Politics Indiana
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Politics Indiana V14 N36 Thursday, April 24, 2008 Obama lures Hoosiers with change The earth shakes while political ‘under current’ comes to Indiana ‘I feel the earth, move, under my feet” - Carole King, Tapestry By BRIAN A. HOWEY EVANSVILLE - In the very toe of the Hoosier State, which was rocked and rattled by earthquakes for much of the previous week, Barack Obama was pre- paring to descend to the floor of Roberts Stadium. His move came in a state that in its 192-year history had elected only three African-American mayors (all in Gary), three African-American members of Congress, two black sheriffs, and only a handful of Hispanic mayors and sher- iffs. None served much south of I-70. Indiana House Majority Floor Leader Russ Stilwell more than 8,000 Hoosiers - black, white, old, young - had looked at the gathering crowd on this Tuesday night and stood in a huge line that wrapped around the stadium, and softly said, “There’s an under current out there. I’m not for most, another two hours waiting for a transformational sure if people realize what’s going on.” In about an hour, See Page 5 Hillary at crisis point: what to expect in Indiana By MARK CURRY WASHINGTON - Every student of literature knows a great narrative boasts “Congresswoman Thompson a crisis point, a turn of events that unfolds to wants to smear my reputation as a decisive end. In the drama that is the 2008 a businessperson by slinging presidential campaign, Indiana Democrats falsehoods about my role as an may well deliver the final word on Hill- architect.’’ ary Clinton. If Barack Obama can win here - Jim Schellinger HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 2 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 24, 2008 Tuesday after next, everything after HPI contacted Sen. Clinton’s Howey Politics might simply read like a conclusion. campaign to learn what we could By every metric, the New about her plans for the Hoosier state. Indiana York senator should already be down We wanted to know what to expect is a nonpartisan news- and out. Pledged delegates: Obama. from an organization assembled on Popular vote: Obama (sorry Howard the historic premise that a woman letter based in Indianapolis Wolfson, we’re not counting Florida could win her way to the White House and published by NewsLink and Michigan here). Number of states and lead these United States. Over the won: Obama. But the nation’s former last several months the Clinton cam- Inc. It was founded in first lady, and her millions of support- paign has weathered both the best 1994 in Fort Wayne. ers, refuse to surrender. Fresh from and the worst. In those early days, hard-fought victory in Pennsylvania, only a year ago, it seemed to many and apparently ced- the nomination was her’s Brian A. Howey, publisher ing North Carolina to to lose. But lose she Mark Schoeff Jr. and Mark her opponent, Hillary did. Last January Iowa Clinton is mustering handed Hillary a shock- Curry, Washington every resource to con- ing loss, and, despite writers vince Hoosiers - and the several victories that Jack E. Howey, editor the country - that she followed, it seemed her Beverly Phillips, associate is the best candidate campaign grew increas- to battle John McCain ingly fallible. She suf- editor in the general election fered a defeat in South this November. Situ- Carolina by nearly 30 Subscriptions: ated in the heartland points. Losses in states that borders Obama’s like Kansas, Connecticut, $350 annually HPI via e-mail; home in Illinois, In- Alabama and Colorado $550 annually HPI & HPI Daily diana is Hillary’s last followed. Despite wins Wire. relevant opportunity to in California and New Call 317-254-0535. demonstrate the met- York, Clinton was unable tle of her campaign. Sens. Clinton conveyed her to regain momentum. Howey Politics Indiana With 72 delegates at understanding that Indiana She earned the popular PO Box 40265 stake, ours is likely the is important as she spoke vote in Texas but lost to about 1,000 people at Indianapolis, IN 46240-0265. last remaining battle- the delegate count in the ground. She must win the American Legion Mall caucuses. But then, just here if she intends to in downtown Indianapolis this week, came Penn- Contact Us dominate the party Wednesday. (WRTV Photo) sylvania, and suddenly it www.howeypolitics.com convention in Denver seems the Clinton orga- [email protected] come August. To that nization is back on track end, Hoosiers can expect nothing and ready for at least one last rumble. Main Office: 317-202-0210. short of a political spectacular unseen Jonathan Swain, communi- Howey’s Mobile: 317-506-0883. in these parts since the days of Bobby cations director for Hoosiers for