Memo urges Hillary Clinton to bypass Iowa

AP ^ | May 23, 2007 | Beth Fouhy

[John Cena]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Hillary Rodham Clinton's deputy campaign manager wrote a memo this week making the case for the Democratic presidential candidate to bypass the Iowa caucuses and focus on later contests in the nomination fight.

The memo by Mike Henry is a sign of division among the New York senator's strategic advisers. It was described generally by two senior Clinton advisers who, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was little chance the senator would take his advice.

Harold Ickes, a top Clinton strategist, said the campaign is studying various options for dealing with the rush of nomination contests in early 2008, including bypassing Iowa, but he said the senator was determined to continue her Iowa campaign.

"Every campaign games out different scenarios and this is one scenario," he said. "The campaign is moving in Iowa, is going to stay in Iowa and Mrs. Clinton is very dedicated to winning the state."

Officials said Henry's memo argues that Clinton would be wise to use money and time now dedicated in Iowa to compete in New Hampshire and later primaries, especially on Feb. 5 when as many as 20 states hold Democratic primaries. Clinton's husband, former President Clinton, did not compete in Iowa during his first election in 1992, primarily because one of his Democratic rivals, Sen. Tom Harkin, was from the state.

The officials who described the memo said the fact that its existence has leaked outside the campaign almost assures that Clinton will be forced to stay the course in Iowa. They said there are some in Clinton's camp who want to her to skip Iowa and the memo was designed to ensure that the option was fully debated. Others in her inner circle have argued that Iowa has been a focal point of the campaign for too long to be abandoned, and say that the senator has long shared their view.

Henry did not return a telephone message left at his office. He is the former campaign manager of Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, credited with helping the Democrat win exurban counties that had been leaning Republican.

Clinton has developed an extensive Iowa campaign organization with field staffers scattered around the state. She has hired veteran political opertive JoDee Winterhof as her campaign manager, picking a veteran of Sen. Tom Harkin's political operation and a Washington consultant. Veteran operative Mark Daley has been hired to coordinate Clinton's message operation in Iowa.

She has traveled and campaigned in the state often, with the latest swing beginning Friday in the western part of the state.

Clinton has also collected the endorsement of former-Gov. Tom Vilsack and his wife Christie. They accompany her on virtually all of her campaign stops. Vilsack sought the Democratic presidential nomination, but dropped out earlier this year when he found it difficult to raise money. He remains very popular with Iowa Democrats and is considered a significant asset to her Iowa campaign.

[John Cena]

Does anyone think that the Hildabeast will actually see past her own ego and concede that Iowa is lost?

[American Quilter]

Her campaign staff must think she’ll lose. If they thought she’d win, they’d be pushing her to compete there.

[GQuagmire]

“Clinton has also collected the endorsement of former-Gov. Tom Vilsack and his wife Christie. They accompany her on virtually all of her campaign stops. Vilsack sought the Democratic presidential nomination, but dropped out earlier this year when he found it difficult to raise money. He remains very popular with Iowa Democrats and is considered a significant asset to her Iowa campaign.”

How much did Vilsack cost?
Or better yet,was Vilsack given a taste of the Machine?