In a final plea to undeclared Democratic superdelegates, Sen. Hillary Clinton points to her lead in the popular vote, some recent polling showing her strength against John McCain, and surveys showing that voters believe she is ready to serve as commander in chief.



In a letter, sent Tuesday, and in an extensive memo, sent today, Clinton frames the choice for superdelegates as one between a candidate who has won more delegates in caucuses and a candidate who has won more delegates in primaries and has won the popular vote.



"Recent polls and election results show a clear trend: I am ahead in states that have been critical to victory in the past two elections," she writes. In the memo, she notes that, of the 20 toughest districts for freshman House Democrats -- districts won by President Bush in 2004 -- Clinton won 16 of them. Clinton, the memo argues, has won 350 more counties than Obama and that she is responsible for huge turnout increases among women and Latinos.



Here's the full letter:





Dear ___________,



The stakes in this election are so high: with two wars abroad, our economy in crisis here at home, and so many families struggling across America, the need for new leadership has never been greater.



At this point, we do not yet have a nominee – and when the last votes are cast on June 3, neither Senator Obama nor I will have secured the nomination. It will be up to automatic delegates like you to help choose our party’s nominee, and I would like to tell you why I believe I am the stronger candidate against Senator McCain and would be the best President and Commander in Chief.



Voters in every state have made it clear that they want to be heard and counted as part of this historic race. And as we reach the end of the primary season, more than 17 million people have supported me in my effort to become the Democratic nominee – more people than have ever voted for a potential nominee in the history of our party. In the past two weeks alone, record numbers of voters participated in the West Virginia and Kentucky primaries. And with 40 and 35 point margins of victory, it is clear that even when voters are repeatedly told this race is over, they’re not giving up on me – and I am not giving up on them either.



After seven years of feeling invisible to the Bush administration, Americans are seeking a President who is strong, experienced, and ready to take on our toughest challenges, from serving as Commander in Chief and ending the war in Iraq to turning our economy around. They want a President who shares their core beliefs about our country and its future and “gets” what they go through every day to care for their families, pay the bills and try to put something away for the future.



We simply cannot afford another four – or eight – years in the wilderness. That is why, everywhere I go, people come up to me, grip my hand or arm, and urge me to keep on running. That is why I continue in this race: because I believe I am best prepared to lead this country as President – and best prepared to put together a broad coalition of voters to break the lock Republicans have had on the electoral map and beat Senator McCain in November.



Recent polls and election results show a clear trend: I am ahead in states that have been critical to victory in the past two elections. From Ohio, to Pennsylvania, to West Virginia and beyond, the results of recent primaries in battleground states show that I have strong support from the regions and demographics Democrats need to take back the White House. I am also currently ahead of Senator McCain in Gallup national tracking polls, while Senator Obama is behind him. And nearly all independent analyses show that I am in a stronger position to win the Electoral College, primarily because I lead Senator McCain in Florida and Ohio. I’ve enclosed a detailed analysis of recent electoral and polling information, and I hope you will take some time to review it carefully.



In addition, when the primaries are finished, I expect to lead in the popular vote and in delegates earned through primaries. Ultimately, the point of our primary process is to pick our strongest nominee – the one who would be the best President and Commander in Chief, who has the greatest support from members of our party, and who is most likely to win in November. So I hope you will consider not just the strength of the coalition backing me, but also that more people will have cast their votes for me.



I am in this race for them -- for all the men and women I meet who wake up every day and work hard to make a difference for their families. People who deserve a shot at the American dream – the chance to save for college, a home and retirement; to afford quality health care for their families; to fill the gas tank and buy the groceries with a little left over each month.



I am in this race for all the women in their nineties who’ve told me they were born before women could vote, and they want to live to see a woman in the White House. For all the women who are energized for the first time, and voting for the first time. For the little girls – and little boys – whose parents lift them onto their shoulders at our rallies, and whisper in their ears, “See, you can be anything you want to be.” As the first woman ever to be in this position, I believe I have a responsibility to them.



Finally, I am in this race because I believe staying in this race will help unite the Democratic Party. I believe that if Senator Obama and I both make our case – and all Democrats have the chance to make their voices heard – everyone will be more likely to rally around the nominee.



In the end, I am committed to unifying this party. What Senator Obama and I share is so much greater than our differences; and no matter who wins this nomination, I will do everything I can to bring us together and move us forward.



