HILLARY CLINTON

Clinton Assembles a Seasoned Team

Sunday, January 21, 2007; Page A06

Although Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (D-N.Y.) presidential campaign is just a day old, she already has a full stable of senior staffers in place. Here is a look at the people who will guide Clinton's White House bid.

Patti Solis Doyle: Unquestionably a first among equals in Clinton's inner circle, Solis Doyle will manage the campaign. She has been with Clinton since her days as the first lady of Arkansas.

Mike Henry: A newcomer to the Clinton circle, Henry will be deputy campaign manager. He made a name for himself by leading Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) to victory in 2005 and then overseeing Senate Democrats' national ad campaign in 2006.

Howard Wolfson: Wolfson will oversee the communications operation for Clinton, reprising the role he played in her 2000 Senate race. Wolfson has deep roots in Democratic New York politics, having worked for Sen. Charles E. Schumer and Rep. Nita M. Lowey.

Evelyn S. Lieberman: Lieberman, a former undersecretary of state and senior aide in President Bill Clinton's White House, will be chief operating officer.

Jonathan Mantz: As finance director, Mantz has the Herculean task of raising the millions Clinton will need to compete in the four early-voting states and beyond. Before joining Clinton, Mantz oversaw fundraising for New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine (D).

Neera Tanden: Tanden served as policy adviser to President Bill Clinton and went on to serve as the legislative director in Hillary Clinton's Senate office. She will be the campaign's policy director.

Kim Molstre: Fresh off a stint in the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Molstre will serve as director of scheduling and long-term planning. In 2004, Molstre worked on the presidential efforts of former congressman Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.) and Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.).

Mandy Grunwald: A veteran of Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign, Grunwald designed the ads for Hillary Clinton's 2000 and 2006 Senate races. She will be the lead media consultant in 2008 as well.

Mark Penn: The pollster of choice during President Bill Clinton's second term, Penn, like Grunwald, has been with Hillary Clinton since her run in 2000.

Phil Singer: Singer, the deputy communications director, is extremely close to Schumer, for whom he worked at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in the 2006 election. He also has experience in past presidential politics as a member of Kerry's rapid-response operation.

Leecia Eve: Eve, a black woman from Buffalo, will be a senior policy adviser to the campaign. She worked as counsel to Clinton in her Senate office, leaving to make an abbreviated bid for lieutenant governor in New York in 2006.

Minyon Moore: Moore served a stint as political director in the Clinton White House and will be a senior adviser in the campaign. Moore, an African American, oversaw minority outreach for Kerry's 2004 campaign.

Ann Lewis: Lewis is a longtime Clinton loyalist. She was deputy campaign manager for President Bill Clinton's 1996 reelection race and handled communications during Hillary Clinton's 2006 reelection contest. She will be a senior adviser to the '08 campaign.

Clinton's Web debut into campaign portends the future

By Peter G. Gosselin, Times Staff Writer
7:02 PM PST, January 20, 2007

Related Stories
-	Clinton joins 2008 race for president

WASHINGTON -- In choosing the Internet to announce she intends to run for the presidency in 2008, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton bowed to the burgeoning political power of the medium and offered a preview of how she hopes to harness it to her purposes.

In declaring "I'm in" the White House race in a video clip on her new campaign website, HillaryClinton.com, the New York Democrat did considerably more than simply appear before the cameras; she invited supporters to join an almost Oprah Winfrey-like session of give and take.

"Let's talk. Let's chat. Let's start a dialogue about your ideas and mine.... " she told viewers."With a little help from modern technology, I'll be holding live online video chats ... starting Monday."

By doing this, Clinton signaled her intention of using the Internet to shore up one of her chief political weak points, what independent analyst Charlie Cook called the caricature of her as "this shrill, raving, partisan, liberal lunatic."

"She needs to build people's comfort level with her, and she's going to do that with [an Internet] conversation," Cook said.

Clinton's online declaration that she is forming a presidential exploratory committee came less than a week after similar news delivered online by Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill).

It also follows even more elaborate use of the Internet by the third major presidential contender in the Democratic ranks, former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina.

