April 14, 2008
What Clinton Wishes She Could Say
Politico: Candidate Won't Say Publicly What She Says In Private About Obama
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Play CBS Video
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Democratic Battleground
Hillary Clinton is on the offense in Pennsylvania, after Barack Obama's controversial comments about small town voters drew criticism. Dean Reynolds reports.
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Obama's Words May Cost Him
Locked in a tight race for Pennsylvania Democrats, Sen. Barack Obama's own words may cost him support. Randall Pinkston reports.
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Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., makes a campaign stop at the Westside YMCA in Philadelphia last week. (AP)
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Photo Essay
Hillary Clinton
A look at a life and career full of firsts.
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Photo Essay
Barack Obama
A look at the life and meteoric rise of the president-elect.
Why, ask many Democrats and media commentators, won’t Hillary Rodham Clinton see the long odds against her, put her own ambitions aside, and gracefully embrace Barack Obama as the inevitable Democratic nominee?
Here is why: She and Bill Clinton both devoutly believe that Obama’s likely victory is a disaster-in-waiting. Naïve Democrats just don’t see it. And a timid, pro-Obama press corps won’t tell the story.
But Hillary Clinton won’t tell it, either.
A lot of coverage of the Clinton campaign supposes them to be in kitchen-sink mode-hurling every pot and pan, no matter the damage this might do to Obama as the likely Democratic nominee in the fall.
In fact, the Democratic race has not been especially rough by historical standards. What’s more, our conversations with Democrats who speak to the Clintons make plain that their public comments are only the palest version of what they really believe: That if Obama is the nominee a likely Democratic victory would turn to a near-certain defeat.
Far from a no-holds-barred affair, the Democratic contest has been an exercise in self-censorship.
Rip off the duct tape and here is what they would say: Obama has serious problems with Jewish voters (goodbye Florida), working class whites (goodbye Ohio) and Hispanics (goodbye, New Mexico.)
Republicans will also ruthlessly exploit openings that Clinton-in the genteel confines of an intra-party contest-never could. Top targets: Obama’s radioactive personal associations, his liberal ideology, his exotic life story, his coolly academic and elitist style
This view has been an article of faith among Clinton advisers for months, but it got powerful new affirmation last week with Obama’s clumsy ruminations about why “bitter” small-town voters turn to guns and God.
There’s nothing to say that the Clintonites are right about Obama’s presumed vulnerabilities. But one argument seems indisputably true: Obama is on the brink of the Democratic nomination without having had to confront head-on the evidence about his general election challenges.
That is why some friends describe Clinton as seeing herself on a mission to save Democrats from themselves. Her candidacy may be a long shot, but no one should expect she will end it unless or until every last door has been shut.
Skepticism about Obama’s general election prospects extends beyond Clinton backers. We spoke to unaffiliated Democratic lawmakers, veteran lobbyists, and campaign operatives who believe the rush of enthusiasm for Obama’s charisma and fresh face has inhibited sober appraisals of his potential weaknesses.
The concerns revolve around two themes.
The first is based on the campaign so far. If the voting patterns evident in many states in nomination voting continued into the fall they would leave Obama vulnerable if McCain can approximate the traditional GOP performance in key states.
The second is based on fear about the campaign ahead.
Stories about Obama’s Chicago associations with 1960s radicals Bernardine Dohrn and William Ayers landed with barely a ripple. So, too, did questions about whether he once backed a total ban on handguns (he says no but in a 1996 state legislative race his campaign filled out a questionaire saying yes.) Obama’s graceful handling of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy may have turned that into a net positive.
But all this was in a Democratic contest. What about about when Obama’s running against a Republican?
Let’s take the first point: Obama’s electoral coalition. His impressive success to date comes predominately from strong support among upscale, college-educated whites and overwhelming support from African-Americans.
Assuming he is the Democratic nominee, it seems virtuallycertain he would bring turnout of these groups to historic levels.
But there is reason to question whether he would be able to perform at average levels with other main pillars of the traditional Democratic coalition: blue-collar whites, Jews and Hispanics. He has run decently among these groups in some places, but in general he’s run well behind her.
Obama lost the Jewish vote by double-digits in the battleground state of Florida-where this constituency looms large--and that was before controversy over the anti-Israel remarks of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
He won only about one-third of Hispanic votes on Super Tuesday - and did even worse a month later in Texas. A Democratic nominee needs big margins with Hispanics to win states like New Mexico, California, Colorado and Arizona. In the fall, Obama would be running against a Republican with a record on immigration that will resonate with Hispanics.
