Clinton camp accuses Obama of declaring "Mission Accomplished" tomorrow night

[sabra]

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/05/19/1039197.aspx

To: Interested Parties
From: Howard Wolfson, Communications Director
Date: Monday, May 19, 2008
Re: Mission Accomplished? Not so fast.

Senator Obama’s plan to declare himself the Democratic nominee tomorrow night in Iowa (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10184.html) is a slap in the face to the millions of voters in the remaining primary states and to Senator Clinton’s 17 million supporters.

There is no scenario under the rules of the Democratic National Committee by which Senator Obama will be able to claim the nomination tomorrow night. He will not have 2,210 delegates, the number needed with Florida and Michigan included in the process, nor will he have 2,025 delegates, the number needed to secure the nomination without Florida and Michigan.

Premature victory laps and false declarations of victory are unwarranted. Declaring mission accomplished does not make it so.

While Senator Obama inaccurately declares himself the nominee, Senator Clinton will continue to work hard, campaigning for every vote in the upcoming states and making the case that she will be the best nominee to take on John McCain and be our next President.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10184.html

<snip>

Obama will not reach the 2,025 magic number on May 20. Rather, on that date he is all but certain to hit a different threshold—1,627 pledged delegates, which would constitute a winning majority among the 3,253 total pledged delegates if Florida and Michigan are not included.

“On May 20 we’re going to declare victory,” said an Obama senior advisor who asked that his name be withheld to speak candidly, adding that after those contests they will be “the ones with the most pledged delegates and the most popular votes.”

While the nature of that declaration of victory is “still developing,” in the advisor’s words, the Obama campaign contends that the winner of a majority of pledged delegates should be the party nominee.

[bicentennial_baby]

1. I guess Wolfson missed this?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10438.html

[ellacott]

2. There is no evidence that he plans to do this

I've seen many reports that he is not going to do this.

Wolfson is trying to get people upset. If it turns out that Obama's speech is not an acceptance speech then Wolfson will claim credit for changing his mind.

I'm so tired of him.

[Texas Hill Country]

6. i have seen more that say that he will... so?

[ellacott]

15. What do you mean so?

Boy is that childish. I doubt you seen that many. Probably those who got their talking points from Wolfson or poster on a messageboard.

I speak for myself and go by what I see. Anyway, we will find out tomorrow night. Then you all will say that Wolfson caused him to change his mind.

Amazing

[Lucky 13]

28. You guys must be worried! A pre-emptive attack in case he MIGHT declare victory?

He MIGHT tell us what we already know! OH NOES!!!

[Texas Hill Country]

32. there have been plenty of reports that he is organizing a primary victory rally in anticipation of

2025.5

[The_Counsel]

41. Of Course, When Obama Reaches 2025.5...

...he'll have every right/reason to declare victory, won't he?

And before you say it; yes, I'm sure the goal posts may be moved yet AGAIN once the MI/FL fiasco gets resolved. I'm just saying that:

a) The Hillary camp will likely not be 100% happy with the resolution. No way will both elections be allowed to stand as is, given the circumstances. If anything, they'll both get 50% representation.

b) No matter where the goal posts get moved, Obama has a much better chance of reaching them than Hillary does. End of story.

[PoliticalAmazon]

35. Just more Rove/Bush bullshit from Hillary. I truly am trying to be patient....

and stay focus on the Big Tent party that the Democratic Party has to be to win in November, but Hillary's dishonest antics make it a challenge.

I can imagine how it keeps her supporters stirred and angry, too.

She's trying to take that option away from him. Even if he didn't plan to announce he won, her Karl Rove tactic is underhanded and certainly not unifying to the party.

I have zero problem wtih him declaring tomorrow, or right now, for that matter. He is aready engaging McCain, which has made Hillary irrelevant.

I am sure the SDs are watching this and they get how she is continuing to be divisive and dishonest. I am sure the SDs are getting it: how Hillary is acknowledging that Obama will have reached his delegate number by tomorrow, and pulling this divisive stunt to make the Party continue on in it's gut-wrenching convolutions trying to deal with her and her bullshit.

She is showing herself to be a very pathetic, sad and bitter character. The history books will not be kind to her or Bill, and THAT will be their legacy from this election.

[shadowknows69]

3. He should do it

But he's staying on the high road he's been on from day one. Not that any Clinton supporters here would notice it.

[TwilightGardener]

4. Only Her Royal Highness can declare the race over. And it won't be over

for her, ever. She simply will not accept losing--gracefully or otherwise. She will hold the Democratic party hostage until they meet her demands. What an awful person.

[godai]

21. Yes, they just can't resist the nasty comments..."slap in the face"

That's a great way to try to get Clinton supporters to support the Democratic nominee. They are trying to shape the message tomorrow. Facts are...2 less states to vote, Obama with nearly a 200 delegate lead, and the Clinton campaign's only hope being a new scandal which would force Obama to give up the campaign. Not gonna happen but the damage continues to be done to Obama's chances by the negative campaigning of the former Comeback Kids.

I'd prefer not to have this discussion but, they need to know, we won't back down. Fact is, technically, it's not over.

[Heather MC]

31. I don't think she will ever stop running

[grytpype]

33. ROFL

[TwilightGardener]

43. LOL!

[Zachstar]

5. Obama stated clearly that he is NOT going to declare victory.

So Wolfson you are a fucking idiot.

[Occam Bandage]

7. Obama has stated clearly that he isn't declaring victory, only that he won the elected delegates.

[Adelante]

8. More lies nt

[CoffeeCat]

9. Oh poor Hillary lies her ass off again...

...at least she's consistent.

A consistent liar. How novel.