Hillary, Indianapolis Fax: 317-254-0535. Kennedy. refused to buy into the label that the Washington: 202-256-5822. Sen. Clinton made it known Indiana primary is a make-or-break for that Indiana is crucial when she ap- Clinton. “I think all nine of the remain- Business Office: 317-254-0535. peared at the American Legion Mall ing contests are important to both ©2008, Howey Politics before about 1,000 people Wednes- campaigns,” he told HPI in a telephone Indiana. All rights reserved. day, just hours after she had won a 9 interview yesterday afternoon. “As Photocopying, Internet forwarding, percent win in Pennsylvania and raked Sen. Clinton has said over and over, it in $10 million since. “I just love Indi- is important that every voter in these faxing or reproducing in any form, ana,” Clinton declared. “I’m going to remaining states have the opportunity in whole or part, is a violation of be here for the next two weeks doing to participate in this process of choos- federal law without permission from everything I can to help as many Hoo- ing who the party’s nominee will be. the publisher. siers understand that I will be there I think certainly Indiana is a signifi- for you and you can count on me.” cant state in that process. It’s one of HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 3 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 24, 2008 the two next big states up, so may be Indiana’s foremost certainly I think it’s a significant Democrat, the junior sena- state in that regard, and it’s sig- tor most often mentioned as nificant in the sense that Sen. a leading contender to be Clinton is going to compete Hillary’s vice president. As our very hard here.” former governor, Evan Bayh He was quick to point knows every political nook out that his candidate arrives and cranny between Floyd’s at a disadvantage. Roughly Knobs and Indiana Dunes. “I one in four Hoosiers fall into fully expect you’ll see the two the Chicago television market of them together campaigning and are therefore already well here in Indiana, and also Evan acquainted with Clinton’s op- Bayh continuing to reach out ponent, who is expected to out- in other ways to help Hoosiers spend her campaign by a large hear the message of what margin. Most polls offer the Sen. Clinton is going to do as Illinois Democrat a slight edge. Sens. Bayh and Clinton at Allison Transmission Plant 12 on president of the United States,” But, Swain said, “Sen. Clinton is April 12. (HPI Photo by Brian A. Howey) Swain said. Bayh is as meticu- competing and competing hard lous and experienced as any on the ground here.” He pointed red-state Democrat can be, to a grassroots effort launched in mid-March that has as- and he brings a 60 percent approval rating that makes your sembled 28 offices around the state. Thousands of volun- average local office-holder happy to share the podium. Just teers have already registered phone calls that Swain said two years ago, Bayh made headlines across the country number more than a million, phone calls made by Hoosier when he helped the party capture three House seats in volunteers to Hoosier voters. some seriously conservative Congressional Districts. And “A lot of phone calls that we’re making are he’s already been busy supporting the Clinton campaign. related to early voting,” Swain said. “And then there’s calls Bayh, who endorsed his colleague in a much-publicized to get volunteers out to phone banks, asking people if they announcement last September, was featured in the first will commit some time to the campaign if they are a Hillary Clinton ad to run in the state, and just yesterday he made Clinton supporter. Also, getting the word out about events. appearances on MSNBC and CNN to help spread the cam- Not only visits from Sen. Clinton but also other events paign message. He’s also assisted with fundraising, both going on around the state to support the candidate. It’s nationally and in Indiana, according to Sen. Bayh’s commu- a number of different messages but the main thing is to nications director, Eric Kleiman, who noted that Bayh has encourage people to get out and vote on May 6, and also attended events with donors, made fundraising calls on get involved in the campaign.” her behalf, and sent out online appeals for financial sup- Political organizations are fueled by three limited port. resources: (1) Time - Hillary has 12 days. (2) Money - A Whether Bayh uses his $10 million warchest sore topic for her campaign but reports indicate Tuesday’s he accumulated during his own presidential campaign that victory prompted $10 million in donations. And, (3) Human was suspended in December 2006 is a question that hasn’t resources - It’s clear the Clinton organization has generated been publicly dealt with.