But at this point, neither of us has crossed the finish line. I hope that in the time remaining, you will think hard about which candidate has the best chance to lead our party to victory in November. I hope you will consider the results of the recent primaries and what they tell us about the mindset of voters in the key battleground states. I hope you will think about the broad and winning coalition of voters I have built. And most important, I hope you will think about who is ready to stand on that stage with Senator McCain, fight for the deepest principles of our party, and lead our country forward into this new century.











The 11 page memo is after the jump.

Hillary Clinton: The Right Choice for the Democratic Party – Facts and the Figures

No candidate will emerge from the primaries and caucuses with enough pledged

delegates to claim the nomination – assuming the millions of votes from Florida and

Michigan will be counted. At the end of this process, more people will have voted for

Hillary Clinton than for any other potential nominee in the history of the Democratic

Party, or of the country. She will emerge as the candidate with the best chance of

taking back the White House in November.

This memorandum offers automatic delegates key metrics that Hillary Clinton is winning

in this primary race: the popular vote, a broad coalition of supporters, and millions of

new Democratic voters who registered to vote for her. It also sets forth why, having

amassed more ballots than any other Democratic primary candidate in history, she is

best poised to beat John McCain and win the White House in November.

I. Hillary Clinton Will Lead in the Popular Vote for the Democratic Nomination

At the conclusion of the primary season on June 3rd, Hillary Clinton will have the most

popular votes. Hillary Clinton already leads in the popular vote, including those who

voted in Michigan and Florida, based upon AP’s state-by-state vote totals for states that

release vote totals and ABC’s vote total estimates for the four states that do not release

vote totals. Given the remaining contests, we expect this number to increase between

now and June 3rd.

More than 17 million people already have cast their votes for her. Indeed, since March

1st, she has won over a half million more votes than Senator Obama (difference:

+ 517,748).

Regardless of the decision on how to seat the delegates from Florida and Michigan,

which will increase the number of delegates the successful nominee must reach to up

to 2210, the votes there represent the popular will. Based on the results of every

contested major state on February 5th, there is no evidence that these two states would

have voted any differently if they had voted outside the early state window.

On February 8th, Senator Obama said that if someone had the most pledged delegates

and the most votes in the country, that “it would be problematic for political insiders to

overturn the judgment of the voters.” It appears that when all the votes are counted

on June 3rd, Hillary Clinton will be the candidate with the most votes. The automatic

delegates then face the choice between one candidate with more pledged

delegates and another candidate with more popular votes.

II. Hillary has put Together a Winning Coalition of Democratic Primary Voters.

A look at exit polls shows how strong Hillary’s coalition of voters has held together and

even strengthened in the last rounds of primaries. Here are the basic facts:

2

1. Women - Among all women, Hillary leads 51% to 43%, and since the round of

primaries that started on March 4th she has led 55 % to 44%. Among white

women, Hillary leads 61% to 34% and among Latinas, Hillary leads 58% to 25% for

those states reporting Hispanics in exit polling.

2. Seniors - In all the contests so far, Hillary has won 58% of those ages 60+

compared to Senator Obama’s 35%. Among those who have voted since

March 4, Hillary leads 62% to 36%.

3. Latinos - Hillary has won Latino voters by 56% to 30% – nearly two to one;

excluding the presidential candidates who subsequently dropped out, Hillary has

won Latinos 65% to Senator Obama’s 35%. In California’s primary, where Latinos

comprised 30% of the voting population, Hillary won 67% to Senator Obama’s

32%. Latino turnout in New Mexico’s Democratic caucus was 35%, and among

Latinos Hillary won 62% to Senator Obama’s 36%.

4. Working Class - Hillary has consistently won the working class vote in key

Democratic swing states, and on average she leads 50% to 45% among voters

earning under $50,000. In Ohio, Hillary won these voters 56% to 42%; in

Pennsylvania 54% to 46%, in West Virginia, Hillary won these voters 71% to 23%;

and in, Kentucky she won the working class vote 67% to 29%. Furthermore, Hillary

leads among union voters 52% to 43%.

5. Rural Voters - Hillary has been winning an overwhelming percentage of

America’s rural voters – 53 % to 41%. Since March 1, Hillary has won 58% and

Senator Obama 40% of rural voters. In Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia,

Pennsylvania and Texas, Hillary won over 60% of rural voters.

III. Hillary Clinton Has Brought More New Voters into the Process than any Other

Candidate

There has been a dramatic increase in participation in the primaries.

