to make it stronger for U.S. workers.' The Canadian embassy writes it up as, 'Well, maybe Obama is not as tough on NAFTA as you might think.' And the Clintons start waving this and saying, 'See? Actually, he’s the one.'" [Mississippi Rally, 3/10/08]
Today's record setting oil prices underscore the stakes in this election. The soaring cost of oil is dragging down our economy and driving up prices on everything from gas at the pump to food on families' tables. Gas is approaching $4 a gallon in some parts of the country and the average American family is spending $2,000 more a year on their energy costs than they were in 2000. Americans need a president who is ready to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and fight global warming from day one, not someone who voted to provide new special interest tax breaks and giveaways to big oil companies. My opponent voted for Dick Cheney's 2005 energy bill; I knew it would take us in the wrong direction.
For seven years, the Bush Administration has stood by as the price of oil has skyrocketed, now breaking $107 a barrel. As a result, companies like Exxon are reaping the highest profits in the history of the world-$40.6 billion in 2007 alone-and we are more dependent on foreign oil now than we were before 9/11.
As President, I will create a Strategic Energy Fund that will require big oil companies to reinvest some of their huge windfall profits in clean, renewable technologies. I will reduce the amount of oil we import by two-thirds from projected levels by 2030, or more than 10 million barrels per day. These steps are part of my overall plan to transition to a clean, green economy and create at least 5 million new green collar jobs in America.
Today's dismal jobs news should put to rest any doubts that our economy is in deep trouble. We have now seen two straight months of job loss, and the 63,000 decline in February is the worst since March of 2003. This troubling news comes at the end of a week where oil toped $104 a barrel and we learned that home foreclosures hit an all time high in the fourth quarter of 2007.
These are painful reminders that we need a President who is ready to be a steward of our economy, starting on day one. Because behind these statistics, every job lost means there is another family missing a paycheck, another parent worried about providing for their kids, and another family in danger of losing their home.
The time for action is now. While the stimulus measures in the pipeline are important, it's going to take more than tax rebates to avoid a deep economic downturn. We need to immediately extend unemployment insurance and invest at least $5 billion right now in green-collar jobs to help avert a recession. And we need a comprehensive solution to the housing crisis, not more half-measures and hand-wringing. That is why I've called for a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures, a 5-year freeze on interest rates for subprime mortgages and a $30 billion emergency fund to help states handle the crisis in their communities.
To: Interested Parties
From: The Clinton Campaign
Date: March 8, 2008
RE: Obama's Iraq Plan: Just Words
Once again, it looks like Senator Obama is telling voters one thing while his campaign says those words should not to be mistaken for serious action.
After months of speeches from Senator Obama promising a hard end date to the Iraq war, his top foreign policy adviser that counseled his campaign during that period is on the record saying that Senator Obama will "not rely on some plan that he's crafted as a presidential candidate or a U.S. Senator."
Voters already have serious questions about whether Senator Obama is ready to be Commander-in-Chief. Now there are questions about whether he's serious about the Iraq plan he's discussed for the last year on the campaign trail.
Senator Obama has made hard end dates about Iraq a centerpiece of his campaign and has repeatedly attacked Senator Clinton for not being clear about her intentions with regard to troop withdrawal.
It turns out those attacks and speeches were just words. And if you can't trust Senator Obama's words, what's left?
This latest incident is part of a larger pattern where Senator Obama doesn't deliver on the promises he makes on the campaign trail -- whether it's his 2004 Senate race or his 2008 White House campaign.
In 2003, Senator Obama said he was for a single payer health system, but now opposes plans that cover every American. He promised to repeal the Patriot Act, but then voted to extend it. He promised to normalize relations with Cuba, but flip-flopped when he started running for president.
In 2008, Senator Obama rails against NAFTA in Ohio while his top economic advisor assures the Canadians his rhetoric is just "political positioning." He promises to opt in to public financing if the GOP nominee does, but then breaks that pledge in real time. He promises to withdraw from Iraq within 16 months, and now his top foreign policy adviser says that he's not relying on the plan.
With a short record to run on, Senator Obama's entire campaign is based on the speeches he makes on the campaign trail. So when he and his advisers dismiss the plans he touts on the stump, it undermines his entire candidacy.
Americans have heard plenty of speeches. It's time they got serious solutions and that's what Hillary is going to deliver when she is President.
The six-week slog to Pennsylvania's April 22 primary begins in earnest today when U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton lands in Scranton for the start of a two-day sweep that includes rallies in Harrisburg and Philadelphia on Tuesday.
Even the Easter Bunny is endorsing Clinton, according to the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, which notes what we've heard that the Democratic presidential hopeful may visit the old Diamond Avenue neighborhood, where her family lived prior their move to Illinois.
Clinton never lived there herself, but did vacation at the family's cottage on Lake Winola, where brothers Hugh and Tony Rodham still visit each summer.
