RK ARCHIVE - The Mike Henry Memo

*"I think this old system is about to collapse and it will happen this year because of the impact of primary elections that are being held on February 5th."

*"I propose skipping the Iowa caucuses and dedicating more of Senator Clinton's time and financial resources on the primary in New Hampshire on January 22, the Nevada caucus on January 19, the primaries in South Carolina and Florida on January 29 and the 20 plus state primaries on February 5th."
*"...my recommendation is to pull completely out of Iowa and spend the money and Senator Clinton's time on other states."

*"The party has no leverage to maintain scheduling discipline and we now have a national primary on February 5th with 20 states choosing their nominee on the same day."

*"Worst case scenario: this effort [in Iowa] may bankrupt the campaign and provide little if any political advantage." [Lowell's comment: how could Iowa bankrupt the Clinton campaign? Seems to me that she could BUY Iowa with all the money she's raised! Ha.]

*"Press Strategy - If this direction is choose [sic] a detailed press strategy must be the next step in the planning process."

*"If she walks any from Iowa she will devalue Iowa (our consistently weakest state)."

Wow, this is amazing. For starters, you can NOT skip Iowa, no way no how. Like it or not, that's an absolutely crucial state; ask Wes Clark what happened when his advisors decided to pull out of Iowa 4 years ago! Also, it's simply incredible that a memo of this sensitivity could leak. Did someone completely stab Mike Henry in the back or what? Wow, things appear to be getting really nasty at Clinton HQ. Finally, this memo pretty much admits that Clinton is going to lose Iowa, which probably will now become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Let's face it, this was not a good day if you're a Hillary Clinton supporter.

Comments

Mike Henry (Politicalhack - 5/23/2007 11:39:25 PM)

So he gets the credit for Kaine. Does he get the credit for all the legislative races he lost. How about blowing a 30 point lead for Mark Shriver in Maryland. Does he get credit for that too?

One of three things (vadem - 5/24/2007 6:43:28 AM)

Either Henry took one for the team by floating this idea to see how it played, or to make HRC look good by overriding her teams decision, or Henry just isn't as brilliant has everyone has thought. If Clinton skipped Iowa, she'd look like she was taking her toys and going elsewhere to play just because she wasn't winning.

her husband skipped Iowain 1992 (teacherken - 5/24/2007 9:17:02 AM)

but that year Harkins was running, and the other candidates simply ignored it. That situation does not apply this year. And o course Wes Clark skipped it in 2004.

Still, there is a logic - you don't compete in a state you cannot win and attempt to use the extensive time it takes to be effective in a caucus environment elsewhere. There is a certain logic to it. Given that she is currently running third in Iowa, and despite the support of Vilsack is not considered likely to win there, there is some sense in exploring skipping the state.

Please note - I am not justifying the action, and am certainly NOT a Clinton supporter, but Mike Henry's memo is not out of bounds. Of course, the question is who leaked it, and why, and what thay may say about the Clinton campaign. Now, that should be the real story.

This is such a joke (brimur - 5/24/2007 10:02:10 AM)

Everyone has fallen for this. This is such an intentional leak to cut expectations for Hillary in Iowa. Now she can claim anything's a win. I'll have more up about this on my blog later- link in the sig line. But I can't get my brain into any long writing while I'm waiting to hear how my dog, who is in surgery right now, is doing.

Exactly (WillieStark - 5/24/2007 10:47:52 AM)

Good bit of tactics on letting that leak. Now everyone is talking about if she can win it ect.. In one fell swoop, the Clinton campaign has forever lowered their expectations in Iowa.