Wright Uproar Boosts Clinton Confidence

Politico: N.Y. Senator Believes Recent Events Have Twisted The Race In Her Favor

(The Politico)  This story was written by John F. Harris and Mike Allen.

---

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday sent a fundraising e-mail with the subject line “Roaring back.”

For the first time since her humiliating third-place finish in Iowa nearly four months ago, Clinton aides aren’t privately rolling their eyes at their own campaign bluster - even if the evidence of a comeback so far is still less than a roar.

For the past couple of months, Clinton has been resting her hopes - and resisting calls to drop out - on the possibility of a game-changer, some unforeseen event that would change the prism through which the media, superdelegates and average Democrats are viewing her uphill campaign against Barack Obama.

It won’t be clear until the May 6 primaries in Indiana and North Carolina whether the game really has changed. But recent days have shown that the ground has shifted in important ways for her.

Some are concrete: better fundraising, well-timed endorsements and a spate of polls showing how Obama’s relationship with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright has broken skin politically. Others are more intangible: crisp performances by Clinton at a time when the usually poised Obama has appeared more rattled than at any time in this campaign, as well as a Clinton campaign team that is no longer defeatist and morose behind the scenes.

By no means are they effusive. Under their best-case scenario, Clinton advisers believe she will be about 100 delegates behind Obama when the primary season ends on June 3.

But if the mathematics of the race has not changed, aides believe the psychology has.

Before, the Clintons knew they were fighting a story line that said she could never win unless superdelegates take the nomination away from a popular African-American who came in first.

Now they hope that they have subtly shifted to a new story line: Superdelegates must think twice before bestowing the nomination on an increasingly controversial politician who has missed repeated opportunities to wrap up the contest with a decisive, big-state victory.

“We always knew she’d win when the press started treating the candidates equally and the voters got her message,” said Terry McAuliffe, Clinton’s campaign chairman.

McAuliffe, who talks to the senator and former President Bill Clinton constantly, said they have always remained optimistic.

“I never thought she’d gone anywhere,” McAuliffe said. “She is the same candidate she’s been for the last 16 months. But now the press is paying more attention to her and she can come back and win.”

McAuliffe is characteristically the most ebullient - even Pollyannaish - of Clinton’s surrogates. But it’s clear that even more jaundiced members of her camp now feel that at least some measure of optimism is justified.

Their scenario depends on emphatic victories in Indiana and, a week later, in West Virginia, fueled by the same type of white, working-class Democrats who backed Clinton in Ohio and Pennsylvania, while keeping an all-but-certain Obama win in North Carolina narrower than is expected.

According to this line of argument, these results would allow Clinton operatives to credibly stoke “buyer’s remorse” feelings among superdelegates.

It remains a long shot by almost any calculation. Last month, a Clinton adviser estimated to Politico that she had no more than a 10 percent chance of winning. And as of Tuesday, Obama has gained 38 superdelegates to Clinton’s eight since the March 4 primaries, when she slowed his momentum with victories in Ohio and Texas.

This means even good news for Clinton comes framed by bad context. The mood inside her campaign is akin to that of a near-terminal patient who gets aproved for new experimental therapies: Maybe something will work.

After sketching her potential path to victory, a Clinton adviser said: “Thirty days ago, I could have given you this rap, but you wouldn’t have believed it. Thirty days later, I can give you this rap and you say, ‘You know, you might be right.’”

“She’s relaxed and she’s in her groove,” crowed a senior Clinton aide who had been downbeat. “The story of this race is these twists and turns.”

And for the moment, the twists have turned in her direction.

This includes the fact that April was the second-best fundraising month for her so far this campaign, helping ease a severe financial drought. She won the endorsement of North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley.

And two recent polls have buoyed her. An Associated Press-Ipsos poll showed her beating Republican John McCain 50 percent to 41 percent while Obama was running 46 percent to 44 percent in the same matchup. A Fox News poll Wednesday showed her outperforming Obama among independent voters.

Most important, the Fox poll highlighted the potential damage Wright has caused Obama. Among Democratic voters, 36 percent said they were concerned either somewhat or a great deal about Wright, and 64 percent said they believed the controversy has hurt Obama’s campaign.

From the Clinton vantage point, the best thing about the Wright story is that it is being driven by the media, rather than by attacks from her, which carry the risk of a backfire among Democrats who want their candidates playing nice.

“Our view is, this is his story,” the Clinton adviser said. “He’s going to have to answer it and deal with it.”

