SNEAK PEEK: Duking It Out In Dairyland
Winsconsin's primary is the next round in the long fight for the nomination
February 15, 2008— -- With Tuesday's Wisconsin primary fast approaching, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama give back-to-back speeches to the state's Democratic Party on Saturday.
Clinton goes at 8:30 pm ET and Obama follows her at 9:10 pm ET.
Speaking about Wisconsin, a Clinton adviser told ABC News on Friday, "I don't know expect her to win but you never know."
He then invoked the former first lady's Granite State comeback.
"We were told by our chief strategist that we were going to lose New Hampshire -- and that was the day before."
This adviser was someone who argued very strongly that Clinton could not "let Wisconsin go by the board."
His side prevailed and the campaign has paid phones plus the candidate on the ground for several days before Tuesday's balloting.
Clinton is also up in the state with a hard-hitting ad which goes after Obama not only on health care but also on energy and Social Security.
In particular, Clinton's ad hammers Obama for voting for a Bush energy bill which included what Clinton calls "billions in Bush giveaways to the oil companies."
The ad also seizes on an Obama appearance on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" in which the Illinois Democrat said benefit cuts and a higher retirement age should be on the table when it comes to fixing the retirement program.
(In that interview, the only thing Obama would not put on the table was privatization. Since then, of course, Obama has indicated that his plan for shoring up Social Security is to impose the 12.4 percent Social Security tax on people's entire income and not stopping at $97,500).
Watch the ad here.
While Clinton has taken benefit cuts and a higher retirement age off the table, she has not matched Obama in offering a specific policy proposal.
A decent performance in Wisconsin is important to Clinton because the March 4th state of Texas is not necessarily the firewall that she would like it to be because of how it apportions delegates.
One-third of the state's 193 pledged Democratic delegates flow from precinct caucuses which take place as soon as the polls close in the state (an aspect which benefits Obama who has proven more adept at motivating caucusgoers).
The rest of the delegates are awarded by state senate district based on turnout in the state's two previous elections. This is also expected to benefit Obama because the state senate districts that are predominantly African American have more delegates than Clinton's stronghold in heavily Hispanic areas.
As for the Republicans, John McCain will pick up an endorsement from former President George H.W. Bush on Monday in Houston, Texas.
McCain's ideas on health care have received so little media attention in this campaign that former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley, an Obama surrogate, mischaracterized his proposal while speaking Friday on a conference call with reporters.
Referring to low-income Americans, Bradley said of McCain's plan, "They get nothing out of that proposal."
He also said: "It's just another tax giveaway to people who can afford to save and those are primarily people who are upper income."
While Bradley's criticism would have applied to former GOP contenders Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani who proposed tax deductions, it does not apply to McCain.
Bradley's mischaracterization was based on the mistaken belief that McCain had proposed a tax deduction which would only help those who make enough money to owe taxes rather than a refundable tax credit which provides financial assistance to those who do not make enough to pay income taxes.
Although it received next to no media attention, McCain proposed a plan last year which includes a refundable tax credit of $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families. The McCain campaign believes that its refundable credit will provide help to as many as six million more low-income Americans than a deduction.
The McCain campaign reacted to Bradley's inaccurate comments by saying that it was not surprised.
"It's typical of a campaign that clearly values style over substance," said McCain spokesman Brian Rogers.
An Obama adviser said that Bradley's confusion stemmed from a reporter including the words "tax deduction" in the question. The Obama camp also noted that while McCain's plan is more generous than the ones backed by Romney and Giuliani, it does not go as far in terms of subsidies or cost control as the one being proposed by Obama.
TiVo alert:
Tune in Sunday to "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" for an interview with McCain.
The kicker:
"I don't know what our chief strategist knows I can only tell you what he tells us."
--Anonymous Clinton adviser speaking to ABC about Clinton strategist Mark Penn
On the campaign trail. . .
BARACK OBAMA
-- 10:45 am ET: Attends event with voters, Wausau, WI
-- Attends rally with voters, Eau Claire, WI
-- 9:10 pm ET: Attends Democratic Party of Wisconsin's Founders Day Gala, Milwaukee, WI
HILLARY CLINTON
-- Attends events in Wisconsin
-- 8:30 pm ET: Attends Democratic Party of Wisconsin's Founders Day Gala, Milwaukee, WI
BILL CLINTON
-- Attends event in Amarillo, TX
-- Attends event in Lubbock, TX
At the White House. . .
PRESIDENT BUSH
-- 2:05 am ET: Participates in arrival ceremony with the First Lady, Cotonou, Benin
-- 2:35 am ET: Meets with the President of Benin, Cotonou, Benin
-- 4:00 am ET: Participates in media availability with the President of Benin, Cotonou, Benin
-- 10:45 am ET: Participates in arrival ceremony with the First lady, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Sunday, February 17, 2008
On the campaign trail. . .
JOHN MCCAIN
-- Appears on This Week with George Stephanopoulos
MIKE HUCKABEE
-- Attends event in Wisconsin
As for the Democrats. . .