The website for Edwards, the party's vice presidential nominee in 2004, offers documentary-style video of him grousing about his political consultants and informally chatting about the campaign ahead.

The Internet's power both to make and break politicians has been vividly demonstrated in recent years.

In 2004, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean jumped from political obscurity to grab the front-runner's position in the initial stages of the Democratic race largely on the strength of the interest and fundraising he generated online.

Last year, Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) watched his reelection campaign — and his hopes of emerging as a prime contender for the GOP presidential nomination — go down in flames after a video clip of him addressing a young man of Indian descent as "macaca" made the rounds on the Web.

Barely a factor in campaigning 11 years ago when Clinton's husband won reelection as president, the Internet has become an integral part of the political landscape, with every major candidate fielding a website and seeking to create a virtual community around his — or her — campaign.

But with the recent advent of YouTube and other video-sharing sites, analysts said the most intriguing aspect of the evolving use of the Web may be as part of an immense game of political "gotcha," in which campaigns seek to catch opposing candidates off-guard and off-message, as happened to Allen.

Analysts said Clinton's announcement and the accompanying rollout of her campaign website underscore the well-organized nature of her bid.

In addition to the video clip, the site includes a political analysis of recent polls suggesting she can win, as well as invitations to contribute and sponsor local events to support her.

"This is an example of what's to come," Cook said. "It has lots of bells and whistles. There's nothing left to chance."

peter.gosselin@latimes.com

Clinton starts race in Iowa

Early campaign chat touches on big issues, with one exception

By Ray Quintanilla

Tribune staff reporter

Published January 28, 2007

DES MOINES -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton began her presidential journey in this bellwether state on Saturday, raising energy and health-care issues but remaining conspicuously silent on the war in Iraq.

"I want to renew the promise of America. It starts right here in Iowa. I'm in it to win," Clinton (D-N.Y.) told cheering supporters--many of them women--who packed the gym at East High School here.

"You go, girl," came a shout from the audience.

"You come with me," Clinton replied, generating much applause.

Vowing to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and re-ignite a push for universal health care coverage, the former first lady spoke for an hour during what her campaign billed as a "conversation with Iowans." She also talked of a need to change the "traditional roles" of women across society.

Saturday's event was Clinton's first political speech in the state since declaring a week earlier that she would seek the Democratic Party's nomination for president.

Iraq not on the agenda

She took questions and spoke of boosting production of ethanol, increasing education funding and revamping how health care is delivered, especially to the poor.

She said 20 percent of the nation's Medicaid dollars are devoted to diabetes, which can be prevented or controlled with proper care. Yet the health care system does little to fund wellness care for those at risk, she said, adding: "But our system will pay to have your foot amputated. That has to change."

Missing from the day's "conversation" was a meaningful discussion of the war in Iraq. And that fact wasn't lost on some in the audience who groaned when Clinton spoke at length about standardized tests for schoolchildren.

"How can you get up and speak for an hour, and not talk about the war?" asked Thomasine Johnson, 66, shaking her head as she left the gym. "I am very disappointed she said nothing about why we are there, or how we can get out of Iraq. She voted for the war."

Roberta Hardwick, 35, said Clinton touched on all of the hot-button issues except the war.

"Clinton talked about the need to help our veterans, and there was a good opportunity to address the war. But it didn't happen," said Hardwick, of Des Moines. "I am kind of disappointed about that."

Clinton did discuss Iraq in an interview with The Associated Press, conceding that "I take responsibility" for voting to give President Bush authority to wage war.

"I have said clearly and consistently for quite some time that I regret the way the president misused the authority" given him by Congress to act in Iraq, Clinton told the AP. "He misled Congress and the country on what he was seeking and what he intended to do."

"I take responsibility for having voted to give him that authority," she said. "My focus is on what we do now. That is the proper debate."

`She's very confident'

Others who heard Clinton here Saturday said they left the gym feeling excited about the prospect of having a woman president for the first time.

"She did a thoughtful job of answering all the questions, and I believe her views are right on target," said Dayna Chandler, a 37-year-old mother of four who lives in Des Moines. "She's very confident, and I like that about her."

