Advisers for Clinton Plan the Endgame

NYT ^ | March 5, 2008 | By PATRICK HEALY

[Islander7]

Advisers to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today began plotting a ground game, advertising budgets and a confidence-brimming outreach strategy in hopes of both scoring a big victory in April’s Pennsylvania primary and accumulating enough superdelegates over time to even the nomination fight against Senator Barack Obama.

Mr. Obama, who had 11 straight primary and caucus victories in February, has enjoyed momentum lately in picking off superdelegates, the party leaders who have a vote in the nomination. Mrs. Clinton and her advisers now believe that with her victories in Texas and Ohio last night, she can convince superdelegates to stand with her after a Pennsylvania victory.

She also believes that a strong showing in Pennsylvania, which has 188 delegates at stake, could set up a powerful one-two punch two weeks later in the Indiana and North Carolina primaries, which have a combined 218 delegates. Her team believes she has an especially good shot at winning Indiana, where the state’s influential Democratic senator, Evan Bayh, a former two-term governor, was one of Mrs. Clinton’s earliest supporters.

Clinton advisers acknowledged on Wednesday that the delegate arithmetic still has them at a disadvantage; Mr. Obama has 1,456.5 delegates to Mrs. Clinton’s 1,370, and the upcoming primaries will award delegates proportionally to both the winner and the loser. That will have the effect making each candidate inch toward the 2,025 delegates needed for the nomination.

Senator Clinton is also hoping to get an extra boost by adding delegates to her column from Michigan and Florida, and her advisers today have been discussing ways to deal with the conundrum in those states.

[Islander7]

Seeing the words "Clinton" and "endgame" in the same sentence has a sweet ring to it.

[Desron13]

"Advisers for Clinton Plan the Endgame"

This probably involves some kind of public speaking event for Osamabamalama in Fort Marcy park.

[Vigilanteman]

The best endgame possible is for Obama to go into the convention with a slight lead in both popular vote and delegates and for Clinton to take the nomination by backroom deals and strong-arming the Super Delegates.

Then, I'd like to see a riot break out which would make Chicago 1968 look like naughty school children on a picnic.

[Brett66]

Then, I'd like to see a riot break out which would make Chicago 1968 look like naughty school children on a picnic.

Heheheh, grab the popcorn!

[Desron13]

"The best endgame possible is for Obama to go into the convention with a slight lead in both popular vote and delegates and for Clinton to take the nomination by backroom deals and strong-arming the Super Delegates."

That scenario is more likely by the minute and just gives me shivers all over. I am definitely stocking up on the popcorn and bear for the Demorat convention. If Shrillery manages to swipe the Super Delegates form Oballamalama ding dong at the convention, then look out. Let the circus begin!

[tflabo]

I think the Dems should move their convention to Detroit.
Much more bang-for-the-buck if they are planning on throwing a good riot. A little burn might do the city some good too.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

The fit is going to hit the shan.This woman aint going to let this slip through her fingers for anybody.

[Islander7]

I read on a dem blog last night that there were a lot of complaints in TX about the strong armed tactics of Obama supporters at the polls and caucus. They complained that they were loud and rude, closed the doors at the caucus early and heckled Clinton supporters. Don’t look for a report in the MSM though.

[null and void]

As I've been saying for many years, I'm worried about VICE President Clinton.
Think of it:

• Two years and one day into her term the first slotter gets arkincided
• Under Article XXII, she can still run for two full terms as the incumbent
• The Glorious Hillary!™ Decade begins
• Hillary uses the Patriot Act to it's fullest extent, and beyond
• At the end of the Glorious Hillary!™ Decade there is a National Emergency "temporarily" delaying the elections
• Under the pressure of the National Emergency, the 2nd and 22nd amendments are repealed
• By the time the National Emergency is over all the 'improved' source code for the touch screen electronic balloting will be in place......

Just as an aside, with the Clinton's well known love of 'ethnics', Obama is very expendable, isn't he?

[OrioleFan]

The real endgame will be to find the other .5 delegate.

[Richard Kimball]

I am definitely stocking up on the popcorn and bear for the Demorat convention.

Whatever floats your boat.

[bigbob]

Wash and starch Ole Crusty, if she’s going to win this one she’ll have to pull it out of her pantsuit.

[pankot]

Likely scenario if Obama doesn’t take off the gloves and fight dirty. The Clintons will not only throw the Kitchen sink at him, but also the toilet bowl, the bathtub, and a few urinals for good measure. Hard to figure since Hillary has a whole dump truck of dirt in her past. She will win no matter what.

[Crimson Elephant]

If I read the realclearpolitics.com scorecard correctly, Hillary still has a decent shot to win the overall popular vote over Obama. That is actually something to legitimately hang her hat on since neither will win via delegates.

[tracer]

One can only hope that they can find a building high enough. The new one in Singapore is a good bet...

[Ancesthntr]

...Mr. Obama....

Wow, the NY Slimes just demoted Hussein to the Bush league, where titles are removed from those on the Enemies List.

[MaxMax]

Hah, geez you’re fast. I was just considering whether I should pass.

[johnny7]

Advisers for Clinton Plan the Endgamethe Putsch

[kalee]

1,456.5 delegates to Mrs. Clinton’s 1,370? .5 delegate? Where's the other half?

[SkyPilot]

While Clinton advisers have publicly opposed talk of a “do-over” vote in either state, which is possible, some of her advisers said today that they would now be inclined to support such a vote. They believe her strength with Hispanics, women and Jewish voters in Florida, and with union workers and women in Michigan, would be enough to overtake Mr. Obama’s advantage with black and young voters in both states. Mrs. Clinton and her top officials continue to oppose such a do-over. The alternative is waiting until July for the party to consider allowing Florida and Michigan delegates to count at the August convention. But the Clinton advisers who support a new vote said they expected conversations on the issue to intensify in her camp.

We predicted this on FR weeks ago.

It will conclude with Hillary not winning within the rules, so she will simply break and bend them so that she does.