Subject: Hillary For President News Briefing for Monday, May 12, 2008
From: "Bulletin News Network" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked]
Date: 12 May 2008 06:30:52 -0400

HILLARY FOR PRESIDENT NEWS BRIEFING (Executive Version)
Full version is attached and available online at http://www.bulletinnews.com/clinton

TO: CLINTON CAMPAIGN

DATE: MONDAY, MAY 12, 2008 6:30 AM EDT

TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS

SEN. CLINTON'S CAMPAIGN:

+ Clinton Campaigns In West Virginia On Mother's Day.

+ Clinton Leads Obama By 27 Points In Kentucky.

+ Former President Bill Clinton Campaigns In Oregon.

+ McAuliffe Says "Something Big" Needed For Clinton To Win.

+ Obama Takes Lead In Superdelegate Endorsements.

+ Clinton Camp Fanning "Backlash" To Motivate Supporters.

+ Clinton Supporters Behind Group Backing Clinton-Obama Ticket.

+ Clinton Faces Mounting Campaign Debts.

+ Obama Shifts Campaign Focus To McCain.

+ Edwards Sees Obama As Likely Democratic Nominee.

Sen. Clinton's Campaign:

CLINTON CAMPAIGNS IN WEST VIRGINIA ON MOTHER'S DAY. The AP (5/12, Apuzzo) reports Hillary Rodham Clinton "toured the birthplace of Mother's Day in rural West Virginia, offering Democrats a subtle reminder Sunday that her fading candidacy remains strong among women and blue-collar, white voters." That "loyal base is expected to carry Clinton to a sizable victory in the primary on Tuesday, though it won't do much to close the gap between her and Barack Obama, her rival for the Democratic presidential nomination." Clinton's "lingering candidacy highlights not just her strengths but also how difficult it has been for Obama to make inroads among some key Democratic constituencies." Clinton made "a brief afternoon visit to the home of Anna Jarvis, who is credited with founding Mother's Day 100 years ago."

The CBS Evening News (5/11, story 5, 2:25, Axelrod, 7.66M) reported, "Behind in delegates and votes, her campaign now at least $20 million in debt, Hillary Clinton had no shortage of subjects to pray for in West Virginia." The New York Times (5/12, Seelye, 1.18M) reports Clinton "rose early and spent a 16-hour day slogging through a cold rain in West Virginia, the next state on her to-do list" while Obama and John McCain "took the day off. Perhaps they feel more confident in their status as the most likely presidential nominees of their respective parties." But with "the lights dimming on her prospects for winning the nomination and only six Democratic contests left to go, Mrs. Clinton did not dare take a day of rest."

The State Journal (WV) (5/11, McCall) reported on its website that Clinton on Sunday "spoke to a packed house at the B & O Railroad Museum in" Grafton, WV, discussing "her family and what it meant to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Mother's Day in the place where it all started."

Clinton Has Huge Lead In Pair Of WV Polls. An American Research Group poll of 600 likely West Virginia Democratic primary voters taken May 7-8 shows Sen. Hillary Clinton leading Sen. Barack Obama 66%-23%.

A Suffolk University poll of 600 likely West Virginia Democratic primary voters taken May 10-11 shows Clinton leading Obama 60%-24%.

West Virginia Results Said Likely To "Raise Fresh Doubts" On Obama's Electability. The Financial Times (5/12, Ward), noting that Sen. Barack Obama trails Sen. Hillary Clinton "by 40 percentage points" in West Virginia "ahead of tomorrow's primary election in the heavily white and rural state, according to recent opinion polls," the Times reports that Tuesday's "contest is likely to reinforce Mrs Clinton's argument that she would be the stronger opponent for" Sen. John McCain "in November, and raise fresh doubts about whether the US is ready to elect its first black president. ... No Democrat has been elected to the White House without carrying West Virginia since 1916, yet Mr Obama appears to have little chance of winning there in November." The state "is hostile territory for Mr Obama because it has few of the African-Americans and affluent, college-educated whites who provide his strongest support. The state has the lowest college graduation rate in the US, the second lowest median household income, and one of the highest proportions of white residents, at 96 per cent."

The Baltimore Sun (5/12, Nitkin, 252K) reports that Obama "acknowledged last week that Clinton had an 'insurmountable lead' in West Virginia and neighboring Kentucky, but he has done little to secure a different result -- further evidence that the Democratic contest has moved to its next stage. Yet West Virginia's results could magnify Obama's weaknesses." Obama "runs strongly among young voters, but the proportion of West Virginia's population older than 65 is second-highest in the nation, trailing only Florida. It's the fifth-poorest state, and 95 percent of its residents are white, the fourth-highest percentage in the country, according to the Census. White voters and lower-income voters have been among Clinton's most loyal constituencies. ... Clinton communications director Howard Wolfson yesterday called West Virginia a "key swing state' in the general election, and said on Fox News Sunday that Obama's likely loss would exacerbate questions about his electability."

