Bill Clinton Increasing His Campaign Role

post from TalkLeft on 26 April 2008 02:01:00 PM. © TalkLeft

Former President Bill Clinton is taking on a greater role Hillary's campaign. The Wall. St. Journal today:

His relentless approach to battling Barack Obama -- on the trail and inside the campaign -- is becoming key to Sen. Clinton's newfound success, as she has won four of the last six primaries.

He believes the campaign should be stronger in its attacks on Obama. He's also increasing his campaign appearances.

Mr. Clinton also told the campaign to double the number of his daily appearances. "Look at this schedule -- you've got me down for four events," he said the week before Pennsylvania's primary, according to one operative. "Give me six, eight a day. Get me to the suburbs where I can make a difference."

His involvement has had a positive impact. In the rural counties in PA where he campaigned for Hillary, she got more votes: [More...]

As evidence of Mr. Clinton's impact, the campaign cites the Pennsylvania primary, which Sen. Clinton won by a margin of nearly 10 percentage points over Sen. Obama. Campaign data show that Sen. Clinton won by huge margins in several rural counties that her husband visited: 44 percentage points in Armstrong County, 44 points in Cambria County, 48 points in Carbon County and 50 points in Greene County. This compares with an edge of 26 points for Hillary among rural voters statewide. In Bucks County, a Philadelphia suburb that Mr. Clinton visited, Sen. Clinton won by 26 points, compared with only three points in suburban Philadelphia as a whole, according to the campaign data.

Which voters does Bill Clinton appeal to? They are called "Bubba voters."

Mr. Clinton's appearances are designed to boost Sen. Clinton's appeal with working-class and so-called "Bubba" voters, older white men who are likely to sympathize with Democratic economic policies but supported Ronald Reagan and other Republicans. Mr. Clinton is also sending out fund-raising appeals, with strong results, two operatives say.

He's been hitting North Carolina hard. The numbers in that state are daunting for Hillary:

North Carolina offers 115 delegates, and roughly 38% of the state's registered Democrats are African-American, a demographic that favors Sen. Obama. According to exit polls, Sen. Obama captured 90% of black voters Tuesday in the Pennsylvania primary. Still, Sen. Clinton beat Sen. Obama in Pennsylvania by 55% to 45%.

She's not giving up:

Given Sen. Obama's double-digit lead in recent polls, many observers expected the Clinton campaign to concede North Carolina and pour its limited resources into tightly contested Indiana, which offers 72 delegates and also votes May 6. Instead, the campaign has opened roughly 20 offices around North Carolina and is expanding its staff of more than 50 paid employees. A $10 million cash infusion in the 24 hours after Sen. Clinton's Pennsylvania victory is helping.