Clinton On The "Anchors Of The Electoral Map"

Hillary Clinton on Saturday reinforced her campaign's talking point that she was a stronger candidate because she had won Ohio and Florida, crucial "anchors of the electoral map" in the general election, in her words. But she hedged when a reporter asked her to explain why her primary victories would preclude an Obama victory in those same states in the fall. Watch the full exchange below:

Reporter: Your campaign has made a big argument that you have won in the big swing states and this makes you a more viable candidate in the general election. Could you just explain that logic because if Obama lost in Ohio that doesn't necessarily mean he will lose in a general election As well Al Gore and John Kerry both won Pennsylvania in a general election. So could you just explain that argument?

Comments

[RichLiberal]

02:26 PM on 03/17/2008

Electoral votes win Presidential elections, that's why the big states are important.
The states Hillary has already won account for 263 of the 270 electoral votes she
will need to win the Presidency. Pennsylvania will bring her over the top and in total when the primaries are over she will have won 300-325 electoral votes.

It is only the screwed up DNC process that causes the Dem primary to distort things
such that a voter in Idaho who casts one vote ends up being the equivalent of 10 voters in New York or California. Basically Obama has snitched an extra 150 pledged delegates using this method which accounts for his "surprising lead" given how close the overall popular vote, which Hillary will probably end up winning has been.

In any event, at this point there are not enough pledged delegates left (556), so that even if Obama won every last won of them, he would only have 1975 total, not enough to get the 2025 needed to win the nomination. More likely he will get half of those giving him about 1695 total. That means he will need 330 superdelegates to win.

So, this race is now for super-delegates, who since they can vote however they want, and can change their minds at any time as some of the black Congressmen have done when strong-armed by the Obama Jesse Jackson Jr brigades. They can also change their vote back again.

THE COMMITMENT OF A SUPER-DELEGATE IS NOT BINDING. THE ONLY THING THAT COUNTS IS THEIR FINAL VOTE.

As a result, by definition, according to the rules, this must now go to the Convention, because neither candidate can get the 2025 without the SuperDelegates.

Now, the remaining primaries are important, and the more votes Hillary gets, the more influence she will have in winning the Super-Delegates.

But that is not going to be enough. Because of the strong-arm tactics the Obama people have been using, Hillary's people must counter with the same.

Therefore, all Hillary supporters, especially those in states that Hillary has won, must take action to help their candidate. The action I suggest is to call your Congressman super-delegate and if that delegate has indicated they are voting for Obama and your district/state has gone for Hillary, you must tell that Congressman to vote for Hillary.

There are those like Nancy Pelosi and Ted Kennedy who have already made their minds up in opposition to their contstituents. They must be warned, just as JJJr warned Obama's delegates, that they will face opposition in the upcoming Democratic primary by candidates who WILL vote for what their constituents want. With Nancy Pelosi, this should probably start right now since she clearly is not intending to change her mind and is going to use her significant power as Speaker of the House in opposition to the wishes of the California voters.

Finally, if you need a "reason", try this one. The economy is in a real bad mess and getting worse. Not unlike the situation when the Clintons came to office in 1992. From 1992-2000 the Clintons turned us from a half trillion dollar deficit to a half trillion dollar surplus and gave us the strongest period of economic growth in American history. It was no accidenct because they ran on the original campaign slogan: "It's the economy, Stupid! ".

In addition, they gave us 22.7 million new jobs to the economy, most of which are still here today replacing people who would otherwise be unemployed. This 22.7 million jobs was after any NAFTA losses were taken into account, which basically shows the emptiness of Obama's NAFTA campaign theme, which turned out to be a lie anyway, as testified by the Canadian Diplomats who recorded Obama's senior economic advisors comments to them.

Remember, Obama has been strong-arming the black super-delegates by threatening them with opposition in the next election. That's democracy and that's politics. It's time for Hillary's people to step up and do the same thing and demand any SuperDelegate who is from a state that voted for Hillary to cast their super-delegate vote for Hillary or face the prospect of a home-grown opponent in the Fall Democratic primary for Congress.

[RButler]

08:26 PM on 03/17/2008

Thank you, RichLibera. I did that math on the Idaho caucus vs. the California primary to get the 1 to 10 discrepancy. I can't believe that all the talking heads who have spent countless hours yapping have never even discussed that difference and it should be taken it account by the superdelegates as well as Hillary winning the big states. THE RULES ARE THAT THE SUPERDELEGATES CAN OVERRULE THE POPULAR VOTE OR THE PLEDGED DELEGATE PLURALITY despite all the bitching and threats by the Obama supporters and the pundits.

