The Clinton Campaign, Start To Finish

CBS Evening News: From Frontrunner To Underdog - The Anatomy Of A Losing Campaign

(CBS)  It was supposed to be more "coronation" than "nomination." Even before Sen. Hillary Clinton first hit the campaign trail, she seemed to have it all - former first lady, a popular senator, and the support of a former president, who happened to be her husband, CBS News anchor Katie Couric reports.

"A lot of people inside and outside of the Clinton campaign expected her to be a very formidable and eventually a successful candidate," said Clinton strategist Geoffrey Garin. "So she had both the benefit of and the burden of lots of expectations."

Clinton didn't start campaigning until well after the other candidates had already hit the stump. And throughout most of 2007, she had the unshakeable confidence of a frontrunner.

"Have you dealt with the chance that you won't be the nominee?" Couric asked Clinton in a November, 2007, interview.

"Well, it will be me," Clinton said at the time.

"Clinton all along had an air of inevitability," said Joshua Green, a senior editor at The Atlantic.

"The idea that if you look and act like a presidential nominee, then people are gonna come to think of you that way," he said. "The problem with that strategy is that it's easily shattered."

Easily shattered when she finished 3rd in Iowa, well behind a surging Barack Obama. That defeat set up the fight of her political life just days later in New Hampshire.

While Obama was taking the country by storm, behind the scenes, according to internal memos acquired by Green, Clinton's staff was in disarray, unable to deal with a wildly popular candidate who wasn't their own.

Then, one moment in a New Hampshire diner seemed to change everything.

"You know, this is very personal for me. It's not just political. It's not just public. I see what's happening and we have to reverse it," Clinton said in January, tears welling in her eyes.

"Clinton was at her absolute best. At that point, Clinton basically tossed her advisors overboard," Green said.

That emotional moment had an impact. And she took New Hampshire, despite media comments that some found demeaning.

"The reason she's a U.S. senator, the reason she's a candidate for president, the reason she might be a front-runner, is her husband messed around," said Chris Matthews on Morning Joe in early January, 2008.

Eager to capitalize on that momentum, senior aides gathered at campaign headquarters on the eve of Super Tuesday. But instead of fine tuning a plan for victory, they learned the campaign was bankrupt.

"And from that moment forward, Clinton really didn't have the resources to compete in the Feb. 5th states the way Obama did," Green said.

And as a result of some controversial comments, they lost some of Bill Clinton's electoral magic.

The former president's all-out defense of his wife backfired. Obama won big in South Carolina, then battled Clinton to a virtual draw on Super Tuesday, which for the expected nominee, was more like a defeat.

"I mean, you can point to that period in February as basically having been the deciding time in the race,"

Then, Clinton did seem to find her voice, and won primaries in Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. But it was too late. The early mistakes, including neglecting the caucuses, had cost her the nomination.

"Her message didn't match the moment. The change message that Barack Obama had from day one was that message for this moment," said Melinda Henenberger, a contributor to Slate.com and an author of a book about women voters.

But she did leave her mark in the history books ...

"For the next woman who runs for president, they don't have to wonder what the model looks like," Garin said. "The model looks like Hillary Clinton."

... and in the party platform, where for the first time, the issue of sexism is raised.

"There are many good things that are going to come out of Hillary Clinton's campaign, and addressing that is one of them," said DNC chairman Howard Dean.

Nearly 70 percent of registered voters believe Clinton made it easier for other women to one day try for the White House - a point of pride for the candidate herself, as she delivered her last, and perhaps most difficult, speech of her campaign.

"Although we weren't able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it's got about 18 million cracks in it," Clinton said in her June 7 concession speech.

[tx2democrats]

if you are going to put such hate out there, please keep in mind that what you put out is what you get back. don''t be suprised by the October Suprise this year, it just might be Obama in that Church audience agreeing to Wrights statements, the Repugs will be holding onto that for the last minute.

[tx2democrats]

My only hope is that those of you who vote for him (Mr. McGoo) will suffer more than the rest of us.


