Clinton Camp: It's A Miracle We're Not Behind In Pennsylvania

If you were operating off of the tone of Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign it's a downright political miracle that the she isn't trailing Barack Obama by 20 points in the current Pennsylvania polls.

In a Wednesday conference call with reporters, aides to the New York Democrat offered a heaping dose of expectations-setting roughly two weeks before Pennsylvanians hit the polls.

"The fact that we still maintain a lead after Sen. Obama spent six days here and got the backing of [Pennsylvania] Sen. [Bob] Casey, and in light of being outspent, I think it is remarkable that we still maintain a lead," said T.J. Rooney, the state's Democratic Party chairman. "We don't think we have any weaknesses in this state. It has been said before and it bears repeating: we are being outspent financially."

And indeed, Obama is pouring massive resources into the state. Estimates have him outspending Clinton by a margin of three-to-one in Pennsylvania, and his campaign has been flooding the airwaves with advertisements. With these advantages, Clinton's aides say, its remarkable that Clinton is even hanging on.

"If Senator Obama is not able to win Pennsylvania with all the resources he has thrown at the state... it will again demonstrate that he has serious problems winning the large states and closing the deal with voters," said Clinton's spokesman Howard Wolfson. "We all now that the road to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue runs through Pennsylvania. If Sen. Obama, outspending us three to one in the state, is unable to win Pennsylvania it would be another sign that his campaign is not the best to face Sen. McCain in the fall."

The reality, of course, is much more nuanced. For weeks Clinton supporters have been predicting her victory in the state, some by double-digit margins. As recently as yesterday, a poll had the Senator besting Obama by 16 points, although that could be an outlier; the distance between the two candidates has narrowed sharply. And Pennsylvania's political landscape - with more blue collar white voters - and its primary structure - which is limited to only Democrats - lend itself more favorably to Clinton's candidacy.

That said, Obama has devoted myriad resources to besting Clinton in the Keystone State, in what would perhaps be a knockout win. As Wolfson told the reporters, referencing to the 37-point score Obama recently rolled at a bowling alley: "He has been willing even to put his bowling skills on display in an effort to do well here."

Comments

[bish66]

Obama constantly outraises her, since he lost New Hampshire. New Hampshire was his turning point, because since then, money keeps pouring in. It still pours in in an amazing amount. Since most of the money is not usable in the General Election (while more than $25m of Clinton's donations is only for the General Election), Obama spends money like crazy, running TV ads in all the remaining states, plastering the countryside and all available billboards.

She is outspent 3-1 or even better and while her campaign is short on cash, she still manages to stay compatitive. That really is a miracle, considering that every Obama sneeze is TV news while even superdelegate endorsements for Clinton go unnoticed.

I am looking forward to the next debates, because I am thirsty for some statements on issues and some unfiltered indirect discussions. And there is a lot to discuss.

So, yes, with his frontrunner status, with the media behind him and all the money in his hands, it truely is an achievement for the Clinton campaign to stay compatitive. More than that, if they manage to win Pennsylvania, no matter how big or small, they are in a great position to win the nomination.

[missjabez]

Mrs. Clinton, it's a miracle anyone supports you after your lies, mudslinging, and general meanness. Your supporters consist primarily of bitter, misguided feminists, racists, and people who barely made it out of high school. Way to go, Hillary with your nasty campaign and divisive tactics. So you're a figher? Go to hell, lady! Your protracted battle against the certain Democratic nominee is turning people off and is probably why McCain is up in the polls. Go away, Hillary. You've done enough damage.

[bish66]

missjabez, you imply that your candidate walks on water and turns it into wine by doing so.

Both Obama and Clinton are politicians and politicians lie and exaggerate and are not perfect. That's the way it is, so let us not point fingers to distract the other guy from the dirt on our own candidate. Candidates have their faults and that makes them human. To see just the faults in the one and only the good things in the other is just not fair. Neither are your generalisations about Clinton's supporters. If your statements were true, more than 12 million (!!!) people in the USA were "bitter, misguided feminists, racists, and people who barely made it out of high school". Call me oldfashioned, but that is just arrogant smear and will not help us to bridge the gaps. Such thinking will ensure a divided party in November.

[jlarue69]

The Clinton campaign has been playing this twisted expectations game since the start. Only a few days ago they were lauding how unbeatable Hillary would be in Pennsylvania, and how she 'would' win in Pennsylvania easily by double digits....Now that Sen. Obama has actually began campaigning there, he is closing the gap considerably, and it is clear they are afraid.