BARACK OBAMA
-- 6:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Kaukauna, WI
HILLARY CLINTON
-- Attends events in Wisconsin
BILL CLINTON
-- Attends event in Toledo, OH
-- Attends event in Canton, OH
-- Attends event in Steubenville, OH
-- Attends event in Marietta, OH
At the White House. . .
PRESIDENT BUSH
-- 12:40 am ET: Meets with President of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
-- 2:40 am ET: Participates in media availability with the President of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
-- 5:20 am ET: Tours Amana District Hospital with the First Lady, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
-- 5:40 am ET: Participates in roundtable discussion on PEPFAR Services with the First Lady, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
-- 6:50 am ET: Meets with families of victims of the 1998 Embassy Bombing with the First Lady, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
-- 11:00 am ET: Participates in a social dinner with the President of Tanzania and Mrs. Kikwete, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Monday, February 18, 2008
On the campaign trail. . .
JOHN MCCAIN
-- 10:30 am ET: Holds press conference with Former President George H.W. Bush, Houston, TX
MIKE HUCKABEE
-- Attends event in Wisconsin
RON PAUL
-- 4:00 pm ET: Attends rally with voters, Denton, TX
As for the Democrats. . .
BARACK OBAMA
-- 2:00 pm ET: Attends rally with voters, Youngstown, OH
HILLARY CLINTON
-- Attends events in Wisconsin
At the White House. . .
PRESIDENT BUSH
-- 2:35 am ET: Tours Meru District Hospital with the First Lady, Arusha Tanzania
-- 3:00 am ET: Delivers statement on Presidents Malaria Initiative Vouchers and Catch Up Program, Arusha, Tanzania
-- 4:25 am ET: Tours A to Z Textile Mills with the First Lady, Arusha, Tanzania
-- 8:55 am ET: Visits Maasai Girls School with the First Lady, Arusha, Tanzania
POLITICAL NEWS STORIES AT ABCNEWS.COM
ABC News' Liz Marlantes: Political Face-off Continues Over Spy Bill LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Black Superdelegates Shift to Obama LINK
ABC News' Rick Klein Reports: Buzz Maker of the Week! LINK
ABC News' Teddy Davis Reports: George H.W. Bush to Endorse McCain LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: The Clintons' Black Superdelegate Problem LINK
ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: Obama: 'I Give a Good Speech. What Can I Do?' LINK
ABC News' Bret Hovell and Sunlen Miller Report: McCain and Obama on Public Financing LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Bill Clinton: Obama 'Literally Not Part of Any of the Good Things' from the 1990s LINK
ABC News' Eloise Harper Reports: Clinton Surrogate Hits Oprah LINK
ABC News' Teddy Davis and Michael Elmore Report: Obama Backer Distorts McCain Health Plan LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Did McCain Flip-Flop on Torture? LINK
ABC News' David Wright, Sunlen Miller and Ursula Fahy Report: Obama Fires Back at Clinton LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Clinton: More Slogans than Madison Avenue LINK
ABC News' Eloise Harper Reports: Clinton, Obama Sound Off on Speeches Vs. Solutions LINK
ABC News' Sunlen Miller, David Wright and Ursula Fahy Report: Obama Can't Confirm John Lewis Backing LINK
ABC News' Kevin Chupka Reports: '70s Rocker to Huckabee: 'I've Been Ripped Off, Dude' LINK
ABC News' David Wright, Ursula Fahy and Sunlen Miller Report: Obama: 'Common Sense Regulation' on Gun Owners' Rights LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: From the Fact Check Desk: Despite Obama Claim, Clinton LINK
POLITICAL VIDEO AT ABCNEWS.COM
The Superdelegate Switchero
Influential superdelegate changes allegiance, sending political tongues wagging. LINK
Obama Unsure About John Lewis Support
Obama remarks on NYT report that Rep. Lewis plans to switch his vote to Obama. LINK
Obama Hits Back at Clinton
Obama: This "gamesmanship is not what the American people are looking for." LINK
Obama Plays it Safe on Issue of Guns
When asked about the DC handgun ban, Sen. Obama declined to take a position. LINK
One Very Important Superdelegate
ABC's Rick Klein on a possible setback for Hillary Clinton. LINK
'The Note' Rewinds the Week's Best Moments
ABC News' Senior Political Reporter Rick Klein on the weekly political roundup. LINK
Bush Prays for Shooting Victims
Bush calls Northern Illinois University campus shooting a "tragic situation." LINK
Political Jujitsu: Clinton vs. Obama
The Democratic candidates step up the attacks against each other. LINK
The Bottom Line on Clinton's Campaign
George Stephanopoulos analyzes the New York senator's strategy. LINK
Clinton Slams Obama
In a new approach, Clinton criticizes opponent for words and not action. LINK
Terror Law to Expire Soon
Drama reigns in Congress: House Democrats walk out, and Bush may delay trip. LINK
Troop Surge: One Year Later
General David Patraeus demonstrates the impact the surge has had on Baghdad. LINK