Hillary Clinton 2008

Barack Obama 2008: Clinton Close to Conceding

2008-06-03T09:05:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama 2008: Clinton Close to Conceding

Barack Obama 2008: It's Nearly Over for Clinton

2008-05-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama 2008: It's Nearly Over for Clinton

Barack Obama 2008: When will Hillary Get Out of the Kitchen?

2008-04-22T06:29:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama 2008: When will Hillary Get Out of the Kitchen?

Clinton's Latest 3am Effort

2008-04-02T21:59:00.000-07:00

This is Hillary Clinton's latest effort at the 3am ad. This time its the economy. And this time its directed against John McCain. Ahh, the real enemy this time.

Ferraro Resigns from Clinton Team

2008-03-12T19:40:00.000-07:00

Geraldine Ferraro tonight resigned from the Hillary Clinton Campaign team after making divisive comments about Barack Obama.

In Ferraro's own words:

"Dear Hillary, I am stepping down from your finance committee so I can speak for myself and you can continue to speak for yourself about what's at stake in this campaign. The Obama campaign is attacking me to hurt you. I won't let that happen. Thank you for everything you've done and continue to do to make this a better world for my children and grandchildren. You have my deep admiration and respect, Gerry."

Obama wins Wyoming

2008-03-08T19:10:00.000-08:00

Despite campaigning heavily in Wyoming in the last few days, with Bill and Chelsea in tow, Barack Obama has secured victory in the Wyoming caucus, by a margin of about 59% to 40%.

From Bloomberg

By Kristin Jensen and Catherine Larkin

Barack Obama won Wyoming's Democratic caucuses today, defeating Hillary Clinton in the first contest since she revived her candidacy with victories on March 4.

With 96 percent of the precincts reporting, Obama, an Illinois senator, had 59 percent compared with 41 percent for Senator Clinton of New York. Clinton yesterday told reporters that Wyoming represented a ``steep uphill climb'' for her campaign.

``This is a very important win for us,'' Obama campaign manager David Plouffe told reporters during a conference call after today's race. Obama now has a lead of 156 pledged delegates, he said.

With nine states and two territories left to vote with 599 pledged delegates available, it's unlikely that Clinton will be able close the gap because of the proportional delegate distribution used by the Democrats, Plouffe said.

The Wyoming vote follows Clinton's wins in Rhode Island, Ohio and Texas four days ago. Wyoming has 12 pledged delegates at stake, awarded to the candidates proportionally based on the support they get in the caucuses.

The close Democratic nomination race brought both candidates to the state, the least populous in the U.S. and one that hasn't voted for a Democrat in a general election since 1964. Wyoming is the home state of Vice President Dick Cheney, a Republican.

Iraq War

Obama, 46, used the war in Iraq to draw his differences with Clinton and Republican presidential candidate John McCain. He responded to criticism from Clinton, saying she ``doesn't have standing'' to question his position.

``I don't want anybody here to be confused, I was opposed to this war in 2002,'' Obama told a crowd of about 1,200 people at the Casper Recreation Center yesterday. ``It was because of George Bush with an assist from Hillary Clinton and John McCain that we entered into this war.''

Obama and Clinton, 60, are statistically tied nationwide for support among Democrats, according to a poll by Newsweek magazine released today. The poll shows 45 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters said they would most like to see Obama nominated for the presidency, compared with 44 percent who favored Clinton. The difference is well within the 5 percentage- point margin of error for Democrats in the survey.

`Politics of Fear'

Obama previously had a commanding lead in most national surveys. He yesterday accused Clinton of engaging in ``the politics of fear'' for running a television advertisement in Texas asking who voters would want answering the White House phone at 3 a.m. to respond to a crisis.

``That was designed to feed into your fears,'' Obama said. ``What do people think I'm going to do? I'm going to answer the phone, and I'm going to find out what's going on and I won't be browbeaten into watching a war that wasn't necessary, I will get all the information about what crisis is taking place.''

Clinton seized on comments made by one of Obama's top foreign policy advisers in an interview with the BBC. The adviser, Samantha Power, a professor of global leadership and public policy at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, told the BBC that Obama's promise to withdraw all U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 16 months of taking office was a ``best-case scenario.''

The New York senator told reporters yesterday that she wasn't ``sure what the American people should believe'' on Obama's Iraq policy.

``While Senator Obama campaigns on his plan to end the war, his top advisers tell people abroad that he will not rely on his own plan should he become president,'' she said in Mississippi.

Resignation

Power resigned yesterday because of comments she made in another overseas interview. She was quoted in the Scotsman newspaper as calling Clinton ``a monster'' who would do anything to win the nomination. Power issued a statement saying that her comment was ``inexcusable.''

Obama has 1,361 pledged delegates to the Democratic convention in August and Clinton has 1,220, according to an unofficial tally by the Associated Press. A candidate needs 2,025 to become the nominee, and neither Obama or Clinton is likely to have enough pledged delegates to secure the nomination before the Democratic convention in August.

Hillary Clinton 3am Ad

2008-03-01T05:58:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton Slams Halliburton Move

2007-03-13T08:53:00.000-07:00

Hillary Clinton has slammed Halliburton, who have decided to move their corporate headquarters offshore to Dubai.

She made the following comments at a press conference today:

"We just heard news that this company that Vice President Cheney used to be in charge of called Halliburton, has decided to move corporate headquarters overseas and I think that raises a lot of serious issues we have to look at. Does this mean they are going to quit paying taxes in America? They are going to take all the advantage of our country but not pay their fair share of taxes? They get a lot of government contracts - is this going to affect the investigations that are going on?

Because we have a lot of evidence of misuse of government contracts and how they have cheated the American soldier and cheated the American taxpayer. They have taken the money and not provided the services, so does this mean that we won't be able to pursue these investigations? I think it raises a lot of very big concerns and I think we are going to be looking into that in Washington.

I think it is disgraceful that American companies are more than happy to try to get no-bid contracts like Halliburton has and then turn around and say we are not going to stay with our Chief Executive Officer or the President of our company in the U.S. anymore. Well I am proud to be an American and I am proud to be part of the greatest country in the world."

Bill's impact on Hillary's Campaign

2007-03-12T08:59:00.000-07:00

The following article appeared on Sunday in the San Francisco Chronicle. It details the uniqueness of Hillary's campaign, dealing with the popularity of her husband, her status as former first lady, and her lead in the polls.

A problem for Hillary: Her hubby
Candidate's pitfalls start with ex-president
Martin F. Nolan
Sunday, March 11, 2007
In an early Rudyard Kipling short story, a feuding couple leave a dance. "Take my word for it," a woman says to her companion, "the silliest woman can manage a clever man, but it needs a very clever woman to manage a fool." In a quarrel common in the British Raj of 1880s India and in 1990s Washington, the couple had argued about the husband's roving eye.

In San Francisco on Feb. 23, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton called her husband "the most popular person in the world right now," defining her dilemma as a prisoner of privilege.

How much of her popularity is held in joint custody? Will she be her own woman? How many fans admired her nobly silent Wronged Woman during his luridly documented dalliance? Is there a "Where's Waldo?" future for the First Gentleman? If so, will Hillary Clinton's duties include managing a clever man or a fool?

Many Americans ask these questions, but Sen. Clinton ducks press inquiries. For all her talents, she may learn that voters in Democratic primaries don't cotton to campaigns based on a foregone conclusion. For 40 years, the habit of Republicans is to defer to early favorites. Democrats usually trash them. Such topics are taboo among her consultants and courtiers. Their job is to make inevitable the Clinton Restoration. Privileges can be burdens -- even fame, fortune and Secret Service protection.

Another heavy burden is her privileged status as a liberal Baby Boomer. If she prevails at the Democratic National Convention in Denver next year, she will be the fifth consecutive nominee from that large, self-admiring demographic. Al Gore and John Kerry shared a sense of generational entitlement infected with moral superiority: "I was right about civil rights and Vietnam; aren't you voters lucky to vote for someone as smart as me?"

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Strong Lead for Hillary in Nevada

2007-03-12T08:11:00.000-07:00

A poll conducted last week in Nevada has Hillary Clinton in the lead over nearest rival Barack Obama as preferred Democratic nominee for President.

The poll of 600 people was conducted between Tuesday and Thursday last week, and showed Hillary Clinton on 32% compared with Barack Obama on 20%. Closest following were Al Gore and John Edwards, both on 11%.

In the Presidential match ups however, Clinton was behind both Rudy Giuliani and John McCain.

The poll, conducted by Research 2000 has a margin of error of plus or minus 4%.

Nevada has taken on a key status in the primaries this time, coming immediately after the Iowa caucus next January and before New Hampshire. Clinton took part in the candidates forum in Carson City last month, and is expected to make many more visits to the state.

Latest Poll Has Clinton well in Lead

2007-03-11T11:25:00.000-07:00

This is a portion of the press release from the Hillary Clinton campaign regarding the latest poll results, from AP/Ipsos. The results are clear from the release, but the spin is always interesting to read! This poll does appear to break the recent trend that showed Barack Obama surging as preferred nominee.

