Clinton Camp Pushes Electability Argument In Conference Call
The Clinton campaign held a conference call today to make an electability argument for the former first lady built around the upcoming primary in Pennsylvania.
Clinton leads in Pennsylvania polls and needs to win the state handily to make an argument to superdelegates, who could decide the nomination in her favor even if she trails in pledged delegates, that she deserves the nomination.
The Pennsylvania vote, Clinton's chief strategist Mark Penn told reporters, will be a "very significant test of who could really win the general election."
"We believe this will show Hillary is ready to win, and that Senator Obama really can't win the general election," Penn said.
Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell called what he characterized as the Obama campaign's attempts to "diminish" the significance of the Pennsylvania vote "off-putting."
He said Pennsylvania's primary will be a "true test of someone's national appeal" because of the state's diversity, citing the presence of farming, big cities, coal mining, and both a midwestern and east coast "tinge."
"This is not a solid blue state," Rendell said. "This is a purple state. And we need a candidate who can win here."
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter took aim at a recent memo from the Obama campaign critiquing and editing a Clinton memo sent yesterday.
The memo is "one of the silliest things I've seen in recent times," Nutter said. "If somebody on my staff wrote something like that, I'd fire them, because it just doesn't make any sense."
Pennsylvania is "a critical state and everybody knows it for the general election," he added.
Both Penn and Rendell pushed the notion that Pennsylvania is one of four states – the others are Ohio, Florida and Michigan – that Democrats need to do well in if they want to win in November. (Clinton won in all three of the other states, though Obama wasn't on the ballot in Michigan and the candidates did not compete in Michigan or Florida because the states violated DNC rules by holding their primaries early.)
The four states are "dominated by swing voters who are critical to a victory in November," Penn said.
Added Rendell: "We need to win three of four."
Clinton leads in Pennsylvania polls and needs to win the state handily to make an argument to superdelegates, who could decide the nomination in her favor even if she trails in pledged delegates, that she deserves the nomination.
The Pennsylvania vote, Clinton's chief strategist Mark Penn told reporters, will be a "very significant test of who could really win the general election."
"We believe this will show Hillary is ready to win, and that Senator Obama really can't win the general election," Penn said.
Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell called what he characterized as the Obama campaign's attempts to "diminish" the significance of the Pennsylvania vote "off-putting."
He said Pennsylvania's primary will be a "true test of someone's national appeal" because of the state's diversity, citing the presence of farming, big cities, coal mining, and both a midwestern and east coast "tinge."
"This is not a solid blue state," Rendell said. "This is a purple state. And we need a candidate who can win here."
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter took aim at a recent memo from the Obama campaign critiquing and editing a Clinton memo sent yesterday.
The memo is "one of the silliest things I've seen in recent times," Nutter said. "If somebody on my staff wrote something like that, I'd fire them, because it just doesn't make any sense."
Pennsylvania is "a critical state and everybody knows it for the general election," he added.
Both Penn and Rendell pushed the notion that Pennsylvania is one of four states – the others are Ohio, Florida and Michigan – that Democrats need to do well in if they want to win in November. (Clinton won in all three of the other states, though Obama wasn't on the ballot in Michigan and the candidates did not compete in Michigan or Florida because the states violated DNC rules by holding their primaries early.)
The four states are "dominated by swing voters who are critical to a victory in November," Penn said.
Added Rendell: "We need to win three of four."
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
(Bush Sr. vice president ''80-''88, president ''89-''92; Bill Clinton president ''93-''00; Bush Jr. president ''01-''08).
The voters are smarter than this. The super-delegates would be crazy to honor Bill''s great service to the country by subverting the will of the people to put his wife in office over a transcendant figure (Barack) who has honestly earned his victory as the Democratic nominee - and done so in a positive way despite the points being scored by the Clinton attack machine.
Bravo, Barack. Stay positive, and keep warning voters about the kitchen sink coming from the Clinto camp so they can put all of these attacks and specious arguments in proper perspective.
At the conservatives convention where Mitt officially withdrew, they were salivating over the prospect of being able to run against such a polarizing figure that they''d already laid that groundwork so she''s toast in the face of that machine, while Obama can will beat McCain handily.
She knows this -- which is why her camp''s spinning themselves dizzy.
One of the reasons I''m most glad to vote for Obama is because she''s been so ungracious to other states, that she''s said on camera afer losing contests that this state wasn''t important, or blew off that state like oh we never intended to spend money there and win. He''s won like 30 states to her maybe 18, with a far better organized and cohesive team and meanwhile, she lilterally forgets that a candidate can''t make other states feel like you think they''re beneath the others -- that''s insane.
You''re running to be the President of the entire Union , not just the ones you win in the primary.
That''s just one of the things that is a letdown in her end.
Obama is lightyears ahead of her as a statesmen, conducts himself and his organization much more effectively and yes -- makes a much better Commander in Chief than out-of-touch McCain or Clinton.
The much more electable Obama''s got my vote.
- by franklinjj March 13, 2008 4:48 PM EDT
- jacksmith keeps posting this nonsense on almost every article on the net. I''m not sure whose payroll he''s on (either Clinton or McCain).
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See all 14 CommentsRepublicans like Limbaugh have stated publicly and often that they are urging the Republicans to vote for HILLARY in the primaries in an effort to prolong her attacks on Obama [it''s mathmatically impossible that she can win legitimately at this point, unless she carries almost 75% of the vote in each of the remaining states]. He''s the candidate they worry about - they have often expressed that they want Clinton as an opponent because of her high negatives among the public.
As for the article itself, again this is just another verbatim press release from the Clinton campaign.
I guess the founding fathers must have forgotten the part about FL, OH, PA and NY being the only states whose votes should count.
These campaign tactics are pathetic. If somehow she defies logic and wins the nomination, good luck for her carrying any of the states except PA, OH, NY and FL - given that she''s basically said all the others don''t count.