April 09, 2008
Wolfson: Obama Buying PA Primary
Howard Wolfson, in a call with reporters a few moments ago, accused Barack Obama's campaign of trying to purchase the PA primary.
"He is doing everything he can on the air to buy this election in Pennsylania," Wolfson said.
Wolfson said Obama is outspending Clinton almost 3:1. With that ratio, Wolfson argued, Obama should handily take the April 22 contest.
"If Sen. Obama is not able to win Pennsylvania … it will again demonstrate that he has serious problems winning the large states," he said. He added: "We all know that the road to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue runs through Pennsylvania."
The Clinton camp also debuted a new radio spot in PA (script after the jump) accusing Obama of misleading voters in a TV ad running in the state. In the Obama ad, the candidate says he'll take on the oil companies. Clinton's counter spot mentions that Obama voted for the "Bush Cheney energy bill."
"It was called a piñata of perks and the best energy bill corporations could buy," a narrator says in the HRC ad.
On Call Aside -- Obama has, of course, outraised Clinton. She's in debt. Obama's flush. Though the race has tightened considerably, Obama is still behind. It's not surprising that he is outspending her in PA; MSNBC is reporting that his ads are costing the campaign $300K a day. Today's call was, on the surface, about the dueling energy spots. But Wolfson instead intended to set new expectations less than two weeks out. Team Clinton is now selling PA as a must-win for Obama. CW dictates that it's make or break, however, for HRC, who trails in pledged delegates, the popular vote and states won.
UPDATE: Obama spokesman Hari Sevugan offered this react to the Clinton radio spot ... "Just like her last tall tale about dodging sniper fire in Bosnia, Senator Clinton has misfired with her latest negative ad. The fact is, Barack Obama takes no money from Washington lobbyists or PACs while Senator Clinton has taken more than any Democrat or Republican in this race, and that includes oil companies. Obama has been a Senate leader in fighting for higher fuel efficiency standards, alternative fuels and for the repeal of tax breaks for oil companies. Until this year, Senator Clinton opposed higher fuel efficiency standards and in 2004 she supported a huge tax break for the oil industry. This just another example of the broken Washington politics that Barack Obama is running to change."
(JENNIFER SKALKA)
HILLARY
‘REAL LIFE”
OIL RADIO:60
ANNCR
In his TV ads, Barack Obama sounds like he'll take on the oil companies.
"I don't take money from oil companies."
What he doesn’t tell you is that “no candidate does….they cant,” according to the Annenberg Center’s Factcheck.org...It's been against the law for companies to donate to candidates for a hundred years.
Listen to Barack Obama some more.
"Now Exxon's making forty billion dollars a year and we're paying three fifty for gas."
Obama also doesn't mention that he voted for the Bush Cheney energy bill.
It was called a piñata of perks and the best energy bill corporations could buy.
Hillary Clinton voted against that bill.
She’s the one who will make the oil companies pay to set up a new strategic energy fund that will cut our dependence on foreign oil .invest in new clean energy, and create five million new jobs.
It's time for president who takes on the oil companies in real life, not just on TV.
Hillary Clinton.
Posted at 01:12 PM
Comments
Poor Wolfie...gotta admit it, he does earn him money. All the same, Poor Wolfie..
CC | 04.09.08 03:16 PM
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Sure, he's trying to buy the primary. Why else would he spend millions on a job that pays $400k a year?
corinne | 04.09.08 03:33 PM
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I am glad Obama is using my donated money to win the White House for Democrats!
corinne: Great comment! hahaha
My Money at Work | 04.09.08 03:40 PM
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To bad Hillary spent all that money for snow shovels, expensive food items for fat cat fund raisors, and Mark Penn's outlandish salary. If she would have been more wise in her spending, she would not be complaining today...
Donald Oniel | 04.09.08 03:49 PM
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BO has to rely on buying votes because he cannot get them by question and answer foorums as he flubbs when that happens
Having his wife MO giving speeches didnt work out so well
He prefers to cast an image in ads one that he can pretend to be what ever he chooses to be at that time
Let him spend his funds in Penn he still wont take the state how smart is it to blow all that money on an image when the end result will be the same
Is that boneheaded or not???
As a president he would spend our tax& to make himself and MO look good but the end result will be the same as Penn
Betty | 04.09.08 03:57 PM
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Another goalpost move from the Clinton team.