In the first national poll taken completely after the speeches in Selma, Hillary Clinton is the leading candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination with 38% of the vote of Democrats and Democratic-leaning Independents, to 21% for Barack Obama, 14% for Al Gore and 10% for John Edwards, according to a just released AP/Ipsos poll of over 1000 Americans released today. The poll was conducted Monday through Wednesday. The 17 point margin represents a tic up from two polls that had the margin at 12%.

In the AP/Ipsos poll, Clinton has more of the vote than the next two Democratic candidates combined. In addition, according to the poll, Clinton leads her closest Democratic competitor among voters who say honesty, strong character, compassion, intelligence and stance on issues matter most.

The poll took place between Monday and Wednesday last week, and has a margin or error of plus or minus 4.5%

Clinton Hillcast on GI Rights

2007-03-11T11:20:00.000-07:00

Hillary Clinton has done it again - another Hillcast that is - this is her fourth so far.

Having launched her Hillcasts with a speech about her roadmap out of Iraq, she has dedicated this latest one to the welfare of troops.

"Hillary proposes a new GI Bill of Rights to fulfill the promises we've made to our troops and veterans."

Hillary Clinton Supports Veterans

2007-03-09T09:01:00.000-08:00

As the campaign to bring the troops home from Iraq hots up in Congress this week, Hillary Clinton is focusing on their welfare when they make it home. Given that over 20,000 troops have been injured in Iraq alone, the welfare of troops will be a central issue for the coming Presidential campaign.

Clinton gave a speech yesterday to the Center for American Progress, and called for better training, and also better care when troops return home.

She laid out a number of key points to her plan:

IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH CARE: In her speech, Hillary proposed improving the screening process for our troops before they deploy to better track mental health conditions and cases of post-traumatic stress disorder. She also proposed a measure to provide assistance to families struggling to care for a loved one with psychological and brain injuries.

FIXING THE DISABILITY SYSTEM: To deal with the high number of disability claims being rejected, Hillary proposed an independent review of denied claims to help veterans get the benefits they deserve.

TAKING CARE OF ORPHANS: To ensure that the children of single parents killed in combat are cared for, Hillary proposed allowing soldiers to designate someone to receive their benefits and care for their children.

A NEW GI BILL OF RIGHTS: In the coming weeks, Hillary will announce a new GI Bill of rights that will expand opportunities for veterans to get a college education, afford their own home and start small businesses.

Strong California Poll Result for Clinton

2007-03-08T23:25:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton has a commanding lead over Barack Obama for the preferred Democratic nominee in a recent poll conducted in California.

The survey was conducted by Survey USA on behalf of a number of TV news networks in California. 782 likely Democratic Primary voters were surveyed, a larger number than many other surveys. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6%.

Hillary Clinton sits on 44%, with Barack Obama on 31%. Former Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards is on 10%, with New Mexico Governor coming in fourth on 4%.

The poll took place between the 3rd and 5th of March.

Hillary Maintains Lead in USA Today Poll

2007-03-08T03:44:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton has dropped 4 points, but still maintains a solid lead over Barack Obama as the preferred Democratic nominee in the latest USA Today/Gallup poll.

The poll, conducted between 2 and 4 March, shows Clinton on 36% compared with Barack Obama on 22%. The same poll in January had Clinton on 40% and Obama on 21%.

There was also a surprising surge in the support of Al Gore, rising from 14% in February to 18% in the latest poll. His favorable rating has also increased to 55%. The Clinton camp are closely monitoring Al Gore. Clinton adviser James Carville has already said that he believes that Gore will run for the nomination.

John Edwards' rating fell from 13% in February to just 9% in this poll.

Clinton's favourable rating has decreased slightly from 58% to 54%.

The poll surveyed 482 Democrat and Democrat leaning voters.

Clinton's Southern Accent?

2007-03-08T01:55:00.000-08:00

The criticism is coming from the usual suspects against Hillary Clinton regarding her speech on Sunday in Selma where she has been accused of putting on a southern accent.

Watch some the discussion from Hannity and Colmes here - and make up your own mind.

Clinton Leads in NH, Obama Close Behind

2007-03-08T01:34:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton leads in a recent poll in New Hampshire for preferred Democratic nominee, but like other national polls, Barack Obama appears to be closing the gap.

The Suffolk University Poll shows Clinton on 28% with Barack Obama on 26%. But because the poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4%, the result is technically a statistical tie between the two.

John Edwards is in third place with 17% with the closest behind being Joe Biden on 3%.

Clinton Hillcast on Equal Pay for Women

2007-03-07T04:43:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton has launched her third Hillcast in as many weeks, this time on equal pay and other priorities for women. Clinton is introducing a bill called the Pay Check Fairness Act, "to help close the pay gap for women."

Check it out Hillary's Hillcast here.

New Hampshire Leader Endorses Clinton

2007-03-07T02:17:00.000-08:00

New Hampshire House Majority Leader, Mary Jane Wallner has thrown her support behind Hillary Clinton in her bid for the Democratic nomination.

Wallner said that "Senator Clinton has the wisdom and experience that will make her a great President."

"It is important to me that she has shown not only a clear understanding of the challenges working families face today, but that is she is passionate and personally committed to improving childcare in this country," Wallner said.

Clinton has been busy this week, trying to secure the vote of women across the country. She addressed an Emily's List function on Tuesday, put together a Hillcast on equal pay for women, and commenced a campaign called "Women for Hillary" to help bring out the vote for her.

Clinton Opposes Yucca Mtn for Waste

2007-03-06T16:49:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton has continued her opposition to the use of Yucca Mountain in Nevada, for the storage of nuclear waste. The Bush Administration are planning to bring back legislation to try to store the waste there.

Many Nevada locals are strongly opposed to the use of the mountain. And of course, Nevada is now going to be a crucial early primary state for the nomination, the first after Iowa next January. Keeping on the right side on this issue is very important for Democratic candidates.

Hillary Clinton has released the following statement.

In response to the Bush Administration's recent announcement that it would reintroduce legislation on Yucca Mountain, Senator Hillary Clinton issued the following statement.

"The Bush Administration's latest announcement that it will continue to pursue its misguided policy on Yucca Mountain is very disappointing.

"I've long opposed using Yucca as a site for nuclear waste. Yucca mountain is not a suitable place for long-term storage of our nuclear waste. There are too many unanswered questions about both the geology of the site and integrity of the science done to support the decision to store waste there.

"It's past time to start exploring alternatives to Yucca mountain, because we need to find a safe, secure long-term waste storage solution. As President, I would work with the scientific community to address this problem and come up with alternative solutions."

Clinton Might Tax Gas Guzzlers

2007-03-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton has indicated that she may support higher taxes for cars with low fuel efficiency. She made the comments yesterday while touring the key state of Iowa, a leading producer of the alternative and renewable fuel source, ethanol.

Clinton said that "Every one of us has to change how we live, how we do business, how we think about energy, and one of the ways we know how to do that is to provide incentives and disincentives through the tax code."

A tax on cars with low fuel efficiency would encourage energy conservation, Clinton argues.

New York Times on Hillary Clinton

2007-03-06T07:40:00.000-08:00

The New York Times is today running a major feature piece on Hillary Clinton. It covers her on the campaign trail, and looks deeply at her political style. It's good reading.

March 6, 2007

Clinton Shapes Her Image for ’08 Race

By MARK LEIBOVICH

BERLIN, N.H. — Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton signs autographs meticulously, drawing out each line and curve of “H-i-l-l-a-r-y,” “R-o-d-h-a-m” and “C-l-i-n-t-o-n.” She leaves no stray lines or wayward marks.

“Hillary, over here, over here,” called out a young woman from the mob that formed outside the Berlin Town Hall when Mrs. Clinton, Democrat of New York, arrived for a “conversation,” in the parlance of the made-to-order intimacy of her presidential campaign. “Can you sign my Hillary sign, please?” the woman asked.

Mrs. Clinton autographed the poster, carefully. It took a full seven or eight seconds, none of the two-second scribbles of other politicians. She is the diligent student who gets an A in penmanship, the woman in a hurry who still takes care to dot her i’s.

To watch Mrs. Clinton up close during these “rollout” weeks of her presidential campaign is to see a familiar political figure try to reclaim her name.

“I’m Hillary Clinton, and I’m running for president,” she says at campaign appearances. Lamenting that her public image has been distorted by caricature, she often says, “I may be the most famous person you don’t really know.” In the cliché of contemporary politics, Mrs. Clinton is “reintroducing herself to the American people.”

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Clinton Campaigns in Iowa Again

2007-03-06T06:46:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton has been campaigning in Iowa in the last 2 days, having travelled there Sunday night after her visit to Selma, Alabama the same day.

Her first stop was to the University of Dubuque where hundreds came to listen to her speak.

Yesterday, Hillary was in Des Moines to meet with Iowa legislative leaders, who she spoke to for over an hour.

Clinton also made a pitch on the energy issue, visiting the Pioneer Hi-Bred International in Johnston yesterday morning to speak with scientists about ethanol. Iowa is the country's leading producer of ethanol, and candidates must have a positive stance on this alternative fuel to do well there.

