Clinton Campaign Claims 4,000 Precinct Captains In Texas

On a conference call today, aides to Hillary Clinton offered a look into the Clinton campaign's field organization in Texas.

The campaign has 20 offices open with 4,000 precinct captains recruited.

Clinton's Texas state director, Ace Smith, said that the campaign "intends to beat Obama" among young voters in the state, just as they did in California.

Smith predicted the campaign would win both the "primary" portion of the Texas vote and the "caucus" portion because all caucus goers are required to have voted in the primaries.

Unwilling to be caught flat-footed, Clinton has full staffs in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont, and as of today, has working field organizations in Pennsylvania and Wyoming.

Clinton campaign communications director said that the campaign's online fundraising "absolutely exploded" in February, raising $15 million online in 15 days.

Comments

Interesting to note that while the Clinton campaign is increasing its Texas field operations, Obama is increasing his Texas poll numbers.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/latestpolls/index.html

Posted by Stephanie | February 19, 2008 12:46 PM

How does this compare with Obama in TX? Come on, Ambers!

Posted by JBS | February 19, 2008 12:53 PM

Unwilling to be caught flat-footed

Undoubtedly a prudent strategy, but wouldn't it have come in handy, um, well, sometime before now?

Posted by Jeff Larson | February 19, 2008 12:54 PM

Now try winning in Wisconsin and Hawaii first..

Posted by Ann | February 19, 2008 12:55 PM

How does this compare with Obama in TX? Come on, Ambers!

Nah, this is what we expect from publications such as the Atlantic: regurgitated Clinton campaign talking points, reproduced with reasonable accuracy. What, you expected insights and/or analysis?

For example, a less professional observer might have noted that the last statement, if true, might indicate that HRC's fundraising has flagged from the beginning of February. But why try to tease out the backstory behind the numbers when we can convey that fundraising is "just absolutely wonderriffic! XOXO!"

Posted by Jeff Larson | February 19, 2008 1:00 PM

Like, they recruited 5000 drivers to car pool older folks??? But they havd only 2500 cars in IOWA. Thats flat-footed.

Posted by Ram | February 19, 2008 1:05 PM

Obama take Texas? Give me a break. The polls indicated the exact same thing in California and I believe the results speak for themselves.

Posted by Jen | February 19, 2008 1:11 PM

Last night at our Obama supportes planning meeting in Houston we were advised that we had recruited over 2,00o Precinct Captains in just the city of Houston. Could be a rude awakening for the competition come March 4th.

Posted by Patrick | February 19, 2008 1:16 PM

Unwilling to be caught flat footed? You mean, like not knowing the rules of how Texas selects delegates until, oh, about five minutes ago - meanwhile pinning your entire campaign on Texas? Like that kind of flat footed?

Posted by SDinIA | February 19, 2008 1:17 PM

Sorry for the typo. That was 2,000 in just one city in the second most populated state in the country.

Posted by Patrick | February 19, 2008 1:18 PM

You know what, there are hundreds of articles touting the same type of garbage about Obama. Why do Hillary haters, i.e. Obama supporters think it's cute to post nasty crap about the FEW positive things the media says about Hillary Clinton? Absolutely everything the woman does is painted in a negative light. It doesn't matter Obama is as big a hypocrite as any other politician. It's very frustrating and quite frankly does not help Obama's campaign AT ALL. Anyone that sees what I see will not vote for him. Flat out. Not even in a general election. He is breeding hate. The mere idea of this man becoming president is scary. From people asking "how did you come to Obama," to his wife talking about it's "our turn" and "this is the first time in her adult life she is proud of America." Screw her. I have a biracial family. I'm white and my fiance is black and we have two children together. So don't think that I don't to some degree understand or have empathy for what minorities go through. But I don't by any stretch feel that it's anyone's TURN and I have always been proud of my country where we are all FREE no matter who we are. I just hope they give this as much scrutiny as they did Bill Clinton and call her a racist as well.

Posted by Ellie | February 19, 2008 1:25 PM

4,000 precinct captains? Wow! Presuming they're not doubling them up for more than one per precinct, that covers 22.2 percent of Texas' 18,000 precincts.

Posted by Alamo | February 19, 2008 1:26 PM

A African American will never be a President of this Country.

Posted by Jake O'Leary | February 19, 2008 1:29 PM

Obama take Texas? Give me a break. The polls indicated the exact same thing in California and I believe the results speak for themselves.

California was Hillary's first firewall, right? Or wasn't she originally supposed to have it sewn up in Iowa? LOL, I can't remember -- so many different firewalls now!

