Chris Clizza is reporting that Sen. Clinton's new "blueprint" consists of:
- "When this whole process is over on the 7th of June, both candidates will need a number of automatic [super] delegates to clinch the nomination," Ickes said. " We believe Mrs. Clinton will be able to get those."
- There will be 13 days without a single vote between today and Ohio/Texas -- an opportunity, the Clinton team believes, to make their case for their candidate and against Obama without the distraction of primaries/caucuses. "This is a full chance to lay out the case," said Penn this afternoon.
More...
- The two upcoming nationally televised debates represent Clinton's best chance to change the fundamental dynamics of the race.
- "Mr. Obama is the frontrunner," said Ickes. "There will be increased scrutiny on him and his ability to be president." Later in the call, Wolfson greatly expanded on this idea, arguing that the recent charges of Obama lifting speech lines from Gov. Deval Patrick (Mass.), further revelations into his relationship with "indicted political fixer" Tony Rezko and questions over Obama's commitment to campaign finance reform are all the result of that increased scrutiny.
It doesn't look like these multi-million dollar consultants have considered the facts on the ground.
Tarrant County voters shattered turnout records Tuesday as early voting began for the March 4 presidential primaries in Texas.
"This is off the chart as far as primaries go," said Steve Raborn, Tarrant County elections administrator. "We're right on track to have as many ballots cast [Tuesday] as we did for the first day of voting in general elections."
When the polling places closed at 5 p.m., 8,338 Tarrant County [TX] residents had voted in person -- 5,733 for Democrats, 2,605 for Republicans, election records show. On the first day of early voting in 2004 for the last presidential election, only 804 voters in Tarrant County turned out.
http://www.star-telegram.com/...
Although they expressed dramatically divergent views on national and world affairs, Willis, Panesar, the Becerras and others were in complete agreement on one point: 2008 is shaping up to be the most exciting political year in recent memory. The political enthusiasts were among the first to cast their ballots Tuesday as Harris County opened 35 polling spots for early primary voting.
By the end of the day, 9,233 ballots were cast in the Democratic primary; 2,914 in the Republican, said Harris County Clerk's spokesman Hector de Leon. First-day totals for early voting in the 2004 presidential primary totaled 849 in the Democratic contests and 678 in the Republican.
"I think a lot of people are watching the national primaries," de Leon said. "They recognize Texas has a role to play."
http://www.chron.com/...
I can only hope that Sen. Clinton and her way-overpaid advisors have missed the boat again. If CA could be carried by early votes, why not TX?