Demographically, issue-wise and because she's got much of the political establishment on her side, Pennsylvania's widely seen as leaning Clinton's way as John Baer notes as he weighs in on women and Latinos in today's Philadelphia Daily News
Pretty soon the whole gang will be here.
The New York senator has lengthened her lead in Pennsylvania to 52 percent, over Obama's 37 percent, according to a Rasmussen Reports poll conducted last week - a near four-fold increase on the 4-percentage-point lead she had in February. The campaign is not resting on those numbers ahead of the April 22 primary, however. "We're going to try to really blanket the state with visits" by Clinton, the former president and their daughter, Chelsea, said Pennsylvania campaign spokesman Mark Nevins. "We anticipate we'll be very aggressive all over the state."
In her role as a top foreign policy advisor Samantha Power described Sen. Obama's plan to withdraw combat troops from Iraq within 16 months as a "best case scenario". Power added, "He will, of course, not rely on some plan that he’s crafted as a presidential candidate or a U.S. Senator."
Sen. Obama has repeatedly criticized Hillary for not having a "firm" and "clear" withdrawal deadline:
Sen. Obama: 'Why we would try [Hillary’s] approach as opposed to simply setting a timetable for withdrawal strikes me as a convoluted approach to the problem.' "Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton plans to introduce an amendment repealing the congressional authorization for the war. It would require the president to seek new authority from Congress if he wanted to continue operations past Oct. 11, 2007, five years after initial authorization was given. ‘If you simply repeal the language, then presumably you'd have to reauthorize something. You've got 150,000 troops over there and support personnel,’ Obama told The Associated Press in an interview after a campaign stop in Las Vegas. ‘Why we would try that approach as opposed to simply setting a timetable for withdrawal strikes me as a convoluted approach to the problem,’ he said." [AP, 7/13/07]
Sen. Obama: Sen. Clinton 'hasn't given a firm timetable in terms of executing the withdrawal, and I think that's a problem.' "And in--there is a difference, though, between myself and Senator Clinton on a couple of these issues. Number one, she hasn't given a firm timetable in terms of executing the withdrawal, and I think that's a problem. I think we have to provide certainty to the Iraqi leadership, so that they know that we are serious about changing course." [NBC Meet the Press, 11/11/07]
Sen. Obama: 'Senator Clinton continues to not provide a clear timetable for how she would pull our troops out' of Iraq. "Where Senator Clinton continues to not provide a clear timetable for how she would pull our troops out, so those are all differences we will continue to talk about." [Obama Press Conference Transcript, 11/9/07]
Sen. Obama: ‘I do think it’s important for us to set a date.’ When asked if he could make a commitment for a withdrawal date, Obama said, "I do think it is important for us to set a date. And the reason I think it is important is because if we are going to send a signal to the Iraqis that we are serious, and prompt the Shia, the Sunni and the Kurds to actually come together and negotiate, they have to have clarity about how serious we are. It can't be muddy, it can't be fuzzy. They've got to know that we are serious about this process." [CNN debate, 1/31/08]
Transcript:
STEPHEN SACKUR: Let me stop you just for a moment. You said that he’ll revisit it when he goes to the White House. So what the American public thinks is a commitment to get combat forces out within sixteen months, isn’t a commitment isn’t it?POWER: You can’t make a commitment in whatever month we’re in now, in March of 2008 about what circumstances are gonna be like in Jan. 2009. We can’t even tell what Bush is up to in terms of troop pauses and so forth. He will of course not rely upon some plan that he’s crafted as a presidential candidate or as a US senator.
He will rely upon a plan, an operational plan that he pulls together, in consultation with people who are on the ground, to whom he doesn’t have daily access now as a result of not being the president.
So to think, I mean it would be the height of ideology, you know, to sort of say, well I said it therefore I’m going to impose it on whatever reality entreats me –
SACKUR: Ok, so the 16 months is negotiable?
POWER: It’s the best case scenario
It’s the best case scenario
POWER: It is –
SACKUR: And of course in Iraq we’ve never seen best case scenario
POWER: We have never seen best case scenario
SACKUR: So we needn’t necessarily take it seriously at all.
POWER: What we can take seriously is that he will try to get US forces out as quickly and as responsibly as possible. And that’s the best case, estimate of what it would take.
BARACK Obama's White House ambitions were rocked yesterday when one of his top aides was forced to quit for branding Hillary Clinton "a monster".
Foreign policy adviser Samantha Power resigned after an interview in which she said Senator Clinton would stop at nothing to beat Senator Obama in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Ms Power, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Harvard professor, resigned after her unguarded comments sparked a controversy in the White House race.
Senator Obama, who is vying to be the first African-American US President, has promised his campaign would rise above personal attacks and be about new politics.
The scandal erupted as Senator Clinton's camp sought re-runs of the deadlocked Florida and Michigan primaries.