CLINTON LEADS OBAMA BY 27 POINTS IN KENTUCKY. The Lexington Herald-Leader (5/12, Alessi, 115K) reports Hillary Clinton "enters the final week before Kentucky's May 20 Democratic presidential primary with a commanding 27 percentage point lead over U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, a new poll shows." Clinton leads Obama "58 percent to 31 percent, with 11 percent uncommitted, according to a Herald-Leader/WKYT Kentucky Poll of 500 probable Democratic voters" conducted by Research 2000. But either Democratic candidate "would trail the expected Republican nominee, John McCain, in the state by double digits if the November general election were held today, reveals a companion survey of 600 likely voters from all parties." The poll shows McCain topping Obama 58%-33% and Clinton 53%-41%.

Race Hurts Obama In Kentucky. McClatchy (5/12, Blackford) reports Obama's "race and inflammatory racial remarks made by his former preacher negatively affect how likely voters view the candidate, according to a new poll in Kentucky." More than "one in five likely Democratic voters surveyed said being black hurts Obama's chances of winning an election in Kentucky, compared to 4 percent who said Obama's race helps him." Many said "the racially charged remarks by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright will play an important role as they decide whom to support. Among white voters, Wright's statements were important to 46 percent, compared to only 11 percent of black voters."

FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON CAMPAIGNS IN OREGON. The AP (5/12, Dininny) reports that in a visit to Eastern Oregon, former President Bill Clinton "touted his wife's economic, education, energy and health care policies and urged residents to support her" in Oregon's upcoming primary, saying she "remains Democrats' best hope for winning the fall election." Nevertheless, the AP adds that the former president "conceded that Democrats must unify" to beat Sen. John McCain in the fall, regardless of who wins the Democratic primary battle. The AP also reports Sen. Clinton "spent Mother's Day with her daughter in West Virginia, where she planned to visit the home of the woman credited with founding the holiday 100 years ago."

In another report, the AP (5/12, Frazier) reports, "With the Democratic presidential nomination slipping from his wife's grasp," the former President "urged residents from Eastern Oregon to Western Oregon to give her an important victory in the state's upcoming primary. Clinton told a group of about 125 labor union members in Portland he had 'no earthly idea' why some people want" Sen. Clinton "to leave the race. ... 'She has been declared dead more times than a cat has lives,' he said. 'But you don't want the person in the Oval Office to quit on you when the going gets tough.' Clinton's on a three-day, 13-city swing through the state. He visits Corvallis, Eugene and three coastal cities on Monday before heading to Roseburg, Grants Pass and Klamath Falls on Tuesday."

MCAULIFFE SAYS "SOMETHING BIG" NEEDED FOR CLINTON TO WIN. The Politico (5/12, Reilly) reports Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe "admitted Sunday that 'something big would have to happen' for his candidate to overtake Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. However, McAuliffe vowed that the campaign would press on, despite increasing calls for Clinton to step aside." On NBC's "Meet the Press," McAuliffe "acknowledged that it was 'highly unlikely' that Clinton could catch Obama in elected delegates but reminded viewers that neither candidate has reached the 'magic number' of delegates necessary to lock up the nomination."

The AP (5/12, Woodward, Benac) reports many people believed Clinton's "victory in the Democratic nomination battle was a sure thing. Her ultimate failing may have been in believing it, too." The AP story is essentially a pre-postmortem, saying Clinton's "campaign is on the ropes. Clinton is fighting on for a prize few believe she can win anymore, barring some game-changing development."

Clintons Said To Hold "Almost Mystical Belief" In Possibility Of Game-Changing Event. The Los Angeles Times (5/11, Parsons, Malcolm) reported on its 'Top of the Ticket' blog, "The airwaves, newspaper pages and e-mails among Democratic loyalists are full of certain messages that" Clinton's "chances of winning are nil and it's not if she gives up a quest that once seemed certain but when." However, "the suggestive chatter and at-large urging of surrender forgets a crucial historical fact about the Clintons. Even when the situation is clearly hopeless to everyone else -- dead, gone, deceased, buried, cold -- quitting doesn't seem to be a page in their playbook. They cling to an almost mystical belief in something unexpected happening to save their bacon. And with serial justification. ... To be sure, the superdelegates do not want to be seen to take the victory away from Obama and perhaps split the party for a generation. But what if Obama fumbles the ball on his own before mid-June and gives the supers sufficient pause to pause in their flow toward him? Something could happen. Obama's made several rookie mistakes, most recently departing from his text to announce that he's now campaigned in all 57 states. Minor slips, to be sure. Fatigue probably. But serial."

