Obama campaign mastered party rules and used them to foil Clinton

[babylonsister]

http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=4961790

Obama Used Party Rules to Foil Clinton
Obama campaign mastered party rules and used them to foil Clinton
By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON


Unlike Hillary Rodham Clinton, rival Barack Obama planned for the long haul.

Clinton hinged her whole campaign on an early knockout blow on Super Tuesday, while Obama's staff researched congressional districts in states with primaries that were months away. What they found were opportunities to win delegates, even in states they would eventually lose.

Obama's campaign mastered some of the most arcane rules in politics, and then used them to foil a front-runner who seemed to have every advantage — money, fame and a husband who had essentially run the Democratic Party for eight years as president.

"Without a doubt, their understanding of the nominating process was one of the keys to their success," said Tad Devine, a Democratic strategist not aligned with either candidate. "They understood the nuances of it and approached it at a strategic level that the Clinton campaign did not."

Careful planning is one reason why Obama is emerging as the nominee as the Democratic Party prepares for its final three primaries, Puerto Rico on Sunday and Montana and South Dakota on Tuesday. Attributing his success only to soaring speeches and prodigious fundraising ignores a critical part of contest.

Obama used the Democrats' system of awarding delegates to limit his losses in states won by Clinton while maximizing gains in states he carried. Clinton, meanwhile, conserved her resources by essentially conceding states that favored Obama, including many states that held caucuses instead of primaries.

snip//

But, Fowler noted, the best strategy in the world would have been useless without the right candidate.

"If that same strategy and that same effort had been used with a different candidate, a less charismatic candidate, a less attractive candidate, it wouldn't have worked," Fowler said. "The reason they look so good is because Obama was so good."

[tekisui]

1. He started 10 moves ahead.

Hillary, for whatever reason, was not capable of playing the 50-state game. She didn't expect or respect Obama for what he could do. And, she lost because of her short-sidedness.

[rocktivity]

13. The reason why is because Hillary is a DLC officer

still living in the "big state strategy" world. She was counting on big blowout wins to offset the gains that Obama was making in the smaller states and the caucuses. Between the two Super Tuesdays, she racked up a 12-25 record--it was all over by March 4.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Swamp Rat]

18. Yep

'Cold War' mentality.

[The Doctor.]

31. Yep... their fault. They didn't pay attention to Dean... rejected him in fact...

and look where it got them.

[leftofcool]

2. Yep, sort of like Chicago, politics as usual

no changes

[cliffordu]

4. Illustrate, please. With links. Where's your case??

Or is this just more character assault??

[tishaLA]

7. it's more character assault

it's best to just let it echo and respond to itself.

[cliffordu]

24. I just like watching the silence from these halfwits...They got nada.

[FredScuttle]

8. "THAT'S....the Chicago way!"

This ain't politics as usual, my friend. The establishment candidate got her ass handed to her by an "inexperienced," "inadequate black male".

"And THAT'S how you get McCain!"

[guruoo]

11. Brillance in this was their launching attacks through grassroots "supporter" net instead

of through the candidate himself.

[Bensthename]

14. Will you say the same when he beats McCain?

[The Doctor.]

33. Hey... this may interest you...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6219295

Not that I'm suggesting anything to you personally, but I think you'll get the point.

You seem fair enough.

[Bensthename]

36. Haha.. I like

Good idea. As the battle unwinds over the next couple of weeks, both sides will reflect on what is really at stake here and will hopefully agree that Obama and Hillary share about 95% of same ideas. Like I heard Hillary say today and Obama before also, "this race is about American people not the candidates". We have to come together to win this...

I'm all for name changes to get the dark side out of DU. Some here :eyes: have been a little rough and would like to redeem their selves I'm sure...

I got flamed pretty bad earlier for starting a dreaded Obama/Clinton ticket, but the division is so bad right now and the voters are so different for both candidates I think it would be a good fit..
We'll see.

But, yup, I like it....

[Carolina]

21. sore loser cause he outsmarted Shrillary

with foresight, grassroots work and yes, charisma?!

Even the Clintons' very own Don Fowler had to give the next POTUS his props.

Get over yourself.

[yourguide]

3. Yes, he will make a great president

he came up with a great strategy within the rules and understood and worked toward the goal of the process.

[polichick]

5. His ground game is something to behold - and it works!

[klook]

6. Mastered "...some of the most arcane rules in politics"??

Like winning key districts in as many states as possible? That doesn't sound too "arcane" to me.

If the Dem primaries were winner-take-all, then the Obama campaign would more likely have followed conventional strategy and ignored the less populous states or states where they didn't think they had a chance.

Of course, even then there are potential donors and GE voters in every state, so to me the 50-state strategy makes sense in a "winner-take-majority" scheme as well as a "winner-take-all" one. It especially makes sense for an overachieving fundraiser like Obama, who has the resources to compete nationwide.

[avenger64]

9. Yeah - shucking and jiving.

He knows how to work the angles. Work the party insiders at the caucuses, pick up those sd endorsements from states that Senator Clinton won on the low-low.

