2008 Presidential Campaign Blog

Hillary Clinton Mason City Iowa Video

Hillary Clinton Mason City Iowa Photos

Hillary Clinton Mason City Iowa

The Clinton campaign will be filming today's event for the purpose of future campaign ads. No date as to when those ads might run was given.

Clinton Asks Supporters To Vote In Final Round of Campaign Song Contest

Clinton Asks Supporters to Vote in Final Round of Campaign Song Contest
Five Write-In Songs Added to Final List

Hillary Clinton today launched the final round of Internet voting for her official campaign song, posting a new web video in which she responds to the suggestions and touching tributes that poured in over the last week since she first announced the song competition.

Clinton’s first YouTube video has received an overwhelming response since it launched last Wednesday, with more than 600,000 views and more than 130,000 votes cast on her campaign website.

“I turned to the American people for help in picking my campaign song, and they haven’t disappointed,” Clinton said. “From the off beat to the brilliant, I’m excited that so many people have chosen to offer their suggestions and engage with our campaign online.”

Hillary will announce the winner online and via email in the coming days. Supporters can also sign up for a text message announcing the winner by texting “SONG” to 77007.

Hillary’s list of potential campaign songs includes:

Round One Winners:

Suddenly I See - KT Tunstall
Rock This Country! - Shania Twain
Beautiful Day - U2
Get Ready - The Temptations

Top Write-In Suggestions:

Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz
Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now - McFadden & Whitehead
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police
You and I - Celine Dion
The Best - Tina Turner

Over 550,000 View Clinton Campaign Song Competition Video

Over 550,000 View Clinton Campaign Song Competition Video; Over 100,000 Cast Votes
Also: Over 500,000 view President Clinton’s video about Senator Clinton

Hillary Clinton’s challenge to supporters to pick her campaign theme song continues to generate a tremendous response online, with more than 100,000 casting votes in less than 5 days since the competition launched.

Clinton posted a video on YouTube’s “You Choose ’08 Spotlight” on Wednesday afternoon, poking fun at her singing abilities and urging voters to visit her website and select a theme song or suggest their favorite. More than 550,000 people have watched the video on YouTube and HillaryClinton.com , as the blogs and network television have drawn attention to Clinton’s innovative web campaign.

“Our song competition has generated an incredible amount of energy and excitement online,” said Clinton Campaign Internet Director Peter Daou. “By utilizing the Web in unique ways, we can continue our conversation with voters and reach thousands of Americans every day.”

Clinton’s website had already drawn thousands of visitors this past week, after launching a text messaging effort to personally engage voters on their cell phones, and posting a video from President Clinton discussing why Hillary would make the best President.

On Monday, Hillary called on her supporters to text “JOIN” to 77007 to sign up for her text messaging effort that will provide people with campaign updates and photos. And the video posted by President Clinton was one of the top-rated videos on YouTube this week, with more than 500,000 views on YouTube and Hillary’s website and regular play on cable TV.

As she kicked off her campaign, Hillary vowed to hold a conversation with voters online, announcing her candidacy in a web video and holding live web chats with voters across the country. Since then, she’s continued the conversation, posting regular HillCast web videos on her policy proposals and participating in an online townhall with MoveOn.org.

Also this week, the web information monitor Alexa indicated that Senator Clinton’s web site surpassed all other candidates’ sites in web traffic, and continues to be the most frequently visited.

Women’s Campaign Forum Endorses Clinton

Women’s Campaign Forum Endorses Clinton, Joins Women Leaders Across the Country

Hillary Clinton was endorsed today by the Women’s Campaign Forum, a bipartisan group dedicated to identifying and promoting women candidates for elected office.  The Forum joins other prominent national women’s organizations supporting Clinton, including EMILY’s List, the National Organization for Women PAC, the National Women’s Political Caucus, the Women’s Political Committee and the Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee.

“The Women’s Campaign Forum is proud to endorse Hillary Clinton for President of the United States,” said Ilana Goldman, President of the Women’s Campaign Forum.  “We could not ask for a better candidate.  She is simply the most qualified and experienced candidate in the field for the White House and she demonstrates it each day of the campaign.  She shows that women can succeed at the highest levels.  Hillary Clinton is an inspiration for our daughters and for women across the country who are running – or considering running – for elected office.”

