Hildebrand goes Obama in '08?

Steve Hildebrand, who I was recently mentioning as part of the DC Dakota group, was recently mentioned in the Washington post weblog as going to Iowa with Illinois Senator Barack Obama:

After yesterday's post on Barack Obama's visit to Iowa this weekend, another tidbit of information came to The Fix's attention that will certainly fuel even more chatter that the Illinois senator is seriously pondering a 2008 presidential bid.

Obama will be accompanied on the trip by Steve Hildebrand, considered one of the major "gets" for candidates eyeing the 2008 race due to his expertise as a field organizer and campaign manager. In 2000, Hildebrand managed Vice President Al Gore's Iowa caucus victory over New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley. Four years earlier he ran the Midwest for the Clinton-Gore reelection effort.

Hildebrand also has considerable experience in Senate races. In 1986 he was the state finance director for Tom Daschle's first successful run for the Senate. In 1990 Hildebrand was deputy campaign manager for Ted Muenster's (D) unsuccessful bid against South Dakota Sen. Larry Pressler (R).

By 1998 Hildebrand was serving as political director at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. In 2002 and 2004 he managed Senate races in South Dakota -- winning in 2002 with Tim Johnson and losing in 2004 with Daschle. Hildebrand now runs a political consulting company with fellow Senate operative Paul Tewes.

Read it all here. Why? Because it's kind of interesting in a speculative manner on how it might affect South Dakota races that year.

If Hildebrand goes with the presidential race in 2008, it's questionable whether or not he can devote the time to a competitive Johnson campaign. In 2002, it was a widely held belief that Johnson had the best Senate campaign race in the nation.

In 2008? Without Hildebrand, that distinction might be up in the air. Don't forget he only won by 500 votes - less than the number of votes for the third party candidate.

BTW, The post was also good, because it points to the bios for Hildebrand/Tewes. I hadn't put a face to a couple of the names, such as Chad Schuldt of CCK fame and Theron McChesney over at SD Progressive.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Well, this proves it. The Daschle hacks/employees named Chad Schuldt and Theron McChesney and Nathan Peterson were the ones blogging anonymously and attacking Republicans for all this time and now we know they working for Daschle/Hildebrand the whole time!
Anonymous said…
If Hildy is now working for Obama, I guess that means we can give up on the Daschle-for-President idea...the dream dies hard, man
Anonymous said…
PP: Tim Johnson had already decided he was NOT going to hire Hildebrand and his people for 2008 because his performance was so pathetic in 2004. If you look at the record, Hildebrand is about 2-8 in big races, and one of those was a gimme, so he's WAY over-rated.
Anonymous said…
what comes around goes around. Daschle stabs Huron in the back by killing its big railroad project...and now Hildebrand stabs Daschle in the back by working for his opponent in the 2008 presidential race.
Anonymous said…
these people are the greatest source of bile in South Dakota. i tire of them trashing everybody constantly. politics used to be fun and worthwhile, but Hildebrand and his angry boys try to destroy everyone who doesn't agree with them: are they democratic? does not seem to me
Anonymous said…
I hate to get into a pissing match with an anonymous weblog commentor, but could you please explain how I might be responsible for "the greatest source of bile in South Dakota"?

Please give specific examples.
Anonymous said…
"Not a day goes by that someone doesn't tell Tom they wish he would run for president," said Steve Hildebrand, a longtime top Daschle adviser and director of his new political action committee.

Yeah, people are really lining up to push Daschle for President---which I suppose is why Hildy is now working for Obama
Anonymous said…
CHAD: how about when you and Hildebrand tried to get Greg Belfrage fired from his radio program?
Anonymous said…
look, if Hildebrand can't win the Daschle race with $30 million and a good candidate who has power, then he can't win nothing. he should leave us alone and let us get back to basics
Anonymous said…
CHAD: how much do Daschle and Hildebrand pay you to smear people?
Anonymous said…
i see that Chad Schuldt is speechless when being called out for him and Hildebrand trying to get Belfrage fired.
Anonymous said…
Johnson doesn't need a perfect caqmpaign in 2008 like he had to have in 2002 to win.

George Bush's approval rating is well below 50% in SD, so imagine what it will be 2 years down the road when he's a lame duck and doesn't care what people think.

If Johnson keeps doing what he's doing, paying attention to SD and continuing with his moderate voting record he'll be fine.

Just look at Johnson's approval ratings 10 points higher than Thune's. South Dakotans don't regret their choice in 2002, and Johnson would win by a bigger margin today. Keep up the good work Tim!
Anonymous said…
Hildebrand constantly divides our party and think his doesn't stink....good riddens
Anonymous said…
a bunch of Daschle people went to work for Obama, which is part of this story
Anonymous said…
CHAD: your hero Daschle is getting reamed in today's argus leader
Anonymous said…
i used to think Daschle might run for president and maybe do ok and maybe he'd run again in South Dakota, although there was just a slim chance of that. but now he looks like a complete bozo on this railroad thing. a business guy said today in Argus that Daschle is just "sad" and he's right
Anonymous said…
Hildebrand is an excellent at politics. You guys should know this.
Anonymous said…
i see you shut up Chad Schuldt rather easily
Anonymous said…
Just say no, Barack!!

are they democratic? does not seem to me

Sort of, but probably because it's easier to be the only game in town on that side. They'll follow money and power before they'll follow their consciences.
Anonymous said…
What are you rambling about?
Anonymous said…
CHAD: when are you going address how you and Hildebrand tried to get Greg fired???
Anonymous said…
Yeah, and while you're at it, can you get Jody Schwan fired?

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