Subject: Hillary For President News Briefing for Wednesday, June 04, 2008
From: "Bulletin News Network" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked]
Date: 4 Jun 2008 06:38:32 -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: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2008 6:30 AM EDT

TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS

SEN. CLINTON'S CAMPAIGN:

+ Clinton Not Yet Ready To Concede.

+ Clinton "Open" To Accepting VP Nomination.

+ Obama, Clinton Split Final Two Primaries.

+ Obama Clinches Democratic Nomination.

+ Clinton Campaign Mistakes Analyzed.

+ Reasons For Obama Victory Examined.

Sen. Clinton's Campaign:

CLINTON NOT YET READY TO CONCEDE. The AP (6/4) reports, "Angling for a vice presidential nod," Sen. Hillary Clinton "refused to bow out of the Democratic race Tuesday, hoping to maintain leverage as Barack Obama clinched the delegates needed to secure the party's nomination. 'A lot of people are asking, 'What does Hillary want?" Clinton told supporters at a rally in New York. 'I want what I have always fought for: I want the nearly 18 million people who voted for me to be respected and heard.' Clinton told the crowd she would consult in the coming days with advisers about the fate of her moribund candidacy. But her remarks came hours after she told congressional colleagues she would be open to joining Obama as his running mate."

The Washington Post (6/4, A1, Kornblut, 723K) reports in a front page story that, "Characteristically measured and noticeably upbeat, Clinton did not explain her next move when she addressed her supporters in the dingy basement gym at Baruch College. If her speech seemed a valedictory, she did not say she was ending her campaign. If she lavishly praised Barack Obama -- who 'inspired so many Americans to care about politics and empowered so many more to get involved' -- she did not endorse him."

In a story headlined "Hillary Clinton's determined White House bid is at last truly over," the Los Angeles Times (6/4, Levey, 833K) reports Clinton "seemed unable to abandon her argument that she should have had the prize. 'In the millions of quiet moments, in thousands of places,' she told her fans, 'you asked yourself a simple question: Who would be the strongest candidate and the strongest president?' Clinton provided the answer. She ticked off the states she had won -- including South Dakota on Tuesday night -- and reiterated her much-disputed claim to have been the choice of more voters."

NBC Nightly News (6/3, story 2, 2:45, Mitchell, 9.87M) reported, "When will she actually concede that is still undecided but she will concede." Terry McAuliffe, Clinton campaign chairman, was shown speaking earlier in the day on NBC's Today Show saying, "I think if Senator Obama gets the number, I think Hillary Clinton will congratulate him and call him the nominee."

CLINTON "OPEN" TO ACCEPTING VP NOMINATION. Speaking on a conference call with legislators from her home state of New York yesterday, Hillary Clinton reportedly expressed interest in joining Barack Obama on the Democratic ticket as his vice presidential running mate. Later in the day, at Baruch College, Clinton told supporters she was not yet prepared to exit the presidential race, saying she needed time to consider her options. The AP (6/4, Fouhy, Barrett) reports Hillary Clinton "told colleagues Tuesday she would consider joining Barack Obama as his running mate, and advisers said she was withholding a formal departure from the race partly to use her remaining leverage to press for a spot on the ticket." On the conference call, Clinton "said she was willing to become Obama's vice presidential nominee if it would help Democrats win the White House, according to several participants in the call." Clinton also "told colleagues the delegate math was not there for her to overtake Obama, but that she wanted to take time to determine how to leave the race in a way that would best help Democrats."

On The Politico (6/4), Ben Smith says, "Greg Sargent has a statement from the campaign: 'Today on a conference call with New York legislators, Sen. Clinton was asked whether she was open to the idea of running as Vice President and repeated what has said before: she would do whatever she could to ensure that Democrats take the White House back and defeat John McCain.'" Smith adds, "This is worth keeping in perspective: What I reported, and what my sources on the call have told me is that, pressed on the vice presidency, Clinton had been open to it."

ABC World News (6/3, lead story, 3:00, Tapper, 8.78M) reported, "Clinton seemed to suggest she would consider being Obama's vice presidential candidate. But people close to Clinton say that right now she's feeling tremendous pressure. And she needs to be given her space in order to make her decision."

The CBS Evening News (6/3, story 2, 2:20, Axelrod, 7.66M) reported, "Formally ending her run may not come for a few days. But she is signaling interest in the vice president slot on the ticket. Asked by fellow New York lawmakers about it today, Clinton said, quote, I'm open to it." McAuliffe: "I think people have to realize that these two candidates received close to 37 million votes. No matter how we go forward, we have to win this White House back. The two of them have to be together in some capacity."

On ABC World News (6/3, story 2, 2:05, Gibson, 8.78M), George Stephanopoulos said, "Now that she says she's open to considering it, a lot of her supporters want it, that puts Barack Obama in a bit of a box. He either has to pick her. He certainly has to seriously consider her. And if he doesn't want her, he has got to do it in a way that doesn't diss her or her supporters."

