by Frank James
Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign has a message for Sen. Barack Obama: It's not over just because he, the entire press corps, much of the political establishment and millions of American voters say it is.
Here's a brief memo from the campaign:
To: Interested Parties
From: Howard Wolfson, Communications Director
Date: Monday, May 19, 2008
Re: Mission Accomplished? Not so fast.
Senator Obama's plan to declare himself the Democratic nominee tomorrow night in Iowa (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10184.html) is a slap in the face to the millions of voters in the remaining primary states and to Senator Clinton's 17 million supporters.
There is no scenario under the rules of the Democratic National Committee by which Senator Obama will be able to claim the nomination tomorrow night. He will not have 2210 delegates, the number needed with Florida and Michigan included in the process, nor will he have 2025 delegates, the number needed to secure the nomination without Florida and Michigan.
Premature victory laps and false declarations of victory are unwarranted. Declaring mission accomplished does not make it so.
While Senator Obama inaccurately declares himself the nominee, Senator Clinton will continue to work hard, campaigning for every vote in the upcoming states and making the case that she will be the best nominee to take on John McCain and be our next President.
Irony of ironies: The campaign that once used the inevitability of its candidate's nomination as a strategy now tells the campaign whose candidate appears inevitable to just hold on one cotton pickin' minute. You can't script this kind of stuff.







Comments
It's not over. But it's pretty close to being!!! Hillary voters need to come to grips with supporting Barack Obama and the Democratic party. They are not that far apart on the issues. Remember that!!!
Posted by: Anton Chigurh | May 19, 2008 1:38 PM
Well--she is inevitable--if Democrats want to win.
If they want to fall for the prolonged campaign season narrative designed ONLY to extract more Obamabucks for the corporate media--then go on and think he's the one.
He ain't.
Democrats don't want to see McSame installed again.
Or do we?
Posted by: J Edgar Hoover | May 19, 2008 1:39 PM
That's right, fight amongst yourselves.
Posted by: Jeff | May 19, 2008 1:44 PM
No kidding, this is hilarious stuff. My favorite is the whole wrapping themselves in the DNC rules thing.
Like they cared a hoot about DNC rules when they propagated the "disenfranchised voters" idea about Michigan and Florida".
And in the same e-mail that they talk about DNC delegate rules, they attempt to blur those rules by presenting the correct delegate threshold and the one they've made up side by side as though they were both equally correct and legitimate.
Borders is gonna need a whole section for all the books this campaign will fill.
Posted by: Fontapa | May 19, 2008 1:56 PM
I came to grips a long time ago.
# 1. The Democratic Party has treated Hillary who is definitely the most qualified candidate very shabbily. I quit the party and became an Independent.
# 2. Obama is the least qualified candidate in the race, therefore I for one will not vote for him under any circumstance should he become the
Democratic nominee. I will trust Mc
Cain as President with a Democratic congress to balance. A total sweep for the Dem's would be another disaster.
d
Posted by: Mary Holzer` | May 19, 2008 2:11 PM
Whatever Billary.....anything you have to say doesn't matter that much anymore anyway.
Posted by: not Hoover | May 19, 2008 2:19 PM
I haven't seen any premature victory laps.
Posted by: Cheryl | May 19, 2008 2:20 PM
1. The Democratic Party has treated Hillary who is definitely the most qualified candidate very shabbily. I quit the party and became an Independent
Posted by: Mary Holzer` | May 19, 2008 2:11 PM
Don't let the door hit you in the backside on your way out and make sure you enjoy your 100 years in Iraq, your bomb bomb Iran and your full blown economic depression that will come with your selfish delusion.
Buh Bye!
Posted by: Amber Lynn | May 19, 2008 2:25 PM
We know, Senator Clinton, you're going to the convention, because you need the money. Apparently, maintaining that 100 Million Dollars kitty, is more important than closing ranks and getting behind Senator Obama ! Well, that is her prerogative, I wish her the best of luck !! Senator Obama in our White House, as President Obama, in 2009 !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | May 19, 2008 2:42 PM
Obama does not have the right to claim victory until he has over 2025 or 2210 delegates. To do so before hand is in poor form. I trust his campaign will reconsider. Wait until after the last primaries, it's just a few weeks away.
