From The Hotline Latest Edition for Friday, May 9,2008

OREGON (5/20 PRIMARY)

A Portland In The Storm

Fri. May 9, 2008


OR remains Hillary Clinton's "best hope for a 'game changing' primary win." Unlike WV and KY, where Clinton leads in the polls, OR "is a battleground state where Barack Obama is expected to do well." OR "could keep alive her dimming hopes of convincing superdelegates she's their best choice."

As the camps compete in OR, "they must make adjustments to compete in the only state that votes exclusively through the mail." Obama OR spokesman Nick Sharpiro "said the Obama campaign has harnessed it cast pool of volunteers to help run its dual persuasion and 'get out the mail' campaigns for the final three weeks."

Clinton's OR camp "has been organizing canvasses, too, as it did last weekend in all 36 counties." Clinton OR dir. Clay Haynes said the camp has analyzed more than 2M voting records since OR's first statewide vote-by-mail election in '96 "to determine how to focus on voter-persuasion and ballot return messages" (Steves, Eugene Register-Guard, 5/8).

Will She Track Him Down In Portland?

"Hoarse from a cross-country campaign trip through three states," Clinton "told die-hard supporters" in southern OR 5/8 "she would keep running for president, and pressed her opponent to debate" on OR issues. Obama was to be campaigning in OR today and 5/10, "and Clinton said it would be a great time to debate while Oregonians consider how to cast mail in ballots."

Clinton: "Those of you who have already made up your mind to support me, send it in. If you think you've made up your mind to support my opponent, wait awhile. Keep thinking. Keep waiting for that debate." Clinton repeated portions of her OR Compact, "saying she favored restoring federal payment to timber-dependent counties, and criticized Obama for voting for an energy bill that took away states' authority over siting liquefied natural gas terminals. She also called for thinning forests to provide jobs and reduce the danger of wildfire."

Apologizing after being late after camp stops in WV and SD, "Clinton made light of the long odds against her." Clinton: "I apologize. We were kind of flying against the wind. But that's the story of my life. Flying against the wind, you'll get there eventually."

"Clinton spoke after a fundraising stop" in Ashland, "a stronghold of liberal" Dems in this conservative corner of OR "that lost jobs as national forest logging was cut back under her husband" in the '90s. "After it became apparent the crowd would not fill the pavilion, venue staff packed up about 50 of the folding chairs" (Barnard, AP, 5/9).

The rally in the Olsrud Pavilion, a 2OK-sq.ft. arena "usually home to livestock sales, boxing exibitiona and farm equipment expos, was to feature a question-and-answer session between Rogue Valley residents" and Clinton. "But because of the late hour, Clinton offered to stick around to shake hands and answer people's questions after speaking." There were 550 present -- the campaign estimated 1K (Preusch/Esteve, Portland Oregonian, 5/8).

Try Back After The Primary

Around the corner from Clinton's Medford headquarters, at the Jackson Co. Dems' headquarters, "two books on Hillary Clinton were on display at a small lending library. Next to them was a sign reading, 'All Obama books are currently checked out'" (Portland Oregonian, 5/8).