He knows how to hustle. I just don't think he knows how to lead.

[boppers]

10. EXCUSE ME?

Would you like to edit your subject line?

[quaker bill]

17. Probably a kid

who does not understand the ugly racist content of those words. Or, perhaps not, I guess we will see.

[boppers]

20. His myspace profile says he's 41. eom

[kenny blankenship]

22. "Shucking and Jiving" is racist dogwhistling used earlier in the campaign by Clinton surrogates

It has been alerted on.

[avenger64]

25. Actually, down South, we use that phrase to apply to people ...

... of all races. Said it to my brother last week.

[kenny blankenship]

27. If you're from SC you're north of me

Keep your lies to yourself.

[avenger64]

28. Florida ain't the South, and we've been using that phrase ....

... since I was a kid - it's actually redneck in origin. Bleah.

[boppers]

30. If by "redneck", you mean "black slaves", yes?

Some reading for you:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=1006051720041
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/ny-uscuom115533466jan11,0,3011306.story

[kenny blankenship]

34. Hey lighten up there, (no pun intended) Boppers!

See where HE grew up, "to shuck and jive" is some kind of Scots-Irish expression. Who knows what it really means? Evidently it's not what we think! In the rest of America, the 50 United States outside the half mile radius around his childhood home, "shuck and jive" has the same derivation, etymology, and meaning that WE all understand. We all understand that to apply it to a black person is invoke an ugly history of racial caricature, and even uglier history of racial oppression.

But "to shuck and jive" means something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT for this one poster (and his brother, I suppose). It's something different because of the special place where he grew up --"down south" he says--and WE just don't share the benefits of that, not having grown up there. I know that I grew up down south, but apparently it wasn't down south enough: for I understood the phrase the same way the people at Yahoo Answers do and you do. But we are now confronted with someone who says shuck and jive has a special meaning which we just don't understand.

I'll just bet this special meaning is something highly complimentary!
And it HAS NOTHING TO DO AT ALL , I'm sure, with the history of power relations between black and white people!

[Purveyor]

16. Yep, a real 'cotton-picker'...he!

:sarcasm:

[Carolina]

23. oh nice, you must be one of HRC's bigoted

low information supporters.

[babylonsister]

38. This is the second time I've encountered you; you are

not making a good impression, pal. Read the article and appreciate the fact he's a good candidate. Compare his game to Clinton's and marvel at how this 'novice' beat her at her own game. By learning and using what he'd learned to his benefit. Your sour grapes are showing.

[quaker bill]

12. It is the test

The Democratic Primary process, and specifically collecting the most delegates within it, is the test of candidate electability. Regardless of how "arcane" one percieves it to be or not be, it is well known and all the rules are published well in advance. All the candidates have access to all of the necessary information, should they choose to use it.

The test is whether you (as a candidate) can plan, organize, and work your way through the system to achieve the greatest number of convention delegates. Nothing about how the convention delegates are awarded is a secret. The candidate's job is to use their resources, skills, and knowledge to achieve the desired result. Caucuses are all about meeting people one on one and inspiring them enough to put other personal things aside and show up for a long evening. The primaries are about handling media, raising funds, and modern mass campaigning. Someone who can manage both is the complete package.

The test should not be easy, it should not be simple, it should not be quick, because the job is none of these things.

[WillyT]

35. Excellent Post - Spot On !!!

:thumbsup:

[Purveyor]

15. He will be a mighty foe against any remaining GOP members in Congress come 2009, indeed! eom

[Whisp]

19. not too shabby for a skinny empty suit, eh?

the more I learn about Obama, the more I like him.

and the more I believe he is just what the doctor ordered for the sickness of the country and the world.

but what a load he bears, and he is willing. and he also is calling for us to share that burden.
I think many will.

It feels great to feel helpful instead of helpless. even in the smallest ways.

[whistler162]

37. He has the potential to be a good President.

especially compared to his primary opponent, the Republica candidate, and maybe the Libertarian candidate(but he might be a surprise).

[WeDidIt]

26. Nobody From Chicago is Surprised at This

How the hell else would he have risen so quickly through the ranks of Chicagpo politics?

HEll, he cut out all the competition in the first primary he ever ran in.

HE expereinced a crushing defeat at the hands of Bobby Rush, but he learned and learned well from that experience.

When it came time to run for the Senate nomination, he was up against a millionaire who was the odds on favorite and the darling of the Daley poltical machine, and took more than 50% of the primary vote!

HE understands, politics ain't beanbag.

Team Clinton sorely underestimated the skinny kid with the funny name.

So will McCain.

[Brundle_Fly]

29. you have to also take into account

beyond the Dean 50 State Strategy, his brilliant usage of the webs powerful social media effects and tools.

Hillary (initially) used and understood the web as a basic broadcast medium, not a place to share ideas or spark conversation about the candidate.

She did try to update herself in this regard later on, but the effort, like her other planning was too little too late...

[Raine]

32. Obama's strategy was on point

Hillary's was flawed, that's her fault not his!