On the CBS Evening News (6/3, story 3, 3:05, Couric, 7.66M), Bob Schieffer said, "I am told, Katie, that Senator Clinton's husband is the one who is mainly pushing this, telling her she needs to try to get on the ticket. Certainly there will be some pluses and minuses. A plus is obvious. She can help him bring women to support him, she can help him with blue-collar workers. But there are some minuses. And the main minus is Bill Clinton himself. Does Obama want to bring on the questions that will be asked about his personal life, how he made all the money he's made in recent years?"

Clinton Seen As Withholding Concession To Maximize Leverage. In an analysis for the AP (6/4), Ron Fournier addresses the question, voiced by pundits and observers, and by Clinton herself: "What does Hillary want?" Fournier lists the following answers: "The vice presidency. ... A prime-time speaking role at the Democratic National Convention. ... campaign donations to forgive her debt. And she will press her case for relevancy at the risk of widening the divide between Barack Obama's supporters and her older, whiter, working-class coalition." Moreover, "What Clinton told supporters she wanted was an end to the war in Iraq, universal health care and a stronger economy. That certainly is true, but she's also looking out for her own interests. Clinton did not bow out Tuesday because she wants to retain her political leverage, advisers said privately, eying a spot on the ticket, a convention role and perhaps other benefits."

OBAMA, CLINTON SPLIT FINAL TWO PRIMARIES. In Montana, CNN reports Obama topped Clinton 57%-41%, while in South Dakota, Clinton beat Obama 55%-45%, CNN reports this morning.

Clinton Wins South Dakota Primary. The Sioux Falls Argus Leader (6/4, Ellis) reports that Sen. Hillary Clinton "scored an upset victory Tuesday in South Dakota over Barack Obama, winning a majority of the state's Democratic presidential delegates. But the win in South Dakota was overshadowed by Obama's historic assumption of the Democratic nomination for president. 'Thanks so much to South Dakota,' Clinton said during a speech in New York. 'You had the last word of this primary season, and it was worth the wait.' Clinton led 55 percent to 45 percent with 99 percent of the vote counted early today. As late as Monday, some national observers said Obama would easily triumph in South Dakota and Montana - the final primaries of the contest. Obama did win in Montana."

The Rapid City Journal (6/4, Woster) reports, "In a single line delivered to a national television audience Tuesday night in New York City," Clinton "told the story of her successful campaign in South Dakota. Clinton, who topped" Obama "55 percent to 45 percent" in South Dakota, "said she was campaigning for 'the hard-working men and women who don't always make the headlines but who have always written the American story.'" Clinton made "three stops in Rapid City and a Pine Ridge reservation visit, as well as a succession of appearances in Democratic strongholds east of the Missouri River. And it all paid among voters who admire grit, former state Democratic Party chairwoman Judy Olson Duhamel of Rapid City said Tuesday night. 'Even people who maybe wouldn't have considered voting for her before had to admire her stamina and the fact that she just keeps on working -- and winning,' Olson Duhamel said."

OBAMA CLINCHES DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION. Barack Obama on Tuesday became the first African American to win the nomination of a major political party in the US, as he claimed enough pledged delegates from the contests in Montana and South Dakota and, more importantly, enough superdelegate support yesterday to push him across the 2,118 threshold needed. Ironically, the day's primaries were again a split decision, with Obama winning Montana and Clinton winning South Dakota.

Obama's upset of Hillary Clinton was the lead on each of the network news reports, and was the top story in the major dailies. Obama took a victory lap before a crowd of 17,000 the Xcel Center in St. Paul, Minnesota – site of the GOP convention in August -- praising his defeated rival, Hillary Clinton, and pivoting to target his new adversary, Republican John McCain. USA Today (6/4, Page, Lawrence, 2.28M) reports Obama "clinched the Democratic presidential nomination on the final day of an unprecedented primary season Tuesday, making history by prevailing over" Clinton, who was "once seen as the inevitable nominee." Obama "focused largely on the general election against Republican John McCain at his victory rally late Tuesday in St. Paul." Superdelegates, "among them former president Jimmy Carter, already had lined up behind Obama and pushed him over the 2,118 delegate total needed to be nominated before the polls closed in the Mountain West, where a total of 31 delegates were at stake."

ABC World News (6/3, lead story, 3:00, Tapper, 8.78M) reported, "Obama scored endorsements from more than two dozen superdelegates, including House Majority Whip, Jim Clyburn." Rep. James Clyburn: "I think Obama enunciated a vision for the country going forward."

The CBS Evening News (6/3, lead story, 2:45, Reynolds, 7.66M) reported, "With an eye toward those Republicans who may be disillusioned with the Bush administration, Obama will offer himself as an alternative, arguing that John McCain ensures nothing so much as a third term for Bush, more failures at home and abroad, a candidate with no plan to bring the troops home from Iraq, and a hands-off economic policy without relief for hard-pressed Americans." NBC Nightly News (6/3, lead story, 2:00, Cowan, 9.87M) reported, "Certainly the Obama campaign knows they need" Hillary Clinton's "support and her supporters heading into this general election."