Then there’s the lower-income white vote. Does it seem odd that a woman with a polarizing reputation would be rolling up enormous margins among some of the country’s most traditional voters? Three out of every four blue-collar whites in small-towns and rural areas of Ohio voted for Clinton over Obama on March 4. The reality is, this is already an electorate with deep, racially tinged divisions-and that’s in the Democratic Party.
Cornell Belcher, Obama’s pollster, says most of these voting blocs will unite when the Democratic fighting is done. “You get a snapshot at the height of a battle within the family but after the family squabbles history shows that the family does come back together,” he said.
Fair enough. But McCain would be challenging Obama on a range of issues that would complicate this coming together---issues that Clinton did not use or used minimally because they would not be particularly effective.
McCain, by contrast, would have a free hand to exploit a paper trail showing Obama’s evolution---opponents would say reversals--over the past decade from liberal positions on gun control, the death penalty, and Middle East politics. He would exploit Obama’s current position in favor of driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants and beginning diplomatic talks with U.S. adversaries like the dictators of Iran and Venezuala. Will those issues help lower-income white voters “come back together” with Obama?
Those issues are all in-bounds. What about the issues that most journalists and probably McCain himself will consider out-of-bounds but that, if recent history is any guide, will echo nonetheless in the general election?
The last two Democratic nominees, Al Gore and John F. Kerry, were both military veterans, and both had been familiar, highly successful figures in national politics for more than two decades by the time they ran.
Both men lost control of their public images to the right-wing freak show-that network of operatives and commentators working mostly outside of the mainstream media-and ultimately lost their elections as many voters came to see them as exotic, elitist, out-of-touch, phony, and even unpatriotic.
Obama is a much less familiar figure than Kerry or Gore, with a life story that is far more exotic, who is coming out of a political milieu in Chicago politics that is far more liberal.
The freak show has already signaled its early lines of attack on Obama. Many Americans already believe---falsely-that he is a Muslim. Voter interviews already reveal widespread unease with minor and seemingly irrelevant questions like why he does not favor American flag pins on his lapel. Nor does it seem likely that voters have heard the last about Jeremiah Wright.
Obama’s advisors said they are not naïve about freak show politics. Their response is that Obama’s appeal to a new brand of politics, and his personal poise and self-confidence, will allow him to transcend attacks andcaricatures in ways that Gore and Kerry could not.
Obama is indeed poised and self-confident. But the current uproar over his impromptu sociology lesson in San Francisco about “bitter” voters in Pennsylvania raise questions about his self-discipline, and his understanding of how easy it is for a politician in modern politics to lose control of his public image.
Clinton has her own baggage, to put it mildly. But it’s been rummaged through for years, so what Democrats see is pretty much what they would get.
The frustration and even anger emananating from the Clintonites comes from being unable to say in public what they think in private.
Little wonder why. Bill Clinton’s comments comparing Obama’s support in South Carolina to Jesse Jackson’s may have been rude and they were certainly impolitic. But it’s absurd to contend, as many Democrats indignantly do, that they amounted to a shocking low blow or to “playing the race card.”
The reaction underscored the essential prissiness of the Democratic contest so far. One can be sure the general election will not be such a delicate affair.
By Jim VandeHei and John F. Harris
Copyright 2008 POLITICO






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See all 321 CommentsAs for obama, empty, elitist suit.
Floyd Looker - attempted to bomb three federal installations. - Bitter
Donald Beauregard - serving five years for attempting to blow up power stations. - Bitter
Randall, co-founder of an Alabama militia group and the man who embarrassed federal agents by exposing a racist event that they attended. %u2013 FBI HANGING WITH KKK- BITTER
Branch Davidians in Waco - Bitter towards Americanism
White Supremacist Randy Weaver - Bitter towards Americanism
Virginia Tech Campus - Leaves at Least 33 Dead - BITTER
Columbine High School massacre - killing 12 students and a teacher, as well as wounding 23 others - BITTER
http://www.unitedstatesaction.com/anti-govt-patriot-groups.htm
Its a whole nation of bitter folks that hate America and they are Mostly White nationalist supremist. They are Bitter about racial mixing, they are Bitter about blacks advanceing, they are Bitter about Jewish Americans and what they perceive as them having control over this Government.
Obama was correct.
- The only president ever impeached on grounds of personal malfeasance
- Most number of convictions and guilty pleas by friends and associates*
- Most number of cabinet officials to come under criminal investigation
- Most number of witnesses to flee country or refuse to testify
- Most number of witnesses to die suddenly
- First president sued for sexual harassment.
- First president accused of rape.