[realpolitic]

12:57 PM on 03/18/2008

Are you a rich, limosine liberal? I have never met one, but am honored.

[fullkelly]

02:26 PM on 03/17/2008

read all the polls showing that the Hillary Clinton supporters have hardened against voting for Obama. Obama has gotten the lions share of the young first time voters. Hillary has the old voters and she doesn't need the newcomers nearly as much as Obama would need Hillary's old voters. Besides all that obama will not win with states like Idaho, Kansas, ETC.ETC. ETC. which will not vote democratic in the general election. It doesn't take a rocket science to realize Obama has won empty ballote boxes in red states and he can't win without the big states who went for Clinton and now will not go for Obama--WE HAVE HARDENED AGAINST VOTING FOR OBAMA>

[RichLiberal]

02:23 PM on 03/17/2008

Electoral votes win Presidential elections, that's why the big states are important.
The states Hillary has already won account for 263 of the 270 electoral votes she
will need to win the Presidency. Pennsylvania will bring her over the top and in total
when the primaries are over she will have won 300-325 electoral votes.

It is only the screwed up DNC process that causes the Dem primary to distort things
such that a voter in Idaho who casts one vote ends up being the equivalent of 10 voters
in New York or California. Basically Obama has snitched an extra 150 pledged delegates
using this method which accounts for his "surprising lead" given how close the overall
popular vote, which Hillary will probably end up winning has been.

In any event, at this point there are not enough pledged delegates left (556), so that even
if Obama won every last won of them, he would only have 1975 total, not enough to get
the 2025 needed to win the nomination. More likely he will get half of those giving him
about 1695 total. That means he will need 330 superdelegates to win.

So, this race is now for super-delegates, who since they can vote however they want,
and can change their minds at any time as some of the black Congressmen have done
when strong-armed by the Obama Jesse Jackson Jr brigades. They can also change their
vote back again.

THE COMMITMENT OF A SUPER-DELEGATE IS NOT BINDING. THE ONLY THING THAT COUNTS IS THEIR FINAL VOTE.

As a result, by definition, according to the rules, this must now go to the Convention, because neither candidate can get the 2025 without the SuperDelegates.

Now, the remaining primaries are important, and the more votes Hillary gets, the more influence she will have in winning the Super-Delegates.

But that is not going to be enough. Because of the strong-arm tactics the Obama people have been using, Hillary's people must counter with the same.

Therefore, all Hillary supporters, especially those in states that Hillary has won, must take action to help their candidate. The action I suggest is to call your Congressman super-delegate and if that delegate has indicated they are voting for Obama and your district/state has gone for Hillary, you must tell that Congressman to vote for Hillary.

There are those like Nancy Pelosi and Ted Kennedy who have already made their minds up in opposition to their contstituents. They must be warned, just as JJJr warned Obama's delegates, that they will face opposition in the upcoming Democratic primary by candidates who WILL vote for what their constituents want. With Nancy Pelosi, this should probably start right now since she clearly is not intending to change her mind and is going to use her significant power as Speaker of the House in opposition to the wishes of the California voters.

Finally, if you need a "reason", try this one. The economy is in a real bad mess and getting worse. Not unlike the situation when the Clintons came to office in 1992. From 1992-2000 the Clintons turned us from a half trillion dollar deficit to a half trillion dollar surplus and gave us the strongest period of economic growth in American history. It was no accidenct because they ran on the original campaign slogan: "It's the economy, Stupid! ".

In addition, they gave us 22.7 million new jobs to the economy, most of which are still here today replacing people who would otherwise be unemployed. This 22.7 million jobs was after any NAFTA losses were taken into account, which basically shows the emptiness of Obama's NAFTA campaign theme, which turned out to be a lie anyway, as testified by the Canadian Diplomats who recorded Obama's senior economic advisors comments to them.

Remember, Obama has been strong-arming the black super-delegates by threatening them with opposition in the next election. That's democracy and that's politics. It's time for Hillary's people to step up and do the same thing and demand any SuperDelegate who is from a state that voted for Hillary to cast their super-delegate vote for Hillary or face the prospect of a home-grown opponent in the Fall Democratic primary for Congress.

