Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton will launch her first television ads of the presidential campaign in Iowa where polls show her in a tight race with rivals Barack Obama and John Edwards, a source familiar with the campaign's strategy told The Associated Press Monday.Former Gov. Tom Vilsack, who endorsed Clinton's bid for the Democratic nomination after dropping out of the 2008 race, will unveil the new commercials at a news conference, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid pre-empting Vilsack's announcement.
The move intensifies Clinton's campaign in Iowa, her weakest state, and comes on the eve of her latest campaign swing here. Iowa is slated to hold its caucuses on Jan. 14, though the date is certain to change after South Carolina Republicans moved up their primary last week.
Some state polls show Edwards leading while other surveys show Clinton, Obama and Edwards essentially tied. This is in contrast to national surveys and other state polls in which Clinton has a clear advantage. In May, Clinton's deputy campaign manager wrote a memo urging her to bypass the Iowa caucuses to focus time and money on states where she's faring better.
Read More
