Clinton, Obama Battle Fatigue On The Trail

Wall-To-Wall Schedules Won't Let Up Anytime Soon

(AP)  How can they not be tired?

Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton are undeniably exhausted. They've been campaigning hard for more than a year, and their wall-to-wall schedules won't let up anytime soon. Neither wants to cede ground in their epic struggle for the Democratic nomination.

Fatigue, however, breeds unforced errors - and both candidates have made some in the past few weeks.

He turned in a weak debate performance in Pennsylvania, took heat for saying residents of small-town America were bitter and inadvertently praised Republican John McCain. She, too, had a sub-par debate and mistakenly claimed to have landed under sniper fire in Bosnia as first lady.

"Sometimes. Yes, of course," Obama, 46, acknowledged Tuesday when asked whether he was exhausted.

The Illinois senator was in the midst of a near 20-hour campaign day. He left his hotel at 6 a.m. for satellite TV interviews in Philadelphia and didn't stop moving until his plane touched down Wednesday in Chicago at 1:30 a.m.

Fourteen years his senior, Clinton laughed off a question about how she maintained a grueling schedule.

"It's been a 15-month campaign and, if everything had been as much fun as Pennsylvania, it wouldn't feel like 15 years," the 60-year-old said - uncharacteristically showing weariness.

As the Democrats continue their long days of tussling, Republican nominee-in-waiting McCain, energetic at 71, has pared back his schedule considerably from the before-sun-up to after-sun-down days of the GOP primary fight.

Since the Arizona senator wrapped up the nomination last month, he has kept to just one or two public events a day. To be sure, he's at work behind the scenes raising money and preparing for the general election. But most weekends he opts for down time in Phoenix or at his cabin in Sedona, Ariz., resting up for the fall fight.

It's a luxury Obama and Clinton don't have.

The next Democratic primaries - Indiana and North Carolina - are May 6, just two weeks away, and the stakes are extraordinary.

So, the excruciatingly long days will continue.

The drawn-out race clearly weighs on Obama; he talks about it at every stop.

"I've been running for president for about 15 months now, which means that there are babies who are now walking and talking, who were born since I announced for president," he said again Wednesday, campaigning in this Ohio River city. "This has been a long primary season."

Obama also frequently mentions how rarely he gets to see his family. He rearranged his schedule so he could return to Chicago late Tuesday to see his daughters off to school Wednesday. He plans no public events Thursday, just down time at home in Chicago.

He took his family to the Virgin Islands last month for a quick rest, but went full-boar in the run up to the Pennsylvania primary. He typically started the day at dawn with an early morning stop at a diner and ended with a nighttime rally. Several other events - and numerous interviews with local and national media outlets - were packed in between.

To combat exhaustion, Obama catnaps on his plane. Lithe and athletic, he prioritizes daily exercise to keep up his energy. But there are physical signs of the stress; his hair has grown grayer since he began campaigning.

For her part, Clinton is a veteran of her husband's back-to-back White House races and is keenly aware of the toll it takes on body and spirit. She, too, takes short naps on her plane and eats a steady diet of hot peppers, which she believes has helped her stave off illness. But she says she's getting very little exercise.

The former first lady goes to great pains to manage and hide her fatigue, mindful of Obama's youth and exuberance. Hair and makeup specialists travel with her to help her look fresh from morning until night. When she talks about the long campaign, she tries to be lighthearted and humorous.

However, when pressed about the Bosnia gaffe during last week's debate by a voter named Tom Rooney, Clinton blamed fatigue.

"I will either try to get more sleep, Tom or, you know, have somebody that, you know, is there, as a reminder to me," the New York senator said.

Her schedule is punishing. Clinton usually is up at dawn to prepare for local morning TV and radio interviews, zips to events in far flung cities throughout the day and into the evening, and often doesn't go to bed until after midnight.

In Memphis, Tenn., this month to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., Clinton didn't get to her hotel until 5 a.m. after a redeye flight from California.

She was onstage before television cameras just 6 hours later.

[jockh]

Hillary lies again.

The Federal Election Commission has just reported that her campaign debt is $15 million and not $10 million as the Clinton camp reported because she failed to list her $5 million loan among the debts.

This means that even after her new surge of fundraising, she is still $5 million in debt; but Hillary is still smiling; why? Because she knows that her $110 million fortune is nice and safe. It%u2019s the ordinary person on the street who is tricked into losing money on a campaign that is doomed to fail.

Mitt Romney put $42 million of his own money into his campaign, why doesn%u2019t Hillary show she has complete confidence in her campaign and put in some of her own millions. Why? Because she knows it%u2019s a lost cause.

Those of you who are fooled into contributing to her campaign ask yourself why she LOANS her own money but wants you to GIVE your money?