[changeisontheway]

02:07 PM on 03/17/2008

More clinton double-speak. I believe what comes out of her mouth almost as much as I believe that which comes from the bush admin.

[sjl106]

02:07 PM on 03/17/2008

If anyone looks at the exit polls in the states Hillary won, in many of them you will know why obama will not win. It isn't rocket science folks, and now for sure after obama and his involvement in his racist church.

http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/3/17/3623/12487

[mpflinn]

02:00 PM on 03/17/2008

I find it sad that a candidate claims as her anchor a win in an uncontested contest, i.e. Florida.

[lincat]

01:36 PM on 03/17/2008

Hillary you haven't won florida yet.How come everybody else knows that but you.

[USAdaughter]

02:09 PM on 03/17/2008

Did you see how the guy standing behind her right shoulder looked up at her when she said she had won Florida?? Even her own staff seems to know it's not true...lol!

[RButler]

08:36 PM on 03/17/2008

She DID win Florida. The problem is those delegates can't be seated as of now but SHE DID WIN FLORIDA just like the sun came today.

[robertell]

01:25 PM on 03/17/2008

I find it quite odd that, given that the bible calls for one to be stoned to death for adultery, Bill Clinton has not been stoned yet.
And I don’t mean "I didn't inhale" stoned.

It seems odd to me that woman support this guy. As to Hillary, wow, this explains the no dignity thing.
Standing by your man is cool, but what if he's been pissing on you for 35 years? What kind of judgment is that? The man, as far as I can tell, is a serial rapist. and yet.....

[riverhouse]

01:17 PM on 03/17/2008

Democrats will carry those states with Obama. What the Democrats won't carry with Hillary are the red states that have come out so enthusiastically with independents and moderate Republicans to vote for Obama. She simply can't win either the nomination or the general election. The GOP is coming out in droves - tens of thousands of them - to vote in open primaries for HIllary because they know she's the weaker camdidate against McCain. Really, McCain vs Hillary is an offering of like minded intemperate chest thumping war mongers owned by special interesta and lobbyists.

[Nic]

01:12 PM on 03/17/2008

Because too many people will hold their nose and vote for McCain.

[bellecloche]

12:58 PM on 03/17/2008

Following your logic, Senator Clinton, I think the Democrats should campaign ONLY in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida every election year from now on. The Missouri Democratic Party? The South Carolina Democrats? Screw 'em, it's their fault for living in unimportant states.

[Progress08]

12:47 PM on 03/17/2008

Ha. She won the big dem states that any dem will win in the general. Ohio is going to vote dem anyway and Texas??? Texass has been so f'n gerrymandered by DeLay that it will be Republican no matter what.

[dibby]

01:21 PM on 03/17/2008

Actually, Kerry lost in 04 because he could not take ohio. Ohio and Florida are critical, period.

[in4success]

02:24 PM on 03/17/2008

florida will NEVER go dem in a general election -- that state's wired for sound.

al gore received -15,000 votes in one precinct. the DIEBOLDS are rigged like a newark slot machine.

besides . . . you really think they won't roll the dems off the lists again?

this primary and the general will be decided by the supreme court. democracy is an illusion.

[yeltom]

01:52 PM on 03/17/2008

Gerrymandering only affects Congressional races, silly.

[Texas4Obama]

12:35 PM on 03/17/2008

Here's an update on the Peter Paul vs. Clintons lawsuit:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=56868

Looks like some of the media is finally starting to report on this story.

The hearing to set the date of the trial is TODAY!

[realpolitic]

01:02 PM on 03/18/2008

Thanks for telling me. I could not sleep without knowing the status of that lawsuit. Please keep us informed with every development. Do you know what the lawyers are eating for lunch?

[DoAsISay]

11:57 AM on 03/17/2008

What was the reporter thinking? Picking on Hillary again? Asking her tough questions? So Sad!

[gypsy508]

11:19 AM on 03/17/2008

Zogby International's new polls:

American would rather McCain answer the phone at 3 a.m. over Hillary by 55 to 37 (and Obama 56-35). Hey, she raised the question. Turns out it is a softball for John.

Their other poll:

IMcCain 45, Clinton 39, Nader 6 percent.

McCain 44, Obama 39,and Nader 5 percent.

Don't blame Nader though, Clinton only wins 75% of Democrats and Obama 67% (McCain taking 19%)

Nader's support is quite split among independents, left progressives and conservative libertarians.