Clinton Said To Be Losing Support In Harlem. The New York Post (5/12, Moscrip, 648K) reports, "Harlem was once the only place in the nation where Hillary Rodham Clinton could count on black support. Now it's hard to find any Clinton backers there, even in the shadow of her husband's 125th Street office. In New York's February primary, she carried Harlem, 54 to 46 percent. But Obama has been winning 90 percent or more of the black vote elsewhere."

Some Leading Democrats Seen As Taking Care Not To Pressure Clinton To Withdraw. The Chicago Tribune (5/12, Parsons, 607K) reports, "Breaking up is hard to do, especially when the other person doesn't want to say goodbye. One way to go is the torturously deferential one, which is the route of choice for some of those leading Democrats who think the race for the presidential nomination is pretty much over for Hillary Clinton. Take this lengthy comment Sunday from John Edwards, about Clinton's decision to remain in the race: 'I think the one thing that she has to be careful about-and she doesn't need my advice, she knows this full well-is that, if she makes the case for herself, which she's completely entitled to do, she has to be really careful that she's not damaging our prospects, the Democratic Party, and our cause, for the fall,' Edwards said on CBS' 'Face the Nation.'" The Tribune says the Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd also "avoiding suggesting Clinton should drop out of the race" during his appearance yesterday on NBC's "Meet the Press."

OBAMA TAKES LEAD IN SUPERDELEGATE ENDORSEMENTS. Barack Obama over the weekend surpassed Hillary Clinton in the number of announced endorsements by superdelegates. The AP (5/10, Ohlemacher) reports Obama "erased" Clinton's "once-imposing lead" on Saturday. Obama added "superdelegates from Utah, Ohio and Arizona, as well as two from the Virgin Islands who had previously backed Clinton." The milestone is "important because Clinton would need to win over the superdelegates by a wide margin to claim the nomination. They are a group that Clinton owned before the first caucus, when she was able to cash in on the popularity of the Clinton brand among the party faithful." Of the 800 superdelegates, "Obama has endorsements from 276, according to the latest tally by The Associated Press. Clinton has 271.5."

Bloomberg News (5/12, Dodge, Goldman) reports, "With Obama's latest endorsements, he has 277 superdelegates to Clinton's 274.5, according to a Bloomberg tally based on lists and public statements from both campaigns."

The CBS Evening News (5/11, story 5, 2:25, Axelrod, 7.66M) reported, "There are roughly 250 or so uncommitted superdelegates. The number decreases almost by the hour, mostly as they break for Obama. But what hurts Hillary Clinton even more than that are the defectors, superdelegates who were for her, but have now changed their minds." Rep. Donald Payne, Obama superdelegate was shown saying, "I firmly believe, now, that Senator Obama is truly the person that can lead this country." Axelrod: "New Jersey congressman Donald Payne is one of those defectors putting a smile on Obama's face."

CLINTON CAMP FANNING "BACKLASH" TO MOTIVATE SUPPORTERS. The Politico (5/11, Vogel) reports the "legions of Hillary Rodham Clinton backers still investing their cash, energy and emotion into her faltering bid for the Democratic presidential nomination seem driven not by the reasonable expectation that she can beat Barack Obama, but by the emotional desire to see her through to the end of voting and stick it to those who have already written her off." Clinton's campaign is "fanning the flames of that backlash - against the media, against superdelegates who recently backed Obama and against Obama himself. Aides hope to convert the sentiments into protest votes that could deliver landslide victories in West Virginia and Kentucky, Clinton strongholds that are among the next three states to cast ballots."

CLINTON SUPPORTERS BEHIND GROUP BACKING CLINTON-OBAMA TICKET. McClatchy (5/12, Talev) reports a group "called VoteBoth has been leading the charge for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to team up on the Democratic ticket," but the "people behind it come from just one of those camps - Clinton's - and one of their goals may be keeping Clinton's White House prospects alive." Founder Adam Parkhomenko "until recently worked as an assistant to Patti Solis Doyle, who was Clinton's campaign manager until February." VoteBoth's spokesman "is Sam Arora. He's a law school student who in recent years worked for Clinton and for former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe, Clinton's presidential campaign chairman." VoteBoth's Facebook page "lists three others as administrators, all with Clinton connections."