In every state that had both a caucus and a primary, the primary had far greater

participation and a stronger vote for Hillary Clinton – this was true in Texas, Washington

State and Nebraska. When participation expands, Hillary’s vote expands. For example,

in the February 9 Nebraska caucus when less than 40,000 people participated, Senator

Obama won with 68%, but in the May 13 Democratic primary when more than twice as

many people voted – nearly 94,000 – Hillary’s and Senator Obama’s respective votes

were 2 points apart (HRC 47 / BHO 49).

The increase in participation in the primaries has been driven by core groups favoring

Hillary, led by women, Latinos and older voters.

3

Overall, more than 22 million Democratic primary voters were over the age of 45 this

year, compared to less than 10 million who voted in the 2004 Democratic primaries.

Women primary voters rose from 7.56 million in the 2004 Democratic primaries to more

than 21 million to date in 2008 – from 54% to 58% of the Democratic primary electorate.

At the same time, Latinos increased from 9% to 12% of the Democratic primary

electorate, from 1.26 million in 2004 to 4.42 million in 2008.

In Ohio, for example, women rose from 52% of the Democratic presidential primary

voters in 2004 to 59% in 2008. And, in California, Latinos made up 30% of Democratic

presidential primary voters in 2008, compared with 16% in 2004.

In both the 2000 and 2004 general elections, 17% of voters were under age 30, while the

percentage over the age of 45 rose from 50% in 2000 to 54% in 2004. Those results, and

the 2008 primaries, suggest that any strategy built on an increase in the Democratic

voting base should take into account women, Latinos and seniors.

Hillary Clinton is the Most Electable Candidate vs. John McCain

IV. The road to Pennsylvania Avenue goes through Ohio and Florida – Hillary is

winning those states.

There has never been a race this close and never before have the automatic

delegates been called upon to select from among two such closely competitive

nominees – one who has more pledged delegates, the other who has more popular

votes. Given this outcome, it is essential to determine who is most likely to win in

November.

Hillary’s advantage in the general election polls against Senator McCain has become

even clearer in the closing weeks of the campaign. The latest Gallup tracking poll

shows her ahead of Senator McCain by 3 points; Senator Obama trails by 3 points

(Gallup Daily Tracking, May 21-25, 2008).

The state-by-state polls illustrate that only Hillary is positioned to take the two states that

were critical to the last two elections – Florida and Ohio. The latest Quinnipiac University

poll (May 13-20, 2008) shows that Senator Obama trails Senator McCain by 4 points in

Florida compared to Hillary’s 7 point lead there against Senator McCain (in the

Rasmussen poll released on May 19th, Hillary leads Senator McCain by 6 points (HRC 47 /

McCain 41); Senator Obama trails him by 10 points (Obama 40 / McCain 50).

Quinnipiac also shows that Hillary is 7 points ahead of Senator McCain in Ohio while

Senator Obama is behind Senator McCain by 4 points there.

She is more likely to win Ohio and Florida. Without these two states, it is a difficult road

to the White House, especially against a candidate like Senator McCain, who is from

the Southwest and enjoys considerable support among Latinos.

4

The key reasons for her support include the experience she has to be Commander-in-

Chief and the belief she is best equipped to deal with the economic crisis. HRC is seen

as the best steward of our economy and the most ready to fix the economy. Nearly 6

in 10 (59%) voters say Hillary has a plan to fix the economy, and she beats McCain on

‘would do the best job on the economy’ by 8 points, a larger margin than Obama

does, according to a recent poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies/Greenberg

Quinlan Rosner for NPR released May 15. She also is viewed as being the most

prepared to be Commander-in-Chief in recent polls. In the April 25-29th CBS / NYT poll,

46% of voters nationwide said they had confidence in Hillary’s ability to deal wisely with

an international crisis vs. 39% for Senator Obama. Hillary also leads Senator Obama

among Democrats and Democratic leaners on who can best handle the war on terror

in ABC / WP’s April 16th poll (HRC 47 / Obama 42).

V. The Electoral Path to the White House

The current electoral map shows Hillary has a clear path to victory and is leading

Senator McCain in electoral votes.

The states Hillary Clinton has won in the primary have a total of 308 electoral votes; the

states Senator Obama has won have a total of 224 electoral votes. Hillary won 7 of the

8 states with the most electoral votes – Senator Obama won his home state of Illinois.

