Oh-eight (D): Hillary's 'super' problem
Posted: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 9:05 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:
Democrats
Per the
AP, “In a Feb. 8 letter to DNC Chairman Howard Dean, NAACP chairman Julian Bond expressed "great concern at the prospect that million of voters in Michigan and Florida could ultimately have their votes completely discounted." Refusing to seat the states' delegations could remind voters of the "sordid history of racially discriminatory primaries," he said.”
But Al Sharpton counters with this letter to Dean: “I write this letter as
a former Democratic candidate for President of the United States and a civil rights leader who has fought his entire life for fairness and justice for all people regardless of the color of their skin. I firmly believe that changing the rules now, and seating delegates from Florida and Michigan at this point would not only violate the Democratic party's rules of fairness, but also would be a grave injustice.”
CLINTON: The
AP’s Ron Fournier writes, “For years, Bill and Hillary Clinton treated the Democratic National Committee and party activists as extensions of their White House ambitions, pawns in a game of success and survival. She may pay a high price for their selfishness soon. Top Democrats, including some inside Hillary Clinton's campaign, say many party leaders — the so-called superdelegates — won't hesitate to ditch the former New York senator for Barack Obama if her political problems persist. Their loyalty to the first couple is built on shaky ground.”
The timing of deputy campaign manager Mike Henry's resignation wasn't helpful to Team Clinton. The news came just as returns were rolling in and the Obama onslaught was on. Henry, of course, made the most news this cycle when his memo suggesting the campaign skip Iowa was leaked. In Henry's defense, what would this race look like if his advice had been followed? What would Clinton's financial situation look like if his advice had been followed? Last night's losses for Clinton in Virginia was probably particularly stinging to Henry, since his most recent campaign success took place in Virginia, where he guided Tim Kaine to victory in the 2005 Old Dominion gubernatorial race.
“Trying to overcome a string of losses and a staff shake-up, Hillary Rodham Clinton sought new energy Tuesday night from a boisterous crowd of about 12,000 in a state [Texas] she hopes will provide a rebound in her quest for the Democratic presidential nomination.” More: “But her sights were set on the March 4 Texas and Ohio primaries and on President Bush.”
OBAMA: In Wisconsin today, Obama is giving what his campaign is billing as a major economic speech. Per excerpts, Obama will say: “We are not standing on the brink of recession due to forces beyond our control. The fallout from the housing crisis that’s cost jobs and wiped out savings was not an inevitable part of the business cycle. It was a failure of leadership and imagination in Washington – the culmination of decades of decisions that were made or put off without regard to the realities of a global economy and the growing inequality it’s produced.”
Apology watch? Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, former chairman of the DNC and former Philadelphia mayor, who endorsed Clinton on Jan. 23, said, "You've got conservative whites here, and I think there are some whites who are probably not ready to vote for an African-American candidate.” As evidence, Rendell cited his own run against African American and former Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann. "I believe, looking at the returns in my election, that had Lynn Swann been the identical candidate that he was -- well-spoken, charismatic, good-looking -- but white instead of black, instead of winning by 22 points, I would have won by 17 or so," Rendell said. "And that (attitude) exists. But on the other hand, that is counterbalanced by Obama's ability to bring new voters into the electoral pool."
