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by Mark Silva
Now that a few pivotal states could seal the fates of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, the Democrats are starting to drill down into what's on the minds of voters this year: The economy.
Clinton, whose longtime hold on her party is threatened by Obama's run of primary and caucus victories from Washington state to Washington, D.C., wasted no time in the midst of a punishing defeat in the "Potomac primaries'' on Tuesday in heading straight to Texas -- one of the places where she hopes to revive her presidential camapign on March 4.
And in El Paso last night, she was talking about raising the minimum wage -- to $9.50 an hour -- and forbidding Congress from raising its own pay until it gives Americans a raise. In the border state with a sizable Latino vote, she also was talking about immigration reform, with a promise of offering people a path toward "earned legalization.''
Obama has headed straight to Wisconsin, which will hold its primary on Tuesday -- an open-voting contest, the kind of contest that Obama likes , a place where all the "Obamacans,'' his word for Republicans supporting him, can sign up for his vaunted "new majority.''
And in Wisconsin this morning, Obama will deliver what his campaign is billing as "a major economic policy address,'' following a tour of the Janesville General Motors Assembly Plant -- in this week when the struggling GM offered all its North American workers a buyout. "He will lay out his comprehensive agenda to restore economic balance and fairness, reclaim the American dream, and create millions of new jobs,'' the campaign promises.
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Clinton, like Giuliani before her, is betting her campaign on some big states. For Giuliani, it was Florida. For Clinton, it is Texas and Ohio on March 4 -- she is campaigning heavily in both states through Friday (and sending husband Bill to Wisconsiin on Valentine's Day).
The Republican Giuliani, who said before Florida's vote on Jan. 29 that the Sunshine State would name the Republican nominee, quit the race when it named Sen. John McCain.
If Clinton starts saying that Texas and Ohio will name the Democratic nominee, start paying attention. And start paying attention, today, to what Clinton and Obama are saying about the one issue which, more than any other, is at the top of voters' minds this year.
Pay attention, too, to the way they say it, and the way they deal with one another, now that everything is on the table. After a lot of talk about experience and leading on "Day One,'' and a lot of talk about hope and change, here comes the beef.
Republican Sen. John McCain, whose credentials as the presumptive Republican nominee were burnished in the Potomac primaries -- while his vulnerability among conservaitves within his party again was exposed -- is dismissing the Democratic rhetoric as "platitudes.''
And the Republican Party is quick to take issue with Obama's claim of support from "Obamacans'' -- suggesting that McCain fares better among Democrats than Obama fares among Republicans. Indeed, that is what makes a potential McCain-Obama matchup so interesting: They could be competing for many of the same voters.
This is what Fox News polling found on this cross-party question, in a Jan. 30-31 survey, which, in the pace of this amazing campaign, already is two weeks behind"
Support for the two among Republicans:
Obama – 10 percent
McCain – 80 percent
Among Democrats:
Obama – 74 percent
McCain – 18 percent
Among all voters:
Obama – 44 percent
McCain – 43 percent
Comments
This is what, the 13th announcement by the media that the upcoming primary states will be "pivotal", "critical", "crucial", "vital", yada yada yada.
First Iowa was supposed to be all-important. Then New Hampshire became make-or-break. South Carolina was termed all-important. Florida then was hyped as vital. Then ...
This kind of media hype is just embarrassing. As well as unreal.
Posted by: Bruce | February 13, 2008 8:58 AM
Wow, Mark actually used a Fox News poll and without any snideness?!?!?!?
Anyway, not to be contrary to Bruce (who normally is right on the mark), these upcoming races for the Queen B are pivotal because she is down, has no momentum and getting very close to being out. Losses in any of the upcoming primiaries, especially the big states of Texas and Ohio will only seal her fate as a loser. So, I don't think I would call it hype.
Posted by: John D | February 13, 2008 9:49 AM
McCain, Clinton are using Obama's message and I might add, at liberty because they see where he can inspire and get people to act. They are shameless, selfish. They are not about the American people but for themselves. Hillary wants to erase the "despicable" acts done by her husband. But, it's too late for that game. You had your turn.
Posted by: broadcast | February 13, 2008 10:48 AM
Granted the Clinton years were good economically, but they were capitalizing on 40 years of technological growth and no recession for at least a decade before. On top of that, Hillary couldn't even manage her political funds when she had them in ridiculous amounts, which should raise a question on how she'll manage them in the nation: http://politicalmaelstrom.blogspot.com/2008/02/if-economy-got-vote.html
Posted by: Jesse | February 13, 2008 11:36 AM
Don't forget about the Michigan and Florida delegates. What happens with those two states will decide this race. And wouldn't it be ironic if wrangling over Florida again serves as the mechanism that "steals" an election from a Democrat hero.
Posted by: JB | February 13, 2008 11:44 AM
HRC is an overly ambitious policy wonk -- she has a tin ear when it comes to the inviolable tenets of retail politix ... the doyle snafu before the texas primary was not smart.
She never touched first base -- eg born in the 48th ward, you'd think she would have had moxie enough to sponsor some sort of dinner for Cook County Democratic Women or done legislation w/Jan Shakowski and had latte with Alderman Mary Ann Smith -- she ignores elected women ... and her homies are in Obama's camp thanks to her neglect.
