Clinton Strengths Aren't Lost on The Obama Team: After Defeats, Managed Expectations

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: Clinton Strengths Aren't Lost on The Obama Team
After Defeats, Managed Expectations
By Anne E. Kornblut and Krissah Williams
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, March 7, 2008; A08


Both of the Democratic presidential candidates mobilized their supporters in Pennsylvania as soon as the votes were counted this week in Ohio and Texas. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are mounting campaign efforts in Pennsylvania on a scale not seen since the Iowa caucuses, even as the Obama campaign attempts to cast the April 22 contest as just another in a string of more than a dozen to go....Senior Obama advisers sought to play down the importance of Pennsylvania, which is full of the same kind of white, working-class voters who supported Clinton in Ohio and other states that she won. Pennsylvania also has more senior citizens than Ohio, which favors Clinton as well.

"We're going to campaign hard in Pennsylvania," said David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager. "It's a big, important state. We have a lot of support there. We're going to try to do as well as we can, get as many votes and delegates. They want to just say it's about this next big state. Our view is, we've got to look at the whole picture, which is 611 delegates are left. This is ultimately about the delegate math."...

Senior Obama advisers said they learned a hard lesson about managing expectations ahead of their defeat in Texas, where they had anticipated doing better. Rather than accepting the notion that Pennsylvania will be decisive, they plan to play down their chances in the Keystone State and keep their focus on states such as North Carolina, where they expect to win.

Aside from a demographic advantage, Clinton will have the support of several state Democratic leaders, including Gov. Edward G. Rendell. "He's very engaged, and that's really important," (T.J. Rooney, chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party) said. "He brings a fundraising machine like no other. He brings the influence of his office and a large political following."

The state party's executive director, Mary Isenhour, is also in the Clinton camp and will run Clinton's Pennsylvania operation. Another key Clinton backer is Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, who will try to help her offset Obama's advantage in a city that will be critical to his performance in the state. Former president Bill Clinton was scheduled to make campaign stops in Philadelphia and its suburbs today....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/06/AR2008030603767_pf.html

[TwilightGardener]

1. Teddy Kennedy needs to get his ass out to PA and campaign for Obama--

I think that would have helped Obama more with the white Catholic "ethnics" in Ohio--they still revere the Kennedys. I grew up in PA, my family is still there, and my Italian grandfather had a portait of JFK in his business, as did many Italians, Poles, Irish, Germans, etc. Ted, we need you!

[DeepModem Mom]

2. My guess is Ted will be there! nt

[Justitia]

3. Here's the difference - all my older, white, Catholic female relatives in the Philly 'burbs have

said they would never vote for a woman as president, but they WILL vote for Obama.

Crazy, I know, also anecdotal, I know, but these women have lived in their neighborhoods for decades and they say the women in their neighborhoods feel similarly.
They also universally hate Rendell (ha, ha - kinda a Philly thing to bang on the Governor).

It's a different animal in the Philly 'burbs. I'm talking Bucks County, Montgomery County and NE Philly.

So, take it for what it's worth, but I believe it is REALLY different from OH in this respect.

My relatives inside Philly center are all going for Obama and he will take Philadelphia proper EASILY.

Forgot to add: This is why I think Obama's strategy of working the Philly burbs is excellent.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Thanks for your "inside" report! nt