Obama camp: The finish line is near
Posted: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 12:19 PM by Mark Murray
From NBC's Mark Murray
In its own conference call with reporters this morning, the Obama campaign and some of its key surrogates argued that the results from last night's contests marked the beginning of the end of the Democratic race.
Obama campaign manager David Plouffe noted that Obama is now -- per the campaign's numbers -- just 33 pledged delegates away from obtaining a majority of all pledged delegates, and Obama will hit that mark after the May 20 contests (Oregon and Kentucky), which Plouffe said would be significant day for the campaign. Plouffe also noted that Obama is just 172 total delegates (pledged and super) away from hitting the 2,025 magic number. "We can see the finish line here," he said.
Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry added that last night's contests in Indiana and North Carolina "fundamentally changed this race."
Obama "clearly did more than he had to, and she did not achieve what she had to," he said. "Despite the toughest weeks of his campaign … he beat every poll and he beat every expectation."
Also, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano -- while acknowledging that it's Clinton decision alone to remain or withdraw from the Democratic race -- urged undeclared superdelegates to announce their intentions soon, so the Democrats can begin pivoting to the general election. "It is now time for the superdelegates to bring this process to a close."
Obama camp calling on superdelegates to take sides
NBC/NJ's Athena Jones reports
A day after Obama won big in the last Top 10 state (in size) of North Carolina and lost narrowly in Indiana, his campaign manager and several backers held a conference call to urge superdelegates to pick sides and end this protracted nomination fight
On the call led by Campaign Manager David Plouffe, were Sens. John Kerry (D-MA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Govs. Janet Napolitano (D-AZ) and Deval Patrick (D-MA).
Plouffe said their count showed Obama with a pledged delegate lead of 172, the largest it's been in the campaign, and said he was now within 172 delegates of winning the nomination.
"It's a high-water mark," he said. "There's only 217 pledged delegates left. We're only 33 pledged delegates from achieving a majority of the pledged delegates. That will happen on the night of May 20th, which we think will be an incredibly important moment in the campaign when Sen. Obama clinches the majority of the delegates, which is the expression of the will of the voters in these contests."
Plouffe said the Rev. Jeremiah Wright issue had received more media attention than Hillary Clinton last week and that even at the height of that controversy, Obama had managed to lead the New York senator in superdelegate endorsements 2-to-1. "We can see the finish line," he said.
Napolitano said it was time for superdelegates to step up: "It is now time for the superdelegates to begin bringing this process to a close and announcing their preference."
Kerry said Obama had beat expectations. "The very tight finish in Indiana and his huge win in North Carolina have fundamentally changed this race," he said. "The bottom line: he clearly did more than he had to and she did not achieve what she had to. You know, Barack was expected by all accounts to lose Indiana by a sizable margin and she had the support of the biggest political name and family in the state who put everything on the line and despite the toughest weeks of his campaign and the most thorough testing that you could have imagined with not the ideal dynamics going into either of these primaries, he beat every poll and he beat every single expectation."
The Massachusetts senator said he believed Obama would have won in Indiana if Republicans had not voted for Clinton at the urging of conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh.
On Florida and Michigan
Plouffe said he hoped to reach a resolution that both sides could agree on regarding the seating of Michigan and Florida delegates but that "It's just not gonna happen that Michigan and Florida will be used in some way to overturn the results of these other primaries and caucuses."
Kerry said he thought the matter would be resolved before the convention. "I do not believe that we are going to be going to Denver with credentials fights or with a lack of resolution. I am convinced that over the course of the next weeks, the superdelegates are gonna exercise their judgment and responsibility," he said. "Ultimately I think that the superdelegates will render the issue of Michigan and Florida moot."
On unity
Plouffe and Obama's supporters, repeating what has become a mantra in both candidate's camps, said the party would come together to win the general election, with Kerry focusing on the long period of time between June and November.
Patrick and Klobuchar said Obama had down-ticket appeal that could help Democrats running for Congress, Klobuchar said he done well by connecting with middle class voters in last night's contests and McCaskill noted the senator's strength with independent voters and his improved showing with groups like Catholics, white women and union households and said he had done well because voters trusted him.
The Missouri senator said in response to a question that no one would be calling for Clinton to bow out, a sentiment echoed by Napolitano and Klobuchar.