Posted by Jeff Larson | February 19, 2008 1:32 PM

4,000 precinct captains? Wow! Presuming they're not doubling them up for more than one per precinct, that covers 22.2 percent of Texas' 18,000 precincts.

This is something that I can only assume that Marc assumed that we all knew. Because what other explanation could there be for him credulously accepting and parroting the Clinton campaign's impressive-sounding number, without bothering to conduct the most elementary level of professional critical analysis?

Besides, everyone knows that 77.8% of Texas precincts do not matter, which puts Texas dangerously close to falling into the ever-expanding category of states that do not matter.

Posted by Jeff Larson | February 19, 2008 1:37 PM

Not sure where the Obama spredding hate assertion comes from. Maybe it depends on what the definition of is is. Not all Obama cupporters are fanatics and preaching against Senator Clinton. She's done good stuff form the people of New York. They got lots of federal money. I won't knock her for that. It sounds like your circle of friends or reading is a little too small and pissed off. Many of us came to Obama from other candidates (Biden) and will support her as a candidate.... provided there is no backroom garbage at the convention. Let the people decide... let the votes and delegates earned from the votes decide...

Posted by Patrick | February 19, 2008 1:42 PM

Not sure where the Obama spredding hate assertion comes from. Maybe it depends on what the definition of is is. Not all Obama cupporters are fanatics and preaching against Senator Clinton. She's done good stuff form the people of New York. They got lots of federal money. I won't knock her for that. It sounds like your circle of friends or reading is a little too small and pissed off. Many of us came to Obama from other candidates (Biden) and will support her as a candidate.... provided there is no backroom garbage at the convention. Let the people decide... let the votes and delegates earned from the votes decide...

Posted by Patrick | February 19, 2008 1:42 PM

Marc, any chance you can get the Obama camp to discuss what their Texas organization looks like at the moment? These numbers from Clinton are kind of useless without anything to compare them with.

Posted by Andrew | February 19, 2008 1:45 PM

Jeff Larson wrote:
"Besides, everyone knows that 77.8% of Texas precincts do not matter, which puts Texas dangerously close to falling into the ever-expanding category of states that do not matter."

Jeff Larson, you are such a cynic - everyone knows that if Obama wins down here in Texas, it will be just another Red State that the Democrats "couldn't win" in November anyways but if Clinton wins, it will show either (a) that Clinton wins all the "Big" States (sorry Alaskans) or (b) Clinton will have shown that she CAN win a Red state other than Arkansas.

By the way, it is also worth noting that most of those 77.8% of precincts that wont "matter" on the morning of March 5 are in and around Dallas and Houston where half the population of Texas lives.

Posted by Salty1 | February 19, 2008 1:45 PM

Hello, Marc, commenters-

It seems to me that based on this article by Karen Tumulty at Swampland:

http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/02/the_texas_primacusuh_caucary.html

that organization by each camp will mean even more than it has in previous states. Tumulty implies very strongly that the Texas Dems would have difficulty administering the primary/caucus even under normal circumstances, let alone with the stakes being as high as they are. What will the situation be like, if a HRC and Obama supporter both try to take control of the packets upon arrival at each polling place?

Posted by ElectionNightHQ.com (McCain site) Publisher | February 19, 2008 1:48 PM

I just have to wonder why no one that even The Atlantic is covering the up coming case of Paul v Clinton, court date set for 2/21/08? Hope she is not still using this type of campaigning.

Posted by kim | February 19, 2008 2:07 PM

"...4,000 precinct captains claimed for Texas..."

Not a surprise...

From what we just found out, China is comletely upset and paniced by Senator Obama's surge. Almost all Chinese that we know of in this country (including those with U.S. citizenship or new arrivals) want to see the Clinton's get back to the White House. Hence, they are now injecting more than half a billion dollars to help "energize"the Clinton race.

By any means, China wants to see Clintons back in the White House. By no means China wants Obama's getting to the White House. Because Clintons have been "good friends of China". President Clinton received $2 million dollars from Chiese government recently because he promoted "White wine" of China in China.

Clintons will provide the Chinese an open door for Chinese to take over the American jobs, businesses, research programs,University positions, Hospitals, etc..Any ways China is the "favored nation" after all, while we the Americans who are descendant from those who toiled for centuries to build this country are being labled as "ugly faces", "undisarbales", "suspects", "unitelligent"etc...

Message from the "ugly boring faces" of America, i.e. the Clinton's America.

If Obama is elected, we see that he will understand the young American plight, fear, uncertainity, and dangers of aggressively growing "apartheid" being developed by Indians, Chinese, and others that come to this country to build their cast system rather than to be Americans. Jobs and opportunities go to this newly emerging group soon to make this country like India. Soon we will be "untouchables" etc...if Clintons get back to the White House. We will have no more chance even to be proud of being Americans any more.

