Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Well, then.

First, congratulations to Senator Clinton. Yep, I was wrong again, and I should have known better, I suppose. I'm surprised that I've seen little mention of what I suspect was one of a pair of keys to victory. The weather was unseasonably good, which helps typically turnout generally, and which can make organized GOTV efforts more effective.

There's the second key, the one that should have garnered more notice in many quarters, the one I'm surprised I've seen no mention of as I scan the blogs and wires. The Clinton campaign had access to the Shaheen turnout operation, and it's one of the best anywhere. I have a pretty good sense of how important it was to the Kerry victory in '04 - very important. I suspect it was equally, or more, important today. It's nothing particularly original, just the standard network of precinct captains and poll watchers that between them know where pretty much every uncast ballot resides, and how it's likely to be cast if the voter can be summoned, led, chased or escorted to the polls. In other words, they know who to turn out and who to leave home, and they know how.

Or did you think pulling Bill Shaheen's name from the campaign stationery meant any more than, well, just that?

Sure, all kinds of things may have had some degree of impact, but give fair credit good old-fashioned grit and shoe leather for giving Hillary her win tonight.

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