“Hillary Clinton has shown that she does not just walk the walk, but she talks the talk – in fact, she’s leading the march,” said Senator Barbara Mikulski, a national chair of the Clinton campaign.  “She sponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act to ensure that women get equal pay for equal work.  She sponsored the Prevention First Act to ensure that women have access to reproductive health services.  She fought the Bush administration to make Plan B emergency contraception available over the counter.  She passed legislation to expand the S-CHIP program to provide more children with health insurance, and is working for another expansion to cover all children.  I am proud to see so many women leaders from across the country join me in supporting Hillary.”

“I am grateful for the outpouring of support I’ve received from The Women’s Campaign Forum and women across the country,” Clinton said. “I will continue to reach out to women and all Americans who are ready for change, and ask them to join me in renewing America’s promise.”

The Forum’s endorsement is the latest show of support from national women’s groups and an unprecedented number of women elected officials from across the country in their support for Senator Clinton’s historic bid.  As former First Lady of Iowa Christie Vilsack said, “Hillary has earned our support for her lifetime of work on issues important to women and families.”

Clinton Campaign Song Competition Draws Huge Online Response

Clinton Campaign Song Competition Draws Huge Online Response
More than 60,000 Votes Cast, 285,000 Watch Video

Hillary Clinton’s challenge to supporters to pick her campaign theme song has generated a tremendous response online, with more than 60,000 casting votes in little more than 24 hours since the competition launched.

Clinton posted a video on YouTube’s “You Choose ’08 Spotlight” on Wednesday afternoon, poking fun at her singing abilities and urging voters to visit her website and select a theme song or suggest their favorite. More than 285,000 people have watched the video, as the blogs and network television have drawn attention to Clinton’s innovative web campaign.

“Our song competition has generated an incredible amount of energy and excitement online,” said Clinton Campaign Internet Director Peter Daou. “By utilizing the Web in unique ways, we can continue our conversation with voters and reach thousands of Americans every day.”

Clinton’s website had already drawn thousands of visitors this week, after launching a text messaging effort to personally engage voters on their cell phones, and posting a video from President Clinton discussing why Hillary would make the best President.

On Monday, Hillary called on her supporters to text “JOIN” to 77007 to sign up for her text messaging effort that will provide people with campaign updates and photos.

And a video posted by President Clinton was one of the top-rated videos on YouTube this week, with more than 500,000 views on YouTube and Hillary’s website and regular play on cable TV.

As she kicked off her campaign, Hillary vowed to hold a conversation with voters online, announcing her candidacy in a web video and holding live web chats with voters across the country. Since then, she’s continued the conversation, posting regular HillCast web videos on her policy proposals and participating in an online townhall with MoveOn.org.

Clinton Asks Supporters To Vote For Official Campaign Theme Song

IN YOUTUBE VIDEO, CLINTON ASKS SUPPORTERS TO VOTE FOR OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN THEME SONG
Hillary Will Announce Winner After Internet Voting on Website

Hillary Clinton is getting the 2008 voting started early, posting a YouTube video on her website this afternoon in which she urges supporters to cast their vote for her official campaign theme song.

Coming on the heels of her text messaging effort launched earlier this week, Clinton continues to engage with Americans and encourage them to get involved in her campaign.

“I hope people from across the country will go to my website and vote for the song they feel best represents our message of change and their hopes for a better America,” Clinton said. “And I promise to leave the singing to the professionals.”

Clinton’s video will be featured on YouTube’s “You Choose ’08 Spotlight” over the next week.

Hillary’s list of potential campaign songs includes:

• City of Blinding Lights - U2
• Suddenly I See - KT Tunstall
• I'm a Believer - Smash Mouth
• Get Ready - The Temptations
• Ready to Run - Dixie Chicks
• Rock This Country! - Shania Twain
• Beautiful Day - U2
• Right Here, Right Now - Jesus Jones
• I'll Take You There - The Staple Singers
• Write-in Candidates

Clinton Campaign Announces Asian Americans And Pacific Islanders for Hillary

Clinton Campaign Announces Asian Americans And Pacific Islanders for Hillary
Congresswoman Matsui Endorses And Will Serve As National Campaign Co-Chair And Chair of AAPIs for Hillary

On Wednesday, Hillary Clinton announced the launch of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) for Hillary, a national initiative to organize and mobilize AAPI supporters.  Clinton made the announcement at an event to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month attended by leaders of the AAPI community.  In conjunction with the launch of AAPIs for Hillary, Congresswoman Doris Matsui announced her endorsement of Hillary Clinton for President and agreed to serve as national campaign co-chair and the national chair of AAPIs for Hillary.

“Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have a huge opportunity to make a difference in this election,” said Congresswoman Matsui.  “Hillary Clinton has been a consistent champion and friend of the AAPI community.  She is ready to be our next president and the AAPI community is ready to support her. I look forward to leading the charge to help make Hillary the candidate of choice for AAPI voters.

