Last week, I asked whether the Clinton campaign's touting of their Texas chances, despite convoluted state rules that would make it almost impossible for them to get much of an edge in delegates, was a "ruse" to buy themselves more time or the result of a shocking failure to do their homework. As Jason's noted, now we have our answer. Publius and Hilzoy of Obsidian Wings both take a bite.
While they were busy “discovering” the rules, however, the Obama campaign had people on the ground in Texas explaining the system, organizing precincts, and making Powerpoints. I know because I went to one of these meetings a week ago. I should have invited Mark Penn I suppose.
I dissolved in giggles after the first sentence.... In what sense are the Texas rules a "new obstacle?" Were they only recently passed? Not as far as I can tell -- here, for instance, is a pdf about them from August 2007, which should have given the Clinton campaign ample time to get up to speed.... I was having fun thinking of possible analogies -- would I describe the existence of the Pacific Ocean as "creating a new obstacle" for my plan to walk from Baltimore to Beijing? or the fact that five is a prime number as "creating a new obstacle" to my proving that it is a multiple of two?
--Christopher Orr