God bless America, America that we dreamt of but not the Indian or Chinese America.

Posted by Hass | February 19, 2008 2:10 PM

$15 million in the first 15 days... shouldn't this number be broken down rather than just thrown out there as a talking point heard on a conference call with the campaign?

HRC had to pay back her $5 mil loan, so effectively she raised $10 million so far this month.

The campaign touted 7 million in the first 48 hours after Feb 6th.

Assuming they were able to raise an absolute minimum of $1 mil in the first 5 days of February, this means they have effectively raised $2 million in the past week. Marc?

Posted by Fred Agbot | February 19, 2008 2:44 PM

Every other country is looking for ways to get along with China why shouldn't we? Bush is the oen that sold the US to China. I read Hillary's trade policies and they are solid. Give Hillary a chance to implement what she thinks (not Bill). I know my wife and I do nto see eye to eye on everything and we need to stop grouping htem so tightly. Her policies are different and I think she is the change that we need -- solid and well though out change.

Hillary Clinton for President

Posted by Ken | February 19, 2008 2:46 PM

Field organization is one element in the political campaign, plus empty promises
of hope and change in its most rhetorical
delivery is a controlling factor, in a situation
that thereis a feeling of hopelessness among the
poorest among the middle and poor classes of voters, who by numbers are majority in numbers,
such as Barach Obama's candidacy, will lead to victory. After being elected, he would be asking the question, :What shall we do next."

Posted by Francis Magno | February 19, 2008 3:24 PM

I guess all you folks want to continue to show the rest of the world how racist and bigoted Americans are. Well, you are doing a good job of loosing the respect of the rest of the world and many Americans as well.

Posted by helenejeanne | February 19, 2008 3:26 PM

Fred, maybe she got it from Peter Paul. She is creative when it comes to fundraising. Sorry but I do not think this type of fundraiser should be in the White House.

Posted by kim | February 19, 2008 3:35 PM

The longer the political contest between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, the more that this will create damage to the diversity of the Democratic
Party.

If Barack Husein Obama wins, there is a growing
clamor among the young turks of democrats
to support trhe republican nominee-Macain, for
the sole reeason of being the capable
Commander in Chief.

Barack has no military experience. He can not decide as a decisive leader to protect the american true and pure interest. His
muslim ancestry and bein an africaan american
will hold him to decide for the best interest of the american people. In short he will be captive
of military establishment and contractors within the Pentagon. Unless, he can lean on Sir Powell, that his option, but on his own he got no balls
to adopt the first strike option in placed by
President George Bush.

I am wondering why the allegations of Eric Sinclair is not being picked up by the media?
Is that guy a psych case? Its like Genefer Flowers
revelations during Bill Clinton's candidacy.

If the press as the fourth estate, then he has to rule and rein in that issue, and not cover it up.

Posted by Francis Magno | February 19, 2008 3:42 PM

Uh, Ken, please get yourself a ticket to China. Be sure to write us and tell us how you're doing in that lovely socialist country. Hillary does have plans, and they're not far from what some of the boys in China have.

Posted by Dave | February 19, 2008 4:40 PM

Hillary Clinton is the best candidate. Her experience and political prowess far outweighs Obama's false promises and empty rhetoric. Read the record..Obama has passed on 140 votes in the Illinois Legislature. Many people in Illinois think that many of those votes were important. The votes he passed on were votes to protect the privacy of abused children, womans right to choose, supporting young black kids in trouble by increasing funding to after school programs and many more. He stated on national television that he sponsored the bill to protect the rights of sexually abused children and he didNOT. It was an out right lie. Yesterday he plagarized Deval Patrick, the governer of Massachusetts whose most exciting claim to fame in Massachusetts was buying himself a Cadillac with the states money. That is why the people of Massachusetts delivered the state to Hillary. They know first hand what Obama and his friend are really like. Obama denied 4 times on national television that he knew the crooked financier Revcko. The most recent denial was again televised during a national debate. He has since admitted he knows Revcko and he made a mistake in judgement by not admitting it sooner. If he had admitted it sooner would he be living in his 1.6 million dollar mansion? NO. He took 800,000 dollars from Revcko for the house. This is another fact he forgot to mention. Revcko arranged for him to purchase the hiuse for 300K under the asking price and gifted the 650,000 lot next door to Obama for 100,000. This is the worst kind of political payola there is because the Obama supporters fail to admit he did this even when faced with the facts by the ABC News Investigative team, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. I forgot..all the young Obama fans don't read the records of the candidates. They just chant change. I guess Obama got a lot of change back from his 'folks' Doesn't it bother you and your children that Obama was a drug user and seller? He shrugs it off with saying 'no big deal'. It is a big deal when we spend countless billions of dollars as a country to fight the war on drugs and 75% of the prisons are populated by minorities whose crimes are 95% drug related or induced. Is his course of action to combat the influx of drugs to our country going to be "no big deal?" How about his empty promise to run his campaign with government funds? His pledge of honor? Hello-he is not honoring that now while he asks all of you to donate so he can continue to build a war chest to spread more empty promises. This is the beginning of Obams unravelling...just wait. There is much more. Do you think he has the ability to handle what is going on in the world today when he refused to debate the issues with another candidate who is from his own party? He is a media creation backed by his advisors to his campaign. They are all white-not one minority person-in his top tier campaign staff. Doesn't that bother you? He would not even make a comment about those poor kids..the Jenna 5 because as he said "I do not want to give the perception that I am a black candidate'. What would race have to do with that? Those kids were being charged as adults and face life imprisonment while the white kids got charged as kids and the charges dismissed. What does that say to you?

