The Myths of the Current Clinton Strategy - Reader comments at The New York Sun

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Hillary Clinton's Last Hope

Submitted by Rough Air, Feb 12, 2008 08:27

There are several myths currently being spun by the Clinton campaign in regards to Senator Obama's current winning streak and what it all means. Camp Clinton is working hard to make it appear these wins don't count, and their candidate is simply waiting for the right time to strike.

1) Ohio and Texas mean more - If Senator Obama does well today (a big if), and next week, then he will have won a large proportion of the 577 delegates at stake after Super Tuesday and before Ohio and Texas. Ohio and Texas make up 389 delegates. This is like trading touchdowns for fieldgoals. For the Clinton campaign Ohio and Texas are not a firewall, they are a hail mary!

2) Momentum does not count - When this thing started Senator Clinton was the inevitable candidate. She was supposed to win hands down. Obama won Iowa and changed the landscape, although he did not win New Hampshire, they split the delegates evenly. Clinton won Nevada, but Obama got more delegates. It strikes me that Senator Obama has been riding the momentum after Iowa, and continues to ride it. He was supposed to be put away on Super Tuesday.

3) Senator Clinton just needs to hold out for a few more weeks - By my calculations there are 1726 delegates that are/were at stack after Super Tuesday. Of those there are three states where Senator Clinton could do well, Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. That is 577 delegates, you could add Puerto Rico to this. That leaves about 1150 delegates in states where Senator Obama is likely to do well. If they split these in roughly the same proportion Senator Obama would go into the convention having won roughly 1700 pledged delegates to Senator Clinton's roughly 1270. At that point Senator Clinton would need every Super Delegate to win. If Obama does well today and next week, then the math works against Clinton from this point forward.

4) Red States versus Blue states - This is a silly argument! The myth goes that since Obama did not win California or New York, he can't win them in the general election. His wins in other smaller states are spun as if these states don't matter because they voted Republican! The last time I checked this is a Democratic primary. If he is winning those states he is winning delegates, and I believe that is how you win the nomination.

5) Obama has not been vetted - Another silly argument. This assumes that in the general election voters will simply ignore all of the stuff being thrown at them about Clinton's past. We will here about Whitewater, Travelgate, Monicagate, and Pardongate over and over. Just because the public has heard it before does not mean it won't work again!

Although I still believe this race has a long way to go, I would rather be in Obama's camp at this point versus Clintons. Camp Clinton is faced with some steep challenges going forward, if Obama has a good day today, that mountain of challenges is only going to get steeper!