CLINTON FACES MOUNTING CAMPAIGN DEBTS. U.S. News and World Report (5/8, Schulte, 2.03M), in an article titled, "Why Clinton Stands To Lose Millions," reports Sen. Hillary Clinton "doled out $6.4 million of her own money to her campaign since April. ... That brings her total cash outlay to more than $11 million since January. And she's not ruling out spending more as she plans to compete in the six remaining contests." US News notes that a provision in the McCain-Feingold campaign-finance reform bill says "a campaign must repay the loan to a candidate before Election Day. In this case, that's the nominating convention. After the election has passed, a bankrupt campaign is limited to gathering just $250,000 from contributors, which means that modest sum is all it can give back to a candidate. In short, Clinton stands to lose $11,150,000." US News adds, "According to her latest FEC filing, the Hillary Clinton for President campaign committee owes millions to vendors, including more than $4.5 million to Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, the consulting firm of her former chief strategist Mark Penn."

Obama Camp Not Planning To Help Clinton Retire Campaign Debt. The Hill (5/12, Swanson) reports Obama and his campaign aides "have not discussed paying off his rival's $20 million campaign debt, top advisers to Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) said Sunday." Obama strategist David Axelrod said, "She hasn't asked and we haven't offered." Axelrod "added that he did not believe Clinton was looking for a deal in which she would drop out of the race for the Democratic nomination in exchange for Obama's help in retiring her campaign debt."

Obama campaign chief strategist David Axelrod, on Fox News Sunday (5/11, Wallace), said, "I don't think even under any scenario no one said that we were going to transfer money from the Obama campaign to the Clinton campaign. We obviously need the resources we have."

OBAMA SHIFTS CAMPAIGN FOCUS TO MCCAIN. In an indication of his renewed confidence that he will eventually win the Democratic nomination, Barack Obama is targeting John McCain rather than primary rival Hillary Clinton as he begins to implement his general election campaign strategy. The Christian Science Monitor (5/11, Grier, 58K) reports Obama "increasingly is ignoring the competitor from his own party to focus on presumptive GOP nominee John McCain." This "move likely is intended to be self-fulfilling. By behaving as if he has finally wrapped up the Democratic contest, Senator Obama may generate fresh excitement among his supporters and lure crucial superdelegates into his camp." But it "also probably reflects the Obama campaign's judgment of its actual position. The math is the math, and as the primaries dwindle to a precious few, Hillary Rodham Clinton's chance of winning the nomination has dwindled as well."

The Politico (5/12, Brown, Vogel) reports after the results of Tuesday's West Virginia primary are reported, Barack Obama will be "exercising his new-found role as the likely Democratic nominee" and will "travel to Missouri, a general election swing state, to begin laying the groundwork for November. He will do the same next week in Florida, raising money and setting out on what aides describe as a fence-mending bid in the orphaned state." The travel schedule "is just one mark of a candidate eager to shift from primary to general election mode." In a "two-day swing through Oregon, Obama purged Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton from his stump speeches, addressing his Democratic rival only when asked by voters. Obama instead focused solely on Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee."

The Wall Street Journal (5/12, Phillips, Millman, 2.06M) reports both Obama and Clinton "stepped up their criticism of John McCain and aimed fewer potshots at each other amid signs the nomination fight is winding down and the Democratic Party is coalescing around Sen. Obama." Before "taking time off the campaign trail Sunday, Sen. Obama zeroed in on the Republican presidential candidate's 'gas-tax holiday,' ridiculing the proposal as saving motorists 'a quarter and a nickel a day' through the summer. He also tested a new, harsher message: Sen. McCain's involvement in the 1987 Keating Five savings and loan scandal would be fair game for the general election."

EDWARDS SEES OBAMA AS LIKELY DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE. The AP (5/12) reports John Edwards "said Sunday that he thinks Barack Obama will be the party's presidential nominee and that Hillary Rodham Clinton must be careful not to damage the party's prospects in November as she continues her campaign." On CBS' "Face The Nation," Edwards said, "But I think the one thing that she has to be careful about ... going forward, is that, if she makes the case for herself, which she's completely entitled to do, she has to be really careful that she's not damaging our prospects, the Democratic Party, and our cause, for the fall."

The New York Times (5/11, Knowlton, 1.18M) reports Edwards "made it clear" that he "saw little chance that Mrs. Clinton could manage a come-from-behind victory." Edwards said, "You can no longer make a compelling case for the math. The math is very, very hard for her."

Copyright 2008 by the Bulletin News Network, Inc. Reproduction without permission prohibited. Editorial content is drawn from thousands of newspapers, national magazines, national and local television programs, and radio broadcasts. The Hillary For President News Briefing is published five days a week by BulletinNews, which creates custom news briefings for government and corporate leaders. We can be found on the Web at BulletinNews.com, or called at (703) 483-6100.