Ms Power was quoted as saying: "She is a monster, too - that is off the record - she is stooping to anything.
"In Ohio, they are obsessed and Hillary is going to town on it because she knows Ohio's the only place they can win.
By Deborah Tannen Sunday, March 9, 2008; Page B03
This isn't about Hillary. Well, okay, it is.
But it isn't only about her. It's also about every woman who has ever been underestimated, failed to get credit for work she did or been denied opportunities to do work at which she would have excelled.
With Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential primary victories in Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island last week, Democratic voters continue to evaluate her abilities and her chances of winning in a general election -- and are confronting the double bind that women in authority, including Clinton, face: If they speak in ways expected of leaders, they're seen as too aggressive, but if they speak in ways expected of women, they're seen as less confident and competent than they really are.
Companies invite me to speak about my research on women and men at work because they want to make sure that they accurately assess everyone's abilities when deciding whom to promote. Just so, voters need to understand the double bind when deciding who deserves the ultimate promotion to presidential candidate.
Power, once considered a valuable addition to the Obama foreign policy team, has called Hillary Clinton a "monster" in the press.
Today's Gallup tracking poll gives Hillary Clinton a four-point national leader over Barack Obama — the first time in several weeks that she's been able to claim that big a lead. Here are the numbers, compared to yesterday:
Clinton 48% (+3)
Obama 44% (-1)
Obama had been up 48%-43% two days ago, meaning there has been a potentially significant swing of about four or five percent over to Hillary in that short time.
"When Senator Obama was confronted with questions over whether he was ready to be Commander-in-Chief and steward of the economy, he chose not to address those questions, but to attack Senator Clinton. I for one do not believe that imitating Ken Starr is the way to win a Democratic primary election for president." – Howard Wolfson, 3/6/06
Citing Wall Street Journal editorial, Obama campaign attacks Hillary on 'cattle futures trading profit.' [Obama campaign memo, 3/5/08]
On ABC This Week, Top Obama strategist references Whitewater. AXELROD: " I honestly -- with all due respect, I would think that the Clinton campaign would be the last person to be wanting to characterize any real estate transaction as unusual, but anyway, George, I'm sorry." [ABC This Week, 3/2/08]
Axelrod: ‘We still don't have the records from the Clinton library.' [Time, 3/5/08]
Obama campaign memo attacks Hillary on tax returns, demands 'accompanying schedules and attachments.' [Obama Campaign Memo, 3/5/08]
Distorting Hillary’s record won’t address the doubts voters have about Senator Obama’s readiness to be Commander in Chief. - Campaign Spokesperson Phil Singer
Today on a campaign conference call, Obama aide Greg Craig issued three false attacks on Hillary’s record:
For seven years she aligned herself with Sen. McCain in putting all our eggs in General Musharaf's basket," Craig said. "And she aligned herself with Sen. McCain when they both criticized Barack Obama for taking action against al Qaeda leadership, which has taken safe havens in Pakistan. She aligned herself with Sen. McCain in supporting the Kyl-Lieberman resolution," which many Democrats fear raises the specter of war with Iran.
First: Craig falsely asserted that Hillary aligned herself with McCain and supported General Musharaff. This is incorrect. Hillary actually issued a release calling Musharraf to cancel the state of emergency, and criticized the Bush administration’s failed policies in Pakistan:
Hillary called on General Musharraf to restore Constitution, said Bush Administration's policies had failed. I call on General Musharraf to cancel the state of emergency, restore the Constitution, release arrested opposition leaders, and hold free and fair elections on schedule. The failed policies of the Bush administration are part of the reason we are in this difficult and dangerous position. The policies of this administration have diverted resources and attention from the fight against terrorism on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, while inciting radical elements inside Pakistan. We now find ourselves having to cope with yet another threatening challenge made worse by the failed policies of this President." [Clinton Senate Office press release, 11/5/07]
Hillary criticized Bush Administration for not sending presidential envoy to help in Pakistan and Afghanistan.When asked how to deal with alliances with countries like Pakistan, which is "not a democratic country," Senator Clinton said: "Well, it's a really important question, because we have been supporting Pakistan through President Musharraf now for a number of years. And it is clear that he has not moved toward democracy, but has solidified his rule and become quite anti-democratic, with his removal of the chief justice and many of the other moves that he's taken. At the same time, we depend upon him to try to control the tribal areas out of which come the resurgent Taliban and Al Qaida fighters who cross the border into Afghanistan. Again, this is an area where I think the United States needs to be just focused, like the proverbial laser. [CNN, Manchester Debate, 6/3/07]
Second: Craig distorts Hillary’s criticism of Sen. Obama regarding Al Qaeda. Hillary didn’t criticize Obama for wanting to take action against al Qaeda; she criticized Sen. Obama for recklessly threatening an adversary:
Clinton countered by saying that while U.S. forces might have to pursue action inside Pakistan ‘on the basis of actionable intelligence,’ it was ‘a very big mistake to telegraph that and to destabilize the Musharraf regime, which is fighting for its life against the Islamist extremists who are in bed with al Qaeda and the Taliban.’” [CNN, 8/7/07]
Third: Craig distorts the truth about the Kyl-Lieberman resolution. Hillary aligned herself with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), a staunch anti-war Bush critic and prominent Obama supporter. Hillary was also one of the earliest and staunchest opponents of Bush’s saber rattling on Iran. She spoke out on the issue back in February, and co-sponsored the Webb bill prohibiting use of funds for military action in Iran without congressional authorization.