Posted by: Ryan Healey | May 19, 2008 2:42 PM
TO AMBER LYNN -
Make that bed up soft cause you will be sleeping in it for a long time.
Posted by: Mary Holzer | May 19, 2008 3:23 PM
Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign has a message for Sen. Barack Obama: It's not over just because he, the entire press corps, much of the political establishment and millions of American voters say it is.
She doesnt care about anything but that old, broke, defeated campaign! I think I am going to enjoy watching her go more than Mc-CANE.
Posted by: Keith Lifetime Southsider | May 19, 2008 3:27 PM
Premature shows of bravada and victory may come back to haunt the declarer of "mission accomplished" as is the case with Bush and his aircraft carrier escapade. Let's be patient and wait for the undisputed outcome; then, HIllary and others can never fault the DNC, Dems or Obama of "jumping the gun."
Posted by: the truth | May 19, 2008 3:35 PM
I quit the party and became an Independent
Posted by: Mary Holzer` | May 19, 2008 2:11 PM
What is your parties candidate platform?
Posted by: bill "Hussein" r. | May 19, 2008 3:47 PM
TO AMBER LYNN -
Make that bed up soft cause you will be sleeping in it for a long time.
Posted by: Mary Holzer | May 19, 2008 3:23 PM
TO MARY HOLZER,
I know it and it will all be because of people like you who can't handle the fact that Hillary LOST! It's not Obama's fault, it's Hillary's, she ran a terrible campaign and she lost her integrity along the way.
I don't vote for people based on the color of their skin or their gender, I listen to what they have say about the issues and I don't like Hillary's message..
Posted by: Amber Lynn | May 19, 2008 4:01 PM
I want Hillary to stay in this race all the way to the end.
I don't want there to be any doubt that she lost and I don't want to hear her and her cheerleaders crying all summer long.
Posted by: John E | May 19, 2008 4:05 PM
Let's put aside the race for President for just a moment. I am just wondering, if the Tribune did a poll over the next few weeks with the question"Would you vote for Barrack Obama for re-election as Senator from Illinois?" what the numbers would show?
Posted by: notjmariotti | May 19, 2008 5:24 PM
What other candidate would be given so much bowing down to and "consideration" as HRC? NONE! Is the political establishment so damn afraid of the collection of aging feminist Boomer biddies she has supporting her - or do the clintons have that much dirt on that many in the political establishment?
Posted by: Wolfgang | May 19, 2008 5:32 PM
Bill Hussein If you read and are able to understand my post perhaps you would see that I am saying that a centrist Republican John McCain as President and undoubtedly a predominately liberal congress will be a balance of power that would result in a successful administration much like that of President Clinton. Who in case you don't know presided over the most successful 8 years in recent American history as a Democratic President with a Republican congress.
Posted by: Mary Holzer | May 19, 2008 6:46 PM
I guess you don't like my comments as they are not being accepted. I wish you would have because you deny me the right to answer comments from posters in relation to my comments.
Well, so much for the SWAMP. Gag the people you are afraid of.
I wonder if this will get through.
Posted by: Mary Holzer | May 19, 2008 6:59 PM
Mary Holzer:Since you're so much behind Hillary, why don't you explain to us why she told that BOLD FACED LIE about ducking sniper fire, then when she got caught, she just expected us to FORGET the whole thing!!! Also, she was on Jay Leno JOKING about being late "BECAUSE I HAD TO DUCK SNIPER FIRE"!!! If THAT'S the kind of president you want ,KNOCK YOURSELF OUT!!!!
Posted by: Mary in Ft. Madison | May 19, 2008 7:38 PM
You must be a supporter of Senator Clinton, they want to forget this primary !! That's alright, though, you go ahead with your fantasy, I'll see you at the convention !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | May 19, 2008 7:40 PM
Comments like thes efrom camp obama illustrate why, even if he and michelle are not indicted with the rezko crap--that they cannot and must not be the candidates.
This lack of maturity is striking.
Why hate the clintons so much?
Posted by: The Peace? The prosperity? | May 20, 2008 8:22 AM