Clinton Iowa Volunteers Train When To Push Backers To O’Malley — To Block Bernie
Source: BuzzFeed
Hillary Clintons campaign for president is instructing its Iowa caucus leaders to in certain cases throw support to former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley, with the goal blocking her main opponent, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, from securing additional delegates.
The tactical move is rooted in the complex math of the Iowa caucuses Monday night, where the campaign is looking to defeat Sanders in a state whose caucus-goers have historically backed progressive challengers.
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The goal, in the caucuses complex terms, is to cost Clinton no delegates in the states 1,681 caucuses while ensuring stray OMalley supporters dont defect to Sanders.
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Its sad and telling that their campaign doesnt think they can win without these kinds of tactics, said Rania Batrice, Sanderss Iowa spokesperson. At the end of the day though, we believe in the caucus process and know its in the very capable hands of Iowans.
Read more: http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/hillary-bernie-math#.hg45E8zrJE
I was limited by the number of paragraphs.
There is a history of this sort of thing at the Iowa caucuses that the article explains
Metric System
(6,048 posts)think they suck.
JonLeibowitz
(6,282 posts)Primaries and Caucuses as currently run both have their problems. And yes, this part of the caucus process definitely sucks.
JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)the issues and that O'Malley would, I suspect, have a better chance of a position in a Sanders administration than in a Clinton one.
pangaia
(24,324 posts)lsewpershad
(2,620 posts)hope it backfires.
FreakinDJ
(17,644 posts)JonLeibowitz
(6,282 posts)It's just part of the caucus game.
There are also situations where Sanders supporters will want to keep O'Malley viable to keep Clinton from picking up an extra delegate.
SoapBox
(18,791 posts)Camp Weathervane wouldn't have to do it.
But they do...because they look at it as a "game" and dirty politics are just second nature to their tired/old school tactics.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)or lose she is part of the 1%. It is not a game to most of us. What becomes of our future is vital. To lose it because someone is playing games is to know hopelessness.
Go Bernie Go
GoneOffShore
(17,340 posts)And how typical of the Clinton machine.
Metric System
(6,048 posts)Jim Lane
(11,175 posts)So, in 2008, the Clinton campaign didn't dismiss this as being "typical of how caucuses work."
Metric System
(6,048 posts)Jim Lane
(11,175 posts)StevieM
(10,500 posts)of this stuff back in 2008.
pangaia
(24,324 posts)snagglepuss
(12,704 posts)George II
(67,782 posts)kracer20
(199 posts)I just love how there is no denial or questioning the source.
They know it is sleazy, and their only responses are "Obama did it" or "that is how the game is played"
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)TeamPooka
(24,254 posts)DCBob
(24,689 posts)I doubt they will even need to do this to win but it might help give them a more solid victory.
Stuckinthebush
(10,847 posts)Politics is a game. You learn how to play by being beaten by various strategies in the past.
Smart way to play this ridiculous caucus game.
Pastiche423
(15,406 posts)Snotcicles
(9,089 posts)Omaha Steve
(99,708 posts)OOPS!!!
californiabernin
(421 posts)What's wrong with the simple idea of each person casting a vote???
4dsc
(5,787 posts)this has been going on since I caucused over 30 years ago. If your group doesn't get 15% then you have to go to a viable group.
merkins
(399 posts)Sunlei
(22,651 posts)That's the real campaign circus and sideshow to laugh over LOL, they built that.
davsand
(13,421 posts)I'm not trying to be snarky here, but I'm thinking I remember that Bill never showed all that well in Iowa. I know Hillary didn't do win in Iowa against Obama, either. (I'm not surprised at the showing against Obama, however. Iowa is just across the river from Illinois, and I know a LOT of folks that went to Iowa to work that primary for Obama. We might be a corrupt political cesspool here in Illinois, but we DO know how to put together a campaign.) It could be that Clinton will do well with this strategy, but it could also really piss off the locals. You underestimate rural voters at your own peril, and Iowa is a lot of rural folks. With any luck the weather will cooperate.
It will be interesting to see how Iowa plays out.
Laura
Gregorian
(23,867 posts)A perfect statement for mocking if I ever did see one. But it's true.