Clinton Forestalls Superdelegate Stampede to Obama

Photo credits: CNN

Hillary Clinton used her 41-percentage point victory over Barack Obama in the West Virginia primary to rally her Capitol Hill supporters on Wednesday night.

The Obama team sought to upstage Clinton with the endorsement of successful trial lawyer John Edwards, evidently believing the twice-failed populist candidate (2004 and 2008), known for his expensive haircuts, will be able to help Obama overcome his image as an elitist to win over the blue collar vote.

John Bolton at the Hill reports that Clinton used the meeting with her supporters at the Sewell-Belmont House to drive home the point that she’s more competitive with precisely that category of voter, and in districts where Democrats will face their toughest races this fall.

Bolton notes:

“Clinton has performed better in a swath of House districts that voted for President Bush. She is pressing that record with superdelegates from conservative districts, especially freshman Democrats facing tough races.


“Clinton has circulated a PowerPoint presentation among lawmakers titled “Winning in the Tough Districts.” It highlights that she won 16 of 20 districts that voted for Bush and are now represented by first-term Democrats.


“Many Democratic lawmakers believe winning in these districts will be necessary to protect or expand their majority in Congress.”

Bolton reports further:


“Rep. Marion Berry (D-Ark.), who is helping Clinton recruit support in the House, said her record in Republican-inclined districts should attract vulnerable freshmen and conservative Democrats in the Blue Dog Coalition.


‘“She’s done well in rural districts, and that makes you think these Blue Dogs would be a natural fit,’ said Berry, who represents a district Bush won in 2004.


“Clinton won the districts represented by freshman Democrats, Gabrielle Giffords (Ariz.), Jerry McNerney (Calif.), Tim Mahoney (Fla.) and Nick Lampson (Texas), who are all uncommitted superdelegates.


“Several freshman superdelegates from Republican-leaning districts recently declared their support for Clinton: Reps. Chris Carney (D-Pa.), Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) and Ciro Rodriguez (D-Texas).


“Obama has picked up more superdelegates than Clinton in recent days. A tally kept by The Hill shows that he has received endorsements from 106 members of Congress to Clinton’s 100.

“But Clinton has forestalled a superdelegate stampede to Obama.”

Now it’s onward to the Kentucky primary for Clinton, where she’s expected to sweep to another double-digit win over Obama.