Clinton Campaign Shows Signs of Slowing

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Clinton Campaign Shows Signs of Slowing

June 02, 2008 2:19 PM

ABC News' Kate Snow and Sarah Amos Report: For those reading the tea leaves, there are strong signs the Clinton campaign may be preparing for the end.

Late last night an email went out to advance staffers-- the folks who usually prepare sites for future Clinton campaign events. The memo indicated that there was nothing on Sen. Hillary Clinton's schedule beyond a speech scheduled for the AIPAC conference on Wed morning in Washington.

The email told staffers this was not goodbye but there were no plans and therefore no locations where their services would be needed for now.

The campaign is giving those staff members, who are currently scattered from Puerto Rico to Montana and South Dakota, two options. They can use a plane ticket to fly to NY for a party on Tuesday night where Clinton will address supporters. Then, the email told them, they would be responsible for flying themselves home. Or they can use the ticket to fly to their home base to await further instruction.

When/if something is planned, they will get a call, the memo said.

Campaigning in South Dakota, former president Bill Clinton admitted Monday could be the last time he has such an active role in presidential politics.

"I want to say also that this may be the last day I'm ever involved in a campaign of this kind. I thought I was out of politics, 'til Hillary decided to run. But it has been, one of the greatest honors of my life to go around and campaign for her for president," said Clinton as he began his speech.

Watch the VIDEO HERE.

It was certainly not a long thought - nor something he seemed to want to dwell on. But for a man who has rarely shown even an inkling of defeat in the past year, even uttering the words said a lot.

Sen. Clinton will be based in Chappaqua Tuesday huddling with family and senior staff. The event Tuesday night at Baruch College is the first time Clinton has spent a primary night in a state that is not voting or about to vote.

But even as Clinton's campaign showed signs of slowing down, a Clinton campaign spokesperson came to the back of the press plane Monday afternoon as Clinton flew from Rapid City to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

When asked about Clinton's definition of when a nominee would be determined -– because she has refused to accept the new 2,118 delegates number that the Democratic Party says is needed to clinch the nomination, spokesman Mo Elleithee said, "I think its pretty clear that she is not conceding," he said.

"I think its pretty clear that she is staying in this race. She is going, in the coming days, to be aggressively courting uncommitted superdelegates aggressively courting unpledged delegates, making the case to them that she is a candidate best ready to take on John McCain."

When asked directly when Clinton will step aside, Elleithee told reporters, "as she has said dozens and dozens of times she is in this race until we have a nominee...Until there is a nominee she is going to try to win support."

He continued, "until there is a nominee we are going to still work to become that nominee."

June 2, 2008 in Bush, George W., Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (186)

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Obama is elected by the media, not the voters. Bear in mind, he could never "win" by big margin when viewed at the same negative comment the media mocks Hillary. After all, half of the Democrats voted for Hillary. So why the Obama people think they could speak on behalf of everyone?

Posted by: ivy | Jun 2, 2008 2:32:45 PM

They don't speak for everyone, ivy, just the majority.

Posted by: Texas Voter | Jun 2, 2008 2:34:11 PM

Come on people - she isn't winning - she wasn't ahead if you played by the rules that she had agreed to back when they were passing them - Obama is winning fair and square. So please don't start saying he was given the nomination - he worked hard to get the votes - legally and by the rules - so no frowning faces - they both took a beating and only by uniting can the democrats come out ahead --

Posted by: jozy | Jun 2, 2008 2:45:32 PM

ivy wtf are you tlaking about

Posted by: bhrandon | Jun 2, 2008 2:47:02 PM

Contrary to the 'Clinton spin', Obama is well ahead in the popular vote - the VOTERS have chosen Obama...not the media.

In addition, it has been proven that the media did NOT treat Clinton unfairly...but they DID treat Obama less fairly because Clinton whined the media was being so unfair to HER!

Posted by: NanD | Jun 2, 2008 2:48:01 PM

Well, after Tuesday, where exactly would she be campaigning"...?

Her last gasp is to flip/strong-arm supers, which does not require a campaign apparatus per se.

Posted by: lestatdelc | Jun 2, 2008 2:54:22 PM

I admire the strength and determination of this women. She is an inspiration to future generations. He can't hold a candle to her. And now that it appears to be just about over, I can say with a clear head and with out anger, or disappointment, I will NEVER vote for Obama unless she is on the ticket with him. I WILL sit home.

