Clinton Camp On Obama's "Slap In The Face"

David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager, e-mailed millions of Obama supporters with the message that tomorrow, Obama could reach the milestone of having earned a majority of the pledged delegates. " A clear majority of elected delegates will send an unmistakable message -- the people have spoken, and they are ready for change." He urges members of the list to watch Obama's speech tomorrow night in Iowa.

The Clinton campaign responded this way:

To: Interested Parties
From: Howard Wolfson, Communications Director

Date: Monday, May 19, 2008

Re: Mission Accomplished? Not so fast.

Senator Obama’s plan to declare himself the Democratic nominee tomorrow night in Iowa (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10184.html) is a slap in the face to the millions of voters in the remaining primary states and to Senator Clinton’s 17 million supporters.

There is no scenario under the rules of the Democratic National Committee by which Senator Obama will be able to claim the nomination tomorrow night. He will not have 2210 delegates, the number needed with Florida and Michigan included in the process, nor will he have 2025 delegates, the number needed to secure the nomination without Florida and Michigan.

Premature victory laps and false declarations of victory are unwarranted. Declaring mission accomplished does not make it so.

While Senator Obama inaccurately declares himself the nominee, Senator Clinton will continue to work hard, campaigning for every vote in the upcoming states and making the case that she will be the best nominee to take on John McCain and be our next President.

The Obama campaign is backing away from reports that tomorrow night's speech will amount to a declaration of victory, but, really, they're too smart for that. They _want_ the media to cover the speech as if it's a declaration of victory -- giving Obama a moment in the spotlight -- but will reserve their formal declaration of victory for June ...3? 4? 10?.