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Clinton's Supporters Question Her Strategy
Washington Post ^ | January 5, 2008 | By Anne E. Kornblut, Jonathan Weisman and Paul Kane

Posted on 01/05/2008 12:41:21 AM PST by JohnHuang2

MANCHESTER, N.H., Jan. 4 -- After an unexpectedly thorough defeat in Iowa, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton faced a barrage of second-guessing Friday from supporters worried that her campaign strategy could cost her the Democratic nomination.

In a flurry of conference calls throughout the day, described by several participants, anxious Clinton advisers agreed to stick to her original message -- that only the former first lady has the experience to bring about change. And while they decided to increase the pressure on Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) here, campaign officials were debating how hard to hit him on his experience level in the few short days until the New Hampshire primary.

So far, no senior Clinton advisers have been ousted for failing to produce a victory in Iowa, despite their spending many months and millions of dollars there only to see the candidate's status as the Democratic front-runner vanish. But supporters outside the campaign were quick to question Mark Penn, the chief strategist, whose polling data suggested she could win in Iowa; Patti Solis Doyle, the campaign manager, who moved to Iowa to try to eke out a win; and an inner circle of operatives whose "inevitability" strategy failed to blunt the message of "change" that swept Obama into first place Thursday night.

As Clinton flew from Iowa to New Hampshire, her supporters were divided over how she should handle the early defeat. Paul Begala, a campaign strategist for her husband and a Hillary Clinton supporter, said she could take one of two approaches: explain away Iowa by dismissing it as unfamiliar territory, diminishing its odd caucus system and portraying it as Obama's neighboring state; or accept responsibility for the loss, saying, " 'I've been knocked on my rear end. It's not fun, but the view from the canvas can be

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: crazylady; hillary; ia2008; nh2008; stophillary
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1 posted on 01/05/2008 12:41:22 AM PST by JohnHuang2
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To: JohnHuang2
The wheels are coming off the bus, and it’s hurtling over the cliff.

Even Bubba and Chelsea can't save her now.

2 posted on 01/05/2008 12:48:00 AM PST by Deo volente
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To: JohnHuang2

Whistling past the graveyard.


3 posted on 01/05/2008 12:49:50 AM PST by Ratblaster (HILLARY 08 Bring Back the Crooked Hillbillies)
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To: Deo volente

It was thrilling to see her defeated in Iowa. But it’s still extremely depressing to think that roughly 29 percent of the Democrat participants in Iowa went out on a cold night just so they could sit in a room for 2 hours and express their support for another 4 or 8 years of rampant corruption in our nation’s highest office. The people who vote for Hillary are terribly uninformed or maybe they’re just as corrupt and evil as she is.


4 posted on 01/05/2008 1:33:28 AM PST by billclintonwillrotinhell
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To: billclintonwillrotinhell

If anyone remembers way back when, she wasn’t even going to go to Iowa. Her problem will be losing NH and then a Southern state.

On the flip side, she already has the major states with the big delegates sewn up so this to her is more of how to handle what the media is saying.

Either way, if she doesn’t win the nomination, she will steal it at a brokered convention.


5 posted on 01/05/2008 1:43:02 AM PST by EQAndyBuzz (Hunter Thompson in 08.)
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To: JohnHuang2
I believe that Obama is actually a weaker candidate for the Democrats than Hillary would be.

What I find amusing is that if it turns out to be Obama and he loses badly to whoever the Republican will be, then the blame can be traced back to Kerry.

Because back during the last election the media was closing in on Kerry about the lack of black people involved in his would be administration and he quickly pointed a finger to Obama and said he is the future for blacks (while Kerry was saying he wanted to be the second black president after Clinton lol).

Since then Obama has had presidential buzz that he has skillfully (to his credit) navigated to where he is today.

It is funny and ironic that Kerry finally did himself in for good while crapping on our troops (yet again) and at the same time had laid the foundation for the next Democrat defeat for president.

Does anything good ever come out of Massachusetts?

6 posted on 01/05/2008 1:52:05 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper (ETERNAL SHAME on the Treasonous and Immoral Democrats!)
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To: JohnHuang2
And while they decided to increase the pressure on Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) here, campaign officials were debating how hard to hit him on his experience level in the few short days until the New Hampshire primary.

Comment:

How hard to hit Obama...sounds like Mafioso speak....

Osama Obama better hire a food taster, put on extra body guards for his family, bullet proof his limo, stay out of moon-roofs, buy a bomb sniffing dog and order several Kevalar suits.

The Clinton's don’t take kindly to losing...anything.... least a nomination or election they feel they can steal.

Osama Obama is a fixin to find out just what an Arkancide Jihad feels like from up close and personal.

7 posted on 01/05/2008 2:02:50 AM PST by OKIEDOC (Kalifornia, a red state wannabe. I don't take Ex Lax I just read the New York Times.)
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To: JohnHuang2
...accept responsibility for the loss, saying, "'I've been knocked on my rear end. It's not fun, but the view from the canvas can be instructional.'"

Would Hillary say something like that? It sounds more like W, who for some reasons seems to like taking blame whether it's justified or not.

8 posted on 01/05/2008 2:03:01 AM PST by paudio (Rose: I loath and despise money! Father: You also spend it!)
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To: EQAndyBuzz
"...if she doesn’t win the nomination, she will steal it at a brokered convention"

I'm afraid you are 100% correct on this.


9 posted on 01/05/2008 2:03:09 AM PST by Iron Munro (Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself.)
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They need to fire the candidate.