Keep backing this man and see what happens if he ever gets elected. He will be change all right..he will change all of us in for a few more million dollars in his pocket...

This is your comm

Posted by M Miller | February 19, 2008 5:04 PM

Hillary Clinton is the best candidate. Her experience and political prowess far outweighs Obama's false promises and empty rhetoric. Read the record..Obama has passed on 140 votes in the Illinois Legislature. Many people in Illinois think that many of those votes were important. The votes he passed on were votes to protect the privacy of abused children, womans right to choose, supporting young black kids in trouble by increasing funding to after school programs and many more. He stated on national television that he sponsored the bill to protect the rights of sexually abused children and he didNOT. It was an out right lie. Yesterday he plagarized Deval Patrick, the governer of Massachusetts whose most exciting claim to fame in Massachusetts was buying himself a Cadillac with the states money. That is why the people of Massachusetts delivered the state to Hillary. They know first hand what Obama and his friend are really like. Obama denied 4 times on national television that he knew the crooked financier Revcko. The most recent denial was again televised during a national debate. He has since admitted he knows Revcko and he made a mistake in judgement by not admitting it sooner. If he had admitted it sooner would he be living in his 1.6 million dollar mansion? NO. He took 800,000 dollars from Revcko for the house. This is another fact he forgot to mention. Revcko arranged for him to purchase the hiuse for 300K under the asking price and gifted the 650,000 lot next door to Obama for 100,000. This is the worst kind of political payola there is because the Obama supporters fail to admit he did this even when faced with the facts by the ABC News Investigative team, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. I forgot..all the young Obama fans don't read the records of the candidates. They just chant change. I guess Obama got a lot of change back from his 'folks' Doesn't it bother you and your children that Obama was a drug user and seller? He shrugs it off with saying 'no big deal'. It is a big deal when we spend countless billions of dollars as a country to fight the war on drugs and 75% of the prisons are populated by minorities whose crimes are 95% drug related or induced. Is his course of action to combat the influx of drugs to our country going to be "no big deal?" How about his empty promise to run his campaign with government funds? His pledge of honor? Hello-he is not honoring that now while he asks all of you to donate so he can continue to build a war chest to spread more empty promises. This is the beginning of Obams unravelling...just wait. There is much more. Do you think he has the ability to handle what is going on in the world today when he refused to debate the issues with another candidate who is from his own party? He is a media creation backed by his advisors to his campaign. They are all white-not one minority person-in his top tier campaign staff. Doesn't that bother you? He would not even make a comment about those poor kids..the Jenna 5 because as he said "I do not want to give the perception that I am a black candidate'. What would race have to do with that? Those kids were being charged as adults and face life imprisonment while the white kids got charged as kids and the charges dismissed. What does that say to you?

Keep backing this man and see what happens if he ever gets elected. He will be change all right..he will change all of us in for a few more million dollars in his pocket...

This is your comm

Posted by M Miller | February 19, 2008 5:05 PM

M Miller,

I appreciate your insight.

Do you think the Revcko scandal will hurt Obama as we head into more Hillary-friendly states?