I have to admit that at first, I was really nervous and upset at the Clinton campaign. I really thought they would find a way to steal this election via the Supers or through some other means. But now, seeing them desperately grasping at straws, it's kind of entertaining.
davidconnell | 04.09.08 04:03 PM
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how dare he beat us fair and square after we started out with the advantage of money, power, and name recognition.
how dare he beat us fair and square after we tried every dirty trick in the book....where is the love for the liars, cheeters and thieves...were falling apart here!
loki | 04.09.08 04:04 PM
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how dare he beat us fair and square after we started out with the advantage of money, power, and name recognition.
how dare he beat us fair and square after we tried every dirty trick in the book....where is the love for the liars, cheeters and thieves...were falling apart here!
loki | 04.09.08 04:04 PM
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Pennsylvanians will not be tricked as easily as Clinton tricked Ohioans with the NAFTA lie.
VOTE THE CORRUPTION OUT! VOTE OBAMA!
Nathan | 04.09.08 04:08 PM
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it will be fun to watch the future debates between McCain and Obama. Barak will dwarf John in every way and the teleprompters won't be able to save him. oh, Hillary would give him hell too if she didn't have so much baggage to carry into a general election. i really wish Hillary had run a more Democratic campaign. the whole time, i could have sworn that she was running as a Rebublican against Barak. She and Barak should both jump on McCain's case from now until the GE
loki | 04.09.08 04:15 PM
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Go Obama, we know how clinton do when she realizes she is about to loose.
Put those ads there Omama
jojo mans | 04.09.08 04:18 PM
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Good I am glad Obama is spending the money I donated to win the primary!!! Boohoo poor Hillary she doesn't have money so they are making up excuses of why she might loose. HA it is just hilarious. Obama raised more money so he can spend the money campaigning that is the point of raising money in a campaign.
Kathryn | 04.09.08 04:22 PM
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now that i think about it, Barak is not winning anything....his voters are. so if you must hate anyone for his success, then you should hate the majority of voters to this point. hate all of the Americans that have contributed to his and OUR campaign for OUR presidency. can you, will you hate all of those Americans? if you can say yes, well....you have serious problems...i'll pray for you.
loki | 04.09.08 04:22 PM
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Obama is planning to win PA. Camp Clinton just does not realize that his plan is to win it in November. If they had real perspective on where the race actually is they would see that already.
The days of spin and setting expectations are almost done.
Clinton has spun so many losses into "meaningless contests" that all those meaningless contests have added up to picking the nominee. LOL
he was expected to win there.
that was a caucus
that was a causus
he was expected to win there
another meningless caucus
not a state we will carry in the fall
he was expected to win there
...caucus
...he was expected...
Now she is expected to win and he is closing in so they want it to be "he is expected to win there becuase he has more donors?". Spin away... its too late for spin folks.
I wish they had done MI over so he could do the same intense campaign there before killing the Clinton beast.
Tone | 04.09.08 04:39 PM
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Obama's campaign was already waging its Glitzkrieg in Iowa. People have to make a stand for democracy. Resist the Glitz!
I'm originally from Southwestern Pennsylvania and the folks I know will see through this barrage.
Kathy Giannini | 04.09.08 04:52 PM
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Obama's campaign was already waging its Glitzkrieg in Iowa. People have to make a stand for democracy. Resist the Glitz!
I'm originally from Southwestern Pennsylvania and the folks I know will see through this barrage.
Kathy Giannini | 04.09.08 04:54 PM
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If he thinks TV time is expensive in PA, wait till he gets the bill from the Dem ward bosses in North St. Louis!
flyover | 04.09.08 05:41 PM
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Wolfson already sounds like a sore loser. He is setting himself up to over amplify Clinton´s performance due to Obama´s spending. Let´s remind Wolfie that that money Obama was spending was given to him by Americans who did not give it Clinton. Again, he seeks to insult the intelligence of the American voter.
Let´s also point out to Wolfie that Pennsylannia Avenue does not run through Pennsylvannia. It runs the winner of the general election based on total electoral votes. Let´s remind Wolfie that electoral votes are only earned in the general election. Let´s remind Wolfie that winning or losing the primary in PA (or any other big state) makes no statement about whether the winner (or loser) will win against McCain in teh general election.
He needs a rest. He will get one soon.....
edra | 04.09.08 05:47 PM
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Wolfson already sounds like a sore loser. He is setting himself up to over amplify Clinton´s performance due to Obama´s spending. Let´s remind Wolfie that that money Obama was spending was given to him by Americans who did not give it Clinton. Again, he seeks to insult the intelligence of the American voter.
Let´s also point out to Wolfie that Pennsylannia Avenue does not run through Pennsylvannia. It runs the winner of the general election based on total electoral votes. Let´s remind Wolfie that electoral votes are only earned in the general election. Let´s remind Wolfie that winning or losing the primary in PA (or any other big state) makes no statement about whether the winner (or loser) will win against McCain in teh general election.
