To: Interested Parties

From: Colin Reed, Executive Director, America Rising PAC

Date: Thursday, September 3, 2015
Subject: Clinton Campaigns Premature Shaheen Rollout Reeks of Desperation

The Boston Globes James Pindell wrote this week that there is no greater N.H. Democratic endorsement than Sen. Jeanne
Shaheen. So why is Hillary Clinton rolling out such an important supporter so soon, on a notoriously slow news weekend?
Typically, campaigns wait to unveil such endorsements at key moments in the race to maximize press coverage and the
political bounce. For example, Mitt Romneys 2012 presidential campaign waited until January of the election year mere
days before the pivotal First-in-the-Nation primary to announce the endorsement of two-time New Hampshire primary
winner John McCain, who is affectionately referred to as the third senator from the Granite State.
Yet Hillary Clinton is choosing to announce this critical endorsement on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, a day when
newsrooms are typically short-staffed and voters are focused on family activities.
The reason for this abandonment of strategic timing is her campaigns increasing nervousness that comes with their free-fall in
the polls and the never-ending scandal surrounding her private email sever, which is under investigation by the F.B.I.

Consider the following five factors that are contributing to Team Clintons desperation:

1. Not one, but two, independent polls show Clinton trailing Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire by significant
margins.
A Public Policy Polling (PPP) poll released on August 25th showed Sanders leading Clinton 42-35
A Franklin Pierce University/Boston Herald poll released on August 11th showed Sanders leading Clinton 44-37
2. Clinton is on the wrong side of a growing uproar over the lack of primary debates among Granite State
Democrats. Both Martin OMalley and Bernie Sanders went so far as to say the Democrats system was
rigged, while the Concord Monitor editorialized on the need for more debates. Even Clinton surrogate and DNC
Committeewoman Kathy Sullivan risked the ire of the DNC and Clinton campaign by calling for more debates.
3. Just days ahead of Shaheens endorsement, Clinton dispatched her campaign chairman John Podesta and
top surrogate Howard Dean to the Granite State to shore up softening support. While this sort of coordinated
surrogate blitz is typical in the months leading up to the NH primary, it is extremely unusual during a holiday week in
late summer.
4. Desperate for positive headlines amid a new deluge of reports on her email scandal on Tuesday, Clinton
attempted to re-rollout Deans endorsement, despite the fact that Dean publicly endorsed Clinton in April of
2014 and has been a vocal surrogate for her ever since.
5. Questions have been raised about Clinton deploying opposition researchers to Burlington, VT to dig through
old files damaging and material on Bernie Sanders. One of the researchers was spotted by a local reporter
wearing a Shaheen t-shirt, pointing to a potential connection with Clintons NH campaign, which is largely staffed by
Shaheen veterans.

With a new national ABC News/Washington Post poll showing Clintons favorability rating at its lowest since April 2008 and
and Joe Bidens organization beginning to build up strength in early states as the Vice President reportedly gets closer to
entering the race, Clintons showing in New Hampshire is clearly a pivotal component of her primary strategy, and Shaheens
endorsement is a big part of that. The massive amount of early firepower her campaign is willing to expend is further proof that
they are extremely concerned about her performance in the Granite State thus far, and her chances in next years primary.
Presidential campaigns dont sacrifice strategic timing unless they have no choice. And with this early endorsement, the
Clinton campaign has demonstrated that they are running out of options to right the ship.