ABC News published Karl Rove’s electoral vote analysis, which states that if the election

were held today, John McCain would win 238 electoral votes while Barack Obama

would win 221, with 79 electoral votes in toss-up states that are too close to call. Hillary

would win 259 electoral votes against John McCain’s 206 electoral votes with 73

electoral votes in toss-up states that are too close to call. (ABC News, May 19, 2008)

5

6

A different analysis (www.electoral-vote.com) shows that Hillary outperforms Senator

Obama against John McCain in the key swing states with the largest number of

electoral votes – Florida, Ohio, Michigan, and Missouri – as well as smaller swing states

like New Hampshire, West Virginia and Arkansas.

And yet another analysis, using recent public polls with general election match-ups in

each state, shows that if the election were held tomorrow, Hillary Clinton would defeat

Senator McCain with more than 300 electoral votes (329, when 270 is required to win)

while Senator Obama would lose to Senator McCain with fewer than 250 electoral votes

(246, to be exact).

Importantly, Hillary leads Senator McCain in Florida, Ohio, West Virginia and Arkansas –

all states in which Senator Obama trails Senator McCain. And a May 22, 2008

Rasmussen poll shows Hillary leading Senator McCain in Kentucky 51/42, while Senator

Obama trails Senator McCain by 25 points.

HRC Leads McCain by 120 EVs

9 EV

27 EV

55 EV 5 EV

5 EV

10 EV

7 EV

6 EV 11 EV

15 EV

8 EV

15 EV

4 EV

12 EV

17 EV

31 EV

34 EV

11 EV

7 EV 10 EV

4 EV

5 EV

13 EV

21 EV

10 EV

20 EV

4 EV

3 EV

4 EV

5 EV

9 EV

3 EV

3 EV 3 EV

3 EV

5 EV

7 EV 6 EV

9 EV

21 EV

11 EV

11 EV

6 EV 15 EV

8 EV

10 EV

3 EV

3 EV

3 EV

4 EV

7 EV

John McCain

209 EVs

Hillary Clinton

329 EVs

7

Obama Trails McCain by 46 EVs

9 EV

27 EV

55 EV 5 EV

5 EV

10 EV

7 EV

6 EV 11 EV

15 EV

8 EV

15 EV

4 EV

12 EV

17 EV

31 EV

34 EV

11 EV

7 EV 10 EV

4 EV

5 EV

13 EV

21 EV

10 EV

20 EV

4 EV

3 EV

4 EV

5 EV

9 EV

3 EV

3 EV 3 EV

3 EV

5 EV

7 EV 6 EV

9 EV

21 EV

11 EV

11 EV

6 EV 15 EV

8 EV

10 EV

3 EV

3 EV

3 EV

4 EV

7 EV

John McCain

292 EVs

Barack Obama

246 EVs

See Attachment (Recent state by state polls showing General Election match-ups).

VI. Hillary Has a Broad Geographic Base of Support

Hillary enjoys a broad geographic base of support. Indeed, she has won 1,654

counties; Senator Obama has won 1,299 counties.

Hillary’s broad geographic support means she can win more parts of the country –

especially rural areas – and she can help House and Senate candidates in close

elections in these parts of the country.

For example, in following states, Hillary won the following number of counties:

State

Counties

Hillary Won

Total Counties in

State

Arizona 13 15

Arkansas 72 75

California 39 58

Indiana 83 92

Kentucky 118 120

Missouri 109 115

New Jersey 16 21

New Mexico 27 33

New York (home state) 61 62

8

Ohio 83 88

Oklahoma 76 77

Pennsylvania 60 67

Tennessee 86 95

Texas 227 254

West Virginia 55 55

The Democratic Party’s success – and failure – with presidential nominees has hinged

on winning in rural areas. Senator Kerry's underperformance in these areas cost him

Ohio (-20 among rural voters); West Virginia (-11); Missouri (-33); and Nevada (-43) – all

states with whose rural voters Hillary performs strongly.

According to a recent poll conducted in NH, PA, OH, MI, WI, IA, MN, MO, FL, VA, CO,

NM and NV by Greenberg Quinlan & Rosner and Greener & Hook for the Center for

Rural Strategies, Hillary and Senator McCain both enjoy the support of rural America.

Hillary ties Senator McCain among rural voters, who cast 23% of general election

ballots; Senator Obama trails Senator McCain by 9 points with the same voters.

