by John McCormick, updated
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — This morning’s conference call was about a Minnesota congresswoman’s endorsement, but Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign manager used it to continue to make the case for what he believes is superior “Tsunami Tuesday” preparedness.
Campaign manager David Plouffe said Obama now has offices in 17 of the 22 states expected to hold primaries or caucuses on Feb. 5. (That is three additional states than the total reported in a recent Tribune story about preparations for the delegate-rich contests that will take place that day.)
“We are the most aggressive campaign to date in making sure we win on Feb. 5,” he said, adding that the campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York has offices in “maybe four.”
Especially in states like Minnesota that will hold caucuses on that date, Plouffe maintained that early organizational efforts to make contact with voters are essential.
“We have real voter contact going on every day,” he said. “You do have to get started months before that contest.”
Citing new polls, Plouffe also gave an optimistic assessment of the state of the race in the early voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. “We think we could not be in a stronger position three weeks out from the Iowa caucuses,” he said.
More Top Picks Best Budget Processors
The conference call also formally announced an endorsement from Minnesota’s Rep. Betty McCollum, the third female member of Congress in as many days to endorse the Illinois Democrat. Two other Democratic congresswomen endorsed Obama earlier this week: Barbara Lee of California and Carol Shea-Porter of New Hampshire.