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Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
Cnn has stepped over the line in its support of the Obama Campaign. Its Political News team with few exceptions... [MORE]	George Spatafore	Feb 13, 2008 09:49
I'm surprised that support of welfare reform and being against pssibly reducing sentences of people convicted on crack sentencing is... [MORE]	KB	Feb 12, 2008 17:26
There are several myths currently being spun by the Clinton campaign in regards to Senator Obama's current winning streak and...	Rough Air	Feb 12, 2008 08:27
There are several myths being spun by the Clinton campaign in an attempt to slow Senator Obama's momentum, and position... [MORE]	Rough Air	Feb 12, 2008 08:01
There are several myths being spun by the Clinton campaign in an attempt to slow Senator Obama's momentum, and position... [MORE]	Rough Air	Feb 12, 2008 08:01
The American people have a chance to elect not "a black man" in 2008 but a person who is the... [MORE]	Rex Range	Feb 11, 2008 23:17
What so many pundits, opinionators, and such have totally missed is that the people (Democrat, Republican, and Indepedants) want a... [MORE]	Jim	Feb 11, 2008 22:55
Anti-war Democrats will be awarding our valuable nomination to the NOT-John McCain, Sen. Obama, rather than the John McCain wannabe',... [MORE]	Terry Michael	Feb 11, 2008 19:57
C'mon, guys. There's something bigger happening here. Obama is being honest about ways to solve the social security problem. He's... [MORE]	Brianr	Feb 11, 2008 19:06
People are tired of the rhetoric, they're tired of politicians that don't answer questions directly, and they're tired of politicians... [MORE]	Unbiased Perspective	Feb 11, 2008 18:51
me and my wife two coservative voters in sw va are voting for obama just to finally put an end... [MORE]	paul gee	Feb 11, 2008 18:34
Hillary Clinton cannot win the Democrat's nomination without cheating: getting the Super Delegates in line with campaign contributions and getting... [MORE]	russ	Feb 11, 2008 18:16
Finally, finally, finally, we have issue based reasoning....no attacks/support/fawning/vilification based on personality or stereotype or classification (race, gender, 'dynasty', etc.). Thank... [MORE]	Chevalier	Feb 11, 2008 17:57
There are even more areas where the two candidates disagree and will be open to fire by the Republican Party... [MORE]	Marilyn Pilch	Feb 11, 2008 17:57
Never Again will I pull the lever for Billary (as I did in '92). Those two characters absolutely represent the... [MORE]	Randy	Feb 11, 2008 17:34
Yeah, and so did Collen Powell. I would side with a former joint chief of staffs over HRC. She's done... [MORE]	seven	Feb 11, 2008 17:05
From your editorial it would appear you are trying to assist Billary in directing her strategy to bring her into... [MORE]	thomas f. dwyer	Feb 11, 2008 16:01
I totally agree that Hillary has to make the American people aware of where Obama stands on the very relevent... [MORE]	Rita Purple	Feb 11, 2008 15:55
As a conservative Republican, I have long been concerned about the strengths of Senator Clinton and the successes of her... [MORE]	Michael	Feb 11, 2008 15:44
Ms. clinton has changed her message 17 times in the past few months...she has zigged and zagged till most have... [MORE]	docb	Feb 11, 2008 15:44
In response to your quote..."On the foreign-policy front, Mr. Obama says he would meet, without preconditions, with the leaders of... [MORE]	Roland Brad	Feb 11, 2008 14:43
The payroll tax increase proposed by Senator Obama is the elimination of the income ceiling, so that all wage earners... [MORE]	Rebecca Swaffield	Feb 11, 2008 14:31
At this point it is becoming relatively clear that Hillary's grasp on the Democratic electorate is fading. She's been getting... [MORE]	Tate Shafer	Feb 12, 2008 13:50
It is not Clinton's campaign manager that is the problem--it is Clinton herself. She should simply fire herself and the... [MORE]	Rockyspoon	Feb 11, 2008 14:05
Hillary not only will lose, but should lose. She had no business running in the first place. The Clintons had... [MORE]	flo jo	Feb 11, 2008 13:52
The old message, verses the fresh message. The nail against the blackboard, verses a welcoming tone. The old woman's harping... [MORE]	Mark Thielke	Feb 11, 2008 12:32
So you're saying that Hillary's last best hope is to cast herself as being in complete agreement with President Bush... [MORE]	Thomas Williams	Feb 11, 2008 12:13
Is it really RIP, Hillary? Is she too astute to cloak herself in a conservative cape? And why is it that... [MORE]	KEN	Feb 11, 2008 12:05
I have to wonder are people voting for obama or just against hillary. [MORE]	Debbie	Feb 11, 2008 11:53
You're actually wrong about Obama's position on taxes. He's only rolling back the Bush tax cuts on the top 1%... [MORE]	Jesse	Feb 11, 2008 11:45
I am a Clinton supporter and I don't mean this comment to be mlicious. Unfortunately, this article is a bluepint... [MORE]	Jovan Ivosevic	Feb 11, 2008 11:32
Finally, some facts, some substance. Why can't we get our news networks to provide this same substance to the public.... [MORE]	C. Wilson	Feb 11, 2008 11:14
Her last "hope" is to get a cabinet post in the Obama administration. [MORE]	David B.	Feb 11, 2008 11:14
You are severely misguided when you say that Hillary's vote on Iran was a good thing, or that her hawkish... [MORE]	Kyle	Feb 11, 2008 10:39
Senator Obama did NOT vote against the Kyle-Lieberman amendment, he did NOT VOTE on that bill. He later said he... [MORE]	patrick sibilia	Feb 11, 2008 10:15
Senator Obama is well aware of the enemies we have, he simply believes that military force should be a last... [MORE]	Rebecca	Feb 11, 2008 10:13
Too bad they can't just change the candidate..... to one with an actual personality. 'Lurleen" Clinton would not even be... [MORE]	Otis	Feb 11, 2008 09:59
If Obama should win, he will be beat linto the ground on the very issues you describe in this piece. He... [MORE]	Lynne DeBoth	Feb 11, 2008 09:51
Barack sweeps as Hillary weeps! [MORE]	Warren Hughes Ret.	Feb 11, 2008 09:48
Senator Clinton needs a personaltiy change. Policy differences are not going to make the difference in this nomination process. It... [MORE]	ANN ALLEN	Feb 11, 2008 09:41
The NY Sun continues to carry water for Hillary Clinton despite her poor record on Israeli issues. She invited Arafat... [MORE]	anonymous	Feb 11, 2008 09:31
The differences you advocate do not poll well within the democratic party, that is why she is not making them.... [MORE]	Liberal	Feb 11, 2008 09:14
The thrust of this editorial appears to be that Barack Obama will return American foreign policy to the wilderness of... [MORE]	Paul Walker	Feb 11, 2008 09:14
I agree their are differences but we need changes. Mrs Clinton is experienced with many years as a Senator. Her... [MORE]	Don Vaillancourt	Feb 11, 2008 08:51
How do you ask Hillary to sharpen her contrast while, she also is an Obama's Fan. Obama is a magnet,... [MORE]	alex	Feb 11, 2008 08:48
I agree with the substance of your article. I'm a Hilary Clinton supporter, and seem to be one of the... [MORE]	Sara Oppenheim, PhD	Feb 11, 2008 08:38
The editorial states that Senator Obama has pledged a payroll tax increase which is not true. He said he was... [MORE]	Terry	Feb 11, 2008 08:34
You are endorsing her and being but that is fine.The Obama freight train is moving full steam ahead and you... [MORE]	Philippa	Feb 11, 2008 08:30
Somebody... please forward this to the new campaign manager ASAP. [MORE]	Jim Morelli	Feb 11, 2008 08:19
I agree with you points and I hope Hillary Clinton and her team can make it until the finish line.... [MORE]	ronald	Feb 11, 2008 08:11
"Another distinction is Mrs. Clinton's vote empowering President Bush to impose tougher sanctions on Iran, including... [MORE]	Gary Mialocq	Feb 11, 2008 07:48