VII. Hillary is also Winning the “Tough” Districts

In 2006, Democrats retook Congress by picking up 31 seats. 20 of those freshman

Democrats are in GOP-leaning districts that voted for President Bush in 2004. These

districts are heavily rural – half of them are more than 40% rural.

Of those 20 “tough” districts, Hillary has won 16, most by large margins, as posted on the

Politico on May 18, 2008.

9

Furthermore, Hillary has won 10 of the 15 districts rated “toss-ups” for 2008 by the Cook

Political Report. They are:

• AL 05

• PA 10

• TX 22

• AZ 01

• MS 01

• NJ 03

• NY 25

• NY 26

• OH 15

• OH 16

VIII. Hillary Has the Support of Several Coalitions Critical to 2008 General Election

In 2004, Bush’s victory over John Kerry was a result of the shift of two groups – Latinos

and white women – in Bush’s favor. These are two of Hillary Clinton’s strongest groups.

Hillary has won these two groups overwhelmingly in the Democratic primaries, and

Hillary also generated huge turnout increases among both groups.

Assuming she could maintain Senator Kerry’s ‘04 map, Hillary would need to win either

Ohio or Florida to win the presidency. Importantly, Hillary’s base in Ohio is composed of

the constituency groups that Senator Kerry lost in Ohio in 2004, so she can take the

groups he won, such as those earning less than $50k and union households, and add to

them the groups he lost that constitute her base of support (women, suburban and rural

voters, seniors).

In addition to Ohio and Florida, it is likely that Hillary will add to the map states like

Arkansas, which President Clinton won in 1992 and 1996 and which she won in the

Democratic primary with 70% of the vote; West Virginia, where capturing working class

citizens is key to a general election victory; and states like New Mexico and Nevada,

where the Latino vote is pivotal.

Another critical constituency to Democratic presidential victories is the African

American community, which Senator Obama has won consistently and with increasing

margins over the course of the race.

Both candidates will have to bring together all of these constituencies to ensure a

victory in November. In addition to the constituencies she has been winning, Senator

Clinton’s will continue to reach out to African American voters. She has a lifetime of

commitment to issues about which African Americans are passionate – extending as far

back as her work with the Children’s Defense Fund and registering African American

and Latino voters in Texas.

10

Hillary appreciates and respects the choice of many African American voters to

support Senator Obama but she has never stopped working to gain their support. She

has earned the endorsement of so many prominent African American leaders because

they know her lifetime record of service on behalf of issues that are important to the

African American community – working to help create the Children’s Health Insurance

Program; fighting to raise the minimum wage; expanding and improving early

childhood education; working to revitalize our cities; and sponsoring the Count Every

Vote Act to ensure that every vote counts and every vote is counted. They know she

will continue that work as President.

Hillary is committed to unifying the party, and she will never stop campaigning for the

votes of African Americans in the race for the White House.

IX. Too Polarizing? – Unfavorable Ratings of Competitive Candidates are High

Because our country’s electorate is relatively divided along party lines, presidential

candidates who are competitive and have been in the public arena for a period of

time typically have higher unfavorable ratings.

For example, Hillary and Senator Obama have comparable unfavorable ratings – in the

most recent Newsweek poll of national registered voters, 43% are unfavorable to Hillary

and 40% are unfavorable to Senator Obama. Senator McCain has similar unfavorable

ratings – 40% are unfavorable to him in that same poll.

As might be expected, Senator Obama’s unfavorable numbers have steadily risen over

the last two years – in a May 2006 Newsweek poll, 10% said they were unfavorable

towards him. By July 2007, that number had risen to 19%; 8 months later it was at 28%,

and in the two most recent Newsweek polls, conducted in April and May of this year, his

unfavorable rating is at 40%– 4 times higher than it was two years ago. Hillary’s

unfavorable rating has remained relatively steady (according to the same Newsweek

polls, in May 2006, her unfavorable rating was 45% -- it is now 43%). Similarly, Senator

McCain’s unfavorable ratings have likewise remained relatively unchanged (according

to the same Newsweek polls, in March 2008 his unfavorable rating was 35%; 41% in April

2008, and 40% in May 2008; Newsweek did not record unfavorable ratings before

March 2008 for Senator McCain).

More importantly, candidates’ unfavorable ratings do not indicate they are too

polarizing to win the Presidency; to the contrary, these ratings reflect the divisions in our

country between our parties as candidates become known and associated with the

Democratic or Republican Party.

Summary

Never before in the history of the modern primary system have we seen a nominating

contest go down to the wire like this.

11

We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com.