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Posted by hp32970c at 09:50 AM : Aug

wow, what a hateful comment you state there HP, the beauty of karma is that it does come back to bite you in the a@#.

[puldr]

It was a great speech. It preserves future political office run for the Clintons. It was practical, serious on the issues, and well-received.

[hp32970c]

The other solution is to write in your candidate of choice Al Gore or anyone else you decide. Just have many people write in the same candidate you need to make the numbers happen. It needs to be a we. Don%u2019t allow these political party%u2019s to force you to vote for people you do not like or agree with. Take back your country and your vote - make it count!!! Don%u2019t sit home on election day!!!

I was going to comment on this, but it is so pathetic I can''t even begin to.... I feel sorry for whoever wrote it.

[hp32970c]

Congratulations to all the Hillary supporters who will be voting for anyone other than Obama, McCain is a better choice, not the perfect choice, but look at the other 2 candidates running. At least we know McCain will not be another Bush, he dislikes him but knows he has to get elected to make a change from the Bush/Cheney failed policies. We are safe from terrorists and the Russians with McCain.
Posted by concerns47

Concerns 47..McCain will not be another Bush??? I want some of whatever you''re on. McOld voted WITH GWB 95% of the time. He will be exactly another GWB. And no one has missed more votes than McPTSD. No one. As far as caucuses, Obama didn''t not create the process. All the candidates had the opportunity to organize as they saw fit. He did a better job than the rest. You really should know what you''re talking about before you open your mouth otherwise what comes out is garbage.
It pains me to know that if McLame becomes president the country will continue to suffer. My only hope is that those of you who vote for him will suffer more than the rest of us.

[concerns47]

Congratulations to all the Hillary supporters who will be voting for anyone other than Obama, McCain is a better choice, not the perfect choice, but look at the other 2 candidates running. At least we know McCain will not be another Bush, he dislikes him but knows he has to get elected to make a change from the Bush/Cheney failed policies. We are safe from terrorists and the Russians with McCain.

[concerns47]

Obama is consistent, in all of his political career, he has voted "present" in both state and federal government how many times. This guy can''t take a stand unless it is for his own self promotion just like giving his speech in a 76,000 stadium with an elaborate background and fireworks to annoint him the messiah.

[concerns47]

Caucauses are unfair, if your candidate does not get enough the other candidates try to pursuade you to vote for their person. That is how votes are stolen. Like Obama who votes "present" rather than yes or no on bills, caucauses are wrong, primaries are the only way you get a person''s true vote just like in the general elections, one vote per person, not ability to change that vote because someone twists your arm.

At least the Republicans got that right, McCain is not George Bush, look at his record over the years, not just the last 8 years.

[samthetvcat]

PPS Like is there anybody who before tonight would have said they had doubts about Barack but like oh they never really thought about what it would mean to have the GOP in power again? Who would say that?

Hillary''s speech was phenomenal - like I''m just not sure SHE''S the one that has to say or do anything to get people to vote FOR Barack. It probably helps massively such that if Barack meets her half-way with ACTIONS rather than just LIP SERVICE, they''ll be sold (?)

Not sure if even that would be enough, but do Obama supporters really feel like he''s not obligated to do anything more after the speech Hillary gave tonight? Is that based on what they feel ''ought'' to be done based on their notions of ''fairness'' or is that based on what they think needs to be done to win the election?

[samthetvcat]

pt 1

--"I will not vote for Obama because I have my own opinions and thoughts that cannot be changed because someone else has decided to endorse their competitor."--
Posted by nrshine1

Yeah, I wonder if Obama supporters and Hillary supporters are viewing the substance of Hillary''s speech from different vantage points.

Like Obama supporters might have heard the speech thinking if Hillary supporters are Dems then Hillary did a A+++ job of spelling out what they''re going to get from Dems versus what they''d get from Repubs so obviously they''re going to fall in line - obviously. Anybody else is fringe, etc.