Clinton Holds Out Hat in Indiana, Says She Now Leads in Popular Vote
(CBS)
From CBS News’ Fernando Suarez:
INDIANAPOLIS -- With cash flow an increasing problem for Hillary Clinton’s campaign, there was no easier way to get contributions than to ask for them, plain and simple, on the stump. During an outdoor campaign rally in downtown Indianapolis, Clinton told the crowd that she was strongly outspent in Pennsylvania. “We really had to hustle,” Clinton said. “You know, my opponent is formidable and it is a tremendous challenge to get the message out when you are being outspent in that way.”
Clinton’s visit comes just one day after a double digit win over Barack Obama in Pennsylvania and just hours after a record number of online donations poured in after the polls closed last night, according to the campaign. Clinton’s camp says they are on track to raise $10 million over the next 24 hours, but she still trails her opponent in fundraising by a wide margin. “I hope you will log on to my website, hillaryclinton.com, read where I stand on the issues, what I will propose for solutions,” she said. “If you’re so inclined after you’ve done so, I would really welcome a contribution because we are being outspent.”
The campaign has decided to push another issue for voters, and superdelegates, to consider over the next few weeks – the popular vote. Clinton is claiming that her win in Pennsylvania has pushed her past her opponent in total number of votes cast. “I’m very proud that as of today I have received more votes by the people who have voted than anybody else,” Clinton said to loud applause. “It’s a very close race but if you count, as I count, the 2.3 million people who voted in Michigan and Florida, then we are going to build on that.”
The problem is, nobody but the Clinton campaign is counting the votes in Florida and Michigan. By moving up their primaries, those states broke the Democratic National Party rules, and they have refused to recognize them. Without Florida and Michigan, Clinton trails Obama by roughly half a million votes.
Clinton came to Indiana after a very late night in Pennsylvania, telling the crowd, “it’s been a hard fought contest which I think has been good for the Democratic Party.”
She flies back to Washington, D.C., later today where she is expected to head to the Senate for votes.