[blackspirit3]

TO ALL THE WHITE FOLKS WHO WILL NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA BECAUSE HE IS BLACK, WHO WS NEVER EVER GONNA VOTE FOR HIM AS A RESULT OF HIM BEING BLACK, PLEASE BE MAN OR WOMEN ENOUGH TO ADMIT IT. DON''T HIDE YOUR RACISM BEHIND REV WRIGHT WORDS. IF REV WRIGHT NEVER EXISTED YOU WOULD NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA. BE MAN ENOUGH AND WOMEN ENOUGH TO ADMIT IT. IF HILLARY WAS A BLACK WOMEN WHITE WOMEN WOULD NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HER, ADMIT THAT AS WELL. MANY AMERICAN WHITES STILL HARBOUR ILL WILL AND FEELINGS TOWARDS AFRICAN AMERICANS PERIOD. HIDING YOUR HATRED FOR OBAMA BEHIND REV WRIGHT WORDS IS WHAT COWARDS DO. BE WHO YOU ARE AND STOP FRONTIN AND DUCKIN AND DODGING AND COMING UP WITH FICTICIOUS REASONS FOR WHY YOU WON''T EVER VOTE FOR A BLACK CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT. BE HONEST FOR A CHANGE. IF OBAMA CHANGE DON''T WORK FOR YOU, AT LEAST COME TO THE TABLE HONESTLY. FOR A CHANGE

[abbe91]

"At least, she didn''''''''t give Obama the ''''''''finger'''''''' and the ''''''''up-your''''''''s'''''''' gesture times she lost to him.
Posted by Besscannon at 02:15 PM : Apr 24, 2008"

And some are gullible enough to believe this ...

[metroduck75]

The Elites in the News Media are so focus on asking "Hillary to get out" that they forget to ask about "Obama''s Inability to win".

[pepperwood2]

Why was Penna Fun? The blanketed truth. It should come as little surprise that the Old Guard Rendell, Clinton polictics dominate the rather inflexible DEMO population of Penna. The Status Quo prejudice polictics is dominant.

I''ve grown up here in Penna. and sad to say that there is a rather intolerant side to the Demo Party to real change & acceptance that is needed. To the Rendell, Clinton crowd, they been caught bringing this intolerance to surface in the form of their racial implications. Geraldine Ferraro is Hillary''s protege. It''s not going to go away without real change. You won''t get that with Hillary or McCain.

AS for Hillary, This is all about ME - Wheeeeeee this is fun! I''''m just warming up. $110,000,000 year is MY money. Send me MORE of YOUR money. CACKLE CACKLE CACKLE.... Sooooo SAD!

[libra127]

never recieved an endorsement from one military general from any branch of service

Posted by BLKPRESIDENT at 09:11 PM : Apr 24, 2008

Your ignorance about Hillary is getting you in trouble again, BLKPREZ ! She has been endorsed by the following military flag officers:

General Wesley Clark
General John M. Shalikashvili
General Johnnie E. Wilson
Admiral William Owens
Lt. Gen. Joe Ballard
Lt. Gen. Robert Gard
Lt. Gen. Claudia J. Kennedy
Lt. Gen. Donald L. Kerrick
Lt. Gen. Frederick E. Vollrath
Vice Admiral Joseph A. Sestak
Major General Roger R. Blunt
Major General George A. Buskirk, Jr.
Major General Edward L. Correa, Jr.
Major General Paul D. Eaton
Major General Paul D. Monroe, Jr.
Major General Antonio M. Taguba
Rear Admiral Connie Mariano
Rear Admiral Alan M. Steinman
Rear Admiral David Stone
Brigadier General Michael Dunn
Brigadier General Belisario Flores
Brigadier General Evelyn "Pat" Foote
Brigadier General Keith H. Kerr
Brigadier General Virgil A. Richard
Brigadier General Preston Taylor
Brigadier General John M. Watkins, Jr.
Brigadier General Jack Yeager

[rufisgufis]

Who in their rite mind be wantin an old woman for president. Supposing their really be a 3am call and Hillary be having a PMS fit or some other femine stuff, then what. It won''t work! She married and her husband he old too. Supposing he be needing something and she aint around. Maybe he want her to run an errand or fetch something for him. Then what, he have to get the stuff fore hisself?

[blkpresident]

Kansas1946,

Individuals like myself or Pastor Wright cannot hurt Obama''s chances simply because we speak the truth. To wit: What''s lil'' missy gonna do when a four star general says to her that her idea of war-strategy is akin to coddling terrorist? That''s all I''m saying BEFORE America entrusts a woman to manage two wars. And the fact of the matter is, it''s true that our terrorist enemies don''t play softball. Therefore a man like Obama--not an OLD man mind you like McCain, will be better suited to handle the rigors of the presidency. Missy''s out. It''s really that simple.

[kansas1946]

HDinsight,

Your faith in lil'''' Hillary is admirable but her pipe- dream of a woman becoming president is not in the best interests of a country fighting two wars, who need a Commander-in-Chief instead of a powder-puff football cheerleader. Lil'''' Hillary would be weak and soft on the terrorist, who don''''t need coddling.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by BLKPRESIDENT at 07:33 PM : Apr 24, 2008
******************************

I hope you are a John McCain supporter, or a Hillary supporter. If you are supporting Obama, that kind of rhetoric can only be harmful to him. So if you don''t want Obama, keep it up, it you do support Obama, knock it off.