Sen. Obama missed the vote Craig is now using to attack Hillary.WASHINGTON - Riding a victory wave, Hillary Clinton has raised $4 million online since Tuesday's presidential primary successes in Ohio, Texas, and Rhode Island, her campaign said yesterday.
But Barack Obama is still leading the fund-raising battle, and his campaign responded yesterday by saying it raised a record $55 million during February.
He broke his own fund-raising record from January, when he brought in $36 million, more than any other presidential candidate who has ever been in a contested primary. His campaign said it raised $45 million through the Internet in February and had 385,000 new contributors for a total of more than 1 million donors. All told, Obama has raised $193 million during his yearlong bid for the White House.
Clinton has reported raising $34 million for the primary in February. Her campaign said it had raised the $4 million online from the time polls closed Tuesday through noon Thursday. It reported 30,000 new donors. The influx of money made the online total raised for this month $6 million, the campaign said.
Dear Friend,
Did you feel the race shift?
Those last few days before Hillary's big wins, could you feel the difference? The crowds, the energy, the momentum of the whole race seemed to be shifting in Hillary's direction.
That was you.
You fueled Hillary's stunning comeback, and she and I both know that this campaign would not be where it is today without you. You should be incredibly proud of what you have accomplished.
And in the last 24 hours, you did it again, raising an extraordinary $3 million.
We worked too hard to get to this point to do anything except drive towards victory in Pennsylvania and beyond. And doubling the $3 million you just raised -- reaching $6 million in 48 hours -- will make it clear to everyone watching that we're playing to win.
Give Hillary a head start with another $3 million day.
Let me put what you accomplished yesterday in perspective. More than 45,000 of you contributed to Hillary's campaign in the wake of her wins in Texas, Ohio, and Rhode Island.
You didn't just make her comeback possible. You are providing the resources it takes to win big races. We need to hit the ground running in Pennsylvania, and thanks to your commitment to Hillary, we are doing exactly that.
No one thought we could compete on the air in Ohio and Texas -- but thanks to you, we did. You are making the impossible possible and meeting every challenge.
That's just what Hillary will do as president, just so long as we keep working with her to win. Can you help put Hillary in the position to win Pennsylvania with your contribution today? Hitting another $3 million goal in 24 hours will give her a big head start.
Contribute now to give Hillary another $3 million day.
I know I speak for Hillary when I tell you that we both know how deep your commitment to her campaign runs. And she is matching that commitment with her effort every day on the campaign trail, because your support deserves nothing less.
Thank you so much for everything you are doing to help Hillary win.
Sincerely,
Bill Clinton
This morning on the "Today" show, David Gregory interviewed Barack Obama about last night's primary results. Gregory challenged Obama by saying, "you have also not demonstrated that you can win some of the big states that'll be important in a general election. California, New York, Ohio." Obama countered immediately, "Well, David, we've won Michigan and Georgia and Illinois and Missouri. We've won twice as many states as Senator Clinton."
The "we've won Missouri" line was likely an example of a very tired Obama making a verbal gaffe — he wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan, which is one of the states the Democratic party sanctioned for moving its primary date up too early by discounting its delegates. But Gregory didn't correct Obama's mistake, leaving the unsavvy "Today" show viewer believing that Michigan is firmly in the Obama column.
Transcript (via Newsbusters):
GREGORY: But Senator you have not demonstrated that you can decisively put the nomination away. You have also not demonstrated that you can win some of the big states that'll be important in a general election. California, New York, Ohio.
OBAMA: Well David we've won Michigan and Georgia and Illinois and Missouri. We've won twice as many states as Senator Clinton. We have more of the popular vote. We've won more primaries, more caucuses. Keep in mind what's happened here. We have won decisively in a whole number of states and you know Senator Clinton and her campaign have tended to cherry pick which states they think are important. But the bottom line is, is that we are in a very strong position. Senator Clinton barely dented the delegate count yesterday. We are going on to Mississippi and Wyoming where we feel confident that we can do well. And this process is gonna ultimately be about who's got the most delegates and we think we'll be in that position.