Posted by: char19145 | Jun 2, 2008 2:55:07 PM

Dare to dream? I just won't believe it until the words come out of her mouth. So many times I've expected her to do the right thing, only to be disappointed. But no matter how disgusted I've been by many of the Clinton tactics, I'm ready to embrace the whole lot of them with open arms. She can be VP, for all I care. I just want to win in November.

Posted by: JZ | Jun 2, 2008 2:57:21 PM

It will be a relief to have her and her husband off the national stage for good, and the DLC dead as a door nail.

Posted by: Dave in ME | Jun 2, 2008 2:57:35 PM

lestatdelc, I can understand your disappointment. I'm a middle-aged woman who remembers being told I couldn't have certain jobs because "they were looking for a guy".
I would have happily voted for Hillary Clinton. She didn't get the votes. I would vote for almost any democrat for president rather than subject my country to another 4 years of republican rule. Do you think the country will be better off under McCain?

Consider that Clinton and Obama are very close on their policy positions, and McCain if very far away from what Clinton stands for.

Posted by: EL | Jun 2, 2008 2:59:10 PM

Hey char19145 you would have strenth and determination if you we 20 mil
in debt.Better grap a pillow and get comfy..Cause you will be sitting home
watching HISTORY
OBAMA landslide doesn't need your
woooooo clear headed vote

Posted by: Ed in Maryland | Jun 2, 2008 3:02:36 PM

She should have shown class like Huckabee and dropped out when the handwriting was on the wall.

Posted by: southamco | Jun 2, 2008 3:05:07 PM

Dave -

Clinton will not be leaving the national state. Why do you Obama has already started sucking up to her. He needs her if he stands a chance of winning in November.

Don't be surprised if he offers her the VP. Don't know if she will take it but he will offer it.

Posted by: Kris | Jun 2, 2008 3:06:21 PM

I have nothing against a woman president but I just don't have the trust of Hillary and hate the idea Bill back in white House. the other canidates gave their health reports but Hillary never did. she was also having to many 'senior moments' and Bill backs her

Posted by: wilhelmina78 | Jun 2, 2008 3:06:38 PM

southamco, actually Huckabee didn't drop out for quite a while after the handwriting. As I recall, the pundits and the late night comedians mocked him for it.

Posted by: EL | Jun 2, 2008 3:07:24 PM

charl9145:

"And now that it appears to be just about over, I can say with a clear head and with out anger, or disappointment, I will NEVER vote for Obama unless she is on the ticket with him. I WILL sit home."

To any objective reader, the second half of this sentence puts the lie to the first half.

(Just thought you might like to know that internal contradiction in a statement negates it entirely - something your candidate never learned either - but good to know for future reference.)

Posted by: Carmen Cameron | Jun 2, 2008 3:09:18 PM

He will NOT offer her the vee p she is finished in the white house.People don't want Billy anywhere near it.She went behind closed door when Bill was there what makes you think she won't do it again ...She is on trail for fraud...Honest you are blaming everyone but the right person Hilly lost itherself.....

Posted by: white fem voter | Jun 2, 2008 3:11:55 PM

ed in maryland...I will be home. They didn't want my vote the first time, I'll be damned if they get it this time.

Posted by: char19145 | Jun 2, 2008 3:12:30 PM

I am so confused about how anyone can think Clinton has be treated unfairly. A lot of this she did to herself with the lies she has told at every corner. It is time for a change and I am ready to go. I actually voted for Hillary but as the months went forward and realize how dirty she could be I changed my mind alone with a lot of other people. Hillary, just let it go and get on board with the change to come. OBAMA! OBAMA!

Posted by: V of Atlanta | Jun 2, 2008 3:18:38 PM

I'm 76 years old, a woman and white. While I would like to have seen a woman become president in my lifetime, I cast my vote for Obama. I admire Hillary. She has guts and determination. However, she also represents same old, same old, politics as usual. We don't need that; we need a president who looks forward, not backward and at this time and place, that person is Obama.

All of you Hillary supporters who are threatening to stay home or vote for McCain if Obama wins the nomination are only hurting yourselves and all other Americans who are sick and tired of the Bush administration because if McCain is elected, we'll be stuck with 4 more years of Bush politics.

Better you should support Hillary as she will support Obama. Their policy objectives are very similar. Whether they share the ticket remains to be seen; what is important is that all registered Democrats present a united front, at the convention and on Nov. 4th.

Posted by: nanameow | Jun 2, 2008 3:20:00 PM

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