[kansas1946]

Poll Date Sample Obama Clinton Spread RCP Average 04/07 - 04/23 - 50.0 40.4 Obama +9.6
Gallup 04/21 - 04/23 49 44 Obama 5.0
Rasmussen 04/20 - 04/23 49 42 Obama 7.0
USA Today/Gallup 04/20 50 40 Obama 10.0
Newsweek 04/17 54 35 Obama 19.0
ABC/Wash Post 04/13 51 41 Obama 10.0
Reuters/Zogby 04/13 51 38 Obama 13.0
AP-Ipsos 04/09 46 43 Obama 3.0

**************************************************
Latest polls of voter preferences (overall) between Obama and Hillary.

[rufisgufis]

HILLARY IS BEHIND IN NUMBER OF STATES WON;

HILLARY IS BEHIND IN NUMBER OF DELEGATES WON;

HILLARY IS BEHIND IN NUMBER CAUCUSES WON.

HILLARY IS FAR AHEAD IN NUMBER OF LIES TOLD!

FIGURES DON''''T LIE BUT LIARS CAN FIGURE.

[rufisgufis]

HILLARY IS BEHIND IN NUMBER OF STATES WON;

HILLARY IS BEHIND IN NUMBER OF DELEGATES WON;

HILLARY IS BEHIND IN NUMBER CAUCUSES WON.

HILLARY IS FAR AHEAD IN NUMBER OF LIED TOLD!

FIGURES DON''T LIE BUT LIARS CAN FIGURE.

[libra127]

Hillary is working her heart out. She is quite a woman. If she would work that hard as president, I say, go to it, girl! It is amazing how she is keeping up with Obama, much younger than she. I''m going to have to get some of those hot peppers! If they do that for you, must be miracle food. At least, she didn''''t give Obama the ''''finger'''' and the ''''up-your''''s'''' gesture times she lost to him. That display in No. Carolina after the debate was disgusting, shameful, disrespectful and lost my vote for good!

Posted by Besscannon at 02:15 PM : Apr 24, 2008

I couldn''t agree more, Bess. Well-said!

[blkpresident]

HDinsight,

Your faith in lil'' Hillary is admirable but her pipe- dream of a woman becoming president is not in the best interests of a country fighting two wars, who need a Commander-in-Chief instead of a powder-puff football cheerleader. Lil'' Hillary would be weak and soft on the terrorist, who don''t need coddling.

[zerato-2009]

Bob marisal Let em correct you. Iraq had no al qaida before bush invaded. Clinton and Obama are millionaires so I think they like the capitalist system. Bill ayers never bombed the pentagon, it was al qaida. As I heard it Obama was jsut an aquaintance.
Obama and Clinton has served america well in their respective capacities and it does disservice to question their patriotism as they are running hard to serve theri country.
I would choose either one of them over a candiate tha wants to keep us in Iraq for 100 years, doesn''t know much about the economy and don''t know the difference between shiite and suni.

[ksh1022]

The fact that Obama is so tired and stressed and is 15 years younger than Hillary shows that he can''t hold up to the demands of the office he seeks to hold. Being president is not for wimps. Hillary is going strong. We need someone tough and capable. We Hillary Clinton!

[peteracevedo-2009]

hmmmmmm.......wonder what the Super Delegates would have to say about this article
"Open Letter to the Super Delegates" http://savagepolitics.com/?p=311

[taddles-2009]

"Your keyboard is hot today!!! Well said!!!!!!!! Keep it up, you would already make a good lawyer!!!!!!!

Posted by commonsence1 at 02:39 PM : Apr 24, 2008"


Well now there''s an endorsement, except for that whole "using facts to develop a reasonable argument" that might be true.

[taddles-2009]

"Considering how important it is to destroy Al Queda, it is a shame that the liberal Democrats focus on the American death toll in Iraq (while ignoring the death tolls in previous wars) just to push their agenda of wanting to surrender in Iraq.

-Posted by bobmarisol"


It''s so important that I''m sure our President mus have made it a priority.

"The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him."
- G.W. Bush, 9/13/01

"I don''t know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don''t care. It''s not that important. It''s not our priority."
- G.W. Bush, 3/13/02

"I am truly not that concerned about him."
- G.W. Bush, repsonding to a question about bin Laden''s whereabouts,
3/13/02 (The New American, 4/8/02)

Oops, looks like he kinda slowed down there on that old "gonna get Bin Laden" thing huh. Yea, you Repub''s sure are on top of that whole "lets catch Bin Laden" thing. Oh wait, you''re pi$$ing away American lives and trillions of dollars in the wrong place, on the wrong war. Silly Republicant, you just got side tracked didn''t you.

[taddles-2009]

"Theres a big difference between leaving Iraq and surrendering it.

Posted by melchg at 02:39 PM : Apr 24, 2008"

Not to Bob, he has a 2 dimensional view of the world, no place for shades of gray, black and white only in his little world.