GREGORY: You just heard Senator Clinton. She said, unequivocally, that's not how the process works. That there are pledged delegates but these superdelegates should be independent. Should be able to vote how they want. So let's be clear on what your position is. If she tries to get the superdelegates to come over to her side, even if she trails in the pledged delegates, would you consider that, in effect, stealing the nomination?
OBAMA: No I don't think it would be stealing the nomination. She can try to persuade the superdelegates to support her. I think that most Democrats are gonna feel like whoever has won the most delegates in these primaries and caucuses will end up being the nominee. That's why we have primaries and caucuses, otherwise the superdelegates could just go into a smoke-filled room and make those decisions.
by Rachel Sklar
Oblame the media! In the wake of Tuesday's game-changing defeats in Texas and Ohio (and hey, Rhode Island), Barack Obama is clearly steamed that the media turned on him. Yesterday in a media avail on his plane, he accused the media of being complicit in Hillary Clinton's "kitchen sink" strategy and allowing themselves to be "persuaded that you had been too hard on her and too soft on me." This, Obama seemed to feel, was clearly an injustice and had resulted in the press' abdication of their duty: "Hopefully now people feel like everything's evened out and we can start actually covering the campaign properly." Oh, snap! Step up, media, you really dropped the ball this time.
Barack Obama may have Oprah on his side, but he doesn't know Jack ... Nicholson, that is. Hillary Clinton does, and as millions have learned thanks to a recently released viral campaign endorsement, the senator from New York has a little star power on her side, even as some pundits write her 2008 campaign epitaph.
The Nicholson video, a mash-up of memorable moments from the three-time Oscar winner's career, begins with his Joker asking "Who do you trust?" and ends with the actor himself saying that he approves the message, a surprising appearance given his notorious press-shyness. (Nicholson spoke in a rare interview with MTV News last November about "Chinatown" and "Batman.")
MTV News' curiosity was piqued by Nicholson's seemingly sudden involvement in the '08 campaign and reached out to the actor to find out why he chose to make a public splash at this time in support of Clinton. Lo and behold, Nicholson was on the phone hours later, happily talking for the better part of an hour about the woman he wholly believes should be the next commander in chief. Check back Wednesday for the second part of the Nicholson interview, in which he discusses what went wrong and right with the Oscars this year and his personal connection to the death of Heath Ledger. (Check out the second part of the Nicholson interview, in which he discusses what went wrong and right with the Oscars this year and his personal connection to the death of Heath Ledger.)
Jack Nicholson: What put it in your head to give me a call today, Josh?
MTV: A lot of people here at MTV News were talking today about this video endorsement of yours that's suddenly all over the Web.
Nicholson: Yeah, I'm hot in the theaters. [He laughs.]
MTV: So the question is, why now? Why support Hillary in this public way now?
Nicholson: Well, I'm a longtime Clintonite. I guess that's no secret. I'm not a talking-points guy, Josh. I'm a rolling cannonball. I basically do it on my own
Clinton's victories Texas and Ohio shift the momentum to her.
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton defeated Senator Barack Obama in the Ohio and Texas primaries on Tuesday, ending a string of defeats and allowing her to soldier on in a Democratic presidential nomination race that now seems unlikely to end any time soon.
Mrs. Clinton also won Rhode Island, while Mr. Obama won in Vermont. But the results mean that Mrs. Clinton won the two states she most needed to keep her candidacy alive. Her victory in Texas was razor thin and came early Wednesday morning after most Americans had gone to bed. But by winning decisively in Ohio earlier in the night, Mrs. Clinton was able to deliver a televised victory speech in time for the late-night news. And the result there allowed her to cast Tuesday as the beginning of a comeback even though she stood a good chance of gaining no ground against Mr. Obama in the hunt for delegates.
(CNN) -- Sen. Hillary Clinton got her campaign back on track with projected wins in the Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island primaries.
Delegate-rich Texas and Ohio were considered must-wins for her campaign.
Obama, who claimed victory in Vermont, had won 12 straight contests since Super Tuesday on February 5.
Texas also held Democratic caucuses Tuesday, but it was too close to declare a winner.
"For everyone here in Ohio and across America who's been ever been counted out but refused to be knocked out, for everyone who has stumbled but stood right back up, and for everyone who works hard and never gives up -- this one is for you," Clinton said before supporters in Columbus.
"You know what they say," she said. "As Ohio goes, so goes the nation. Well, this nation's coming back and so is this campaign."
Obama congratulated Clinton on her victories but downplayed his losses.
Clinton loaded her speeches with a laundry list of policy promises: to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement; provide universal health coverage; restore manufacturing, with an emphasis on new jobs providing clean energy; get rid of "every single tax break" that rewards companies for sending jobs overseas; abolish the No Child Left Behind program; forgive college debt for students who agree to do public service; reduce gas prices, in part by taking a tougher line with the Saudis; take better care of veterans; begin pulling troops out of Iraq. She boasted of the endorsements she has received from retired admirals and generals, including two former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (both of whom, as it happens, served under her husband). "I've been very specific in this election," she said in a serious understatement.