Obama aides say this week’s news cannot obscure the larger reality: Clinton is behind with no obvious paths to getting ahead.

“Superdelegates are her only path to the nomination, and she has been losing them at a rate of 9-to-1 since Feb. 5,” an Obama aide said. “If she can’t get them now, when will she get them?”

[sgtrds]

Perhaps the MSM has missed this, but the only people in an "uproar" over this story are them and Hillary supporters. Everyone else is sick of the media and Hillary beating this dead horse of a tabloid story. The MSM needs to stop trying to become the National Enquirer and get back to reporting real news again.

[sgtrds]

"From the Clinton vantage point, the best thing about the Wright story is that it is being driven by the media, rather than by attacks from her, which carry the risk of a backfire among Democrats who want their candidates playing nice."

his comment is what''s known as a lie. it was in fact a Clinton operative, Barbara Reynolds, who set up the national Press Club speech by Wright to keep this story going for a few more news cycles. hell even the National Press Club itself says she''s the one who organized it.

[Razzl]

All her scenarios still lead nowhere: the superdelegates can''t hand her the nomination if she''s behind, period, end of story, or a substantial number of Obama''s supporters will fall to third-party protest votes or just not vote in November. Hillary can''t win if she wins, so there''s no excuse for continuing...

[sgtrds]

Next expect CBS News and others here to report on bigfoot, UFO''s and invisible Secret Service Agents as they finally land flat into the tabloid arena. Edward R. Murrow is rolling in his grave every time CBS re-posts this old dead "story".

[truthyness]

92% of Black people vote for Black people. Think about it. This destroys the democratic process which embraces the equality of all people. When people vote in a "block", this destroys the equality of the individual. When any block gets into power, they''ll only allow people into leadership positions that belong to that block. As absurd as it sounds, the very fact that they voted as a block to begin with and won, would make this the next logical step.

Not only does this destroy the Democratic Party but it is a threat to the Democracy of our country.

The only way to counter act this is to give the Democratic Party to the Blacks and move away from it, which will be the natural consequence if Obama is nominated by a process that has ceased to be Democratic.

[sgtrds]

Hillary can''''t win if she wins, so there''''s no excuse for continuing...

Posted by razzl at 04:44 PM : May 01, 2008

She knows that. I have no doubt that she realizes she isn''t getting the nomination, but wants to do as much damage to Barack as possible to make sure McCain wins in November, just so she can run against him in 2012. Of course if she succeeds in her goal of handing him the White House out of spite, then many more of our troops will die during the 4 years he''ll be there. Of course their lives are meaningless to her and she''s more then willing to sacrifice them on the alter of her ambition.

[lorinkundert]

You can''t condemn Obama for his associations without condemning Hillary for hers. Does Norman ring a bell?

[sgtrds]

Ever since he began his campaign Barack Obama has been subjected to one vicious unfair attack after another. Fine. Lies about the leaders in the elections from those who are behind are part of politics. The leader always has barking dogs nipping at their heels. What has stood out however is how calmly, coolly and with complete grace and dignity he has responded to these low blows. Hillary, on the other hand, has responded to the fact that she''s hasn''t any real chance of getting the nomination like a spoiled child. She''s gets increasingly more shrill and desperate everyday and is striking out in all directions, damaging the Democratic party itself most of all.

[rowdytexan2]

Hillary still has a very good chance of winning. She knows what she''s doing. And so does the DNC.

[themist37]

INSIGHT ON REV. WRIGHT:
In 1961, a young African-American man, after hearing President John F.
Kennedy''s challenge to, "Ask not what your Country can do for you, but
What you can do for your Country," gave up his student deferment, left
College in Virginia and voluntarily joined the Marines.

In 1963, this man, having completed his two years of service in the Marines, volunteered again to become a Navy corpsman. (They provide medical assistance to the Marines as well as to Navy personnel.)

The man did so well in corpsman school that he was the valedictorian and became a cardiopulmonary technician. Not surprisingly, he was assigned to the Navy''s premier medical facility, Bethesda Naval Hospital, as a member of the commander in chief''s medical team, and helped care for President Lyndon B. Johnson after his 1966 surgery.

For his service on the team, which he left in 1967, the White House awarded him three letters of commendation.

[themist37]

MORE INSIGHT ON REV. WRIGHT - CONTINUED

What is even more remarkable is that this man entered the Marines and Navy not many years after the two branches began to become integrated. While this young man was serving six years on active duty, Vice President *** Cheney, who was born the same year as the Marine/ sailor, received five deferments, four for being an undergraduate and graduate student and one for being a prospective father.

Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, both five years younger than the African-American youth, used their student deferments to stay in college until 1968. Both then avoided going on active duty through family connections.

Who is the real patriot? The young man who interrupted his studies to serve his country for six years or our three political leaders who beat the system? Are the patriots the people who actually sacrifice something or those who merely talk about their love of the Country?

After leaving the service of his Country, the young African-American finished his final year of College, entered the Seminary, was ordained as a Minister, and eventually became pastor of a large church in one of America''s biggest cities.

This man is Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the retired pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ.

[sgtrds]

the GOP is drooling all over themselves at the idea of Hillary getting the Democratic nomination. In fact it''s obvious that they''re doing everything they can to help her. They know that McCain is just not very poplar with large segments of the conservatives and might just stay at home rather then to vote for him in November. However Hillary is so hated by so many people on the right and in the middle, that they''ll turn out in droves just to vote AGAINST her. She is the single best thing that has happened for the GOP in years and McCain''s only chance of victory this fall.

[kenbomc]

RowdyTexan2 at 05:11 PM : May 01, 2008;

Just remember that about the DFL when Obama is the nominee. This race is not even close.

[rudy654-2009]

Isn''t it funny that white people get to preach about racism after how many centuries and generations of promoting racism, and still promoting racism? It''s hilarious. "Obama didn''t do anything about him for 20 years." Yeah, and then we have Limbaugh, racist through and through, and the so-called conservatives have yet to distance themselves from him. What was the bastaard singing the other day, "I''m dreaming of a white Christmas" and yet, not a word from you racists here today. NOT ONE WORD of condemnation. Obama is stupid for even giving this the time of day.

[sgtrds]

Whack, whack, whack. Beat the dead horse. This made up "story" is as flat as last nights beer and as cold as last weeks mashed potatoes.

[jabberwonk]

On April 30, 2008, Hillary Clinton gave an interview to Bill O''Reilly in which she stated:

"You know what. Rich people, God Bless Us. We deserve all the opportunities"

watch and spread it : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pypZVJQt1Tg

[barkleyq]

TO ALL THE OBAMA SUPPORTERS:

Since the media is refusing to reveal/report the Paul vs Clinton fraud case in court right now, we need to create our own movement and flood every blog on CNN and every blogging website on the World Wide Web with information from the case regardless of what the topic is. For those that don''t know - Google Paul vs Clinton and hold on to your shirt with what you read!!

OBAMANACS UNITE!!! LET''S DO THIS!!

[jy2008]

It is time Obama starts divorcing one after another and no one is left when he moves into White House.

Then all surrounding him are formers rather than reformers. Yeah all former Washington insiders.
What hell a change.

LOL

[txgrouch2004]

HILLARY IS THE ONE who is doing the most to perpetuate the Rev. Wright controversy.

She has the MOST TO GAIN.

[sgtrds]

Next on Entertaintmen Tonigh....er....CBS News, the real scoop on Ben, J-Lo and what that crazy Brittney has been up to lately! But first we''ll be reporting our in depth study of the hairdressers to the stars and top political figures! Find out what they think about the heads they arrange and the hair they cut and make your decision of who to vote for based on their opinions and views! We''ll be right back after this word from Levitra and remember our new slogan! We can out tabloid the National Enquirer any day because we know the American people only want to be fed garbage and not real news anymore!

[krenz4]

Truthyness, AND WHITE PEOPLE VOTE FOR WHITES. SO THEY TOO ARE DESTROYING THE PROCESS AS WELL!

[rowdytexan2]

The fact that Obama lies about everything is certainly NOT a dead horse!

[sgtrds]

Whack, whack, whack. Beat the dead horse. Whack, whack, whack.

[sosoe-2009]

"Superdelegates are her only path to the nomination, and she has been losing them at a rate of 9 to 1, since Feb 5. If she can''t get them now, when will she get them"? Well, I guess that says it all!! And, by the way, Barack picked-up FIVE more superdelegates today. Among them, Joe Andrews, appointed by Bill Clinton as Democratic Chairman, and Lois Capps, ANOTHER Clinton appointee. What''s up with all these former Clinton cabinet appointees, switching to the Obama camp? Could it be that these people REALLY KNOW THE CLINTONS, and don''t like what they know? Sure, the Clinton campaign has to sound up-beat! Economist are all agreeing with Barack on his opposition to the summer gas-tax holiday, which Hillary AND McCain support. Hillary is going around Indianna LIEING (which is what she does best) to people telling them she will return jobs lost to China by George Bush, when she KNOWS, those jobs were lost during "Slick-Willie''s" administration. I want to see all the glee, she and her campaign pundents have, when the media bust the story about her and "Slick-Willie inviting Rev Wright to the Whitehouse for "spiritual guidance" when Bill cheated with Monica. WHOA!!! That will be so-o-o funny!!!!