He needs a rest. He will get one soon.....
edra | 04.09.08 05:49 PM
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Hillarys really getting desperate, watching that lead slip away. She'd be spending too if she had it to spend. Do the research in Newsweek. She only raised $7 mil primary dollars last month. The difference from what she said is $23 mil. All her contributors are big monied individuals who have all contributed the max. $2,300 for the primary. The rest cant be used until the general election. IF. She should stop lying every time she opens her mouth. Americas not going to elect a liar.
PAT | 04.09.08 07:30 PM
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Hillarys really getting desperate, watching that lead slip away. She'd be spending too if she had it to spend. Do the research in Newsweek. She only raised $7 mil primary dollars last month. The difference from what she said is $23 mil. All her contributors are big monied individuals who have all contributed the max. $2,300 for the primary. The rest cant be used until the general election. IF. She should stop lying every time she opens her mouth. Americas not going to elect a liar.
PAT | 04.09.08 07:31 PM
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Since the entire Clinton campaign is being bought by the government of Columbia, they would know the signs...
VOTE OUT THE CORRUPTION, VOTE OBAMA!
Nathan | 04.09.08 07:52 PM
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Bill says he "can't" win..
Now Wolfson says he "must" win.....
And still no answer on Bill's meaning of "is"
Scott wells | 04.09.08 08:35 PM
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Bill says he "can't" win..
Now Wolfson says he "must" win.....
And still no answer on Bill's meaning of "is"
Scott wells | 04.09.08 08:35 PM
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OBAMA'S MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR EXPENDITURES IN PA MAKE CLINTON SURGE IN POLLS ALL THE MORE AMAZING
As an avid follower of the polls—especially the Pennsylvania daily tracking polls—I am frustrated by the fact that just about every main stream media story published today claims that the polls are moving toward Obama.
Not so.
There is a PA daily tracking poll average published by Real Clear Politics. (The RCP average is the composite of the 6 PA polls.) The RCP average was Hillary 5+ last week, now it has moved to 7.9+ Clinton.
One of the most recent PA polls—the SurveyUSA poll, has Clinton leading Obama by 18 points.
The Insider Advantage PA poll (that last week had Obama up by 3 points in the Keystone State) now has Clinton at 10+ over Obama.
Insider Advantage pollster Matt Towery, after noting that in the last few days “Sen. Clinton has made progress among both men and among all white voters. Her support among women also appears to be consolidating,” says:
“My guess is that whatever damage she might have sustained by recent gaffs and media missteps have been largely discounted by the public. The race in Pennsylvania is clearly still fluid. But, at least for now, it’s tending back towards the result that was originally anticipated by most – a Clinton lead. “Her big task now is to maintain a double-digit lead and expand on it.”
As someone who looks at the PA tracking poll numbers 4 times a day, Google the above polls for yourself. The trend is toward Clinton who will take PA by healthy double digits.
This is all the more amazing in view of the money that Obama has thrown into this race, outspending Clinton on TV time here by a ratio of 4-to-1.
In fact, an AP story today reported that Obama has already run over 100,000 TV ads nationally, compared to the 19,000 TV ads that Kerry ran to secure the 2004 nomination.
Best regards,
Stephen Gianelli
Stephen Gianelli | 04.09.08 11:51 PM
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May be if Clinton & her campaign advisors had not been so negative, so whinny and so victimized and just ran a straight-forward, honest & truthful debate, may be the American people would have listened to them and more respected them. America is growing up and finding her soul and dirty polticis just ain't working anymore. We are turning more holistic, oganic, greener and the Clintons and some just ain't getting it. Also, if given a chance Barack really means to change Washington and the way things are done so we can really get America going again. Something really does have to change and I think we all intuitively know that.
Angellight | 04.10.08 07:38 AM
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WOLF EATEN BY OBAMA'S GRANDMOTHER & LRR
Issue 1. Name recognition and brand combined with state political apparatus and hyper endorsement of only modern day dem president. This is a built in firewall which takes more than money, it takes six months of retail politics like in Iowa.
Issue 2 - Race - Demographics indicate that voters with less than HS education in states with 6% to 16% black population may not be voting on issues alone. Supporting Clinton after Bosnia seems contrary to everything I know about white factory workers.
Issue 3. The Lead - Obama is well ahead. Objective measures range from intrade at 86 percent, Slate Clinton death watch at ten percent... The point is when you are in the lead you do not have to "win", or "catch up". It is Clinton who needs to win, needs to take risks. It is exactly the need to overcome this insurmountable lead that has caused HRC to take so many risks which have backfired.
Issue 4 - Should Clinton Get Out = YES. First congrats are in order, she is the first women to win a primary. However her need to take risks to change the nature of the race ever since Iowa have created an ugly campaign. She should get out because she has "exceeded the number of fouls" allowed. The key word is personal, like in Basketball regardless of the score you get six fouls. Clinton should have fouled out, it is just that she must be the referee and throw herself out of the contest.