Wolfson is basically implying that the voter can be 'bought'; what a disgusting and cynical thing to say.

This is the same strategy that discounts 'small' states, and only looks at states that benefit Clinton as the ones being 'disenfranchised'

She is losing support because her tactics are being seen as petty and laughable.

Obama is outspending her because she is unable to outspend him...

As Colin Powell recently said in response to Obama's relative lack of National level 'experienc­e'..."Well he didn't have any experience in running a Presidential campaign, did he?"

[SaddieMcCall]

Yes it is a miracle. I can't understand how it is possible that people are still voting for you despite your lies, nastiness, and arrogance. How you could have beaten John Edwards, Bill Richardson, Joe Biden - and have the audacity to cry victim and declare underdog status and accuse people of not voting for you because you are a woman.

[Byrdster]

Brother Bill Clinton yesterday tried to soften the Bosnia "clusterphuck" by adding more lies to the Clinton arsenal. It seems Bill stated, Hillary was tired, it was 11PM and she was confused as to the happenings that day in Bosnia." Well Mr President, she stated the same story on 4 different ocassions and one being at 9AM in the morning at George Washington University. Even you Mr. President have lost the knack for lying. You know the old saying, "Fool me once, an eh ah, fool me and ah er', well, you will never fool me again...GW BUSH.

[Shelly1970]

It is a miracle.

It's a miracle how much of the population remains duped by your facades.

[eXcommunicate]

Interesting how the Clinton supporters claim Obama supporters are "cultists" when it is actually the Clinton supporters who will vote for nobody by Hillary. Kind of like how Obama was allegedly giving the wink and nudge to the Canadians, but it was actually the Clinton campaign. Do you all shop at the same store or what?

[Kim445588]

It's a miracle people are crazy enough to keep giving you money, especially in this economy.

It's a miracle people in OH and PA are dumb enough to dig their own occupational graves, i.e. Nafta-Columbia unfair trade deals.

It's a miracle that you have enough power to force us to watch you continue this exercise in futility.

[Hare]

Vincie; Do you really want to know why blacks are supporting Obama instead of Hillbill, I know you don't but I'll play along so... pay attention Vincie lad.

Bill Clinton used black people and our kindness. Hillary took us for granted. They are corrupt individuals as it has been proven time and time again, this latest one with the $800,000 bribe from Uribe to swindle the working poor and send our jobs over there to another third world country COLOMBIA. They lied to all about how they make their money since even before Arkansas and white water. they lie about the intern, the Bosnia, mocking Martin Luther King, but most of all. They cannot get it through their thick skulls that there is a black man alive that is a milliion times better than them running for "their" white house.
Blacks are not being racist when they support Obama just being...more educated on the issues ok!!! maybe one day you will have a smart child that can teach you all about it. Black folks are used to whites trying to fool us. You can fool us once but I'll be damm if you do it twice!!!

[ann1]

According to polls and stats, Clinton's supporters supposedly are less educated and have lower incomes. Is that true? Does this mean they read less, very seldom follow the news , less likely to have access to the internet? I mean really what gives.

[eXcommunicate]

All of the above.

[babar77]

Hillary is going to follow the "lower expectations strategy" right to her political grave.

[scorpioleidy]

This is just "spin." It's code for "Our campaign is bankrupt (morally and financially) and we have no money to pay our bills or spend on advertising ... we're watching the polls tighten every single day, and we never even anticipated that Obama would catch us in PA. I'm Hillary Clinton---d@mn it!!!---and I deserve to be president ... we never even saw this coming!!!"

[Orikinla]

Barack Obama can never beat John McCain.
Stop wasting your votes on him.

[scorpioleidy]

Uh, right --- try again!

[Independent voter]

Bush has ~ 28% approval rating. McCain is a nasty version of Bush, so it seems to me that 72% of the electorate should oppose McCain

[bish66]

Fuzzy math is your specialty?

Recent polls from Rasmussen show that more than 50% of the voters have a favorable opinion of McCain and he leads both democrats in most southern and western states with double digits. Your numbers don't add up.

[scandals&skeletons]

ok, whatever you say

[Kim445588]

Well Hillary can't beat Obama, so what is your point?

[bish66]

We will see... Pennsylvania is make-or-break for both.

If she loses, it is nearly over. If she wins, she is nearly through.