Sincerely,

Posted by Marc Ambinder | February 19, 2008 5:26 PM

It should as he has dodged the bullet until March 3-the day before the OHIO and Texas Primaries...the Revcko case was postponed until then.
I have to believe that some how, some of the ardent supporters will stop chanting and start listening. What they hear and will eventually see is a man with a self serving agenda. I realize that most politicians have similar motives but I don't feel that way about HRC. She has devoted her life to issues like health care, immigration, the economy and she is still-even under fire from many press people, pundits, repubs and Obamaites-still working for us. To better the field for us. She is a true Democrat with no ulterior motive other than it is and has always been the right thing to do.
What comes with the Oval Office is no fun and is in no way enriching to her on any other level than making a difference.
I believe Mr Obama has none of those motives and is quick to fall under pressure from anyone. Exelon..his campaign advisors (Axelrod) and his personal gain are his obvious impetus. Speaking of Mr Axelrod...It doesn't matter which "African American" candidate he supports does it? He writes the same lines for all of them. So the luster of Obama has an illuminating force has dimmed.

Posted by M Miller | February 19, 2008 5:46 PM

Utterly outstanding post at 5:26. Well played, sir.

Posted by Jeff Larson | February 19, 2008 5:50 PM

Thank you.

Please check back regularly for lots more critical, tightly-edited and non-biased political blogging.

Posted by Marc Ambinder | February 19, 2008 7:01 PM

4,000 flying monkeys waiting for the order to fan out over tTexas to round up the the gullible who somehow believe the Clinton duoacracy will put them in Happy Fluffy Candy Land!
The average Texan is wise to the clinton scam. They see a mediocre carpetbagging pseudo New Yorker who is nothing more than one half of the best Con Artist team in American History.
What about serving on the Wal-Mart board when Wal-Mart had thousands of employees at risk with no or limited health insurance.
Where are the the Clinton tax returns?
What happened to the thousands of dollars of illegal campaign contributions funneled through HSU and others?
Shrillary and her disbarred semi spouse will do whatever it takes to steal the nomination in Denver. Remember 1968-history can and will repeat!
What a couple of despicable low life scuzballs.

Posted by Remus | February 19, 2008 8:42 PM

4,000 flying monkeys waiting for the order to fan out over tTexas to round up the the gullible who somehow believe the Clinton duoacracy will put them in Happy Fluffy Candy Land!
The average Texan is wise to the clinton scam. They see a mediocre carpetbagging pseudo New Yorker who is nothing more than one half of the best Con Artist team in American History.
What about serving on the Wal-Mart board when Wal-Mart had thousands of employees at risk with no or limited health insurance.
Where are the the Clinton tax returns?
What happened to the thousands of dollars of illegal campaign contributions funneled through HSU and others?
Shrillary and her disbarred semi spouse will do whatever it takes to steal the nomination in Denver. Remember 1968-history can and will repeat!
What a couple of despicable low life scuzballs.

Posted by Remus | February 19, 2008 8:42 PM

Looking at this endorsement list for Obama, Hillary really has her work cut out for her in the ground operation. Will be interesting to see who the mayor of Houston endorses.

http://acropolisreview.com/2008/02/endorsements-of-barack-obama.html

Posted by Tina | February 19, 2008 11:00 PM

California was Hillary's first firewall, right? Or wasn't she originally supposed to have it sewn up in Iowa? LOL, I can't remember -- so many different firewalls now!

Hey Jeff-- Perhaps you are having trouble remembering because the rhetoric of your cult leader doesn't permit you to do so. Wake up and get real. Lofty speeches will not solve problems.

Posted by Jen | February 20, 2008 4:50 PM

Obama's website claims 8,000 precinct captains in Texas.

Posted by Aubrey | February 20, 2008 10:19 PM

Yeah! We support you Hillary in California, New York, New Jersey, Massachussets, Michigan, Florida, etc...

Keep fighting, you are the best candidate I've seen in my lifetime. Great ideas, great solutions, great actions for our country. Texas, Ohio Go Hillary!

Posted by Maria Isabel | February 21, 2008 1:21 AM

"Do you think he has the ability to handle what is going on in the world today when he refused to debate the issues with another candidate who is from his own party?"

Yes. The strategy worked in Wisconsin; he did not give his opponent the free publicity the debate would provide and he won the state. That's good tactical thinking. On the other hand, they will debate in Texas and in Ohio before those primaries. I would not characterize that as a refusal to debate.

As to organization info...
For Tarrant County, Texas (home of Fort Worth and Arlington, population about 1 million) last week, on a cold rainy Saturday morning, about 300 people filled a gym for training to be precinct captains. But a lot of the PC volunteers didn't make it so there is more training this week. Within my state house district it appears we have about two PCs for every three precincts.

The state-wide total PCs I have seen (as of a week ago) was 8600. But I have also noticed some precincts have more than one captain (mine, for example, has four) so one must be cautious about assuming coverage. Of course that cuts both ways; how are Hillary's 4,000 spread out?

Posted by Greg | February 21, 2008 8:02 AM