And she's been equally specific in her blistering critiques of Obama of late. On Monday, after the Associated Press reported that Obama's senior economic adviser had indeed privately told Canadian consular officials not to take the candidate's anti-NAFTA rhetoric all that seriously, Clinton lit into both Obama and the media. She said the alleged communication, which the senior adviser claimed had been misinterpreted, shows the Obama campaign has "done the old wink-wink. Don't pay any attention. This is just political rhetoric." She also suggested the media would be treating this more seriously if she had done it. "With this story, substitute my name for Senator Obama's and just ask yourself."
The University of Cincinnati has released its final Ohio Poll concerning tomorrow's election and a relatively easy win by Clinton is projected:
51.3% Clinton
42.3% Obama
6.0% Edwards
0.4% Other
For this poll, undecided voters were allocated to the candidates they are most likely to support. 624 probably Democratic voter were interviewed between Feb. 28th and March 2nd and the potential sampling error is 3.9%.
This poll contrasts sharply with the Zogby two-day tracking poll that shows the race deadlocked but trending Obama's way.
The new Public Policy Polling (D) survey from Texas shows Hillary Clinton taking a lead here, a possible sign of recovery after polls had put Barack Obama in the lead for the past week. Here are the numbers compared to last week's poll:
Clinton 50% (+2)
Obama 44% (-4)
From the internals: Hillary leads 58%-37% among whites and 67%-30% with Hispanics, while Obama is ahead 78%-13% among a core base of black voters.
From the pollster's analysis: "Barack Obama has tried hard but still seems unable to win over Hispanic voters. That dynamic is what caused him to lose in California, and it looks like recent history may repeat itself tomorrow in Texas."
Meanwhile, the new Rasmussen poll shows Obama ahead in Texas by only a 48%-47% margin, after having previously led by four points.
TOLEDO, Ohio - Hillary Rodham Clinton steeled herself for a day of political reckoning, defiantly telling reporters yesterday that her campaign is "just warming up" - and suggesting she'll battle on regardless of today's results in Texas and Ohio.
Clinton, who holds a slim lead in the polls in Ohio but trails Barack Obama slightly in Texas, had until recently counted on the March 4 primaries to halt an 11-contest losing streak and narrow Obama's lead among delegates. She offered scaled-back expectations yesterday, refusing to predict what would happen and keeping her benchmark of victory vague.
When asked to define success today in Ohio, Texas, Vermont and Rhode Island, Clinton said: "Winning. Winning. Winning, that's my measure of success - winning." She wouldn't say if that meant winning states or a majority of delegates.
WASHINGTON - Buoyed by polls showing tight races in today's key primaries, Hillary Clinton is preparing to press ahead with her presidential campaign, even if she wins only one big state.
Clinton trails Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination, and she has no realistic chance of erasing his lead in delegates allocated through primary and caucus contests, including today in Ohio, Texas, Vermont and Rhode Island.
Barack Obama's campaign is distributing a mailer in Ohio that plays upon anti-NAFTA feelings in the Buckeye State. But the flyer is misleading:
The latest round of polls out today suggest that Hillary Clinton might have some momentum heading into Tuesday's crucial contests in Ohio and Texas.
The Ohio surveys, which were all completed Sunday, indicate that Barack Obama is no longer closing the gap and that Clinton might have rebuilt a double-digit lead. For instance, a SurveyUSA survey of 873 likely voters gives her a 54 percent to 44 percent edge. Meanwhile, a Public Policy Polling survey gives Clinton a 9-percentage-point lead.
The Texas polls, also finished Sunday, suggest that Clinton is catching Obama after he overtook her in recent weeks. The SurveyUSA survey of 840 likely voters gives Obama a 49 percent to 48 percent edge, well within the margin of error. The Public Policy Polling survey says Clinton now leads in Texas. |
Sincerely,
Terry McAuliffe
Chairman, Hillary Clinton for President
P.S. Don't forget to tune in tonight to "The Stories of Texas: A Texas-Sized Town Hall" where in the Lone Star State, Hillary will talk to voters and give them a chance to make their voices heard. Tune in at 7:30 p.m. EST to www.hillaryclinton.com.
By Mike Glover Associated Press Writer / March 3, 2008
TOLEDO, Ohio—Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton suggested Monday she'll press on with the campaign after Tuesday's crucial primaries, arguing that momentum is on her side despite 11 straight losses to rival Sen. Barack Obama.
"I'm just getting warmed up," Clinton told reporters, looking ahead to a busy day of campaign events in Ohio and Texas where polls show a close race ahead of Tuesday's primaries.