Clinton supports incentives for producers of corn based ethanol.

Hillary and Bill Clinton in Selma

2007-03-05T04:46:00.000-08:00

photo: Timothy McIntyre

Barack Obama joins Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton yesterday for the 42nd anniversary of the voting rights marches in Selma, Alabama.

The Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches in 1965 drew international attention when Governor George Wallace ordered state troopers to break up the demonstrations. Troopers used sticks, whips and tear gas to disperse the crowd - all of which was captured on footage shown around the world.

The march was a major turning point for the Civil Rights movement, contributing to the introduction of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

President Bill Clinton was also yesterday inducted into the National Voting Rights Hall of Fame, with Hillary by his side.

Clinton in L.A for Cleanup Project

2007-03-04T08:51:00.001-08:00

Hillary Clinton was in Los Angeles yesterday to help launch a cleanup project called the "2007 Great American Cleanup." This is the release issued by the Clinton campaign.

LOS ANGELES -- Hillary Clinton joined Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, local officials and community leaders Saturday morning to launch a major national community improvement campaign.

Kicking-off the 2007 Great American Cleanup on the steps of City Hall, Clinton urged a large and enthusiastic crowd of local citizens and community activists to take pride in cleaning up their neighborhoods and preserving our environment.

"I know that if we all work together we will have a cleaner and greener and more beautiful environment," Clinton said Saturday after releasing her energy plan this week. "It's not just government that needs to lead. All of us have to make decisions about how we clean up our environment and how we begin to plan for a different energy future."

After the rally, volunteers fanned out to neighborhoods across Los Angeles to plant trees, remove graffiti and debris and clean up downtown areas near senior homes and community centers.

A project of Keep America Beautiful, this year's Great American Cleanup activities are expected to involve more than 2 million people, volunteering in 30,000 events that touch all 50 states. Activities will include beautifying parks and recreation areas, cleaning seashores and waterways, handling recycling collections, removing graffiti, picking up litter and removing scrap tires, planting trees and flowers, remediation of illegal dump sites, and conducting educational programs and events.

Clinton Still Leads in Newsweek Poll

2007-03-04T08:41:00.000-08:00

The latest Newsweek Poll still has Hillary Clinton in the lead for the preferred Democratic nominee for President. However, Barack Obama has narrowed the gap from the last Newsweek poll conducted in January.

The latest poll of registered Democrats, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates between February 28 and March 1, shows that in a choice between Clinton and Obama for the nomination, Clinton leads Obama 52%-38%. This was down on the 55%-35% lead Clinton held in January

However, on a choice of Hillary Clinton or John Edwards, Clinton leads 63%-32%.

The wider poll of voters, shows that in a head to head Presidential election, Hillary Clinton would beat John McCain 47%-46% and Mitt Romney 53%-39%.

Rudy Giuliani is narrowly ahead of Clinton, 47% to 46%.

Bill Clinton Will Join Hillary in Selma

2007-03-02T09:45:00.000-08:00

Former President Bill Clinton will join Hillary Clinton on Sunday in Selma, Alabama to take part in the annual march to commemorate the voting rights marches in 1965.

This will be Bill's first public appearance with Hillary since she announced her bid for the nomination. Hillary will be giving a speech at a Church in the morning, as will Barack Obama who is giving the keynote address at the Brown Chapel AME Church, the place where the march started 42 years ago.

Later in the day, Bill Clinton will also be inducted into the National Voting Rights Hall of Fame, with Hillary no doubt attending in what will be a major news event.

There is little doubt that the media will also be focusing on how Hillary and Barack interact through the day, given the flare up last week.

But the media will also surely focus on what they see as the significance of the appearance of both Obama and Clinton in Selma - the importance of securing the black vote for the nomination.

Clinton's Hillcast On Energy

2007-03-02T07:41:00.000-08:00

This is the You tube version of Hillary Clinton's Hillcast on the Energy issue. We had to wait a while for this one...it took a couple of days for the Clinton team to add it.

Obama Closing Gap on Clinton

2007-03-01T07:20:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton is in the lead in the latest Washington Post/ABC poll conducted last week. However, Barack Obama is narrowing the gap between the two, with his rating as preferred Democratic nominee increasing since the January Post/ABC poll.

The January poll had Clinton on 41% compared with 17% for Obama. The latest poll took place between February 22 and 25, after the public argument between the Clinton and Obama campaigns regarding Geffen's comments and his fundraiser in Hollywood.

The result was a drop for Clinton to 36% and an increase for Obama to 24%. And although the sample size of black voters was small, it showed a turnaround for Obama, leading Clinton as the preferred nominee, 60% to 20%.

Al Gore was in third place in the poll on 14%, with John Edwards on 12%.

The same poll however also showed that Clinton's favorable rating is holding up, at close to 50%, while most Democrats don't think her position on the Iraq war is damaging her chances.

Clinton will March in Selma on Sunday

2007-02-28T09:30:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton will be in Selma, Alabama this Sunday to take part in the annual march to commemorate the voting rights marches in 1965.

Hillary will join Civil Rights veterans (and Barack Obama) on the walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

The Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches in 1965 drew international attention when Governor George Wallace ordered state troopers to break up the demonstrations. Troopers used sticks, whips and tear gas to disperse the crowd - all of which was captured on footage shown around the world.

The march was a major turning point for the Civil Rights movement, contributing to the introduction of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Clinton Raises One Million in One Week

2007-02-28T09:27:00.001-08:00

Hillary Clinton has succeeded in raising one million dollars in the last week.

With email requests to supporters from her husband Bill Clinton, as well as James Carville and Madeleine Albright, donations came in from across the country.

Clinton plans to raise $75 million by the end of this year.

Hillary Clinton's Latest Hillcast

2007-02-27T22:55:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton has released her latest Hillcast, a video message "conversation" series. Last week she spoke about her plan for Iraq.

Today, the Hillcast is dedicated to energy, where Clinton details her plan "..to create a Strategic Energy Fund to tackle America's energy challenges."

Head to Clinton's site here to watch the Hillcast.

Hillary Leads in Zogby Poll

2007-02-27T18:55:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton leads Barack Obama in the latest Zogby International poll released yesterday.

The poll of 439 Democrats between February 22 and 24 shows Clinton on 33% with Obama on 25% as preferred Democratic nominee. Former Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards was third on 12%.

Although Clinton is up 4% on the previous poll in January, Obama has risen 11%.

And in a worrying sign for the Clinton camp, in a poll of 1078 likely voters, she trails both John McCain and Rudy Giuliani as preferred President. Hillary does have a solid lead on Mitt Romney.

On the same question, Barack Obama leads all three leading Republican candidates.

Clinton Secures Key Kerry Supporters

2007-02-26T07:33:00.000-08:00

The decision by John Kerry to count himself out of the race for the Democratic nomination has left an extensive range of his political supporters and fundraisers up for grabs.

Although one of Kerry's largest donors in New England, Alan D Solomont has already committed to Barack Obama, many of the others are heading Hillary's way.

So far, the Clinton camp has secured:

Former chairman of the Democratic National Committee - Steve Grossman
John Kerry's New England finance director in 2004 - Jonathan Patsavos
Boston philanthropists - Elaine Shuster, Barbara Lee and Swanee Hunt.
Chair of Kerry's Rhode Island fundraising in 2004 - Mark Weiner
Chair of Kerry's Maine fundraising in 2004 - Anthony Buxton

Hillary's First Campaign Blog Post

2007-02-24T01:16:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton has written the following post for the campaign blog. This is her first post, and follows up from the Hillcast video she released last Sunday.

It's now just over a month that I have been in to win.

It's been exciting and challenging and fun all at the same time. The people I have met have been terrific.

And we decided day one that this campaign would live as much on the web as in the living rooms - and the opening of the blog is just another in the many web firsts in this campaign, following the unprecedented announcement and three straight nights of live video chats.

I believe that the web is not only creating new forms of political dialogue but offering a new wave of opportunity for all Americans - and one of my highest priorities will be to make us number one again in the world in broadband. If we are not at the forefront of the web as a nation, we simply will not be able to keep up our role as the world's leading innovator. Net Neutrality is something that I am also fighting for now in the Senate so that the web remains open and democratic.

I appreciate the hundreds of thousands of you who are participating on this site in one form or another. This is truly the dialogue decade, and through the miracle of technology I can talk WITH you, not just at you. I will be holding more web chats soon, and I have started a "HillCast," a regular web broadcast that will be about some of the most important issues I am tackling. The first one was on my plan to end the war in Iraq and the next one will be on the energy crisis we are facing. I believe campaigns are about ideas - and how together we turn those ideas into action.

I have been reading through the comments you all have been making - many of them encouraging, some critical and some with great suggestions - all of them are appreciated. We have gotten off to an exceptional start, and in the coming months I look forward to talking with you more about my specific plans to restore what I call the promise of America, and I will look forward to your comments. Hopefully I will also see you out there on the campaign trail.

To make a comment, head to Hillary's website here.

Clinton Statement on Vilsack Withdrawal

2007-02-23T10:08:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton has released the following statement regarding the withdrawal of former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack from the race for the Democratic nomination.