Clintons Six Personal Fouls Worthy of Ejection
1. Drivers License, Clinton Restoration, Inevitable, Third Place in Iowa (kindergarten essay)= I lump all of these into one foul called delay of game.
2. Sheehan "drug dealing", BET B. Johnson Trash Talk, Bill Clinton "Jesse Jackson" = race (3 am Brinks home security ad might be a race bait also)
Call it intentional foul!
3."Shame on You" - "I am honored" = SYBIL - multiple personalities - The whole NAFTA and N. Ireland bogus claims proven false by both schedules and Irish Noble Prize winners.
Foul
4. Bosnia = this calls for a ten day suspension from the league, not just ejection. This is the worst personal foul you can committ.
5. Failure to pay health insurance premiums, other vendors, running out of money, failure to organize in caucus states, and working the ref's over Fl and MI which along with popular vote, electoral college del, big states, etc. are not actually how you win the game.
6. Commander in Chief attact against dem rival.
"McCain and I are ready, he gave a speech....
This is not basketball people - this is Tanya Harding with a thug (WJC) and a crowbar.
What is most alarming to me - the MSM requires an attempt to show a balance. If a terrorist blows up twenty kids on a school bus, the MSM will interview the Ambassador plus a representative or sympathizer of the terrorist position. Likewise, HRC continues to terrorize the truth, diminish the probable nominee of her party and the MSM continues to cover her spin....
Straight Facts | 04.10.08 08:19 AM
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She ain't finished yet?????
Obama hasn't sealed the deal yet??????
Kefa | 04.10.08 03:26 PM
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As JIM VANDEHEI & DAVID PAUL KUHN of Politico have reported, Clinton’s leadership involves a bunch of missteps, so it's difficult to trust her leadership judgment and her credibiliy:
According to the article, “Obama can rightly claim he has run a more consistent, disciplined and technologically savvy campaign. While Clinton has blown though nearly a half-dozen campaign slogans and failed to put concerns about her credibility to rest, he has clung to essentially the same leadership and governing message he outlined in his 2004 speech at the Democratic convention. There has been little drama inside his operation — or at least if there was, it has been kept largely concealed.
“In every campaign, the strategy is important and the day-to-day management is important. And in Obama’s case, it’s hard not to argue that they have run a great campaign,” said Steve Elmendorf, deputy campaign manager for Kerry’s 2004 bid and a Clinton supporter. “It’s been one of the best-run presidential campaigns in the last 20 years. I think they are focused and disciplined and on message. … The test of a good campaign is having a plan and keeping an operation on track to execute a plan.”
Put simply, Obama has shown he can offer a compelling vision, execute a complicated strategy to convey it and, all the while, keep the ledger in the black. That’s not a bad first step to becoming a strong leader...
... The Clinton campaign, by contrast, has been marked by strategic missteps, financial uncertainty and personnel drama.“
Bill B | 04.11.08 05:21 AM
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"obama has shown he can offer a compelling vision, execute a complicated strategy to convey it etc.." What exactly is this "compelling vision and complicated strategy? I have no clue what this man stand for. Obama will buckle at the knees when he has to start taking the media bashing Hillary Clinton has taken; and he will take a beating from the republicans should he become the nominee. I look forward to Obama trying to complete a sentence in a debate with John McCain. Obama will sound like the fool he is.
ben | 04.11.08 02:31 PM
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"obama has shown he can offer a compelling vision, execute a complicated strategy to convey it etc.." What exactly is this "compelling vision and complicated strategy? I have no clue what this man stand for. Obama will buckle at the knees when he has to start taking the media bashing Hillary Clinton has taken; and he will take a beating from the republicans should he become the nominee. I look forward to Obama trying to complete a sentence in a debate with John McCain. Obama will sound like the fool he is.
ben | 04.11.08 02:31 PM
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The people posting after Gianelli's statement that the huge advertising campaign isn't working have carefully avoided mentioning the most recent polls. I agree with them that something in Obama's approach -- particularly to young voters -- is extremely effective, but I think that there is less of a "compelling vision" than a HUGE amount of "technological savvy", whole chunks of Obama's speeches that were in the news have been lifted out of circulation, his photos are all over creation when you want to get some information on Hillary Clinton, and when you want to follow up his overspending on advertising or the links between his campaign advisor Axelrod and rising energy prices to cosumers in Illinois, you often end up on his official campaign site!
It's not just a Glitzkrieg, it's not just a flooding of all media with a huge ad campaign but also a knotting up of the freeflow info on the net, an OBstruction.
Kathy Giannini | 04.14.08 05:52 AM
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