Clinton out of sight? A sense of disbelief among top donors has given way to a sense of resignation that the presidency has slipped away from Hillary Clinton.
“There is no optimism left here,” one donor tells CNN, describing the feeling as shellshocked.
What’s remarkable: The Clinton campaign officials sequestered inside a private room at the Javits Center have done little to stop this feeling or mount an argument that Clinton’s bid is still alive.
Two top Democrats in Wisconsin tell say they have scoured precincts across the state “and see nothing to turn this around.”
“At this hour, we know very little about what Clinton herself is doing. She is with her husband and daughter, one aide said, and only a handful of aides in another room.
“She’s been watching the returns and top aides have briefed her on the uphill climb across the Rust Belt.
A senior Democrat close to the campaign said “She is also preparing her speech in spite trailing in the election.
“Nothing will happen until the path is “completely closed. There will be plenty of time for finger pointing after the election result.”
In the meantime, many have stopped returning calls and text messages as the votes were tallied.
Clinton, her family and close aides were hunkered down to watch returns at a Manhattan hotel suite.
A Donald Trump source said his victory speech just will be “gracious” — he will reach out to those who didn’t vote for him and say it’s time to come together.
The speech was written ahead of time, as was a concession speech.
Democrats have carried Michigan in every presidential election since 1992, and Clinton made two stops there in the final days of the campaign to shore up support, but she never made a stop in Wisconsin after the primary there last spring, confident of a victory there.