Jim Hutter, political science professor at Iowa State University in Ames, said Clinton's first major public speech in the Hawkeye State probably won't have much lasting impact, considering that the presidential caucuses are a year away.

Still, he added, Clinton is among the candidates generating interest from Democratic activists, many of whom were on hand Saturday. Others getting attention, he said, are former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's candidacy has sparked excitement as well, Hutter said.

Clinton told the AP she wouldn't concede the black vote to Obama. "I'm going to be asking for the votes of all Americans," she said.

Hutter has been an observer of Iowa's caucuses since the late 1960s.

"Having a political organization on the ground here is important, and so far Sen. Edwards seems to have the inside track," he said. "[Clinton] has to get to work on building an organization," he explained.

Later Saturday, Clinton was to travel to Cedar Rapids for a house party with supporters, and had a similar event planned for Sunday in Davenport.

rquintanilla@tribune.com

Hillary promises to end war if elected

CNN-IBN
Posted Saturday , February 03, 2007
GREAT HOPE: Hillary Clinton speaking at the Democratic National Committee Meetings in Washington.

Addressing key Democratic Party leaders in Washington Hillary Clinton made clear her determination to vote next week on a resolution strongly criticizing President Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq.

''If I had been president in October 2002, I would not have started this war,'' Clinton said in a forceful speech. She said if Congress does not end the conflict before January 2009, she will if she is the next president.
The New York senator drew a few anti-war hecklers who shouted out during her speech, the last in a series from White House hopefuls to speak to Friday's meeting of the Democratic National Committee.

''Bring them home, then,'' said a man wearing desert camouflage that said ''Iraq Veterans Against the War.'' Women from the anti-war group Code Pink shouted for quicker action, too, while nearby audience members asked them to quiet down. Clinton raised her voice to be heard and said she understands ''the frustration and the outrage.''
The peace activists have dogged Clinton over her vote to authorize force in 2002.

Clinton a Drag? Dems Fear Her Negatives

Aug 13, 11:35 AM (ET)

By RON FOURNIER WASHINGTON (AP) - Looking past the presidential nomination fight, Democratic leaders quietly fret that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton at the top of their 2008 ticket could hurt candidates at the bottom.

They say the former first lady may be too polarizing for much of the country. She could jeopardize the party's standing with independent voters and give Republicans who otherwise might stay home on Election Day a reason to vote, they worry.

In more than 40 interviews, Democratic candidates, consultants and party chairs from every region pointed to internal polls that give Clinton strikingly high unfavorable ratings in places with key congressional and state races.

"I'm not sure it would be fatal in Indiana, but she would be a drag" on many candidates, said Democratic state Rep. Dave Crooks of Washington, Ind.

Unlike Crooks, most Democratic leaders agreed to talk frankly about Clinton's political coattails only if they remained anonymous, fearing reprisals from the New York senator's campaign. They all expressed admiration for Clinton, and some said they would publicly support her fierce fight for the nomination - despite privately held fears.

The chairman of a Midwest state party called Clinton a nightmare for congressional and state legislative candidates.

A Democratic congressman from the West, locked in a close re-election fight, said Clinton is the Democratic candidate most likely to cost him his seat.

A strategist with close ties to leaders in Congress said Democratic Senate candidates in competitive races would be strongly urged to distance themselves from Clinton.

"The argument with Hillary right now in some of these red states is she's so damn unpopular," said Andy Arnold, chairman of the Greenville, S.C., Democratic Party. "I think Hillary is someone who could drive folks on the other side out to vote who otherwise wouldn't."

"Republicans are upset with their candidates," Arnold added, "but she will make up for that by essentially scaring folks to the polls."

In national surveys, Clinton's lead over chief rival Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois has widened. Her advantage is much narrower where it counts most - in early voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire. In matchups against potential GOP presidential candidates, Clinton leads or is tied.

The Clinton campaign points to those figures to make a case for her electability in a constant stream of e-mails, letters and phone calls to jittery Democrats across the country. A key to their strategy is to give Clinton's candidacy a sense of inevitability despite her negative ratings, which aides insist will go down.

