What It Means for Hillary Clinton's Campaign to Get Real Tomorrow
The "ramp-up" phase is coming to an end.
— -- Saturday marks an unofficial, official turning point in Hillary Clinton's campaign.
The "ramp up phase" -- a term used by Clinton's campaign to describe the first two months of Clinton's candidacy -- will come to an end and her "official" campaign will kick-off.
This transition will be marked by Clinton's first big campaign rally at Roosevelt Island in New York City on Saturday, where Clinton will deliver a speech laying out her vision for her campaign, followed by a 5-day swing through all four early voting states: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada.
Clinton’s campaign said a lot will change after Saturday -- more big events, more policy proposals, more press access -- but a lot might stay the same, too.
So, what’s really the difference between Part 1 and Part 2?
Here’s how the new era of Clinton’s campaign might differ, if really much at all, from the first one.
Growing Bigger
Part 1: In the ramp-up phase, Clinton has kept it small. Most of her campaign events have been low-key, intimate round-tables at local businesses, such as bike shops, craft breweries and coffee houses.
Part 2: Beginning Saturday, things are about to get bigger. In this next phase, Clinton will start hosting more large rallies and town halls. But, aides said, round-tables will still be part of the mix, too.
Getting Personal
Part 1: During campaign events so far, Clinton has spoken generally about policy and made mentions of her mother, father and granddaughter, Charlotte.
Part 2: Clinton’s now about to get even more personal. Clinton's campaign released a video today about Clinton's life ahead of Saturday's rally. And on Saturday, Clinton is set to focus her remarks around the story of her late-mother, Dorothy Rodham, whose early life was full of trauma and abandonment. Clinton is expected to use her mother’s story, and the lessons of resilience she learned from her, as a running motif out on the trail.
Expanding Access
Part 1: As has been widely documented, Clinton has been criticized for keeping the media at arm’s length during her ramp-up period.
Part 2: In this next era, Clinton is expected to have a much more open relationship with the press, or so we're told. Clinton's aides say she’ll host more press gaggles, answer more questions, and even begin making big television appearances, too.
Getting Wonkier
Part 1: Clinton has delivered a few policy-oriented speeches over the past two months, but overall her campaign has been relatively light on proposing policies so far.
Part 2: We're now entering the wonky phase. Aides said Clinton is ready to roll out a number of specific policy proposals in a series of speeches over the coming months.
Changing Travel
Part 1: Clinton’s early part of the campaign has brought us scenes of an “everyday” Clinton road-tripping to Iowa in her Scooby van and flying around the country on commercial flights.
Part 2: Clinton will likely continue to fly on commercial planes as much as possible, but as her travel schedule gets busier, it could prove to be a logistical challenge. Don’t be surprised if Clinton also begins opting for private plane travel instead.
Increasing Family
Part 1: Clinton has traveled solo to all of her campaign events so far. Although she talks about her family on the trail –- namely her mother, father and new granddaughter –- Bill and Chelsea Clinton have been notably absent from the road.
Part 2: Bill and Chelsea Clinton will both make their first official campaign appearance at Hillary Clinton’s rally on Saturday. But while their role on the trail will continue to pick-up throughout the next part of her campaign, neither are expected to do much campaigning any time soon.
Raising Money
Part 1: In this initial part of the campaign, Clinton has spent almost an equal amount of time campaigning as she has spent raising money for her campaign.
Part 2: Don’t expect much difference here. So long as Clinton’s campaign needs money, Clinton will keep up –- and probably ramp up -– her fundraising efforts.