In addition to Congresswoman Matsui, AAPIs for Hillary will be led by prominent leaders from across the country.  As part of this effort, the campaign announced organizational leadership in six states/regions as well as committees focused on outreach for each ethnic group within the AAPI community (full committee list below).  The committees are expected to expand over the next several months, and the Nevada committee of AAPIs for Hillary is expected to launch next month.  Already, thousands of AAPIs have actively supported Hillary Clinton’s campaign by participating in fundraising and grassroots activity.  AAPIs for Hillary will harness the enthusiasm to grow this group of committed supporters and get them involved in new and existing campaign activities. 

“Many Americans, including we in the AAPI community, are ready for a change in leadership in the White House,” said Hawaii State Senate President Colleen Hanabusa.  “Hillary is ready to tackle the tough issues in this country that have been ignored for too long.  From immigration to health care to our role in the world, Hillary will be able to lead this country from day one and help us reclaim the American Dream.

According to the Census Bureau, the AAPI community is the fastest growing ethnic group in the country and currently represents five percent of the total population.  AAPIs have particular political strength in several early caucus/primary states.  For example, in California, the number of AAPIs eligible to vote has more than doubled from 1990 to 2005.  Currently, there are 2.5 million eligible AAPI voters in California, representing 12 percent of California voters. 

“AAPIs in California will play a major role in determining the next President of the United States," said Assemblymember Fiona Ma, Majority Whip for the California Assembly.  "It's clear that Hillary Clinton understands the significance of this community, and I'm proud to support her candidacy.”

AAPIs will also play a significant role in Nevada where AAPIs represent 4.6 percent of eligible voters.  There is also a tremendous opportunity to engage new AAPI voters in Nevada.  According to APIA Vote, a national nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that encourages and promotes civic participation of the AAPI community, only 42 percent of eligible AAPIs were registered to vote in 2002.

“I am thrilled to have the support of so many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and in particular, leaders like Doris Matsui,” said Hillary Clinton.  “We’re not taking any vote for granted, and I want the AAPI community to know that I hope to earn their vote.  Together, we can rededicate our efforts to creating better opportunities and brighter futures for all Americans.”

Clinton Campaign Launches Text Messaging Effort To Continue Conversation With Voters

Clinton Campaign Launches Text Messaging Effort to Continue Conversation With Voters
Supporters Can Text "Join" to 77007 to Receive Regular Campaign Updates 

When Hillary Clinton said she wanted to have a conversation with Americans, she really meant it. She’s been visiting Americans in their local communities and has done live video conversations on the Internet, now she’s taking it to a whole new level: text messaging Americans throughout the country.

Clinton’s campaign is launching an innovative new initiative today to reach supporters across the country utilizing cell phone text messaging. Clinton’s text messaging effort is focused on maximizing her efforts to communicate directly with supporters by giving them regular campaign updates, including information about the campaign and photos from events.

“By harnessing the power of text messaging, we can engage voters in the political process using the latest technology and provide personalized, local campaign updates to our supporters nationwide,” Clinton said. “This is an exciting step forward that I hope will continue our conversation with voters in a new format.”

How does it work?  For supporters to join, they can simply text ‘JOIN’ to 77007. Hillary will first ask people to join at today’s endorsement event in Albany where she will receive the support of Governor Eliot Spitzer, Lt. Governor David Paterson and all of New York’s statewide officials. Voters can also sign up to join Hillary’s network on the campaign website at www.hillaryclinton.com.

What information will voters receive via text message?  Supporters will get regular updates from Hillary’s campaign, including messages and photos that are personalized for their area. The campaign will also ask for voters’ input and offer a feature allowing supporters to surf Hillary’s website on their mobile phones.

Relevant Facts and Figures

• There are currently 236,000,000 cell phone users in the U.S. – 76% penetration.
• 10.5% of homes in the U.S. are wireless only (projected to be 30% by end 2008)
• In December 2006 alone, there were 18.7 billion text messages sent – up 92% from 9.7 billion in December 2005. 195 billion for the year
• In the first six months of 2006, the number of subscribers to two-way SMS (text messaging) grew by 88%.
• According to the NPD Group, by mid-2006, 42% of all wireless subscribers used their wireless phone as their primary phone.
• By the middle of 2006, almost half of wireless customers in the U.S. were using some form of wireless data – surfing the wireless web, sending text and photo-messages, or downloading and playing games, ringtones, or music files.