“I have been proud to work with Tom Vilsack for years on the challenges facing our country, and I have a deep admiration for both Tom and Christie.

“Tom has made Iowa a leader in renewable energy and created thousands of jobs as one of America’s great governors. We share a passion for protecting America’s young people through expanded health care options, early childhood education initiatives and opening the doors to higher education to every American."

“I know he will continue to contribute to the dialogue about how to move America forward.”

One Week One Million for Clinton

2007-02-23T10:00:00.000-08:00

The Hillary Clinton campaign are attempting to raise $1 million in one week from grassroots supporters across the country.

The attempt kicked off with an appeal from President Bill Clinton:

"Hillary's campaign is off to a great start. And this week, we're going to help take it to another level. Our goal: to demonstrate the range and breadth of Hillary's support by raising one million dollars in grassroots donations in a week's time."

It was followed up by James Carville, who reported that day 1 had netted over $285,000.

"Let's show these attack dogs what we're made of. Our "One Week, One Million" campaign will send a clear message: Hillary won't back down, and we've got her back."

For the next five days, prominent Hillary supporters will be making appeals to supporters.

Wolfson Attacks Obama

2007-02-21T23:52:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton's communications director Howard Wolfson appeared this morning on Hardball with Chris Matthews. He is responding to the comments by David Geffen about the Clintons.

Hard to know if this is a good strategy by the Clinton campaign. Wolfson appears just a little too serious and concerned, and the criticism will now come that perhaps Clinton is a a bit precious.

Check him out here.

Clinton and Obama Argue over Donor

2007-02-21T11:48:00.000-08:00

The campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama today argued over the support of David Geffen, the Dreamworks movie studio founder.

Last night, Geffen, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Stephen Spielberg organized a fundraiser for Obama in Hollywood which netted his campaign around $1.3 million.

Today it was reported that Geffen made some comments to the New York Times which incensed the Clinton team. He said that Hillary Clinton was a polarizing and ambitious figure, and that Bill Clinton was a reckless guy.

The Clinton camp hit back, with Communications Director Howard Wolfson issuing a strongly worded press statement:

"While Senator Obama was denouncing slash and burn politics yesterday, his campaign's finance chair was viciously and personally attacking Senator Clinton and her husband.

"If Senator Obama is indeed sincere about his repeated claims to change the tone of our politics, he should immediately denounce these remarks, remove Mr. Geffen from his campaign and return his money."

Then the Obama camp responded, with Communications director Robert Gibbs issuing his own statement:

"We aren't going to get in the middle of a disagreement between the Clinton's and someone who was once one of their biggest supporters. It is ironic that the Clinton's had no problem with David Geffen when he was raising them $18 million and sleeping at their invitation in the Lincoln bedroom."

Gibbs then went on to refer to the remarks made by South Carolina State Senator Robert Ford, who said that if Obama was to win the nomination, the Democrats would lose the House, the Senate and the Governors, because he is black.

In his statement Gibbs said that "It is also ironic that Senator Clinton lavished praise on Monday and is fully willing to accept today the support of South Carolina state Sen. Robert Ford, who said if Barack Obama were to win the nomination, he would drag down the rest of the Democratic Party because 'he's black'."

That's not a bad point. We understand that Geffen is not the campaign finance chair, as alleged by Wolfson. Therefore his comments are those of a private individual and donor to the Obama campaign. Asking for the money to be returned is taking things a little too far.

But, as with any issue involving the Obama and Clinton campaigns, this will have a little way to go yet. Let's wait and see what Clinton and Obama have to say today during their campaign stops.

Clinton is in Carson City for the candidates forum, while Obama will be in Iowa tonight for a rally.

Hillary Clinton Campaigns in Florida

2007-02-21T05:27:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton spent yesterday campaigning in Florida, in her first visit to the state since she announced her decision to seek the Democratic nomination.

Clinton was in Liberty City at the Joseph Caleb Community Center, where she spoke to about 200 locals and community activists. Earlier in the day, she was at a fundraising breakfast in Tampa, followed by some meet and greets at 2 private homes. Last night, Clinton attended a major fundraising event, where she raised over $300,000.

And while in Florida, Clinton announced some key local endorsements for her campaign, including Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Congressman Alcee Hastings.

Hastings said that when Hillary Clinton is elected "...this country will be a much better place for the African-American community, Floridians and all Americans."

Other local officials supporting Clinton include:

State Senator - Nan Rich
Former Tampa Mayor - Sandy Freedman
Pembroke Pines Mayor - Frank Ortis
Parkland Mayor - Michael Udine
Former Executive Director of Florida Democratic Party - Ana Cruz

Rory Reid Signs Up to Clinton

2007-02-19T22:28:00.000-08:00

The former Chairman of the Nevada State Democratic Party and son of Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid has signed up to the Hillary Clinton campaign for President.

Rory Reid will be a senior adviser to the Clinton campaign on western issues. This will include public lands, transportation, resources and conservation, growth and affordable housing.

Senator Harry Reid has issued a statement to say that although he respects his son's decision, it should not be seen as an endorsement by him.

Hillary Defends Jackson Endorsement

2007-02-19T21:53:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton today defended the endorsement of South Carolina State Senator who was awarded a paid consulting contract to assist the Clinton campaign.

Jackson defended his position last week, saying that the reason he endorsed Hillary Clinton was because she was the best person to take the White House for the Democrats. He also said that other candidates had offered his consulting firm more money, but he chose to go with Clinton.

Clinton today said that there was no conflict of interest in the appointment of Jackson's consulting firm. She told AP that "Senator Jackson was someone who was involved in my husband's campaigns. He was someone we turned to for political advice and counsel and I'm proud to have him on my team."

Jackson, who endorsed John Edwards in 2004, today introduced Hillary Clinton at her visit to Allen University in Columbia.

More Endorsements For Clinton

2007-02-19T21:35:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton spent a busy day campaigning in South Carolina, and along the way picked up some more key endorsements from prominent locals.

Clinton started the Day at Allen University in Columbia, followed by a visit to Florence to attend a a BBQ lunch hosted by local Mayor Frank Willis.

This evening, Clinton was in Charleston to attend a function in honour of House Majority Whip, Jim Clyburn.

In addition to State Senators Ford and Jackson, who announced their support for Clinton last week, other South Carolina Representatives today endorsed her bid for the nomination.

They include:
Former Legislative Black Caucus Chairs State Rep. David J. Mack III (North Charleston) and State Rep. John Scott Jr. (Columbia)
State Representative Terry Alexander (Florence)
Former State Senator Maggie Glover (Florence)

Also endorsing Hillary Clinton today were a number of Councilmen and Councilwomen from Richland County and Charleston County.

Clinton Says Remove Confederate Flag

2007-02-19T20:01:00.000-08:00

Campaigning today in South Carolina, Hillary Clinton has joined other Democratic Presidential hopefuls Joe Biden and Chris Dodd in calling for the Confederate Flag which flies in the Statehouse Grounds to be removed.

Clinton used the argument that America should unite under one banner during a time of war.

Senator Bill Clinton from New York?

2007-02-19T08:28:00.000-08:00

Rumors are flying this morning that if Hillary Clinton was to win the Presidency in 2008, former President Bill Clinton could be nominated to fill her place in the Senate in New York.

The replacement is nominated by the Governor of the State, in this case a Democrat, Eliot Spitzer.

In the case of Hillary winning, the replacement Senator would fill the position from 2008 until a special election in 2010. The position would then continue for a 2 year term until the scheduled election in 2012.

Would Bill be interested? It would be a pay cut, but what better place to help Hillary than on the floor of the Senate. And it's not like he doesn't have the experience.

So what would the title be? First Man and Senator?

No comment so far from the former President...but then again, there is still a way to go yet.

3000 at Allen University for Clinton

2007-02-19T08:21:00.000-08:00

Over 3000 people came this morning to Allen University, South Carolina to see Hillary Clinton in her first campaign stop to the key southern state since announcing her bid for the nomination.

South Carolina has had a busy weekend, with Presidential hopefuls Barack Obama, Chris Dodd and John McCain all campaigning here.

Clinton's First Hillcast on Iraq

2007-02-18T07:13:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton has commenced what will be a weekly "Hillcast", by discussing the Iraq Troop Protection and Reduction Act. She introduced the bill to the Senate on Friday, which she calls a roadmap out of Iraq.

Watch it here.

Clinton Back in New Hampshire Today

2007-02-17T08:06:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton was this morning in Dover, New Hampshire, in her second visit to the Granite State in a week.

Clinton gave a speech at the Dover Elks Club, the same place that her husband Bill spoke at in 1992 when his campaign for the nomination was under some pressure. The speech he gave was widely credited as getting him back into the race.

Clinton this afternoon will head back to Washington to vote on the Iraq Senate Resolution which was passed by the House on Thursday. This is only the 5th time in 10 years that the Senate has convened on a Saturday.

Hillary Clinton has had to cancel a planned visit to Portsmouth this afternoon. Apparently her staff told her that she would have to cancel her visit to Dover, but she refused.

