Clinton's camp fires first salvo
Clinton's camp fires first salvo
BY GLENN THRUSH WASHINGTON BUREAU Posted January 21 2007, 11:34 PM EST
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's pollster fired an opening salvo at Sen. Barack Obama and John Edwards yesterday, claiming their campaigns are "stalled or falling" -- and suggesting Obama isn't tough enough to withstand GOP attacks in 2008.
A day after Clinton announced she would run for president -- and win -- her campaign's chief strategist Mark Penn sent a memo to reporters intended to offset an avalanche of articles emphasizing Clinton's high disapproval ratings and questioning her electability. She is not just strong, but the strongest Democrat in the field," wrote Penn, referring to a new national poll showing Clinton with a commanding 20-plus-point lead over Obama and Edwards, the Democratic nominee as vice president in 2004.
In Manhattan yesterday, Clinton echoed that mantra, saying, "It will be a great contest with a lot of talented people and I'm very confident. ... I'm worried about the future of our country and I want to help put it back on the right course. I believe I am best-positioned to be able to do that and that's why I'm running."
She went on to say her daughter, Chelsea, and her husband, Bill, are "my greatest advisers."
But it was Penn who stated that no other Democrat is tough enough to beat back Sen. John McCain or former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
In a clear reference to Obama's lack of political experience on the national stage, Penn wrote: "Some of the commentators look at the ratings of people who have not yet been in the cross-fire, and say they might have a better chance. Recent history shows the opposite."
He then set his sights on Sen. John Kerry and former Vice President Al Gore, who also might run in 2008. "The last two Democratic presidential candidates started out with high favorable ratings and ended up on Election Day -- and today -- far more polarizing and disliked nationally," said the pollster, who cut his teeth on President Bill Clinton's 1996 re-election campaign.
An Obama spokesman had no comment. Attempts to contact Edwards, Kerry and Gore weren't successful.
Obama announced the formation of his exploratory panel Tuesday but didn't get a boost in the polls. Clinton now holds a commanding 41-17 percent lead over the Illinois senator among Democrats and Democrat-leaning Independents, according to an ABC News/Washington Post poll taken before her announcement, and after Obama's Jan. 16 campaign kickoff.
Strikingly, Clinton did even better among black Democratic voters, amassing a 26-point lead over Obama. "Hillary's Democratic primary support is climbing, while others are stalled or falling," crowed Penn.
Clinton isn't doing nearly as well in early primary and caucus states, particularly Iowa, where she trails Obama, Edwards and ex-Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack.
Clinton is planning her first trip to that state next weekend, according to a news report.
Penn chalks up Clinton's poor showing in Iowa to her absence and lashed out at candidates who have made frequent stops in the state. "While some candidates have been in Iowa and New Hampshire for years, running as permanent presidential candidates, Hillary has been working hard as a senator for New York," Penn wrote.
Staff writer Reid J. Epstein contributed to this story.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/ny-ushill0122,0,3666729.story?coll=sfla-newsnation-front
BY GLENN THRUSH WASHINGTON BUREAU Posted January 21 2007, 11:34 PM EST
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's pollster fired an opening salvo at Sen. Barack Obama and John Edwards yesterday, claiming their campaigns are "stalled or falling" -- and suggesting Obama isn't tough enough to withstand GOP attacks in 2008.
A day after Clinton announced she would run for president -- and win -- her campaign's chief strategist Mark Penn sent a memo to reporters intended to offset an avalanche of articles emphasizing Clinton's high disapproval ratings and questioning her electability. She is not just strong, but the strongest Democrat in the field," wrote Penn, referring to a new national poll showing Clinton with a commanding 20-plus-point lead over Obama and Edwards, the Democratic nominee as vice president in 2004.
In Manhattan yesterday, Clinton echoed that mantra, saying, "It will be a great contest with a lot of talented people and I'm very confident. ... I'm worried about the future of our country and I want to help put it back on the right course. I believe I am best-positioned to be able to do that and that's why I'm running."
She went on to say her daughter, Chelsea, and her husband, Bill, are "my greatest advisers."
But it was Penn who stated that no other Democrat is tough enough to beat back Sen. John McCain or former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
In a clear reference to Obama's lack of political experience on the national stage, Penn wrote: "Some of the commentators look at the ratings of people who have not yet been in the cross-fire, and say they might have a better chance. Recent history shows the opposite."
He then set his sights on Sen. John Kerry and former Vice President Al Gore, who also might run in 2008. "The last two Democratic presidential candidates started out with high favorable ratings and ended up on Election Day -- and today -- far more polarizing and disliked nationally," said the pollster, who cut his teeth on President Bill Clinton's 1996 re-election campaign.
An Obama spokesman had no comment. Attempts to contact Edwards, Kerry and Gore weren't successful.
Obama announced the formation of his exploratory panel Tuesday but didn't get a boost in the polls. Clinton now holds a commanding 41-17 percent lead over the Illinois senator among Democrats and Democrat-leaning Independents, according to an ABC News/Washington Post poll taken before her announcement, and after Obama's Jan. 16 campaign kickoff.
Strikingly, Clinton did even better among black Democratic voters, amassing a 26-point lead over Obama. "Hillary's Democratic primary support is climbing, while others are stalled or falling," crowed Penn.
Clinton isn't doing nearly as well in early primary and caucus states, particularly Iowa, where she trails Obama, Edwards and ex-Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack.
Clinton is planning her first trip to that state next weekend, according to a news report.
Penn chalks up Clinton's poor showing in Iowa to her absence and lashed out at candidates who have made frequent stops in the state. "While some candidates have been in Iowa and New Hampshire for years, running as permanent presidential candidates, Hillary has been working hard as a senator for New York," Penn wrote.
Staff writer Reid J. Epstein contributed to this story.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/ny-ushill0122,0,3666729.story?coll=sfla-newsnation-front
posted by presgore19 at 9:33 AM
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