Clinton's husband, former President Clinton, has asserted that his wife must win both Texas and Ohio to keep her campaign alive. On Friday, Hillary Clinton's advisers recast the stakes, saying if Obama lost any of the four presidential primaries Tuesday -- Rhode Island and Vermont also vote -- it would show Democrats are having second thoughts about him.
Hillary Clinton predicted success on Tuesday and looked ahead to the next big contest -- Pennsylvania on April 22.
"I think I know what's happening and I believe I'm going to do very well tomorrow," she said. "I think that's going to be a very significant message to the country, and then we move on to Pennsylvania and the states coming up."
Clinton and Obama have been waging a tough and competitive race for the party's nomination, but Obama has seized the momentum, reeling off 11 straight wins in primaries and caucuses since Super Tuesday on Feb. 5. Superdelegates, the party's elected leaders and senior officials, also have been moving toward his candidacy.
As for Tuesday, Clinton said, "Obviously it's within the margin of error in both the popular vote and the delegate count. Ohio is the key to winning the presidency and I'm excited about tomorrow and I'm looking forward to it."
Speaking with reporters on her campaign plane, Clinton argued that the competitive primary contest would be good for the party heading into the November elections, a view at odds with some in the party who fear a lengthy, divisive nomination fight would weaken the Democratic candidate.
"Hard-fought primary contests are a part of American politics," said Clinton. "We're going to have a hard-fought contest, we're going to have a unified Democratic Party, we're going to get behind whoever our nominee is and we're going to win in November."
Lacking from Clinton's comments was the traditional confidence assurance of victory.
"I intend to so as well as I can on Tuesday and we'll see what happens after that," she said.
With John McCain as the Republican nominee in waiting, Clinton said she's going to focus on national security, because the former prisoner of war is certain to make that the core issue of the fall campaign.
"This is a wartime election, which Democrats haven't talked enough about in my opinion," said Clinton.
Clinton planned a town hall meeting in Texas later Monday, and had bought television time to broadcast it across the state. She was returning to Ohio on Tuesday to await election returns, but planned to fly out of Ohio after those returns were final.
The trouble is that faith in Mr. Obama’s transformational ability rests on surprisingly little evidence.
Mr. Obama’s ability to attract wildly enthusiastic crowds to rallies is a good omen for the general election; so is his ability to raise large sums. But neither necessarily points to a landslide victory.
Polling numbers aren’t much help: for now, at least, you can find polls telling you anything you want to hear, from the CBS News/New York Times poll giving Mr. Obama a 12-point national advantage over John McCain to the Mason-Dixon poll showing Mr. McCain winning Florida by 10 points.
What we do know is that Mr. Obama has never faced a serious Republican opponent — and that he has not yet faced the hostile media treatment doled out to every Democratic presidential candidate since 1988.
Yes, I know that both the Obama campaign and many reporters deny that he has received more favorable treatment than Hillary Clinton. But they’re kidding, right? Dana Milbank, the Washington Post national political reporter, told the truth back in December: “The press will savage her no matter what ... they really have the knives out for her, there’s no question about it ... Obama gets significantly better coverage.”
If Mr. Obama secures the nomination, the honeymoon will be over as he faces an opponent whom much of the press loves as much as it hates Mrs. Clinton. If Mrs. Clinton can do nothing right, Mr. McCain can do nothing wrong — even when he panders outrageously, he’s forgiven because he looks uncomfortable doing it. Honest.
|Tribune correspondents
Bill Clinton is appealing to undecided voters to support his wife for president, saying she'd leave the country better off at the end of her term. The appeal came at a rain-drenched rally at a Houston park Sunday before more than 1,200 supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton. Her husband, the former president, was campaigning through the state for his wife before Tuesday's pivotal primaries in Texas and Ohio. Polls have shown Hillary Clinton is in a virtual dead heat in Texas with rival Barack. She's campaigning in Ohio Sunday but is scheduled to return to Texas on Monday, when she'll hold a televised town hall meeting in Austin.
Jack Nicholson has released a video showing his support for Hillary Clinton’s U.S. presidential campaign, dubbing the former first lady as ‘sexy’.
The notorious womaniser enlisted the help of his director friend Rob Reiner to make the internet advert, which features clips from some of his most famous movies including Batman, The Shining and A Few Good Men.
In one of the segments, his character from A Few Good Men says: "There's nothing sexier than saluting a woman."
Although the advert doing the rounds on the internet has no official backing from the democratic candidate, it will help will undoubtedly help with Hillary’s campaign.
The ‘Jack and Hill’ video spokesperson Yusuf K. Robb says: "They (Nicholson and Reiner) decided to do this as something on their own to assist her campaign."
Bill Clinton had better watch out because Jack Nicholson is on the prowl!
Be sure to catch the trailer below.