EX-CLINTON SUPPORTER

[rufisgufis]

KEEP THE CLINTONS OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE

When Bill Clinton came to the White House in1993,
Democrats were a congressional majority, with 258 seats in the House. When he left in 2001, they were a minority with 46 fewer seats. There were 30 Democratic governors, when he arrived, 21 eight years later.
A recent ABC News/Washington Post poll found nearly 60 percent of voters think Clinton is dishonest and will lie when she thinks she needs to.

[sgtrds]

i bet you bash bush again tomorrow and the next day and the next......talk about beating a dead horse....grow up

Posted by jamesm12341 at 07:18 PM : May 01, 2008

Ahh but Bush is still killing people and so is not a dead horse. Besides it''s my patriotic duty as an American to do everything I can to oppose that anti-American war criminal.

[rufisgufis]

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-10793

IF A PASTOR IS KNOWN BY THE COMPANY THEY KEEP!

When the Rev. William Procanick put his hand on the Bible during his ***-abuse trial in Oneida County Court earlier this year, he swore to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But as the former Clinton pastor was sentenced Friday to three years in prison for inappropriately touching a 7-year-old girl at his home last March, Judge Michael L. Dwyer said , Procanick sacrificed his honesty the day he testified.

Okay, so now that Bill and Hillary Clinton''s pastor has been convicted of child molestation, will we see the same furor directed at Hillary that Obama has had to endure these last few weeks?

IF A CANDIDATE IS KNOWN BY THE PASTOR THEY KEEP
......
Then you need to email this article to everyone you know. Here the CLINTON''S Pastor is convicted of child molestation. So, if Obama bears the guilt for his pastor''s
comments, then Hillary has to be equally tainted by this guy''s crimes.

[likeitis5050]

AND WHITE PEOPLE VOTE FOR WHITES. SO THEY TOO ARE DESTROYING THE PROCESS AS WELL!

Posted by krenz4

I was going to vote for Obama and I''m white. Obama blew it. He''s just another politician like all politicians, but I was willing to cast a vote just to launch a new chapter in the history books, before I found out what a liar and hypocrite and danger he poses to our government having been mentored at the feet of such a hate-filled ''man of God''. So don''t be so quick to say ''white this'' or ''white that'' when you''re trying to justify your own prejudices. Stand on your own.

[rufisgufis]

When Bill Clinton came to the White House in1993, Democrats were a congressional majority, with 258 seats in the House. When he left in 2001, they were a minority with 46 fewer seats. There were 30 Democratic governors, when he arrived, 21 eight years later.
A recent ABC News/Washington Post poll found nearly 60 percent of voters think Clinton is dishonest and will lie when she thinks she needs to.

[sgtrds]

basically do as i say dont do as i do

Posted by jamesm12341 at 07:34 PM : May 01, 2008

Not at all, though I''m not surprised that someone with your low IQ might try to see it that way.

[rufisgufis]

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-10793

IF A PASTOR IS KNOWN BY THE COMPANY THEY KEEP!

When the Rev. William Procanick put his hand on the Bible during his ***-abuse trial in Oneida County Court earlier this year, he swore to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But as the former Clinton pastor was sentenced Friday to three years in prison for inappropriately touching a 7-year-old girl at his home last March, Judge Michael L. Dwyer said , Procanick sacrificed his honesty the day he testified.

Okay, so now that Bill and Hillary Clinton''s pastor has been convicted of child molestation, will we see the same furor directed at Hillary that Obama has had to endure these last few weeks?

IF A CANDIDATE IS KNOWN BY THE PASTOR THEY KEEP
......
Then you need to email this article to everyone you know. Here the CLINTON''S Pastor is convicted of child molestation. So, if Obama bears the guilt for his pastor''s
comments, then Hillary has to be equally tainted by this guy''s crimes.

[blackyowe]

It''s like the running of the bulls! I like the excitment go Hillary! This is real politicing!

[grammawhamma]

IMO the reason Republicans care about who the democratic candidate turns out to be is not because of who McCain can beat. It is because of who could be our next president if McCain loses.

