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Email: Clinton campaign tried to move back Illinois primary

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager John Podesta, second from right, spoke with senior aide Huma Abedin, right, aboard Clinton’s campaign plane while traveling to Miami, Tuesday, for a rally.

WASHINGTON » Hillary Clinton’s campaign tried to move the Illinois presidential primary to a later date, believing it might stop momentum for a moderate Republican candidate after the Super Tuesday primaries and emphasizing that the Clintons won’t forget a political favor, emails made public today show.

A November 2014 email hacked from the accounts of Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta was among nearly 2,000 new emails published by the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks. The email, from Clinton’s campaign manager Robby Mook to Podesta, said Obama administration officials should use their connections in the president’s home state to try to push back the March 15 Illinois primary by at least a month.

“The overall goal is to move the IL primary out of mid-March, where they are currently a lifeline to a moderate Republican candidate after the mostly southern Super Tuesday,” Mook wrote. “IL was a key early win for (GOP presidential candidate Mitt) Romney” in 2012.

While the request would come from Obama, the president and former Illinois senator, “the key point is that this is not an Obama ask, but a Hillary ask,” Mook said.

“The Clintons won’t forget what their friends have done for them,” he added.

Mook suggested that Bill Daley, a former White House chief of staff and longtime Illinois power broker, should call the staff chief for Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan to make the request.

Mook made it clear it would be a tough sell because Madigan and other Illinois officials “feel forgotten and neglected by POTUS,” a reference to Obama.

It’s not clear whether Daley or administration officials requested the change, or how hard they pushed for it. The primary was held as scheduled March 15. Clinton won the Democratic primary, while Donald Trump won the Republican contest.

10 responses to “Email: Clinton campaign tried to move back Illinois primary”

  1. AhiPoke says:

    I’m not so naive to not understand that these types of things go on all the time in politics. It still upsets me that our political system is full of backroom dealing with favors being rewarded by more favors. Regardless of party, how is good for America?

    • nomu1001 says:

      Politics can be a dirty game. Older style politics ruled through fear and literally let it’s enemies “die on the vine”, so to speak. Political reform starts with transparency and accountability.

  2. NanakuliBoss says:

    2 years ago? Give me a break.

  3. NanakuliBoss says:

    Texting with no end results. Meaningless. No deals,no results,not news.

    • cajaybird says:

      Why aren’t the leaked emails being written about in the SA? I see quite a bit about Trump accusations. It appears the SA is “in the tank” for Hillary.

      • CEI says:

        **SARCASM ALERT FOR HUMORLESS PROGRESSIVES** IRT cajaybird: How in the world could you conclude the SA is in the tank for the Clinton Crime Family? Could it be that the SA obediently, reliably and enthusiastically publishes the rubbish coming from the Clinton controlled AP? Maybe it’s the glaring omissions of the incompetence of lack of accomplishments of Mrs. Clinton. Unless you consider raking on millions of dollars in speaking fees to Wall St. banks and other filthy rich “donors” to be an accomplishment that is. Yeah, I don’t see where you’re coming from with the “in the tank” charge.

      • amela says:

        Nothing written because nothing news worthy.

    • amela says:

      It’s called strategy to Democratic haters. It’s been going on for years by all to try and get an advantage. Nothing happened so forget about it.

  4. nomu1001 says:

    Since it is on record that Trump’s campaign has an inside connection with WikiLeaks, does that mean they justify their goal of bringing important news and information to the public by any means that they, and they alone, see fit? Simply, how do they justify their obvious disregard for privacy?

    What does it speak to their ethical purpose of giving people the “evidence of the truth”? If this is their goal, why play the game of “October” surprises? Why not just release everything they have now rather than trickle these emails up to election day?

    WikiLeaks have accomplished transparency. But there is a bigger ethical question here. Transparency and total disregard of your privacy. Simply, if someone hacks into your phone, and publishes it for all to see, are you still with them because they accomplish transparency at the expense of your right to privacy?

    • cajaybird says:

      Trump is a novice at dirty politics. The Democrats are proud masters of it. Remember Romney wanted to kill cancer patients? Remember Harry Reid, when asked about his claims that Romney didn’t pay taxes. His response was, “who cares? Romney lost” (with a smirk on his face). Has anyone thought about throwing Granny over the cliff? Yes, the Dems are masters. I believe all citizens in Hawaii should be concerned about Hillary’s desire for an open border. Would that be good for Hawaii? That’s a policy which all of Hawaii should be concerned about. If the borders of the U.S. were open, where would you want to live? There’s a lot of undeveloped land in Hawaii. Everyone is welcomed! Especially in a border less society. George Soros, one of the biggest Dem financial contributors, is all for open borders. Be careful what you wish for.

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