Hillary from Indiana

By Jennifer J. Foster

Published: May 6, 2008

If the pundits are writing the lead to her presidental campaign’s obituary, Hillary Clinton doesn’t know it.

She wasted no time reminding the crowd that Barack Obama called Indiana the “tiebreaker” in their contest. “Thanks to you, we’re full steam to the White House!“ she said to cheers.

Also surely keenly aware of the financial strain her campaign will be facing, Clinton delivered her fundraising plea in the first 60 seconds of her speech.

Clinton addressed that festering buzz about the fracture the continuing contest is creating among Democrats, saying that she will work for the Democratic nominee, because Democrats have to win in November.

There wasn’t much new in the speech; it was basically her regular stump speech. And it’s never a good thing when your opponent just gave a general election speech, but you’re still on your primary stump.

Post-speech anaylsis notes:

Carl “Methuselah” Bernstein said he had talked with people Hillary Clinton goes to for political advice. They believe that “it’s all about Hillary Clinton’s psychology now, and her accepting that the doors are closing on her campaign,“ he said.

David Gergen said he admired that Clinton put on her game face, but that we might be able to learn more about what’s going on inside the Clinton inner circle by gauging Chelsea Clinton’s face and body language during her mother’s speech: “She looked like her heart was breaking,“ Gergen said.