Obama has repeatedly stated that he is not declaring victory. He has stated this over
and over and over and over and over. He has said that he's returning to Iowa, to celebrate
the metrics, thus far. Iowa is where is all began, and he has the right to celebrate his
success.

In typical Hillary Clinton fashion--she has to control everything by spewing toxic, lie-based
venom all over everything.

She can't stand it that Obama is winning, doing well and that he wants to celebrate with the people
of Iowa who started this amazing journey. She has to try and define it as some kind of bash against
her.

It's not about you Hillary! Get over yourself!

...and you wonder why Obama supporters don't want you on the ticket? If you stopped lying for
five seconds, that might help!

"WAAAAAA!!! He's having a party and it's making me SAD!!! I'm going to make everyone think the
party is evil and bad!!! WAAAAAAAAH!"

[CoffeeCat]

18. HOW DARE OBAMA BE IN A STATE THAT DOESN'T COUNT!!

Hillary declared it herself. Iowa doesn't count!

Her new, "I'm winning the popular vote" doesn't count the hundreds of thousands of supporters who voted
in the caucus states. Iowa is a caucus state.

Therefore, Iowa is invisible! No one there matters!

How dare Obama step foot in a state that doesn't count! How dare he behave like
Iowa is even on the map...when CLEARLY IT'S NOT!!!

Damn that Obama!!!

[ErinBerin84]

10. Who are the interested parties that this was forwarded to?

Obama has said that he is not going to explicitly do this, but the media will dissect it as much. I don't really think the media cares about her attacks on the pundits at all, Tim Russert and George stephanopoulos both brought it up over the weekend and maintained that it was likely over, and that attacking the press is something that the campaign does when it is near post mortem phase, like giuliani. But who knows, it could work this time. I do give her credit that she is able to repeatedly shift expectations and maintain a narrative, as an Obama suppoter, that is one of the only things that I find attractive about her candidacy at this point. Though her "The pundits were trying to prevent Kentucky from voting!" crap just gets ridiculous to me, but maybe attacking the pundits will work this time.

[The Ghost]

11. How ironic THEY are the ones claming something happened before it happened!

UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

[grytpype]

12. HOW DARE HE WIN THE NOMINATION WITHOUT HILLARY'S PERMISSION!!!!111!!!!

x( x( x( x( x( x(
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:
:nuke: :nuke: :nuke:
x( x( x( x( x( x(
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:
:nuke: :nuke: :nuke:
x( x( x( x( x( x(
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:
:nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

[ej510]

16. Lol!

:rofl:

[BlooInBloo]

38. He must REJECT and RENOUNCE winning!!!

(cue Godfather music)

[cali]

13. BREAKING: CLINTON CAMP LIES

Oh wait, that's not breaking. It's what they always do.

[NJmaverick]

14. I find the second half of the statement most intriguing

The suggestion that Obama declaring victory, is a "slap in the face" of the people that voted for Hillary. That would seem to suggest that no candidate in any election is allowed to declare victory, as long as a single voter cast a vote for another candidate.

[TwilightGardener]

27. The Clintonites are trying to foment hard feelings, discord and division, once again--instead of

being gracious and fostering a sense of unity. They really need to go the fuck away now.

[K Gardner]

17. BREAKING: Clinton Time Travels to Future !

[EFerrari]

24. Help, Mr. Wizard!

[book_worm]

19. Another reminder of the Iraqi war that Hillary helped get us into.

[hokies4ever]

20. Hillary's inept campaign

Obama's campaign is having her defend why she should stay in this race. Commonsense tells you that winners never defend having to stay in the race. Even when Huckabee had a 1 in a billion chance of winning, I don't remember him dwelling on staying in the race as much as Hillary's camp has.

[BlooInBloo]

22. Breaking: Clinton Accuses Obama Of Winning!

OOOHH NOOEESS!!!

:rofl:

[thewiseguy]

23. Clinton Camp:

[Lucky 13]

26. Isn't that a picture of her Kentucky headquarters?

:rofl:

[Mist]

25. Doesn't sound at all like something Obama would do. Yet more shit-stirring. nt

[genna]

30. I thought Obama did use the May 20 date as the one where he would pass the threshold

of pledged delegates.


He has also said that pledged delegates, not the SD, represent the popular vote and he doubted the SDs would take the nomination from the person who won the pledged delegates.


As for sounding like something he would do, as an Obama supporter I would ask you to look at the way John Edwards' endorsement was rolled out after WV. Read Spin Cycle.

It was a masterful political stroke.

Obama has been moving to change the story. The anger may very well still be there, but last week was the first week of the GE, whether or not Clinton remains in the primary.

[Bensthename]

29. Hillary: Obama is the winner but he better not declare victory.

Obama please appease this little girl for a little longer. We need no more crying on TV..

[CakeGrrl]

34. Sez the woman who proclaimed it would be over on February 5. SFTU Camp Clinton!

n/t

[anigbrowl]

36. After tomorrow, Team Clinton will be arguing that SDs could overturn votes

Yes, Obama may have won a majority of the votes cast by ordinary Americans, but the superdelegates could still change the outcome!!

[AtomicKitten]

39. but, but ... she CARES about the will of the voter

as far as I know :D

[Joe the Revelator]

37. More evidence of Team Hillary trying to hold the party hostage

[Avalux]

40. The Clinton camp screams while they fade into irrelevancy.

It's the last gasp of a dying campaign; trying to delay the inevitable as long as possible. Obama will have reached the majority of pledged delegates tomorrow night; there is no way Hillary can win FOLLOWING THE RULES AS LAID OUT BY THE DNC, not Hillaryland's rules.

Obama certainly has every right to declare victory, whether Clinton agrees with it or not.

[apocalypsehow]

42. Regardless of all the blather from the Clinton's, it's over: He won, she lost. n/t.