He needs to win to show that he can win a big state other than his home state. If he loses despite all his money and endorsements and favorable media coverage and frontrunner status and his promises to everybody (gun owners, pro-lifers, pro-choicers, union members, students, old people...), then he is a truely flawed candidate. How is he supposed to win in November if he can't even win a democratic leaning state that was won in 2004 against a woman with little money and lots of debts? so far, he mainly bases his claim to the nomination on western and southern red states that he will lose in November in double digits. Take away the sure red ones and Obama's electoral college column is quite empty.

[andrewballen]

I'm trying to figure out from whence this miserable "Obama can never beat McCain" kettle-rattling comes? Is it Hillary supporters lamenting the sad racist tendencies of our nation or is it Hillary supporters who, as racist abettors themselves, would not think of voting for Obama simply because he happens to be black?
Either way I'm amused... ALMOST.
Vote earth-shattering, claptrap-s­plattering change. Vote Obama YES (you sorry lout) WE CAN.

[ajax2]

It's a miracle that PA. blue collar workers don't know about your Colombian NAFTA connections.

[Katie1263]

The blue collar workers are probably a little more concerned about the 20 year relationship B.O. has had with his anti-white anti American Pastor. I think that is just a little more worrisome when you are picking the President of the United States sweetpea.

[apikores]

Take a look at the general polls. You are going to have to do a little better than Wright if you want to put a dent in those numbers.

[halyscomet]

If Pennsylvanian Voters are more concerned about Wright than policy that directly affects their paychecks, they are misguided. Hopefully, they will see Clinton's double-talk for what it is.

[kristin]

Perhaps you should do more in-depth reading about the issues.

"The pastor at the church that Clinton did once attend has expressed public support for Wright. He's proclaimed it a "grave injustice" to make a judgment on Wright based "two or three sound bites," and criticized those who "use a few of [Wright's] quotes to polarize."

"The Reverend Jeremiah Wright is an outstanding church leader whom I have heard speak a number of times," Snyder wrote. "He has served for decades as a profound voice for justice and inclusion in our society. To evaluate his dynamic ministry on the basis of two or three sound bites does a grave injustice to Dr. Wright, the members of his congregation, and the African-American church which has been the spiritual refuge of a people that has suffered from discrimination, disadvantage, and violence. Dr. Wright, a member of an integrated denomination, has been an agent of racial reconciliation while proclaiming perceptions and truths uncomfortable for some white people to hear. Those of us who are white Americans would do well to listen carefully to Dr. Wright rather than to use a few of his quotes to polarize."

Pastor Of Clinton's Former Church: Don't Use Wright To Polarize
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/25/pastor-of-clintons-forme_n_93418.html

[richardsgirl]

The "blue-collar workers" are concerned that Senator Obama is black ... PERIOD!

[Siryn]

If they are more concerned about Wright than their jobs, they deserve John McCain as president.

[ann1]

The longer this race goes on the more the country is learning about Mrs. Clinton. Is she okay? All jokes aside, I'm really concerned.

[Byrdster]

Brother Bill Clinton yesterday tried to soften the Bosnia "ORDEAL" by adding more lies to the Clinton arsenal. It seems Bill stated, Hillary was tired, it was 11PM and she was confused as to the happenings that day in Bosnia." Well Mr President, she stated the same story on 4 different ocassions and one being at 9AM in the morning at George Washington University. Even you Mr. President have lost the knack for lying. You know the old saying, "Fool me once, an eh ah, fool me and ah er', well, you will never fool me again...GW BUSH.

[bish66]

The longer this race goes on the more the country is learning about Mr. Obama. Is he okay? All jokes aside, I'm really concerned.

Sorry to steal from you, but your and my question are legit. Is Clinton okay? Yeah, I guess, as far as I know. She has a good record from her days in the Senate, has a reputation as a workhorse. When she ran for New York without being a longtime citizen of that state, a lot of people critcized her, but she won her critics over and won her re-election with a larger percentage = she must have been doing something right.
Health Care is an issue dear to her heart and she is a good listener. I like her in town hall meetings and debates, because her answers are quick and intelligent and easy to grasp. Back in the 90s, I always had the impression that the wrong Clinton was sitting in the Oval Office. She has guts, a spine of steel and loves a good fight. She is one of the top Democratic power brokers in the Senate and I think that she will make a great president. The fact that she was endorsed by more than 30 retired Generals and Admirals do speak for her ability to be Commander in Chief.

[harriscrl3]

Yes its a miracle particularly since your campaign is sending out dirty emails to your Jewish supporters letting them know they can't trust Obama.

Carol