Hillary's been caught in the act of telling different Ohio NBC affiliates one thing, and dodging debates. See for yourself.
Since the David Shuster pimpfest began, there's been a striking suspicion that the Clinton campaign all along has been less than sincere, pitting one part of the electorate (outraged mothers) against another (everybody else), for her political gain. Well, here's the proof - one NBC affiliate in Ohio seems to be less offensive to the Clinton camp than another. The question is why?
On Tuesday Feb. 12, the Cleveland NBC affiliate asked Hillary if she still plans to attend the February 26th debate at Cleveland State. Hillary tells the Cleveland NBC affiliate, "it's not a surprise that I've been very troubled by the behavior of that particular network..." She never commits as the Cleveland anchor begs her to honor her previous commitment and come to our fair city.
The Youngstown NBC affiliate... SAME NETWORK, the same day... speaks to Hillary from the same room. I'd guess it all goes down within the same hour. Hillary tells the Youngstown NBC affiliate how much she'd love to do a debate on NBC in Youngstown. "I will accept right now." When asked about the Cleveland State debate by the Youngstown NBC affiliate, Hillary responds "I have said I will participate in every debate."
Now why would Hillary tell one NBC affiliate one thing and another NBC affiliate - about 75 miles away, the same day - the exact opposite twice? It's about African American turnout, baby.
If there's a debate, the resulting excitement, attention, and visit by Obama at Cleveland State University (in Stephanie Tubbs Jones' 11th CD which is over 50% African American) will help shoot black turnout through the roof, much to Hillary's detriment. If there's a debate in Youngstown, which is a smaller city with far fewer African American voters, whatever black turnout bump occurs doesn't hurt Hillary as much.
The numbers don't lie. In 1992, when there was no black candidate on the presidential primary ballot in Ohio, the turnout in what is now the 11th Congressional District - where CSU sits - was just over 58,000. In 1988, when there was a black candidate on the ballot, 112,000 people voted in the district that is now the 11th, about double the '92 showing. It's likely the turnout in the 11th CD will be similarly higher in 2008, if not bigger. And if there is a debate in the 11th CD the week before the election, it will only go higher still. It's the equivalent of Hillary going into the hornet's nest and smacking it with a baseball bat, screaming "catch me if you can." Bad for Hill Dawg!
So, David Shuster's one regrettable, unfortunate remark becomes Hillary Clinton's "get out of jail free card" to avoid Cuyahoga County, Cleveland, and the state's largest black population.
I can just see Mark Penn Standing in the room handling the satellite feed between the two NBC affiliates, saying, "OK, this one is in Youngstown, you want to tell them you'll debate. The next one is in Cleveland, that's where the blacks are, you don't want to debate there, you want to stay outraged. Get mad!" Someone forgot to tell Mark they were both NBC affiliates.
Rut roh - I'd say the Clinton campaign has some explaining to do.
Cross-posted from Ohio's Buckeyestateblog