Clinton camp tries to set high bar for Obama 
Expectations-game comes as Clinton leads shrink or disappear in March 4 states
As Hillary Clinton watches her leads shrink in Ohio and disappear in Texas -- two states her advisers were calling must-wins in recent weeks -- her campaign is now trying to shift expectations going into Tuesday's contests there.
Clinton advisers told reporters Friday that the onus is now on Obama to run the table in the March 4 contests, which also include Vermont and Rhode Island, or it would signal trouble for his campaign.
"It is certainly the case that Sen. Obama has a winning streak," Howard Wolfson, a senior Clinton adviser, told RAW STORY during Friday's call. "We'll see if that winning streak will continue ... or if voters are having some buyers' remorse."
Obama's campaign, meanwhile, stresses its lead in pledged delegates, with about 160 more than Clinton. David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager, said earlier Friday that her campaign will be unable to surpass him in pledged delegates before the primary season is over.
"Their goal was to dig into our pledged delegate lead on March 4. They thought they could make huge delegate strides," Plouffe said on a conference call. “They’re going to fail on that and fail miserably.”
Plenty of skepticism followed the Clinton campaign's attempts to reframe Tuesday's contests, with one reporter on the conference call asking if the latest move wasn't just an attempt to "move the goal posts." American Prospect blogger Ezra Klein wondered "how dumb the Clinton campaign really thinks we are":
"Who is this aimed at?" he asks. "Political reporters know it's dumb. Political junkies know it's dumb. Superdelegates aren't going to be taken in by it. What's the target audience? And why aren't they making better arguments?"
While Clinton aides would not predict whether it would be able to regain the pledged delegate lead, senior adviser Howard Wolfson accused the Obama campaign of pushing "fuzzy math" in its predictions.
"It seems to me that they are trying to make an artificial distinction, which does not exist, between pledged delegates and actual delegates," said Phil Singer, another Clinton adviser.
Earlier this week, Harold Ickes, another prominent member of the Clinton team, said the former First Lady would have to "do very well" in Texas and Ohio or consider dropping out.
"If we lose in Texas and Ohio, Mrs. Clinton will have to make her decision as to whether she moves forward or not," Ickes said.
Former President Bill Clinton sounded a similar theme about his wife's campaign last week:
"If she wins Texas and Ohio I think she will be the nominee," he told Texas supporters in a Feb. 20 speech. "If you don't deliver for her, I don't think she can be. It's all on you."
Speaking to reporters Friday, Clinton aides sought to downplay those predictions, although they strayed from making predictions about what results Clinton would need to remain a viable candidate. One reporter asked about the possibility of Clinton loosing ever state except Rhode Island, where she maintains a sizable lead. Such a scenario would seem to fit with her advisers contentions that Obama needed a 4-and-0 Tuesday, but likely would be seen as a resounding rebuke by observers.
"I am much more optimistic than the scenario you just presented," Wolfson said, declining to further discuss the hypothetical.
Clinton's advisers also pressed reporters to dig further into Obama's connections with indicted Chicago real estate developer Tony Rezko, who goes on trial Monday on federal corruption charges.
“What is the nature of the relationship? How many fundraisers were held? How much money was raised? How many meetings were attended? What was said at those meetings? Did Tony Rezko attempt to get jobs for Obama allies?” Wolfson asked.
Comparing the case to that of indicted fundraiser Norman Hsu, who was a Clinton donor, Wolfson continued to push the campaign theme that Obama gets a pass while Clinton is harshly scrutinized.
“If the shoe were on the other foot, I would have been getting those questions left and right," he said.
Clinton's campaign has said she would be a better opponent for presumptive GOP nominee John McCain because she has faced more scrutiny from the press and opponents than Obama, who the campaign says hasn't been vetted.
"Information is coming out about the candidates on a daily basis," Wolfson said. "And we are confident on our chances of success in Denver at the convention."
 
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