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HRC’s subtle plea
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Despite Barack Obama’s clinching the Democratic Presidential nomination last Tuesday, Hillary Clinton’s speech that night at Baruch College in New York sounded anything but resigned and accepting.
Rather, she sounded as though she were still on the campaign trail, as she outlined her platform, offered touching anecdotes, and continually mentioned “the 18 million” primary votes that allowed her campaign to creep forward long after most analysts had dismissed it. The day after her speech, many commentators interpreted such comments as, “I want the nearly 18 million people who voted for me to be respected and heard,” as a not-so-subtle demand for continuing political influence, perhaps in the Vice-Presidency.
However, Clinton may have had another, more immediate aim in in delaying her resignation. At this moment, her greatest worry is not securing the vice-presidency, but settling the more than $20 million in debt her campaign has accrued in stumbling after Obama. Legally, she only has until the Democratic National Conventon in August to raise any further funds, and her political capital will only devalue in the intervening months: if she is to raise that money, she needs to do it right away.
This helps explain perhaps the most curious aspect of Clinton’s speech: her continual return to the theme of, not merely voter support, but fundraising. With the persistence of a third grade teacher leading her class through the multiplication table, she spoke first of, “millions of Americans…raising money for the first time,” then of those “who came to HillaryClinton.com and showed the tangible support that they felt in their hearts.” Later in the speech, she told the story of a married couple–two veterans of Iraq–who donated their spending money to her campaign. However, the masterstroke came at the end; having given a speech more fit to inspire and energize the beginning of a campaign, one rife with references to fundraising, Hillary then closed with this simple plea for her “18 million supporters”: “I want to hear from you. I hope you’ll go to my Web site at HillaryClinton.com and share your thoughts with me and help in any way that you can.”
And what form might this assistance take? A simple trip to the HillaryClinton.com removes all doubt: a huge area at the top of the page is devoted, first to a space to register with the campaign by giving a name, address, and email (the better to SPAM you with), and second, to a bright yellow sign reading “Show Hillary Your Support,” directly above a red button reading, “Contribute.” Simple arithmetic tells the story: if she collects $5 from 4 million of those ostensible 18 million supporters, her campaign will be in the black once more. This move only reinforces what commentators have long understood: while she lacks Obama’s warmth and charisma, there is no more subtle and ambitious political mind in America than Hillary Clinton.
HT: Steve French
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Topic: Campaign 2008, Front Page, The Nation |  |
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Keywords: barack-obama, Clinton fundraising, Democratic nomination, Hillary-Clinton |  |
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Politics of fraud
I heard that. I wouldn’t call it subtle. I’m glad she won’t be president. She obviously has a problem controlling debt.
I just hope all those who still want her as President step up to the plate.
Come on you 18 million Hillary supporters. Send her a buck each and Obama will cough up the remaining $2 million or my name isn’t llama.
I just visited her website (first time visitor!!) and man, that Contribute! button is indeed hard to miss.
So is the blurb under the heading “Hillary’s Election Night Speech in New York,” for at least two reasons. Election, what election? Thought it was a primary. And second, “Sixteen months ago you and I began a journey to make history.” Sixteen months ago? Wow. Seems much, much longer, actually.
But now a serious question for anybody who’s in the know on these things: how does a political campaign get 20 mil’ into debt? In order for there to be a debt, there must first be a loan.
I understand that about half the “debt” is actually Hill/Bill’s personal fortune poured into jet fuel and pantsuits, that she’s hoping to recoup from people hitting the Contribute! button. Good luck with that. (What do I know, maybe she’ll get it all back with interest)
But the other half would have had to have been actually borrowed from somebody somewhere, unless “debt” in these media stories really just means informal agreement by various wealthy backers that she’ll reimburse these proto-loans at some point in the future. If not, then we’re talking about actual debt, with collateral, and I’m wondering who makes these sorts of loans and how they expect to be repaid.
RR (#5),
Probably most of the debt is in the form of unpaid bills rather than outright loans. Good luck to anybody trying to collect what is she owes them!
Her ultimate solution, if her history is any guide, will be the paper shredder, lost files, stolen files, and her routine deceit of Whitewater days, “I don’t recall.”
MM, I understand the unpaid bills, except that one would think large creditors (hotel chains, jet leasing, TV networks) would start cutting her off long before she could rack up such balances. Or maybe they know it’s better in the long term not to lock horns with a Clinton …
Now that I think about it, I’m guessing a good chunk of it is campaign staff salaries in arrears - people who are willing to go unpaid because they’re angling for Administration jobs later on.
A risky business, either way.
You have to wonder if she might run as an independent
Joe, that’s intriguing. She would divert a chunk of Obama’s voters and a chunk of McCain’s, but probably more of the former than the latter.
How could we talk her into it?
If Hillary is broke now how can she run an effective campaign as an independent? Plus she would burn too may bridges in the Democratic party.
Hillary is probably just hoping Obama loses in November so she can run in 2012. She will probably get the nomination.
By 2012 people will long be tired of the fawning treatment Obama has been receiving. As probably the lone woman running she will get most of the womens’ votes while the mens’ votes are spread out over different contenders.
I read she loaned her campaign 11.5 million. She’s asking people to refill her own bank account.
She ran up 20 million on a primary, what would she have done with the National Debt if she had won?!!