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

[gmt217]

And yet, if he's such a weak candidate, why is she losing?

Simply saying he can't beat McCain isn't enough to a) make it true, and b) make SuperDelegates forget that you're losing to him. Why would they give the nomination to the person that is weaker than the weak Obama?

[julescator]

I see the Clinton campaign has resorted to telling the residents of PA to remember that are supposed to be racist. In case they have forgotten that she has Lenny Davis resurrecting the good Rev.Wright AGAIN. I think this ploy is getting old and so are Hillary's tactics.

She had a 26 point lead. Al the Pundits said PA was Ohio on steroids (code for they have many more White racists in Pa.). What an unflattering picture I have of Pa through the Clinton's eyes. But thank God I know she and her campaign lie, so the fact that he has closed the gap so well says that America has turned the corner on race-baiting, finally. We all recognize it for what it is. I don't know how her Black Campaign Manager, Maggie Williams sleeps at night living in a campaign of race-baiters. They will say and do anything to win, but it her lies seem to be backfiring. Bosnia! Bosnia! Bosnia!

[DoninJoisey]

Not only Bosnia, Columbia trade deal with Bill, Wolfson, Penn all involved.
NAFTA - she said she opposed it initially - facts say otherwise.
Iraq - "the vote wasn't a vote to invade Iraq" - she's the only one who says that.

As to rev Wright - I wish I only had about 30 seconds of things I should not have sadi out of 30 years.
Wright was a Marine - I suggest you don't call him un-American, I suspect he can still kick your ass.
I'm more troubled by "the Fellowship" that Hillary belongs to. It's mixing politics and business in religion.
Google it or read: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-gans/a-new-divinely-ordained-p_b_93425.html

[missjabez]

The Clinton campaign's contention that she is the underdog is laughable, but it all goes with their "Hillary's a victim" theme. They're downplaying expectations because they know they're not going to score an impressive victory. I think she will probably win Pennsylvania, but I find it interesting that Obama is not that far behind her in that state now. Weeks ago, he was trailing her by double digits. This just proves that when people get the chance to hear Obama, they come around to his philosophy of unity and hope, which the Clinton campaign calls just "words". I'm an Obama supporter partly because I appreciate his positive message. I just got paid today, and I am going to donate to Obama, although my contribution will be very modest.

[nsiah7]

When you have the governor of a state machinery (in the name of Gov Rendel), a former two term president and the name of a celibrity. Do you still call yourself an underdog. What a pity. SPIN, SPIN SPIN.

[Nana1234]

Least we forget, also, the mayors of the two major cities in the state. Sad, sad, sad. It's like she's schizo!

[trish74]

Hillary thinks we're stupid.

[TheScarletPimpernel]

ary might think it we know it

[jetgirl]

He was 30 points behind nearly when this thing started. He also had to deal with the Rev. Wright thing and is still dealing with the Rev. Wright thing. Rendell said he didn't even think his state for vote for a black man. Hillary has the backing of EVERYONE but Casey in PA. Her father is from there. Obama has to spend massive amounts of money there to even have a chance. They are downright ridiculous.

[Ken08lobby]

If you’re tired of waiting around for those super delegates to make a decision already, go to http://www.lobbydelegates.com and push them to support Clinton or Obama

For Clinton lobbyists.­..
It takes a moment, but what's a few minutes now worth to get Clinton in office?!

Sending a note to current Clinton supporters lets them know it's appreciated, sending a note to current

Obama supporters can hopefully sway them to change their vote to Clinton, and sending a note to the

uncommitted folks will hopefully sway them to vote for Clinton. It's that easy...

For those of you supporting Obama....
Sending a note to current Obama supporters lets them know it's appreciated, sending a note to current

Clinton supporters can hopefully sway them to change their vote to Obama, and sending a note to the

uncommitted folks will hopefully sway them to vote for Obama. It's that easy.too !..

[JiminNC]

Give it a little more time slick hilly ... and a few more busted lies.

[Rotcod]

Dear Sam, thank you for using "myriad" correctly.

