Obama's Camp Assesses His Chances in Wisconsin

By: Maria Gavrilovic
Topics: Barack Obama

(CBS)

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

BELOIT, WIS. -- Barack Obama made his final Wisconsin campaign stop Monday night before today's primary, where he told a crowd of over 2,000 that their vote could help him secure the nomination.

"We are one day away from changing America right here in Wisconsin," Obama told supporters.

Obama has campaigned aggressively in Wisconsin this week, making stops in areas which include all major social demographics. Obama began the week in Madison, where he courted college students and made his way to both the blue-collar and rural areas of the state.

Despite these efforts, Obama's advisers expect the race to be competitive and very close. Campaign manager David Plouffe said by Hillary Clinton's definitions, her campaign may have the advantage.

"They had some fairly amusing and creative reasons for why they have not won states, they are too small, or there are caucuses or there's too many college-educated voters or they are red states that democrats should not contest," Plouffe said.

However, he described Wisconsin as a strong blue-collar and rural state with a fairly small African-American community. Combine that with the fact that Wisconsin is a primary and Plouffe says it's a perfect combination for a Clinton win, according to her campaign's rationale. For its part, the Clinton campaign had downplayed their chances in Wisconsin until this past weekend, after polls consistently showed her down by only single digits.

Plouffe said Obama's goal is simply to acquire more pledged delegates and to continue to the next contests. He argues that a Wisconsin win is more critical to the Clinton campaign.

"We think right now we have a very healthy lead. Our goal is to maintain that lead and if she is not able to seriously erode that lead heading into March, I think that it will raise big questions about her ability to do that by the end of June."

Campaign staffers say Obama's performance today in conservative suburbs such as Waukesha and the Fox Valley area will be strong indicators of how well he can do in a general election. If he can win these areas, he may be in a better position to beat his Republican opponent than Clinton.

Obama is already looking ahead to the March 4 races, where a large number of pledged delegates are up for grabs, especially in Ohio and Texas. He begins campaigning in Texas today with stops in San Antonio and Houston.

Plouffe said the campaign is bracing for negative attacks in both Texas and Ohio.

"I would imagine that what you are seeing in Wisconsin is a precursor for Ohio and Texas. We fully expect them to run a very negative campaign."

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by katefranklin February 19, 2008 3:56 PM EST: The one thing for certain is that if Clinton loses Wisconsin, she will instantly dismiss it as an "unimportant state". That is exactly what she has done for the duration of her past eight consecutive defeats. Message to Texas and Ohio, you are but minor pawns in Clinton''s imperial march to power.; Reply to this comment


by ttxort12k February 19, 2008 2:44 PM EST: Hillary and Barak,

OK you both talk about change. Change from what? For one thing, change from the practice of indenturing oneself to big business by accepting their campaign money through lobbyists. Hillary, you have taken this money, Barak, you have not.

Hillary why is it OK for you to speak of change and then accept these contributions? What do you now owe in return? Tell us , Barak, why you have not accepted them...

Hillary does your health care plan require everyone to purchase a plan? What about those who are so poor they simply cannot?

Hillary please do not criticize Obama while you accept money from big businesses.

Barak, keep the faith and do not respond in kind to your opponent.

jpsimm; Reply to this comment


by ttxort12k February 19, 2008 2:42 PM EST: Hillary and Barak,

OK you both talk about change. Change from what? For one thing, change from the practice of indenturing oneself to big business by accepting their campaign money through lobbyists. Hillary, you have taken this money, Barak, you have not.

Hillary why is it OK for you to speak of change and then accept these contributions? What do you now owe in return? Tell us , Barak, why you have not accepted them...

Hillary does your health care plan require everyone to purchase a plan? What about those who are so poor they simply cannot?

Hillary please do not criticize Obama until your ideas are superior to his.

Barak, keep the faith and do not respond in kind to your opponent.

jpsimm; Reply to this comment


by ttxort12k February 19, 2008 2:39 PM EST: Hillary and Barak,

OK you both talk about change. Change from what? For one thing, change from the practice of indenturing oneself to big business by accepting their campaign money through lobbyists. Hillary, you have taken this money, Barak, you have not.

Hillary why is it OK for you to speak of change and then accept these contributions? What do you now owe in return? Tell us , Barak, why you have not accepted them...