OHIO - Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni does not yet know which of the U.S. presidential primary candidates she will meet when she visits the United States in 10 days. It is hard to plan such encounters when no one knows whether by the time she arrives, Hillary Clinton will be history, and Barack Obama and John McCain will be the official candidates. How can anyone know? On March 11, Mississippi goes to the polls, and if the battle is not decided by then, the candidates will still be busy campaigning when Livni lands in Washington.
The Ohio primary is set for Tuesday, and interest in it grows with every passing day. Absentee voters have shown a historic interest in the contest. In the 2000 primaries, about 10,000 votes were cast before election day. In the 2004 primaries the number was 9,500. This year, in the Cincinnati area alone, 40,000 people filed for absentee ballots. Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner said Friday that she expected a 52-percent voter turnout rate for the primaries. That is only 1 percent less than the turnout for the 2006 gubernatorial elections, which usually sees many more people than the primaries do.
WESTERVILLE, Ohio (AP) — Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton argued Sunday that her campaign is "about solutions," not feelings, as she swept through Ohio on an intense push two days before the state's presidential primary.
She told more than 2,000 cheering backers that she wants to solve the economic troubles facing the industrial Midwest.
"For some people this election is about how you feel, it's about speeches," Clinton said. "Well, that's not what it's about for me. It's about solutions."
The former first lady opened an Ohio campaign marathon, sweeping across the state on a series of appearances lasting until the wee hours of Monday. Her first stop, in suburban Columbus, was aimed at firing up canvassers who were manning phone banks and knocking doors for her.
"Ohio is once again the center of attention, for a reason," Clinton said. "It truly does represent America, the hopes and aspirations, the challenges and opportunities, they are all right here in Ohio. It is a picture of America."
by Rick Pearson
WESTERVILLE, Ohio--The central Ohio community of Westerville is the center of the presidential campaign universe today, hosting visits by Democratic contenders Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in two of its high schools.
Clinton was first to get to the city today, speaking to supporters at the Westerville North High Schools gymnasium at a voter canvass kickoff event, where she continued to make her pitch to middle-class voters while ridiculing rival Obama’s speaking skills as empty rhetoric. Obama makes an appearance this afternoon at Westerville Central High School, a scant two miles away from Clinton's event.
Clinton said she has been “very specific” in speaking to audiences in the critical March 4 states, that include Ohio and Texas.
“I’ve given a lot of speeches in my life—probably hundreds of thousands,” she said. “You know, sometimes I finish a speech and people will come up to me and say, ‘That was so inspiring, so wonderful and making people feel so good.’ I said, ‘That’s great. But that’s just words.’ Our job is to make a difference.”
As the two Democratic candidates shuttled between Ohio and Texas this week before Tuesday’s potentially decisive nominating contests, questions over whether reporters were giving each candidate an equally fair shake were thrust into the center of the campaign itself. There were already indications that Mrs. Clinton and her surrogates were finding traction in casting the news media as a conflicted umpire, while also prompting some soul-searching among the reporters themselves.
The night after Mrs. Clinton reprimanded Tim Russert and Brian Williams during the Cleveland debate on MSNBC for asking her a disproportionate number of “first” questions, she appeared Wednesday at a rally in St. Clairsville, Ohio. When someone stood to castigate the news media for being unfair to her, the audience cheered, with some even turning to cast a collective evil eye on the reporters in the high school gymnasium.
In a New York Times/CBS News telephone poll conducted Feb. 20-24 and released Tuesday, nearly half of those respondents who described themselves as voters in Democratic primaries or caucuses said the news media had been “harder” on Mrs. Clinton than other candidates. (Only about 1 in 10 suggested the news media had been harder on Mr. Obama.)
The Lone Star showdown roared into its final stretch Saturday, Hillary Rodham Clinton assailing Barack Obama's campaign as being built entirely on one anti-war speech six years ago and Mr. Obama questioning her judgment on what he calls the most important decision this decade: going to war in Iraq.
NEW YORK (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton took a break from the campaign trail to thank "Saturday Night Live" for giving her candidacy a boost — although she failed to get an official endorsement from the show.
Clinton's campaign has gotten a good deal of mileage out of an "SNL" sketch from a week ago in which reporters fawned over her rival, Barack Obama. Clinton brought up the sketch during last Tuesday's debate between the two candidates, and the campaign has encouraged supporters and voters to watch it on NBC's Web site.
This weekend's episode opened with a similar sketch recreating Tuesday's debate. It portrayed NBC anchors Brian Williams and Tim Russert asking Clinton, played by Amy Poehler, tough questions while serving softballs to Obama.
Then the real Clinton appeared onscreen with an "editorial response."
The sketch, she said, "wasn't an endorsement of one candidate over another. I can say this confidently because when I asked if I could take it as an endorsement, I was told, 'Absolutely not.' But I still enjoyed that sketch a great deal because I simply adore Amy's impression of me."
When Poehler asked her how the campaign was going, Clinton responded: "The campaign is going very well. Very, very well. Why, what have you heard?"
Dear Friends,
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