Nader Might Run Against Clinton

2007-02-17T07:58:00.000-08:00

If Hillary Clinton were to win the Democratic nomination to run for President, Ralph Nader has indicated that he might throw his hat into the ring yet again.

Nader is very critical of Clinton and said yesterday that she is just another bad version of her husband Bill.

Nader said that Clinton has no political fortitude and she "...flatters, panders, coasting, front-runner, looking for a coronation, not taking on the huge waste in the military budget as a member of the armed services commission, never going after the corporate crimes against pensions, against workers."

Ralph Nader ran as a candidate in the 2000 election and secured over 2.5% of the national vote. He was widely criticised at the time for contributing to a Bush victory over Vice President Al Gore.

Bill Clinton to Host Hillary Dinner

2007-02-16T05:06:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton will have a special host at a fundraising dinner in New York on March 21 - her husband and former President Bill Clinton.

The event is apparently going to be held at the New York Sheraton, with the price of entry at least $1000 a head. To get better seats, expect to pay $2300 a head or for a premium seat, $4600 a head.

This appears to be the first announcement of the help of Bill for the Hillary campaign. Up until this point, Bill has been happy to stay out of the limelight.

As the race goes on, keeping him there wont be so easy.

Questions Raised About Clinton Supporter

2007-02-16T04:51:00.000-08:00

South Carolina State Senator Darrell Jackson who only days ago threw his support behind Hillary Clinton, has been asked questions as to the motives behind his support.

Jackson's consulting firm, Sunrise Enterprises has been awarded a $10,000 per month contract to work for the Clinton campaign. Jackson had said a day before the contract was announced that he would be endorsing Clinton.

Sunrise Enterprises specialises in advertising and public relations.

Jackson has said that questions as to his motives were a low blow. He said the timing of the announcements were unfortunate, but that other candidates had also approached the company for support, some even offering more money.

Jackson said that he supports Clinton because she is the best person to take the Democrats to the election in 2008.

This is hardly the news that Clinton needs just days before she makes her first campaign stop in South Carolina.

Clinton Extends Lead in USA Today Poll

2007-02-15T03:10:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton leads Barack Obama in the latest poll by USA Today, released yesterday. The poll was conducted between 9 and 11 January and surveyed 495 Democrat or Democrat leaning voters.

Clinton is preferred Democrat nominee by 40% of respondents, compared to Barack Obama on 21%. The same poll conducted 12-14 January had Clinton leading Obama 29%-18%.

Al Gore was third in the poll on 14% with John Edwards close behind on 13%.

And in a straight contest between Clinton and Obama, Hillary leads 62%-33%, extending the lead she had in the January poll, 53%-39%.

Clinton also leads as the preferred President over John McCain 50%-47%, but falls just behind Rudy Giuliani 48%-50%.

In a promising sign for the Clinton camp, 58% of people have a positive view of Clinton, and 60% think she would make a good President.

Key South Carolina Leaders Back Clinton

2007-02-14T06:12:00.000-08:00

Two key black State Senators who backed John Edwards for the Democratic nomination in 2004 have thrown their support behind Hillary Clinton in her campaign to be President.

Robert Ford and Darrell Jackson think that Hillary Clinton is the only Democrat who can win the Presidency.

However, Ford has made some comments which seem a little out of place for a black leader in South Carolina.

Ford said that although he liked Obama, he believed that if he was the nominee, the Democrats would lose the House, the Senate and the Governors because Obama is black. He also said that although he is a gambling man, he isn't going to kill himself.

Well, there you go.

Jackson said that Edwards has had his chance, and it is time to move on to someone new. Edwards won the South Carolina primary in 2004.

The Clinton campaign has welcomed the support of Ford and Jackson.

South Carolina will be the first southern Democrat primary state in 2008. Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will be campaigning there in the next week.

Clinton Hits Back At Obama

2007-02-13T08:28:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton has this morning hit back at Barack Obama over his claims about her position on Iraq. Ok, check out the following statement from Clinton.

This is sure to be the story of the day.

hillaryclinton.com

2/13/07
Fact Check: Hillary Has Long Supported Phased Redeployment

"Senator Obama is mistaken. Senator Clinton has long been on record in favor of a phased redeployment of our troops. In fact both she and Senator Obama voted in 2005 to begin such a withdrawal." -- Howard Wolfson

CLAIM
YESTERDAY, SEN. OBAMA CLAIMED HILLARY DOES NOT SUPPORT PHASED REDEPLOYMENT FROM IRAQ: "I think the difference is -- and now again, I don't want to speak for her or her bill -- my understanding is that she calls for a cap on troops levels but does not begin a phased redeployment. And so that's a pretty substantial difference." [Barack Obama, 2/12/07]

FACT

IN NOVEMBER 2005, HILLARY AND SEN. OBAMA VOTED FOR PHASED REDEPLOYMENT: "A campaign plan with estimated dates for the phased redeployment of the United States Armed Forces from Iraq as each condition is met, with the understanding that unexpected contingencies may arise." [Vote #322, To clarify and recommend changes to the policy of the United States on Iraq and to require reports on certain matters relating to Iraq, 11/15/05]

IN JUNE 2006, HILLARY AND SEN. OBAMA VOTED FOR PHASED REDEPLOYMENT: "The amendment calls for the beginning of a phased redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq by the end of the year. Senators Dianne Feinstein, D-CA, and Ken Salazar, D-CO, are cosponsors of the amendment." [Vote #182, To state the sense of Congress on United States policy on Iraq, 6/22/06]

IN SPEECH TO COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, HILLARY CALLED FOR PHASED REDEPLOYMENT: "And thirdly, we do need to begin, I had hoped by the end of this year, a phased redeployment. I joined Senators Levin and Reed, and the Democratic leadership in the Senate and House, in proposing a phased redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq during this year, 2006." [Council on Foreign Relations, 10/31/06]

IN RESPONSE TO IRAQ STUDY GROUP, HILLARY CALLED FOR PHASED REDEPLOYMENT: "Today’s report from the Iraq Study Group shows the growing bipartisan consensus that we need a dramatic change of course in Iraq, including a redeployment of American troops." [Statement, 12/6/06]

IN RESPONSE TO BUSH IRAQ SPEECH, HILLARY CALLED FOR PHASED REDEPLOYMENT: "I continue to urge a strategy that places pressure on the Iraqi government to resolve the political crisis through phased redeployment of U.S. troops, establishes an Iraqi Oil Trust to end the stalemate over oil, and pursues an aggressive diplomatic strategy including an international conference of the regional parties to further the task of Iraq’s stability." [Statement, 1/10/07]

ON TODAY SHOW, HILLARY CALLED FOR BILL THAT CAPS TROOPS AND BEGINS PHASED REDEPLOYMENT: "I support putting a cap on the number of American troops as of January 1st. I support the beginning of a phased redeployment out of Baghdad and eventually out of Iraq completely." [Today Show, 1/17/07]

IN PRESS CONFERENCE AFTER VISIT TO IRAQ, HILLARY CALLED FOR PHASED REDEPLOYMENT: "In Iraq, the prescription is the opposite. Rather than an escalation of U.S. troops, which I do not believe will contribute to long-term success in Iraq, we should be beginning a phased redeployment of U.S. troops as a way to put pressure on the Iraqi government to take responsibility for its own security and future." [Press Conference, 1/17/07]

Defending Clinton's Iraq Position

2007-02-12T17:38:00.000-08:00

Terry McCauliffe, Chairman of Hillary Clinton for President, appeared yesterday on CNN's Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer. In the video below, he makes a good defense of Hillary's position. He also takes a good swipe at the Australian Prime Minister after his comments on Obama and the Democrats on Sunday, saying that "we don't care what he says."

Iraq Focus for Clinton in New Hampshire

2007-02-11T22:37:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton wrapped up her tour of New Hampshire this evening, but was hampered throughout the weekend by repeated questions about her previous stance on the Iraq War.

On a weekend where much of the media attention was focused on another candidate, this was not the kind of trip Clinton had wanted for her first visit to the Granite State in 10 years.

Clinton was at Keene High School this afternoon, where over 2500 people came to hear her speak.

At every event, Clinton was asked about her position on the Iraq war, and whether she would admit that she made a mistake. She continues to repeat her assertion that she would not have authorized the war if she knew then what she knows now.

However, Barack Obama, having just announced his candidacy has appeared to emphasise the difference between the two on the Iraq issue. Obama continues to make the point that he was against the war in Iraq from the start.

But he has gone further, saying that even in 2002 it was possible to know that the war would not work out well. Obama also said that he wasn't clear on Hillary Clinton's policy in Iraq, saying that beyond wanting to end the war at the start of the next Presidential term, he didn't know what her plan was to accomplish that.

This issue for Clinton appears to be getting bigger - not only is Obama seemingly on her heels, but third favorite John Edwards is taking a similar approach, speaking constantly about how he made a mistake in 2002 to authorize the war.

Clinton is tough though - she might yet stick it out. However, if this issue doesn't let up, she might be well advised to cut her losses, say she made a mistake, and move on. There is still nearly 12 months to go.

Although she leads in the polls, this is an unwelcome distraction, and one she could do without as she travels around the country.