"All the negatives on her are out," said Clinton's pollster and strategist Mark Penn. "There is a phenomena with Hillary, because she is the front-runner and because she's been battling Republicans for so long, her unfavorability (rating) looks higher than what they will eventually be after the nomination and through the general election."

What the Clinton campaign doesn't say is that her edge over potential Republican candidates is much smaller than it should be, given the wide lead the Democratic Party holds over the GOP in generic polling.

The problem is her political baggage: A whopping 49 percent of the public says they have an unfavorable view of Clinton compared to 47 percent who say they hold her in high regard, according to a Gallup Poll survey Aug. 3-5.

Her negative ratings are higher than those of her husband, former President Clinton, former President George H.W. Bush and 2004 Democratic nominee John Kerry at the end of their campaigns.

A candidate's unfavorability scores almost always climb during campaigns. If the pattern holds, Clinton has a historically high hurdle to overcome.

"For Hillary, who has been on the scene for so long and has had perception of her so ground in ... there's no question it will be really hard for her to change perceptions," said Democratic pollster David Eichenbaum, who represents moderate Democrats in GOP-leaning states.

Her baggage is heaviest in those states. Private polling conducted in Colorado, for example, shows that Clinton's negative rating is 16 percentage points higher than her favorability score.

Colorado is a state Democrats hope to win in the 2008 presidential race. It also has an open Senate seat, with the Republican incumbent opting not to seek another term and Democrats targeting it.

Obama has much lower unfavorability ratings than Clinton, though Democrats say he may have his own problem - that of race. It's hard to measure the impact of being the first party to put a black at the top of the ticket, Democratic leaders said.

Some Democrats hold out hope that Clinton can turn things around.

"She's got a tough road to hoe because people have formed opinions of her," said Rep. Tim Mahoney, a freshman Democrat from Florida. "But I can and will tell you that when I see Hillary get out there with the public, she changes people's minds. She's not the stereotype that people know her to be."

In Indiana, where three freshman Democratic congressmen are fighting to retain their seats, Crooks said Clinton would be a burden in districts like his full of "gun-toting, bible-carrying, God-loving, church-attending" voters.

"She is just so polarizing," the state lawmaker said. Clinton would drag any candidate down 3 or 4 percentage points, he said.

"I'm one of these Democrats who has some legitimate reservations, because the Clintons have in the past invigorated the Republican base," said Carrie Webster, a leader in the West Virginia state House who served as executive director of the state party when Bill Clinton won the 1992 West Virginia primary.

"But the fact that so many prominent Democratic males are getting behind her at this early point makes me a little more confident that she could overcome some of the more obvious hurdles," she said.

Nebraska party chairman Matt Connealy said he believes Democratic candidates will be able to avoid a Clinton backlash.

"I probably would have given you a different answer a month ago," he said, "and maybe will give you a different answer a month from now."

---

Associated Press writers Kathy Barks Hoffman in Michigan, Marc Levy in Pennsylvania, Lawrence Messina in West Virginia, Steven K. Paulson in Colorado, Kelley Shannon in Texas and Mike A. Smith in Indiana contributed to this report.

Clinton Booed at Heartland Forum

December 01, 2007 6:04 PM

ABC News' Eloise Harper reports: A day after dealing with a hostage crisis, Sen. Hillary Clinton faced a tough crowd in Iowa. Clinton did not receive the warmest of welcomes at the Heartland Form in Des Moines, IA, and although the hostage scare was mentioned, the announcer brushed it off quickly in order to get to questions. Clinton, who was forced to call in to speak to the crowd of thousands because of weather difficulties, took questions on topics from healthcare to illegal immigration.

The senator was asked if she would "make a decision to give undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship" during her first 100 days in office. Clinton responded saying, "I have been favoring a plan to citizenship for years. I voted for it in the Senate, I have spoke out about it around Iowa and the country and in my campaign. And as president comprehensive immigration reform will be a high priority for me."

Soft booing could be heard from the audience. The man repeated his question about the first 100 days. Clinton replied, "Well you've to get congress to pass the legislation and the president to do as much as possible, which I will do." Louder boos came from the crowd.