Posted by: Sonja Foxe | February 13, 2008 12:09 PM
Hoping for Hilary as she is the peoples candidate and not the elitist Moveon.org $150,000 folks and rasicm anti-Gay /women. He has no ideas and Rezko trial begins in Il. 3/3/08
Posted by: Treat | February 13, 2008 12:29 PM
"DEMOCRATIC FRONT RUNNERS SPEAKS"
CAN YOU IMAGINE ME SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON AS PRESIDENT AND HAVING THE "FISA" POWER THAT THE CONGRESS JUST EXTENDED.
CAN YOU IMAGINE A BLACK MAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE WITH THE ABILITY TO EAVESDROP ON ANY AMERICAN WITHOUT A WARRANT, LETS SAY FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH NEXT CORPORATE HALLIBURTON MEETING.
CAN YOU IMAGINE A BLACK MAN AS PRESIDENT WITH THE "EXECUTIVE" AUTHORITY TO OPEN UP AND ORDER ALL OF KARL ROVE'S EMAILS THAT ARE ON THE PRESIDENTIAL SERVERS TO SHOW AMERICA THAT YES, CRIMES WERE COMMITTED.
CAN YOU IMAGINE HILLARY CLINTON AS PRESIDENT WITH THE ABILITY WITH "EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE" ON SIGNING STATEMENTS.
I CAN, AND I CAN'T WAIT SO MADAME SPEAKER, YOU MAY AS WELL ROLL OVER AND GIVE IT UP LIKE THE REST OF CONGRESS DOES, ON THE HILL, ON THE HOUSE FLOOR, IN THE STALLS, AND HALLS OF YOUR CHAMBERS.
CAN AMERICA IMAGINE ALL THE EXECUTIVE UNCONSTITUTIONAL POWERS HANDED DOWN BY THIS ADMINISTRATION OVER TO SENATOR CLINTON OR SENATOR OBAMA.
NOW THAT IS CHANGE AND I'M NOT TALKING 2.79 CENTS EITHER, I'M TALKING 279 DAYS UNTIL ONE WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO SIGN AND EXECUTIVE ORDER TO HAVE THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT RESOLVE IT'S ISSUES WITH THE LAW AND WATERBOARDING!
A BLACK MAN AFTER 230 YEARS LATER WITH THE ABILITY TO "JUST SIGN INTO LAW" HIS WISH FOR ANOTHER MAN.
HMMMMMMMMMMMMM
A WOMAN 1 DAY LATER A.D. WITH THE ABILITY TO SIGN INTO LAW, HER WISH TO HAVE ALL EMAILS RELATING TO 9/11 PUT FORTH TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
JUST THINK WE MIGHT FIND OUT WHO WROTE GEORGE BUSH 9/11 SPEECH SO EARLY IN THE MORNING BEFORE THE 1ST PLANE HIT THE TOWERS.
7AM, 8AM, 9AM 10AM, AFTER, BEFORE, DURING, AND WHO HANDED IT TO HIM THAT MORNING. HMMMMMMMMMMMM
LET THE EAVESDROPPING BEGIN.
Posted by: Roger Morris | February 13, 2008 12:57 PM
Re: Treat
Would you please tell me what the Rezko trial has to do with anything? If someone offered you the opportunity to purchase a lot next to your home, would you not buy it if you could? I'm sure no candidate background checks their contributors. So if that's the path your going down, you need to re-evaluate your options.
Rezko contributed to quite a few politicians. If someone looked, probably even the Clintons since they frequently take donations from special interest groups. And Rezko certainly had his special interests. Himself. Only time will tell what he was up to.
Hillary has more than enough skeletons in her closet and if she's not careful someone will begin to look even closer into her dirty laundry and I'm sure she doesn't want that attention. Not now.
Also, when people speak about change, most of those senators who wanted the Clintons out of office before are still there. I wonder, realistically, how much would change in Washington with another Clinton administration.
Posted by: KDS | February 13, 2008 1:09 PM
This one is an interesting flip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gwqEneBKUs&eurl=http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/11/9435/13800/190/454427
Obama 08
Posted by: andre walker | February 13, 2008 1:54 PM
Don't believe Hilary : Her campaign said they are banking on 3/4:
I thought wow!, Hilary just decided to give away Wisconsin/Hawaii to Obama and choose to concentrate on TX and OH.
Folks, I was wrong. I just read a blog that Hiraly's campaign site in Wisconsin is energized, fired up and ready to go. It's quite a strategy. Clinton campaign is deceiving us and trying to score a surprise win by making us believe that they don't care about Wisconsin and Hawaii. I was sooo stupid to believe that Clinton don't put energy in Wis. I remember thinking it odd.
Yes we (still) can! Wake up Obama supporters. Obama 08
Posted by: Georgee Daniel | February 13, 2008 9:32 PM
obama and mccain ARE competing for the same voters--the swing voters who put reagan and bush II in office. and, folks, if obama is the dem nominee, and if the republicans aren't stupid enough force mccain to pander to the hard right by picking a christian fundamentalist or other ultra-conservative, i.e., if they get a clue and let him choose a moderate conservative, mccain is gonna clean obama's clock....democrats make the same mistake every time...they thought all that antiwar sentiment would put kerry in the white house---no way, jose. those huge anti-iraq-war numbers right now are largely swing voters who are displeased with the handling of the war, but not against the invasion per se. and they are gonna go for mccain if the republican conservatives don't get stupid....
Posted by: elizabeth bennett | February 14, 2008 12:07 AM