Spielberg For Hillary Clinton

2007-02-11T07:03:00.000-08:00

Reports are emerging that Steven Spielberg may be hosting a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton in the near future.

It was thought, and previously reported that Spielberg would be an Obama supporter. His colleagues David Geffen and Jeffrey Katzenberg are hosting a fundraiser for Barack Obama on February 20. Steven Spielberg was originally to have been a part of that event.

Spielberg was a big supporter of Bill Clinton during his Presidency.

Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire

2007-02-11T02:05:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton spent yesterday campaigning in New Hampshire, in her first visit to the granite state in 10 years.

Clinton started the day in Berlin, greeted by 500 people, 200 of which spilled over into a nearby hall because of a lack of space.

However, Clinton was faced with tough questions on the Iraq issue, with one local asking her to admit finally that her Senate vote to authorize the war was a mistake. But Clinton said that the mistakes were made by the President who had misled the Congress and the country.

Hillary Clinton also labelled the Bush Administration, arrogant and incompetent.

Later in the day, Clinton appeared at Concord High School in front of at least 3000 people.

Clinton's visit this weekend will be overshadowed somewhat nationally by the Barack Obama announcement yesterday morning in Springfield, Illinois and his busy schedule in Iowa and New Hampshire on Monday.

And the pressure that Hillary is under due to her reluctance to admit a mistake on the Iraq vote, stands in contrast to Obama's continued reference to the fact that he has been against the war from the start.

Clinton will tomorrow be attending a series of house parties in New Hampshire, followed by a visit to Keene High School at 4pm.

Hillary Clinton Tackles Health Care

2007-02-09T20:47:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton released the following statement on health care on Wednesday. John Edwards has appeared to take the lead on health issues in the last week. Following on from his call last Friday at the DNC, Edwards released his plan for universal health coverage on Monday.

Clinton, who has long been seen as a leader on health care, will no doubt be speaking more about the issue in coming weeks.

Washington, DC -- In response to today's formation of the "Better Health Care Together" campaign, Hillary Clinton released the following statement praising the coalition's announcement:

"The worst kept secret in America is that the health care system is not working for the vast majority of people in our country. Costs are spiraling out of control, already high premiums are getting higher and health care is getting further and further out of reach for millions of uninsured and underinsured Americans. Universal health care is not only a moral and health imperative, but an economic and jobs imperative as well.

"I have learned from experience that we cannot achieve the goal of health care for every American if we don't have buy-in from employers, government, and labor. Today's announcement by America's largest employer and some of America's largest unions, along with organizations from across the political spectrum, is one more piece of evidence that there's broad agreement that Americans deserve a health care system that covers everyone and lowers costs.

"Passage of a universal health coverage plan will be one of my top priorities as President. It is time for bold yet practical solutions and I will use today's encouraging news to continue my efforts to build support for universal health care."

South Carolina for Clinton Feb 19

2007-02-09T19:37:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton will be heading to the first southern primary state, South Carolina on February 19.

Barack Obama will beat her there by a couple of days, so it's sure to be a busy few days for the Palmetto State. Obama will be in Colombia and Orangeburg on February 16 and 17.

The Clinton camp are yet to release details of her trip.

Adding to the attention over that week will be Chris Dodd, who will be campaigning in Colombia and some of the eastern counties on February 17.

And John McCain will be there on the same day as Clinton, campaigning in Hilton Head Island.

John Edwards campaigned here Thursday at a town hall meeting, where over 500 people attended. He ran a similar meeting in Colombia at the end of last year, which over 1800 people attended.

Edwards won the primary in South Carolina in 2004, and is expected to do well again here.

However, both Clinton and Obama will be doing their best to make a serious dent on Edwards support over the coming months.

Hillary Clinton and Trousers

2007-02-09T10:46:00.000-08:00

Ok, is politics getting to the ridiculous when suggestions are being made on what Clinton should be wearing? Well, Donatella Versace has some suggestions for Hillary, and she is saying that the trousers are wrong, and dresses and skirts are the go.

Right. Not really what its all about, is it?

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton should tap into her feminine side and wear dresses and skirts instead of trousers, fashion designer Donatella Versace was quoted as saying on Thursday.

"I can understand (trousers) are comfortable but she's a woman and she is allowed to show that," Versace told Germany's weekly newspaper Die Zeit in an interview.

"She should treat femininity as an opportunity and not try to emulate masculinity in politics," Versace said.

Skirts should reach to the knee and be worn with a short jacket or coat, she said. The best colour would be black rather than the blue Clinton currently favours, she added.

"I admire her for her determination, which will hopefully take her to the White House," Versace told the paper.

Clinton to Nevada Feb 21

2007-02-08T05:44:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton will be attending a forum for Democrat candidates in Carson City, Nevada on February 21.

Other confirmed candidates attending the event are Joe Biden, John Edwards, Chris Dodd, Bill Richardson, Tom Vilsack and Mike Gravel. Wes Clark, who is expected to announce a bid for the nomination, will also be in attendance.

Each of the candidates will be able to give a speech, and then answer questions from a moderator.

Barack Obama is yet to confirm if he will be heading to the forum.

Nevada is a key early state for any Presidential hopeful, with the primary due to take place immediately after the Iowa vote in January 2008.

Clinton leads Obama in Florida

2007-02-08T05:40:00.000-08:00

A Quinnipiac poll released this week shows Hillary Clinton leading Barack Obama as preferred Democratic nominee in Florida.

The lead is much greater than in other states, with Clinton on 49% to Obama's 13%.

The same poll also shows that Clinton would defeat John McCain in a Presidential contest, although is a few points behind Rudy Giuliani on the same question.

Clinton Confirmed Leader in New Hampshire

2007-02-08T05:35:00.000-08:00

According to a poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton leads in New Hampshire as preferred Democratic nominee.

Clinton is preferred over Barack Obama 35%-21%. John Edwards is third on 15%.

This poll confirms an earlier poll released last week which had Clinton on a 39%-19% lead over Obama.

Clinton's Fundraising Plan

2007-02-08T05:29:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton plans to raise $15 million by the end of March, and $75 million by the end of the year.

250 of Clinton's national fundraisers met in Washington yesterday, and committed to raise $25,000 each for her bid for the Democratic nomination.

Clinton will also be doing a series of fundraisers over the coming months, in addition to her busy campaign schedule.

Clinton's New Hampshire Schedule

2007-02-07T07:55:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton will be in New Hampshire this weekend, after postponing her trip due to the death of her husband's step father. This is Clinton's first trip to New Hampshire in 10 years.

On Saturday she will be at the Berlin City Hall in a continuation of her "conversation" series. The event starts at 8.30am - wow that's early for a political meeting.

Later in the day, 1pm, she will do the same thing at Concord High School.

On Sunday, Clinton will be attending 3 house parties, in Manchester, Nashua and Keene.

She will also be at the Keene High School at 4pm.

Barack Obama has announced that he will be in New Hampshire on Monday. It's sure to be one long weekend for all those in the granite state.

To RSVP to any of these Clinton events, head here.

Streisand Donates to Clinton/Obama/Edwards

2007-02-05T22:19:00.000-08:00

Barbara Streisand has donated the maximum allowable amount for an individual, $2300, to the 3 leading Democratic Candidates, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards.

Streisand donated to all 3 because she wanted to see the front runners have "the financial backing they need to be competitive during this process."

She also said she was excited with the field of Democrat candidates, and looked forward to a lively primary campaign where important issues can be discussed.

Streisand reserved the right to donate to other candidates as the campaign goes on.

Barbara Streisand is a friend of the Clinton's and has previously donated to Hillary's Senate camapign in New York.

Clinton Would Beat Giuliani in New York

2007-02-05T16:26:00.000-08:00

According to a recent poll, Senator Hillary Clinton would defeat Rudy Giuliani in New York in a Presidential contest, 53%-32%.

And further, if the contest was with John McCain, she would beat him 55%-26%.

The poll was conducted between January 22-25 of 600 voters in New York, by Crains New York Business.

If Giuliani was to be the nominee, Republicans would expect him to make that state red, given his strong popularity as Mayor.

However this poll shows a strong support for Hillary Clinton, who has just come off the back of a big win in the mid terms. While these are early figures, its a good start for Clinton who would be arguing that she is the only one who can beat Giuliani in New York, should he be the candidate.

And given Giuliani will be filing a Statement of Candidacy tomorrow, and is leading in most of the GOP polls, that's a real possibility.

The same poll also has Clinton leading fellow Democrats as preffered nominee.

Hillary Clinton 55%, Barack Obama 18% and John Edwards 5%.

Clinton Leads in New Hampshire

2007-02-04T04:23:00.000-08:00

A poll released Friday shows that Hillary Clinton has the lead in New Hampshire, with 39% compared with Barack Obama on 19% as preferred Democrat nominee. This is despite the fact that Clinton has yet to visit New Hampshire in this campaign, and hasn't been there for 10 years.

Front runner in Iowa, John Edwards was third in the poll on 13%.

The poll was conducted last week on Jan 31 and Feb 1 with 600 respondents. The margin of error for a poll this size is 4%.