10 posted on 01/05/2008 2:07:47 AM PST by D-fendr (Deus non alligatur sacramentis sed nos alligamur.)
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To: D-fendr
One lawmaker, Rep. Diane Watson of Los Angeles, said her constituents paid little to attention to Iowa. "All anybody out here is talking about is Britney Spears," Watson said....

There you have it. The Dems' contempt for their black voting base in a nutshell.

11 posted on 01/05/2008 2:28:36 AM PST by Timeout (I hate MediaCrats! ......and trial lawyers.)
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To: JohnHuang2
After an unexpectedly thorough defeat in Iowa, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton faced a barrage of second-guessing Friday from supporters worried that her campaign strategy could cost her the Democratic nomination them their gravy train.

There, fixed it.

12 posted on 01/05/2008 2:38:17 AM PST by AlaskaErik (I served and protected my country for 31 years. Democrats spent that time trying to destroy it.)
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To: JohnHuang2

Camp Clinton is about to get medieval on Obama’s ass.

Watch for some major drug use/sales scandal.


13 posted on 01/05/2008 3:01:18 AM PST by samtheman (Fred Thompson '08)
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To: billclintonwillrotinhell

These empty-life Hill-Bots think they will profit from it. Plain and simple.
THe Charlatan Campaign is being seen for what it is, the Acme of Incompetency and Elitism. Most don’t want anything to do with the Witch.


14 posted on 01/05/2008 3:15:08 AM PST by Shady (The Fairness Doctrine is ANYTHING but fair!!!!)
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To: billclintonwillrotinhell; Scythian
It was thrilling to see her defeated in Iowa. But it’s still extremely depressing to think that roughly 29 percent of the Democrat participants in Iowa went out on a cold night just so they could sit in a room for 2 hours and express their support for another 4 or 8 years of rampant corruption in our nation’s highest office. The people who vote for Hillary are terribly uninformed or maybe they’re just as corrupt and evil as she is.

I saw a disturbing post yesterday by Scythian that stuck with me. Mostly because it plucked at fears I don't like to acknowledge. Allow me to paraphrase:

***

"This country has tilted so far to the left it no longer resembles the nation we grew up in. The Republican party is now the Democrat party of our youth: Big government and socialist. The Democrat party is tilted so far to the left that they have literally become dangerous."

***

As "definable" conservatives, we represent perhaps 25% to 35% of the population at most. The rest is a amalgam of moderates and socialists with perhaps some elements of the former Republican party thrown in.

Our political role has been to hold fast to our values, the same upon which this nation is founded, and that which the left seeks to destroy by attrition, tyranny and open treason.

The moderates seek to compromise those values. Their actions have gradually worn away at the Constitutional freedoms we have enjoyed growing up with. They have done damage to the extent that many of us fear for the future freedom of our children. Domestic policy appears more and more to be dictated by the tyrannical socialists at the UN rather than by the American people.

I hate to be a pessimist, but I think we do a disservice to ourselves and our children not to recognize what we are up against.

On that note, I'm open and willing to do what we need to do to change this nation's direction in order to preserve it's future for our children. If it was just for me, I wouldn't be bothering. I guess that's what makes the struggle different for conservatives. Our reasons for being here for most of us are "Not about me", but for others we care for.

Here's to hoping that regardless of where Hillary puts the deck chairs, her ship sinks with all hands.

On that note, looks like a great day for football. God Bless America! ; )

15 posted on 01/05/2008 3:37:12 AM PST by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: potlatch; PhilDragoo; ntnychik; MeekOneGOP; Seadog Bytes; Iron Munro

16 posted on 01/05/2008 3:39:51 AM PST by devolve (---- - Hey Boone! - My bonus check is late again! -)
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To: JohnHuang2
In a flurry of conference calls throughout the day, described by several participants, anxious Clinton advisers agreed to stick to her original message -- that only the former first lady has the experience to bring about change.

IMO, there is not a whole lot of difference in experience between Hillary and Obama. They are Senators. The first lady does not have the gravitas associated with experience. There is a difference between actually being first violin and sitting in the audience. Just because Hillary had a great view and access to the President during Bill's eight years, I do not see the connection between her eye witness to history and experience making Presidential decisions; maybe input to decisions. She is not doing very well now that she is in the pilot's seat, except maybe instilling doubts in the hearts of voters. The focus group approach is not working in this situation; there is no consistency and no confidence.

17 posted on 01/05/2008 4:06:22 AM PST by olezip
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To: Caipirabob

“On that note, I’m open and willing to do what we need to do to change this nation’s direction in order to preserve it’s future for our children. If it was just for me, I wouldn’t be bothering. I guess that’s what makes the struggle different for conservatives. Our reasons for being here for most of us are “Not about me”, but for others we care for.”

That is exactly why I’m here. For my 18 yo daughter, my young nieces and nephews that are in the public school system and my mom. I’m worried for my family being able to make it in a country ran by our current crop of Democrats.

Back to Hillary, I just read on tmz.com that she’s going to listen to her handlers and start dressing more feminine.

http://www.tmz.com/category/prez-election-2008/

LOL


18 posted on 01/05/2008 4:20:52 AM PST by CaliGirl-R
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To: CaliGirl-R
Here's some good news your way - Hillary Booed at NH Democratic Party Dinner (On Drudge)
19 posted on 01/05/2008 4:22:53 AM PST by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

“Does anything good ever come out of Massachusetts?”

Yes. I-95 south.


20 posted on 01/05/2008 4:25:26 AM PST by gate2wire
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