[widollar]

With comments like coming from Hillay Clinton you know she is finally realizing she will never sit in the oval office with old stick Buba Boy and rule America as the Commander In Chief. Thank God for that! We should all pray that the little jerk McCain does not somehow fool the weak minded NASCAR crowd into allowing him to take the prize! He truly is a very sick little puppy!

[SouthernVoice]

This spin is absurd. Hillary was the wife of a two-term President. She has name recogntion and an existing political machine in PA while Obama had to build one. How can Obama be expected to compete with the Clinton machine if he doesn't outspend her? I've watched enough of "Flip this House" to know that it costs more to build a new deck than to re-arrange the chairs on an existing one.

I am so tired of the Clinton campaign posturing as the underdog. She's the wife of a two-term President with all the political clout that entails, for goodness sake. If she can't capitalize on it, shame on her.

I think the Obama campaign made a grave mistake when they let her take the role of underdog. How preposterous.

[eustaciavye]

If $$$$=votes then Mitt Romey would be the repub prez candidate. Obama can't catch up in Pennsylvania- just like he couldn't catch up in Ohio. A miracle you say.....? No, no, no stupid, it's the Hillbilly Firewall!
http://www.examiner.com/a-1304393~Chris_Stirewalt__Hillary_Clinton_still_has_the_hillbilly_firewall.html

The Hill-bill machine will win Penn like they did Ohio, but Hill still won't get the nomination (pssst... I am getting an A in delegate math). Hillary taking Penn is no water into wine-unless you're drinking her moonshine.

[nohat]

"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.

This was ALWAYS going to be the risk Obama was taking in pouring that much money into PA: a soundbite for Hillary, if he doesn't do well there. If he doesn't , her camp will be saying, "All that money, all that money," from now until doomsday.

I see that Hillary has gone into her LEM---lower expectations mode---and is painting herself as the underdog again, it seems to help her, for the most part. You can't beat Americans for going for the underdog..­.even if the underdog is someone they can't stand! (I don't mean Hillary, I mean in general.)

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

It's a miracle people are still gullible enough to want those two back in the White House.

[memphispaul]

Everyone KNOWS that in Pennsylvania democratic party politics the candidate in a statewide election that has the backing of; the popular democratic governor, the state party organization, the mayors of both Philadelphia & Pittsburgh, the Speaker of the State Assembly and most other major state officials will NEVER be a match for the candidate that has the backing of the commonwealth's junior senator and a first term congressman!
Yep. Being able to out spend your opponent by a 3-1 margin in advertising will ALWAYS overcome the backing of all of the aforementioned politicians and organizations!
ESPECIALLY since the ward leaders in Philadelphia are remaining neutral.
I thought that the quality of the spin might change now that Howard is in charge of message at camp Hillary. Whoever dreamed up this one is trying to sell an electorate that knows the score that it never snows in Pennsylvania.
Except of course on a Hillary campaign conference call.

[Suprshrink]

This banter is so destructive. Acceptance of differing points of view used to be a trademark of the democratic party. All I see now is a lot of hate filled messages that have no bearing on the reality of what we face as voters and as Americans. I see people making enemies of one another so they can justify their opinions. Unfortunately, the enemy you make today, right now in this blog, will remain an enemy in November. Nothing can be accomplished by destroying those who would have been of like mind.

[AdLib]

I appreciate your sentiments but don't agree. The majority of "enemies" being made here are Dems vs. Repubs-in-­the-guise-­of-Hillary­-Supporter­s. Yes, there are some genuine Hillary supporters here too, unfortunately, too many of them reflect the same dishonest "kitchen sink" throwing as their candidate.

If you don't learn from history, you are doomed to repeat it. John Kerry took the same path you describe when he was being swiftboated and we all know what how that worked out.

Hillary is on her last legs, when the campaign is over and the low blows from Hillary stop (I sure hope they stop then), we can chill and come together. Until then, like a boxing match, you never turn your back on a wounded and desperate "fighter".

[nohat]

Absolutely correct.