[sgtrds]

It''''s like the running of the bulls!

Posted by BlackYowe at 08:20 PM : May 01, 2008

You know whenever I hear her speak that''s one image I get too. The running of the bull. Or more like the flowing of the bull.

[jmartin821]

Good job Clinton, rich white democrats - this is exactly what you and the rest of racist america wanted to see - black on black crime. Two black people killing each other, except this time, in the press. Good job CNN, CBSNews, ABCnews- with your fraudulent polls that keep the spin going. Barack should have gotten on the mic and said: "Guess what America, people are pissed. Now what are you going to do to deal with it?" At least Obama wanted to talk it out with these radicals and try something new besides guns, bombs and high oil prices.

Good job white America. You have swiftboated a talented man who would have really changed things.

I guess now all of us black people have to vote for the white hope you choose for us.

[blkpresident]

Somewhere in NY a kitchen stove needs cleaning. Where''s lil'' Hillary? Still criss crossing the nation pipe dreaming about a woman becoming president. Somebody please tell lil'' missy that terrorist don''t play SOFTball or powder-puff football.

[grammawhamma]

BLKPRESIDENT can you please think up a new line? This one is getting old. Thanks.

[blackyowe]

The gladiators who fought in the games were mostly prisoners, slaves and criminals who trained long and hard in schools like the one Caesar built. The three candidates are fighting to the end! I''m loving it. We shall see what they are made of at last! Let the games begin!

[blackyowe]

Hillary is like a lioness! She will make the kill! Go girl, go....

[grammawhamma]

And BTW BLACKPRESIDENT if you think Clinton is such a wimp...then why is your candidate afraid to debate her without a moderater?

[alanrobisch]

Hillary is like a lioness! She will make the kill! Go girl, go....


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

Posted by BlackYowe at 08:54 PM : May 01, 2008
+ report abuse
you hope. Is it because lions are cruel murderers who use stealth to kill their prey

[alanrobisch]

IMO the reason Republicans care about who the democratic candidate turns out to be is not because of who McCain can beat. It is because of who could be our next president if McCain loses.


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

Posted by GrammaWhamma at 08:27 PM : May 01, 2008
+ report abuse
In this I agree for my purposes but I don''t assume a mccain loss as you do.

[ranger1948]

grammaWhamma
Blackpresident is doing the best he can with a very limited vocabulary.

[ranger1948]

rufusgufus
Bill and Hillary are not condoning or agreeing with what their pastor did, same as the catholics in their churches do not condone or agree with the priests that molest children. That nis the difference. Obama just threw wright under the bus but he still remains loyal to his racist church and their racists, mobster associates, and the creed of the church swearing undieing loyalty to Africa the mother land.

[ranger1948]

krenz4
Give me a black candidate that is qualified and is loyal to my country and i will vote for him. obama is not the one.

[ranger1948]

sgtrds
About bush and his cronies i agree with you completely. I think he should be impeached and tried for war crimes.

[ranger1948]

rudy654
I bet you also believe black people can''t be racist because they are a minority.

[realpatriot1]

trapbreak,

Oh horrors! It''s 46-43 with 13% undecided. We''re doomed!

The polls have fluctuated all year. The one constant that''s true now and was also true when Obama was doing better in the polls is that the undecideds hold the election in their hands.

Get a grip folks! The election hasn''t even started!

The voters who''ve been consistently undecided are primarily independents who could break either way. They aren''t the partisons of the left and right who dominate the discussion here and elsewhere in the blogosphere and on talk radio.

They won''t be moved by Rev. Wright or Appalachian photo opps or stories of Bosnian sniper fire.

They want to hear more about the candidates'' plans for the economy, the budget, the Middle East, healthcare, education, crime and public safety, the environment, and the energy crisis.

No one has spoken adequately to those issues and the winner will be the one who does most effectively.

Everything else is baloney.

[sgtrds]

They won''''t be moved by Rev. Wright or Appalachian photo opps or stories of Bosnian sniper fire.

They want to hear more about the candidates'''' plans for the economy, the budget, the Middle East, healthcare, education, crime and public safety, the environment, and the energy crisis.

No one has spoken adequately to those issues and the winner will be the one who does most effectively.

Everything else is baloney.

Posted by realpatriot1 at 09:39 PM : May 01, 2008

RAmen!

[gracchus1]

There is one dance for the Democratic Party. It goes "step to the right" "step to the right" "step to the right"