The Minneapolis (MN) Star-Tribune (6/4, Von Sternberg) reports Obama "declared victory Tuesday night at a raucous rally at the Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul." Speaking to 17,000 supporters "who had jammed the arena to witness an historic moment as Obama became the first black candidate in the nation's history to become a major party presidential nominee," Obama said, "Tonight, after fifty-four hard-fought contests, our primary season has finally come to an end."

The AP (6/4, Raum, Pickler) reports Obama's victory "set up a five-month campaign with" McCain, "a race between a first-term Senate opponent of the Iraq War and a 71-year-old former Vietnam prisoner of war and staunch supporter of the current U.S. military mission. And both men seemed eager to begin." In New Orleans, McCain "accused his younger rival of voting 'to deny funds to the soldiers who have done a brilliant and brave job' in Iraq.'" Obama "responded quickly, pausing in his own speech long enough to praise Clinton for 'her strength, her courage and her commitment to the causes that brought us here tonight.'"

CLINTON CAMPAIGN MISTAKES ANALYZED. A broad range of media outlets ran analysis pieces on why Clinton lost her bid for the Democratic nomination, some examples: The Wall Street Journal (6/4, A1, Calmes, 2.06M) reports in a front page story, "Inside the Clinton campaign and out, the finger-pointing has begun. The bottom line is this: She called the biggest plays, and she got them wrong." The mistakes "boil down to mismanagement, message, mobilization failures and the marital factor." Insiders say "control over the campaign resided with a small clique of loyalists close to Sen. Clinton but at odds with each other. Ultimately, however, she relied on an inner circle of two -- her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and their longtime pollster, Mark Penn -- whose instincts often clashed with those of the campaign veterans around them." And Clinton's "management choices, it is widely agreed, gave rise to fatal strategic blunders. The main one, in the eyes of many associates, was her message: She emphasized her Washington experience when voters wanted change." The campaign's "most inarguable mistake was its failure to organize voters in states with caucuses rather than primaries. That left Sen. Obama to build what proved an insurmountable lead in convention delegates." And the campaign "failed to acknowledge the 'Clinton fatigue' felt by many Democrats. Mr. Clinton's controversies on the stump only fanned it."

ABC World News (6/3, story 4, 3:20, Snow, 8.78M) reported, "In the end, there was one truth she simply couldn't overcome. However experienced Hillary Clinton may be, the senator and former First Lady is inextricably tied to the past. And too many voters couldn't imagine her leading the nation into the future." Tad Devine, Democratic strategist: "Hillary Clinton decided to run as the candidate of experience and also to run on the record of the Clinton Administration. Both of those things looked backward."

In an analysis for Gannett (6/4), Chuck Raasch attributes the decline of Clinton's fortunes to seven "forces she and her advisers could not, or did not, see coming," to wit: "A yearning for change," Clinton's perceived inability "to settle on a political style or persona," Democratic voters being more excited about breaking the race barrier than the gender barrier, Clinton's ill-advised focus on large states and Super Tuesday, a lack of substantial policy differences with Obama, the negative impact of Bill Clinton on her campaign, and finally, "Obama's national appeal, backed up by a broader and deeper national campaign strategy than Clinton had, was arguably the most important reason for her loss."

REASONS FOR OBAMA VICTORY EXAMINED. The Washington Post (6/4, A1, Weisman, Murray, Slevin, 723K) reports that almost "from the beginning," Hillary Clinton's "superior name recognition and her sway with state party organizations convinced Barack Obama's brain trust that a junior senator from Illinois was not going to be able to challenge the Clinton political machine head-on." The "insurgent strategy they devised instead was to virtually cede the most important battlegrounds of the Democratic nomination fight to Clinton, using precision targeting to minimize her delegate hauls, while going all out to crush her in states where Democratic candidates rarely ventured and causes that were often ignored." The "surprise was how well his strategy held up -- and how little resistance it met."

The Los Angeles Times (6/5, A1, Barabak, 833K) reports in a front page story that Obama's "victory over Clinton after an epic 16-month battle for the Democratic nomination will go down as one of the great political upsets of all time." It was "a triumph of charisma and soaring oratory -- two of the oldest commodities in politics -- fused with a thoroughly modern campaign that harnessed the Internet like never before."

ABC World News (6/3, story 3, 2:55, Wright, 8.78M) reported, "Obama embraced the one message that was mattered this year." Donna Brazile, Democratic strategist: "Senator Obama had one simple message, and that was change. And throughout the campaign no, matter which way the wind was blowing, Senator Obama stuck with his message of change." Wright: "Just as important, he cast his campaign as a rejection of old-style Washington politics."

In an analysis headlined "How Barack Obama won the nomination," McClatchy (6/4, Talev) relates, "Did Barack Obama upset Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination because: A.) He worked harder in Iowa and other caucus and early-voting states and built a national movement of youth and grass-roots activists and small-dollar donors? B.) His campaign staff worked more harmoniously than Clinton's and without a sense of entitlement? C.) His 11-win streak after Feb. 5's Super Tuesday contests cost Clinton so much in delegates, momentum and money that her big wins later on weren't enough? D.) He's a gifted speechmaker whose message of change and less divisive politics had broader appeal than Clinton's claim that she was ready on day one? The answer is: E.) All of the above."

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.