Article & Journal Resources

By Patrick Healy

ABOARD THE CLINTON PRESS BUS – The politico who runs Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign in Iowa, Teresa Vilmain, gave reporters a rundown Wednesday morning of her team’s run-up to the presidential caucuses Thursday night.

Her presentation went along these lines: “We have salt in all the offices,” she said – that is, salt to sprinkle on ice at caucus precinct locations so voters don’t slip.

The other day, the campaign shipped out more than 600 shovels, packed on nine different U-Hauls, to drop off with staff members and volunteers to clear voters’ front walks and sidewalks and precinct sites as well.

And today, the campaign has 625 people going door-to-door today to knock on the door of every voter who has signaled support for Mrs. Clinton, and every undecided voter leaning her way – likely many thousands of Iowans.

As for caucus night, more than 5,000 drivers have been recruited to ferry people to voting sites. Ms. Vilmain also said she would look into a reporter’s question about how many cars had been rented by the campaign. “How bout ‘a lot’?” she replied.

Ms. Vilmain, like other Clinton aides, underscored the unpredictability of Thursday night’s caucuses. This is the first time that the voting has taken place so close to the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, a fact that may likely have skewed public polling somewhat, and voters have been hard to reach because they have been celebrating or shopping – and, in some cases, even less amenable than usual to the persistent telephone calls from campaign aides seeking support.

“Folks are getting a little tired of getting calls,” she said, noting that the Clinton campaign is doing more home visits and leaving door hangers with caucus night information and offers of babysitting and transportation assistance.