Sunday NYT: Clinton Soldiers On, but Somber as Horizon Darkens

[VolcanoJen]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/us/politics/24mood.html?hp

Just another article about the internal struggles within the Clinton campaign...

Excerpt:

There is a widespread feeling among donors and some advisers, though, that a comeback this time may be improbable. Her advisers said internal polls showed a very tough race to win the Texas primary — a contest that no less than Mr. Clinton has said is a “must win.” And while advisers are drawing some hope from Mrs. Clinton’s indefatigable nature, some are burning out.

Morale is low. After 13 months of dawn-to-dark seven-day weeks, the staff is exhausted. Some have taken to going home early — 9 p.m. — turning off their BlackBerrys, and polishing off bottles of wine, several senior staff members said.

Some advisers have been heard yelling at close friends and colleagues. In a much-reported incident, Mr. Penn and the campaign advertising chief, Mandy Grunwald, had a screaming match over strategy recently that prompted another senior aide, Guy Cecil, to leave the room. “I have work to do — you’re acting like kids,” Mr. Cecil said, according to three people in the room.

Others have taken several days off, despite it being crunch time. Some have grown depressed, be it over Mr. Obama’s momentum, the attacks on the campaign’s management from outside critics or their view that the news media has been much rougher on Mrs. Clinton than on Mr. Obama.

[BringBigDogBack]

1. Their time has passed.

[democrattotheend]

2. This is kind of sad

I was an intern for Dean in 2004, and I know how demoralizing it gets at the end. I really feel for Clinton's staff...working on a campaign is so exhausting, and to keep going when prospects look bleak is really really tough.

[VolcanoJen]

3. It really is.

Wow, democrattotheend, I'll never forget that CNN Special they did on the Dean '04 campaign. It broke my heart to see how depressing it got toward the end. :-(

Luckily for Howard though, it was over quickly. This Clinton thing is like death by a thousand cuts.