New Hampshire Feb 10-11 for Clinton

2007-02-03T11:56:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton's trip to New Hampshire has been rescheduled to next weekend, February 10 and 11.

The trip which was originally planned for this weekend was postponed due to the death of Bill Clinton's step father.

Hillary Clinton at DNC Winter Meeting

2007-02-02T20:37:00.001-08:00

"I'm Hillary Clinton and I'm Running For President"

In case you hadn't noticed! Hillary Clinton arrived on stage today at the DNC Winter Meeting to the cheers of her supporters and the music of Jesus Jones, "Right Here, Right Now".

She then proceeded to give a solid, rather than brilliant speech. But solid is what she needed. It appeared to be a conversation, very much Clinton's tactic, rather than a traditional speech.

And as the front runner, ironically the most vulnerable position to be in, Clinton doesn't need any slip ups. She is best when she is being herself, treating the audience as if she is speaking to them directly, one on one.

Clinton declared that the next campaign is one of the most important in the nation's history and that everyone will need to work together to take back the White House and to increase the numbers in the Congress.

She then went on to highlight the way that country has been left behind, particularly workers. Clinton declared that "We need to start standing up for the American worker again." She said that we need a new economic strategy to build a new middle class.

On Iraq, Clinton was passionate - she and others in Congress have come under fire for the fact that they haven't been able to do more than pass a non binding resolution. Clinton hit back, saying that if they can get a bi-partisan resolution, it will be the first time the Congress has said no to the President on the Iraq war.

Clinton said that she will threaten the Iraqi Government, to withdraw funds unless they are prepared to do more.

Rather than admitting she was mistaken to support the war in 2002, Clinton said that if she was President at the time, she would not have started the war. And if the war is not over by January 2009, as President, she will end it.

How that goes to appeasing those like Edwards who has been very vocal on the fact that he was mistaken on his vote and apologised, is unclear. It still might be a sticking point for Clinton.

However, Edwards and Clinton on the face of it do appear to agree on one issue, Universal Health Care. Clinton said that she will provide quality affordable universal health care coverage to every American. She has a record here on trying to make this happen.

And not leaving anything out on the formula for the speeches followed by most candidates, she spoke of the need to attain energy Independence. And she rejects the assertion that dealing with climate change will wreck the economy.

Clinton said that America needs smart, strong leadership that can provide the solutions that are needed. She said that she knows a thing or two about winning campaigns, and if she is given the chance, that she will win the campaign in 2008.

Watch the speech at Hillary's website here.

Fox Poll has Clinton in Lead - Again

2007-02-01T21:52:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton continues to top the polls, with the latest Fox poll having her ahead of her nearest rival, Barack Obama by 28 points.

In a national poll of 900 people, Clinton was the preferred Democratic nominee by 43% of people, followed by Obama on 15%. Former Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards was on 12%, followed by undeclared and recent nominee for the Nobel Prize, Al Gore on 11%.

Recently announced candidate, Joe Biden was on 4%

The poll was conducted between January 30 and 31 - its margin of error is 3%.

Interestingly, the poll shows that Clinton is the best rated to be tough on terrorism - she even leads all Republican candidates. However, the poll still shows that Clinton has a favorable/unfavorable rating of 50/44.

And on the question of how comfortable people would be with Clinton as President, 45% of people said not very or not comfortable. Only 2% of people on this question answered "don't know". In comparison, for the same criteria, Obama is on 32% with a massive 20% "don't knows".

Clinton Leads in Ohio

2007-02-01T21:40:00.000-08:00

According to a Quinnipiac poll of voters in swing state Ohio, Hillary Clinton is the preferred President from all Republican and Democrat candidates. Had John Kerry won Iowa, he would have become President. As it happened, he went down by a few hundred thousand votes.

Democrat voters prefer Clinton over Barack Obama by 25 points. Obama secured 13% whilst John Edwards was on 9%.

Against lead Republicans, Clinton would beat Rudy Giuliani 46-43, and John McCain 46-42.

A Clinton spokesperson said that this poll proves "...that Hillary can win and is today winning.

The poll took place between January 23 and 28 with 1,305 Ohio voters.

It was a disappointing result for Dennis Kucinich who hails from Cleveland. His spokesperson said that "they polled the wrong people." Hmm.

Clinton Postpones New Hampshire Trip

2007-02-01T21:37:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton has put her visit to New Hampshire this weekend due to the death of her step father in law.

Dick Kelley, the husband of Bill Clinton's mother passed away yesterday at age 93.

Clinton will be rescheduling the trip to New Hampshire.

Media Questions Clinton Joke

2007-01-30T09:13:00.000-08:00

The media have started questioning an off the cuff joke Hillary Clinton made on Sunday during her trip to Iowa. Clinton's remarks came during a question and answer session in one of her many public appearances.

The exchange went something like this:

Question: "What experience does Clinton have in dealing with bad places, where leaders were greedy, rotten and power hungry?"

The questioner apparently didn't have a microphone, so Hillary summarised the question:

"What in my background equips me to deal with evil and bad men?"

And then she paused, and there was much laughter.

After her appearance the questions started coming from the media...was she referring to her husband? Was she subtly suggesting he was one of those men?

Of course not - but they were the questions, and that is what the media have been running with ever since. Just a little bit unfair on both Hillary and Bill Clinton.

Lets get this straight - Hillary will be using Bill at every opportunity to campaign with her over the next 12 months, and yet she would refer to him, even subtly as being evil? No, it just doesn't make sense.

Clinton responded "I thought I was funny you know? You guys keep telling me, "Lighten up. Be funny." You know? I get a little funny and now I'm being psychoanalyzed!"

If she would be referring to any bad men, one could think of a couple of names - Kenneth Star and/or Newt Gingrich.

Former Clinton aides like James Carville have been doing the rounds to support Clinton, given this has now been blown out of proportion.

But this is a timely lesson for all candidates - even the slightest slip, ill considered phrase, wrong intonation, or even a pause after repeating a question, can disrupt the most prepared campaign plan.

Clinton in Texas Today

2007-01-29T19:07:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton has stepped off the campaign trail for just a moment, as she flew in to San Antonio Texas today to attend the opening of a new military medical facility. Clinton was accompanied by Republican front runner, John McCain.

This morning Clinton addressed the annual board meeting of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, in an effort to attract their support for her campaign.

Clinton concluded her tour of Iowa yesterday, where she spoke in Davenport. Over 500 people greeted her at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, followed by another gathering at the Davenport Central High School.

As opposed to Saturday, where it was reported that she was dogged by many questions on the Iraq issue, and her previous stance on it, Clinton came out firing on Sunday. Clever strategy.

Clinton called on President Bush to extricate America from Iraq before the end of his Presidency. She said that it was Bush's decision to go to war with an ill conceived plan, and she resents the fact that he is saying that the next President will also have to deal with the problem of Iraq.

She repeated her statement that she would not have voted in favour of the Iraq war in 2002, if she had known all the facts. But she again stopped short of saying that her vote was a mistake.

Clinton to New Hampshire

2007-01-28T03:43:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton will visit New Hampshire next weekend, February 3 and 4, in her first trip to the State since 1996.

And she will be following up that trip with another a month later on March 10, to speak at the State Democrats 100 Club dinner.

Polls in New Hampshire have Clinton slightly trailing Barack Obama, with John Edwards in 3rd place.

2000 in Des Moines for Clinton

2007-01-28T02:15:00.000-08:00

Over 2000 people packed a school gymnasium in Des Moines, Iowa yesterday to listen to Hillary Clinton on her first trip to the state in 3 years.

This visit will mark the start of many more local appearances before the first vote, just under 12 months away.
With banners declaring "Let the Conversation Begin" and "Hillary Clinton for President", one might be mistaken in

thinking that Clinton is the frontrunner in Iowa. However, she still has some work to do in the State where John Edwards leads comfortably in the polls.

Clinton will be attempting to continue the theme of conversing with people, on a type of "one on one" basis. So expect more of these town hall style gatherings, with large crowds.

However, Clinton yesterday spent some of her time yesterday defending her stance on the Iraq war, a decision she now acknowledges might have been different with the benefit of hindsight. Clinton said that she is now advocating for a cap of troops in Iraq, but will not authorize the cutting off of funds for the troops already there.

Last night, Clinton was in Cedar Rapids at a house party for 150 people, and continues her tour of Iowa today.

Clinton in Iowa Today

2007-01-27T01:53:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton will be campaigning this weekend in the key State of Iowa, attempting to win over local Democrats who until this point are not supporting her in the polls.

This is Clinton's first visit to Iowa in over 3 years, but expect the visit to boost her ratings as she meets and greets locals during a busy schedule. Clinton supporters have noted that Clinton is best when she is on the ground, meeting people face to face - not unlike her husband.

John Edwards has consistently led recent polls in Iowa and has visited the state no fewer than 17 times in the last 2 years. In addition, Clinton's main rival nationally, Barack Obama has been there a number of times, and of course local Tom Vilsack is a former Governor.

Clinton will have her work cut out for her, but this wont be her last trip to Iowa.

