Obama Campaign Manager Says Candidate Is Holding His Own Against "Blizzard Of Outside Money"
Barack Obama's campaign manager, David Plouffe, gave a 'State of the Race' talk to reporters this morning, saying that a number of factors indicate that Obama is running strongest in Iowa -- despite the deadlocked nature there of the Democratic contest.
Plouffe's key points:
Obama's crowds are the largest.
Obama is the strongest second choice candidate.
Obama is the pick of Independents.
Obama is drawing undecideds to his homestretch events.
Obama will be viable in more precincts that John F. Kerry was in 2004.(He said Kerry was not viable in about 10 percent of precincts.)
Plouffe said the campaign knocked on over 90,000 doors over the weekend. "We’ve been drawing consistently bigger crowds than either of our two main oppornents," he noted. "...We’re not just trying to build crowds for the sake of optics."
Plouffe also said that the Obama campaign has managed to hold its own in Iowa against a "blizzard of outside money" going to Hillary Clinton and John Edwards from AFSCME, Emily's List, "that shadowy 527 on behalf of Edwards." He estimated that more than $4M in outside cash has been used to bolster the Clinton and Edwards campaigns in Iowa.
Meanwhile, in New Hampshire, Plouffe said, Obama is in a solid two-way race with Clinton, but Clinton, he said, is "receding" while Edwards is "kinda stuck in the teens." He said he doesn't believe that John McCain's surge in the Granite State will draw undeclared voters away from Obama. "McCain’s growth has principally come from Republican voters," Plouffe said.
He also cited these numbers for proof of a strong ground game in N.H. ...
Over 100 field staff on the ground
1.6M calls made
330,000 doors knocked
Plouffe argued that Obama's campaign is best positioned in South Carolina and will be the biggest draw for African American voters. And he said Obama has the strongest ground game in the Feb. 5 states, with offices in 17 of 22 states. And one note, more than 95 percent of Obama's donors haven't maxed out, Plouffe said.
Plouffe also offered up his own math scenario for an Edwards campaign that could run out of cash by the time the party convention rolls around in August. In 2007, Plouffe said, Edwards would have had $40M to spend on the primaries, because of his commitment to take matching funds. So bump that to $50M nationwide this year, and Plouffe said, "Our estimate that Edwards would have spent by the end of this year $32M" would leave him $17M to transact all of the remaining primaries.
(JENNIFER SKALKA)
Senator Barack Obama is the one candidate who both opposses the use of PAC and corporate lobby money and who stands for changes to re-orient the US from the Bush administration's policies of fear to the Barack Obama's policies of hope. The only thing worse than having this last year with President Bush as President, would be Senator Hillary Clinton in that position.
Recently saw a posting on the Acropolis Review blog referencing an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article showing some interesting under the radar info. about Obama's unique fundraising strength throughout the South.
Wow. Plouffe obviously has nothing but hope since his candidate has little else to show for it.
Obama's crowds are the largest.
So what? That doesn't necessarily translate into votes, Dave.
Obama is the strongest second choice candidate.
Bzzt. Sorry, Dave. Edwards was the most popular second choice with 28 percent, while Obama had 25 percent and Clinton 14 percent, according to a recent Zogby poll (12–27/30).
Obama is the pick of Independents.
Swing and a miss! Edwards led narrowly among independents over Clinton and Obama, according to the same Zogby poll.
Obama is drawing undecideds to his homestretch events.
By what measure, Dave? Your eyeball?
Obama will be viable in more precincts that John F. Kerry was in 2004.(He said Kerry was not viable in about 10 percent of precincts.)
This statement needs substantiation.
Plouffe also offered up his own math scenario for an Edwards campaign that could run out of cash by the time the party convention rolls around in August.
Plouffe needs to remember what happened the last time someone used his own math.
I wonder if they were trying to convince you or them by their selective use of polls?
I have to laugh when they say he is holding his own in advertising expenditures. Obama has spent more in this race than either Clinton or Edwards.
This whole thing sounds like they're scared.