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Behind the scenes: Wasn't the night for Obama

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Monique Faulkner
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« on: March 06, 2008, 11:07:56 am »

Behind the scenes: Wasn't the night for Obama

Story Highlights
Journalists, campaign advisers spend anxious evening in Texas

Obama attorney crashes Clinton campaign's media conference call

Obama's camp confident he'll win nomination despite March 4 losses

Next Article in Politics »


 Read  VIDEO
By Jessica Yellin
CNN Washington bureau

     
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (CNN) -- "Test, test, check, check. Test. Check. Check?"




Sen. Barack Obama's campaign focuses on their candidate's lead in the delegate count.

1 of 2 "What time do we hit? Who has the latest numbers?"

"You think he wins Texas? I just can't tell. I have no idea."

"Check. Check. Test!!"

"You can't access the press riser unless you have a pink dot on your tag, ma'am. You don't have a pink dot. I'm sorry."

"I'm starving. Will there be any food here? He doesn't arrive for another four hours. They have to bring food."

"Test, test, check, check."

"Wait, what city are we in again?"

Those are some of the sounds one could hear standing on the press platform for Sen. Barack Obama's March 4 primary night gathering.

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The site: The plaza in front of the San Antonio Municipal Building, a majestic marble structure that would provide a grand backdrop for Obama's speech. Just six blocks from the Alamo, the location could also be read as a nod by the Obama campaign to Texas' proud history of determined and ultimately victorious fighters.

One had to arrive at 5 p.m. local time -- almost six hours before the senator showed up -- to go through security and hold a spot on the press risers. It was small compared to some of the senator's rock-concert style gatherings; the event was on near lockdown.

Snipers were posted in turrets on the building, while Secret Service agents kept journalists and supporters in long lines as they hand-wanded everyone who entered.

The big question of the night -- who would win Texas? It was clear Sen. Hillary Clinton was likely to walk away with Ohio and Rhode Island. Obama would win Vermont.

But journalists, who were reading the exit polls all day, couldn't tell if Obama could -- in words Clinton aides like to use -- "seal the deal." He could ease Clinton out of the race, if only he could keep her margin in Ohio small and win Texas.

Local reporters asked for insight from the national media -- many of whom had been traveling with Obama since Iowa. They couldn't tell which way Texas would go either.

Obama staffers -- running back and forth repairing Internet service and answering questions ("Where is the candidate now?" "What did he do in his down time today?" "With whom is he watching results?") -- would stop as they passed and ask "How does it look in Texas?" Almost all night, the answer was "too close to call."

As polls closed, the tension between the Obama and Clinton campaigns reached an almost comical new level. Obama's campaign attorney, Bob Bauer, crashed a media conference call in which Clinton folks were complaining about so-called "voting irregularities" in Texas.

Bauer had a heated back and forth with Clinton communications director Howard Wolfson. As they argued about the caucus process, amused reporters exchanged notes declaring this the most entertaining conference call of the election season.

Soon it was clear the night was not going well for Obama. This day would not seal the nomination.

Around 10 p.m., Obama's chief strategist, David Axelrod, appeared near the press risers and with his zen-like calm provided the official Obama camp view of the night.

He declared the primaries "a wash" because Obama would retain a delegate lead. What about Clinton's claim she had taken the momentum? "It's refreshing," he said with a smile. "It's been a while since she's been able to say that." He predicted Obama would go on to win the nomination.

Just not tonight.

Obama came on the scene without warning and before his advertised 10:45 p.m. arrival time. Seeming less energized than usual -- or maybe just exhausted -- he declared to the plaza crowd, "We are in the middle of a very close race here in Texas. We might not know the results until the morning."  Watch Obama speak to the Texas crowd »


He congratulated Clinton -- something she rarely does -- and then said, "We are on our way to winning this nomination. Si se puede!"

It was a short speech. He left quickly. As did the crowd. There would be many more weeks of campaigning ahead. E-mail to a friend

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/05/bts.obama/index.html
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