And yesterday she announced that she has appointed the former chief of staff to Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, JoDee Winterhof.

Winterhoff said that she was joining the Clinton campaign because she "...has the experience and vision to lead this country from the moment she steps into office."

Early Success for Clinton Website

2007-01-26T06:52:00.001-08:00

Hillary Clinton's campaign for the nomination is showing some encouraging early results. Her website, www.hillaryclinton.com, has signed up over 150,000 supporters in the first week.

In addition, the webcasts that Clinton ran for 3 nights this week had over 25,000 questions submitted. We wish her luck in being able to respond to all of them!

In a campaign that will increasingly be dominated by online media, Clinton is making great use of the Internet thus far.

However, the Internet strategy is only one piece of the jigsaw. Connecting with those who wont connect with her website is going to be a lot harder.

Time Poll Puts Clinton in Lead

2007-01-26T06:31:00.000-08:00

The latest Time Magazine poll has Hillary Clinton leading Barack Obama by 19 points.

In a telephone survey conducted between Jan 22 and 23 of just over 1000 registered Democrat voters, Clinton was the preferred candidate by 40% of respondents.

Obama was on 21% with former Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards on 11%, and former Vice President and 2000 nominee Al Gore on 9%.

According to the poll, Clinton was also the best placed to beat the lead Republican candidate, John McCain - as preferred President, she was tied with him 47-47. McCain beats other Democrat candidates by at least 7 points.

However, while 51% of respondents have a positive view of Clinton, 41% have a negative one. While the overall poll is extremely favorable, this last figure might cause some concern for the Clinton camp.

So expect the "polarizing" argument to be quite prominent in the media in the coming weeks.

Liz Taylor Supports Clinton

2007-01-26T06:12:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth Taylor has donated $2100 to the Hillary Clinton campaign for the Democratic nomination.

$2100 is the maximum that any one person can donate to a candidate during a primary campaign.

Taylor said that she supports Clinton because she is "...very savvy and a smart leader with years of experience in government, diplomacy and politics."

Success for Hillary Video Chats

2007-01-24T23:01:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton's online video conversation, every night this week appear to have been a great success.

Apparently Clinton has received tens of thousands of questions in the last few days. Unfortunately, Clinton could only answer so many of them, so you can have a look at the transcripts of the video chats here. Or, you can download the video of all the chats this week from here.

The questions are moderated, and Clinton is well polished in her answers. Are we being cynical to suggest that she has a sneak peek at the questions before she responds?

In the managed world of modern day politics, someone is no doubt choosing the right questions that are asked out of the thousands sent.

Regardless, Clinton does look good, and doesn't stumble. She pitches her message very well.

Clinton - The Most Famous Person You Don't Know

2007-01-23T09:24:00.000-08:00

On NBC Today this morning, Hillary Clinton responded to accusations that she was perceived negatively, saying that she is "the most famous person that you don't know".

Clinton is asking people to draw their own conclusions on her as a person, and those that have met her, such as in New York have warmed to her. She also encouraged people to tune in to her video chats on her website every evening this week at 7pm (ET).

Pressed on the Iraq issue, Clinton would not admit that she made a mistake, and made a thinly veiled attack on John Edwards, saying that she is not backwards looking and is in the middle of trying to find a solution in Congress, not on the sidelines.

This issue is unlikley to go away - Edwards who has said that he made a mistake on the Iraq war, will push Clinton all the way to admit that she was wrong.

Clinton said that her husband former President Clinton would be a tremendous asset for her on the campaign trail, he has vast experience and is involved in numerous activities throughout the world.

On the State of the Union this evening, Clinton said that she was looking forward to hearing it, but was not hopeful of movements on things like health care. She said that everywhere she goes, she hears a great discouragement about the President's leadership.

Hillary Clinton's reaction to the State of the Union on ABC

POST/ABC Poll - Clinton 41%

2007-01-21T18:06:00.000-08:00

A Washington Post/ABC poll has Hillary Clinton on 41%, with her nearest rival Barack Obama on 17%. The poll was conducted between January 16 and 19, prior to the announcement by Clinton. It surveyed 561 Democrats and Democrat leaning independents across the country.

Results:

Hillary Clinton - 41%
Barack Obama - 17%
John Edwards - 11%
Al Gore - 10%
John Kerry - 8%
Joe Biden - 3%
Bill Richardson - 1%
Dennis Kucinich - 1%

There is a 4% margin of error for a poll of this size.

Cinton Leads Obama in New Poll

2007-01-20T21:43:00.000-08:00

In a Washington Post/ABC poll to be released Sunday, Hillary Clinton has the confirmed frontrunner status over Barack Obama.

Surveying Democrats and Democrat leaning Independents, Clinton leads Obama 41-17. Obama is unchanged since last months survey, even with his announcement this week.

This poll will no doubt give Clinton's fortunes a good boost, the day after announcing her bid for the Democratic Nomination.

Full results to follow.

Clinton is In for Democratic Nomination

2007-01-20T08:50:00.000-08:00

"Lets Talk"

In a widely anticipated move, and just days after Barack Obama, Senator Hillary Clinton has announced that she is running for the Democratic Nomination for President of the United States.

Surprisingly, the announcement was made on a Saturday, the quietest news day of the week. In a move that may well be criticized for being a reaction to the Obama announcement, this is an interesting strategy for Clinton.

Clinton has just returned from a trip to Iraq and Afghanistan, working on her foreign policy credentials.

Clinton, 59, made the announcement via her website, in a video address. She said that after 6 years, it was "time to renew the promise of America".

With over $14 million in the bank, Clinton already has a massive head start on other declared candidates. In addition to which, she leads most of the polls of all possible Democrat candidates.

Clinton talked about starting a conversation with America, and says that there needs to be an end to the war in Iraq in the "right way". She also says that there needs to be quality affordable health care for all and emphasised her long record of fighting for Americans.

Hillary Clinton will be running live online video chats, starting this Monday.

Will Clinton Announce this Week?

2007-01-18T08:21:00.000-08:00

With the announcement by Obama, and having just returned from a study of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, speculation is mounting that Hillary Clinton will announce her run for the Democratic Nomination this week.

Obama formed an exploratory committee, and wont report back until February 10 as to whether he is in for the long haul.

Clinton however is the front runner, she leads in most of the polls, and she has over $14 million in the bank, money left from her Senate run in November.

Because Obama has been given rock star status from the media, Clinton has been handed some real competition for her anticipated attempt to move back to Washington. His possible candidacy has taken some of the shine off her front runner status.

But Clinton has a great team behind her, and she has her husband. Plus, she will be able to raise more than all of the other candidates.

Will she attempt to limit the amount of coverage Obama has been getting by declaring her hand? We think so. So keep an eye out for the big announcement, it's coming soon.

Hillary Clinton - Running for President

2007-01-14T09:55:00.000-08:00

Hillary Rodham Clinton, former Arkansas and United States First Lady, and current Senator from New York has yet to make any announcement on her widely expected run for the Democratic Nomination for President.

But as the race hots up, and with an Obama announcement imminent, we would certainly be expecting something big very soon.

Clinton has spent the last few days touring Iraq and Afghanistan, looking closely at how the US is fighting the war on terror.

As a Senator from New York, Clinton is, and has been the favorite for the Democratic Nomination for some time.

Clinton has a massive fundraising power - for her almost unloseable Senate campaign in November, she raised over $50million. Apparently she has about $14 million of that left in the bank.

While some commentators have said that $100 million is needed for a candidate to be credible, others are saying that the nominee might need to raise in the order of $500 million. There are only a handful in the Democratic camp that could raise that - Clinton is one.

Then she has the added presence of Bill, probably the most popular figure on the campaign trail just a few months ago. Not only does he have a presence which would be unparalleled in any national campaign, he holds good sway with much of the Democratic grass roots.

Clinton's candidacy will face the same types of questions from the media over the coming months that Obama will face. Just as his candidacy in some ways will be viewed as whether America is ready for an African American President, the media will ask if America is ready for a female President.

Putting those issues aside, (and they should be) the best question that has to be asked is, can Hillary Clinton win an election?

Yes, she is popular. Yes she has fundraising capacity. Yes, she will have the strong support of her husband. And yes, she will have one of the best teams behind her.

But Clinton is a polarizing figure. And one that the Democrats, eager as they are to take back the White House, may not take a chance on.

And if the 2008 Presidential election is all about Iraq, which is entirely possible, Clinton may have some questions to answer about her previous and current positions. While others like Obama who has always been against the war, and Edwards who supported but now admits his mistake, Clinton was a supporter, and has yet to come out strongly to say that she was wrong.

After such a strong result for the Democrats in the mid terms, based primarily on the Iraq issue, these questions will be applied equally in the Democratic primary as they will in the Presidential election.

Time will tell on this one - there is almost 12 months to go before the first primaries. And we have yet to see all the candidates in the race. Al Gore is still equivocal, and John Kerry is yet to make up his mind. And when Obama announces, it is going to be a rock star event.

At the very least, expect the announcement from Hillary Clinton soon, and hold on to your hats for one of the most exciting primaries in our history. 2007 will be quite a year.