What The Endorsement Of Hillary Clinton By New Hampshire's First Lady Means

As an analogy, hearken back to the cusp of 2004, Christie Vilsack, the wife of then Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, endorsed Sen. John Kerry at just the right time. The governor remained publicly neutral, but his advisers did not go out of their way to push back against the notion that he was more sympathetic to Kerry than others. The governor even attended a private meeting of Kerry fundraisers organized by ace Democratic poobah Jerry Crawford. Christie Vilsack's endorsement came less than a week before the caucuses, and the momentum effect was intense.

Is Gov. John Lynch playing the sly game? It's hard to tell. Dr. Susan Lynch is a doctor and her support for Clinton has been an open secret among the cognoscienti in New Hampshire for a while. The timing of her endorsement is tough to follow -- the big guns -- ok, since she's a doctor, the Big Needles -- are often brought out at the end -- and the end, in New Hampshire is more than a month away.

Speaking of hearkening: recall that Sen. Tom Harkin's wife Ruth endorsed Clinton way back in July. Her husband, who endorsed Howard Dean in early 2004, is staying mum.

Comments

Nearly all of Gov. Lynch's '06 campaign staff already works for Hillary, so no real news here. I imagine the Clinton campaign unveiled Dr. Lynch today b/c it is concerned that the entire state is buzzing about Oprah coming on the 9th. Halperin's take on this is so idiotic. A word to the Beltway - this is HUGE news for a little state like ours. Listen to the grassroots b/c Oprah has the Granite State Rocking.

Posted by Manchester United | November 26, 2007 2:58 PM

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are both relying on celebrity support to sway voters, rather than the strength of their own intellect.

Posted by Sheldon | November 26, 2007 3:42 PM

So Mrs. Vilsack helped Kerry last cycle but couldn't help her own husband this cycle? Her endorsement of Kerry was pretty CW-confirming and not that radical.

Hillary needs all the help she can get.

Posted by Iowa Boy | November 26, 2007 5:39 PM

This endorsement won't help Hillary

Hillary Clinton Campaign’s a sinking ship

The most recent national polls show that Hillary’s campaign, which until her Philly debate fumble was a poll-dominant inevitability, is currently sinking faster than the Titanic. Below are several of the efforts to save Hillary’s campaign that has failed:
• CNN’s rigged debate and after debate spin
• Her campaign’s rush to play the gender card
• Bill complaining of his wife being pilled on
• Arm-twisting of the NY Gov to help her on immigration
• Bill’s daily show in Iowa
• Her accusation of the opponents for mud-slinging
• Novak’s scandal rumor

Below are Hillary’s campaign new efforts that will not save it from crashing to the ground:
• Her current mud-slinging on Obama
• Racking up thousand and one endorsements
• Even the endorsement of NH’s Gov’s wife, Dr. Susan Lynch
• Going to church on Sunday
• Aggressively attacking Obama
• New emphasis on her (actually John Edward’s) healthcare
• Getting all the Senators, Congressmen, and other members of the democratic establishment to endorse her

With all due respect to the theory of inevitability, which was built on polls, Hillary’s current consistent slide in the polls and her current lack-luster performance in match-up against top 5 Republican nomination candidates is the final straw that broke the Carmel’s back.

Senator Hillary Clinton’s campaign is crumbling faster than Dean’s and do not expect that downside momentum to stop.

Posted by F.Igwealor | November 26, 2007 9:38 PM

"Senator Hillary Clinton’s campaign is crumbling faster than Dean’s and do not expect that downside momentum to stop." Ditto that! Hillary's akin to that Thanksgiving bird, I served up a few days ago. In a word: done. And probably just as dry. Hillary wants to fix education, the environment, health care, etc. Yeah, right. She also had from 1992 to 2000 to "roll out" an environmental plan. What took place, were scandals too numerous to mention. Plus, no one will ever accuse either Clinton of being a respecter of persons. Well, I saw the Clintons firsthand. I'm here to help set the record straight: http://theseedsof9-11.com

Posted by Peggy McGilligan | November 26, 2007 10:17 PM

endorsements may mean something to the inside the beltwayers and impress the journalists but, as far as voters go, not so much.
About the only endorsement that would make a difference would be Gore's.
We simply do not care which politico is for whom and don't care when it's announced. They talk about it on the news and tune it out.
big deal.
About the only time we do notice is when it's accompanied by money being doled out for that endorsement like Hillary likes to do. pay off. Like paying off Vilsack's campaign debt in exchange for the endorsement.
That has the ring of being tawdry.

Posted by vwcat | November 26, 2007 11:14 PM