Clinton Makes a Play for Florida's Democrats
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton (NY) arrives in Sarasota, Fla., Jan. 27, 2008. Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images hide caption
No Democrat can actually win their party's primary in Florida on Tuesday.
After Florida moved up its primary date in violation of national party rules, the Democratic National Committee stripped the state party of its delegates.
But in a Democratic race that has turned into trench warfare, that hasn't stopped the leading Democratic candidates from now trying to win the state. New York Sen. Hillary Clinton is casting herself as the candidate who really cares about Florida's disenfranchised Democrats.
"Florida will once again be a battleground state, and I want the voters in Florida to know that I hear them. Hundreds of thousands of Floridians have already voted, so clearly they are taking this seriously, and they believe their voices are going to be heard and should be counted, and I agree with them," Clinton said.
Clinton, along with Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, all signed pledges not to campaign in Florida before the primary. But they are allowed to fundraise there.
Clinton showed up for two fundraisers on Sunday and one on Monday. They were closed to the public and the press, in accordance with the rules, but that did not stop her from posing for pictures in front of a palm tree and getting plenty of media coverage.
Tuesday night, she will be back again after the polls close, holding what she says is an event to thank her supporters, but which will probably morph into a "victory" celebration.
Democratic strategist and former Democratic National Committee official Jenny Backus says Clinton's behavior is like a "sports team, showing up at an area three-quarters of the way in and the other team's not even there."
"The Clinton camp is definitely playing hardball," she added.
For its part, the Obama campaign has placed ads on national cable television, which also happens to air on Florida stations. On the ground, there is a vigorous shadow campaign for both candidates: Clinton has AFSCME, the public sector union, out in full force for her. Political scientist Susan McManus says Obama also has a strong grassroots presence.
"The Obama people are highly organized, especially in urban areas, where you have college campuses and large minorities," she said. "It's all in the minds of the Florida voters that it's a façade that they are ignoring Florida, because we don't really see that they are."
Still, McManus says, the result of the DNC sanctions on Florida was to freeze the race in Clinton's favor. Obama, who has shown he can go from single digits to victory in states where he actively campaigns, has been shut out.
"No question about it. Obama's inability to campaign in a state that is very interested in his campaign has only helped Hillary maintain her double-digit lead in the polls," McManus said.
Right now, Clinton is fighting hard for every advantage she can get — even in a state that awards no delegates at all. She is hoping that she can spin her showing in Florida as a victory — something that will take the sting out of her big loss in South Carolina and give her, at least, the perception of momentum going into the big Feb. 5 contests — where nearly 1,700 real delegates will be elected.