I used my blogger identity to wiggle my way into a conference call with some Clinton campaign officials a little while ago; I was upfront about my status as a blogger, and the operator didn't seem to mind my being on the call. Mark Penn and Howard Wolfson made certain points to representatives of the media on this eve of Super Tuesday, and I would like to throw out a few observations that impressed me about their take on where the race will be on Wednesday and where it will go for the weeks after Super Tuesday. First of all, here is Penn's and Wolfson's very good news for Hillary supporters:
- Though clearly we all, Hillary and Obama supporters alike, are aware now that February 5 will not decide the race, Penn and Wolfson are very confident that when we wake up on February 6, Hillary will have a lead in the race for delegates.
More of their thoughts below the fold.
- The race will enter an entirely new phase after Tuesday as the campaigns turn to the real race, that is, the race for delegates. After February 5, that will be the campaign's main focus.
- Hillary's bead on the nomination really focuses hereafter on her tremendous advantages in Ohio, Texas, and Pennsylvania. There is a decent chance that Hillary will lock down the nomination in one of those states, but Wolfson cautioned a couple of times that this race really and truly might go to the convention undecided.
- One way to resolve the problem of the Republicans having a nominee and our not having a nominee would be a decision by the Democratic National Committee before the convention about how to make the votes of Florida and Michigan voters count. Without counting the votes of Florida and Michigan, this thing might possibly have to be decided by the super delegates. Neither Clinton nor Obama made up the rules, but clearly, both Clinton and Obama are fighting to dominate this block of convention votes.
- The Republicans are close to getting their nominee, and their nominee is going to start a General Election campaign. The problem we as Democrats face is that though we had a front-loaded calendar, this front-loaded calendar has bumped against the party's rules for proportional representation. The proportional rules are dominating the race, and this is the thing that really is stymieing a quick decision for our party.