Clinton was thanked for her appearance and the moderator expressed sympathies for the ordeal she suffered yesterday. Clinton thanked the moderator. More booing could be heard from the crowd again after she hung up the line.

Barring any travel troubles, Clinton is still planning on attending the Brown and Black Presidential Forum in Des Moines Saturday night.

12-18-07 -

HILLARY AGING

Campaigning obviously isn't easy on the human body.

It isn't only the men who age however - it all depends on how good their makeup artist is and how good the photo airbrusher is once they get in office.

Hillary Clinton NH Victory Speech

Created: Wednesday, 09 Jan 2008, 12:36 AM EST

Thank you. Thank you so much. I come tonight with a very, very full heart. And I want especially to thank New Hampshire. Over the last week, I listened to you and in the process, I found my own voice.

I felt like we all spoke from our hearts, and I am so gratified that you responded. Now, together, let's give America the kind of comeback that New Hampshire has just given me.

For all the ups and downs of this campaign, you helped remind everyone that politics isn't a game. This campaign is about people. It's about making a difference in your lives. It’s about making sure that everyone in this country has the opportunity to live up to his or her God-given potential. That has been the work of my life.

We are facing a moment of so many big challenges. We know we face challenges here at home, around the world, so many challenges for the people whose lives I've been privileged to be part of. I've met families in this state and all over our country who have lost their homes to foreclosures. Men and women who work day and night but can't pay the bills and hope they don't get sick because they can't afford health insurance. Young people who can't afford to go to college to pursue their dreams.

Too many have been invisible for too long. Well, you are not invisible to me.

The oil companies, the drug companies, the health insurance companies, the predatory student loan companies have had seven years of a president who stands up for them. It's time we had a president who stands up for all of you.

I intend to be that president, to be a president who puts you first - your lives, your families, your children, your future. I believe deeply in America, in our can-do spirit, in our ability to meet any challenge and solve any problem. I believe in what we can do together. In the future, we will build together. There will be no more invisible Americans. So we're going to take what we've learned here in New Hampshire, and we're going to rally on and make our case. We are in it for the long run.

And that is because we are in it for the American people. This victory will serve notice that people across our country know what's really at stake, that we will all be called upon to deliver on the promise of America.

We'll be called upon to deliver on the promise that the middle class will grow and prosper again, to deliver on the promise the government will be of the people, by the people and for the people, not just the privileged few, to deliver on the promise that every generation will have their shot at the American dream, to deliver on the promise that we'll have the will and the wisdom to end the war in Iraq the right way, to deliver on the promise to take care of our brave veterans and restore America’s standing, respect, and credibility around the world.

We know that for the promise of America to be real, we are called upon to deliver on that promise. And if you join in this call to greatness, we will, together, answer. So tomorrow, we're going to get up, roll up our sleeves and keep going.

I invite you to come join us at Hillaryclinton.com. We're going to tap into all of the spirit, the talent and just the plain grit of this great nation again.

We are determined to tackle our toughest problems and stand up to those who most need a champion because we are determined to make America work again for all of our people.

We came back tonight because you spoke loudly and clearly. You want this campaign to be about you because there is so much at stake for our country.

I have so many people to thank. I want to thank the two most important people in my life, Bill and Chelsea. I want to thank them for their incredible commitment, their passion and their heart. I want to thank my entire family, particularly my mother, who is watching tonight.

I want to thank the extraordinary team here in New Hampshire that never faltered one minute. That team had a great staff. It had volunteers and supporters from across the state and this country. I want to thank the young people across New Hampshire who came out.

They asked the hard questions and they voted their hearts and their minds and I really appreciate it.

Finally, I want to say how much I respect our Democratic candidates. Senators Dodd and Biden who were in the race earlier have given great service to our country. Governor Richardson, Congressman Kucinich, Senator Edwards and Senator Obama.

They all have put themselves on the line day and night on behalf of this country we love so much.

This campaign will transform America because we will take on the challenges. We will seize the opportunities. Every single day, I am not going out there on my own. I am going out there accompanied by millions and millions of people who believe, as I do, that this country is worth fighting for.

Thank you, and God bless you!