Hillary does your health care plan require everyone to purchase a plan? What about those who are so poor they simply cannot?

Hillary please do not criticize Obama until your ideas are superior to his.

Barak, keep the faith and do not respond in kind to your opponent.

jpsimm; Reply to this comment


by caraprado February 19, 2008 1:52 PM EST: Let''s hope that the nomination is decided on the voice of the people, and not by a handful of superdelgates.

We all agree that this election should be about unity, progress, and change--something the nation has lacked for this past 7 years. We should carry this message of unity into the general election.

Obama is a man of substance and conviction. Merely the fact that we would nominate and elect such a man after the past 8 years cannot fail to have positive effects on a world made cynical and disillusioned by the choices and acts of the Administration during that period.

The enthusiasm we see at rallies is more than ephemeral excitement. For many, Obama represents the desire for a transformation towards a politics grounded in truth, genuine compassion, and substantive efforts to benefit the many, rather than the few.

If you haven''t been to a rally, or have, and want to take it with you, you can get the entire Obama rally setlist--all the way from U2''s "City of Blinding Lights", to which Obama takes the stage, to the Obama victory anthem "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" at ITunes, here:

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewIMix?id=273868596&s=143441&v0=575; Reply to this comment


by laffincrow February 19, 2008 1:51 PM EST: Regardless of which candidate anyone is for, Hillary''s attempt to launch negative attacks will continually backfire on her. It only portrays her as a spoiled little brat who cries when she doesn''t get her way. She has to resort to mudslinging and low blows. She focuses on the negative and she will get more of the same. The general public are not idiots who cannot see through her politics as usual methods. The goofy thing is, it''s at her campaign''s own demise.; Reply to this comment


by greenfun February 19, 2008 12:55 PM EST: Obama doesn''t like to face any scrutiny, and he has had a free ride so far for some reason.....
Well, this is a political contest- not a tea party. Obama had better be able to take few punches and throw a few, because this is mere child''s play compared to what the Republicans have in store for the Democrats in the general election.; Reply to this comment


by jerryz7936 February 19, 2008 12:40 PM EST: What a sad deceitful person Hillary is. News media is showing the plagiarism Hillary done.
What a bonehead move.; Reply to this comment


by ajironworks4 February 19, 2008 12:30 PM EST: The Clintons'' Terror Pardons
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120277819085260827.html?mod=Letters

By DEBRA BURLINGAME
February 12, 2008; Page A17
Enron and Bill Clinton http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/2/28/12723.shtml
Subject: How do you change what is wrong , when you are a part of the problem the Influence of Lobbyists funds has caused in America ?

February 16, 2000 Issue Brief #137 http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/issuebriefs_ib137

The High Cost of the China-WTO Deal , Clinton
Administration''s own analysis suggests spiraling deficits, job losses , all ignored because of Lobbyist influence . At least we could have had some fees paid on duty free Imports to make up the losses in our SS and Medicare systems , but I guess that was not acceptable by the Multi-National lobbyists , hum ???

why didn''t Senator Hillary Clinton vote against the Bankruptcy law in 2005 , that gave the mortgage lenders the power to be brazen in altering the standard lending practices of the 20 % down traditional home loans , to the ones thats caused this crisis that we Tax payers get to pay for in Stimulus packages ??

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/109/senate/1/votes/44/

Subject: FOLLOW HILLARY CLINTONS MONEY

http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/?p=261#more-261; Reply to this comment


by carlosedward February 19, 2008 12:01 PM EST: This is the way I see the campaign:
*Hillary has shown that she lacks the character trais of honesty and integrity. Everyday she appears as the candidate that must win no matter what. She bends rules, throws punches bellow the belt and has a sense of entitlement to the nomination just because she says she is the best candidate. When she looses a primary or caucus she doesn''t even thank the voters that labored for her. She is an arrogant person that will have her way disregarding the means; means don''t matter for Hillary, the end justifies them.
*Yet what Hillary does not grasp -but Barack and McCain do - is that this nation is in moral peril. The number one priority in America right now is to regain our pride for the ideals this nation stands for. Then we can talk about the policies that would benefit the most the American people and our global citizens.; Reply to this comment