- First first lady to come under criminal investigation
- Largest criminal plea agreement in an illegal campaign contribution case
- First president to establish a legal defense fund.
- First president to be held in contempt of court
- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions
- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions from abroad
- First president disbarred from the US Supreme Court and a state court
IN 2008 LETS SEND THEM BACK TO FINISH THEIR JOB
OK...so Barack has some groups that are not voting for him. Doesn''t Hillary have the same problem? Specifically.....Independents and the black community. Won''t she do more to galvanize the currently apathetic Republican base than anything McCain could say or do? Absolutely.
What Obama loses in Florida, New Mexico, and Ohio, might he certainly make up for in Missouri, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisianna, and Virginia? He might win states that have been red for quite a while!
This election will be close. I''m not making any predictions at all. All candidates have groups that DON''T like them....and in key states. Both Hillary and Obama could play the other as unelectable. But the more they do that, the more appealing McCain becomes.
Posted by blazercoach1 at 12:33 PM
What strange notion is this? Just because Hillary and Obama are trying to distinguish themselves from each other means NOTHING with them in reference to McCain. I think republicans WANT you to think the two totally separate topics are related, but they are not.
The VTech shooter was Asian.
Black Panthers--bitter.
Rev. Wright--bitter.
Malvo and Muhammad (The DC area snipers)--bitter
Padilla--bitter
Gangsta rappers--bitter
My friend, bitter does not describe a color. It describes people. People from ALL demographics. Don''t pretend it''s just the "other" folks. See it in yourself and see yourself as human. Careful....you''re living in a glass house.
Posted by blazercoach1 at 12:33 PM
Actually, both are EMINENTLY electable, that''s the problem. You''ve got it reversed...
As for his elitism, this small town girl is furious at the bull he spews forth. Yet his supporters choose to only recall the "bitter" part of it. I think a lot of people need to pull their heads out of the sand and do a little research on the man, even a moron knows when they have been insulted.
America had changed for the better, get with it or die.
How do you explain McCain''s RISE in the national polls?
I think you underestimate the fact that right now, nobody from the Republican party is getting any publicity for throwing McCain under the bus.
But everytime Hillary and Bill open their mouths and trash Obama....it''s front page news. You''d be naive to think that it has no effect. Isn''t that WHY the Clintons are doing it?
Obama for President
Go McCain!!!
Might want to at least look like you have any idea what you are babbling about.
Give me a break. This guy is a lubricant for McCain to slide into the White House for 4 years.
It is becoming more and more apparent the disdain Obama and his wife have for their country and their fellow Americans...whom he wants to lead.
How many more "misspoken" words must be heard before people get the message... They don''t think much of us.
Hillary 08
Keep drinking the Obama kool aid Obamadrones.
I expect that he will rise and fall many times before the election takes place. I dont see that as any direct correlation on an undecided democratic primary. Once the democratic candidate is chosen, then yes. Until then, no.
----But everytime Hillary and Bill open their mouths and trash Obama....
Uhhh, don''t look know, but there''s plenty of "trash throwing", as you call it, coming from both candidates. Others would simply call it competition. Are you saying not competing or trying to distinguish themselves from the opponent will help McCain?
I don''t buy it.
need I go on
I''m detecting that you can''t handle what I''m saying...that I MUST be some die-hard right wing nut.
Dude....I voted for Obama :) But in my commentary here, I try to use my BRAIN and separate what I WANT to see. It appears that McCain IS benefitting.
I also believe that both Dems are receiving votes from Republicans that didn''t feel the need to vote in the Republican primary since it was already decides so early. That gives the ILLUSION of overwhelming support for Democrats. Why waste a vote for McCain since he''s got it wrapped up? Go vote for the Democrat you''d rather see him run against! I think many in the media are underestimating that phenomenon. It was RAMPANT in my state....and all people talked about was the record turnout for the Dems.
I''ll believe that when I see it.
Hillbillies weren''t going to vote Democratic anyway, I''m not worried about offending them.
How many times has Obama commented on Bosnia? On Mark Penn?
The fact is, Obama lets alot of things go. Hillary does not let ANYTHING go. Now here is my PERSONAL view: Obama has consistently criticized her criticisms of him. But he let''s her gaffes go without comment. On the other hand, if Obama farts Hillary comes over to smell it and criticize him for what he had for lunch.......
I think if I were you I''d have an ulcer.
Personally, I like both Hillary and Obama. I like them both a lot. I realize they are competing to distinguish themselves from each other and in the eyes of the American public, and in the world of politics, that means a sometimes ugly game. That''s just the way that it is.
Until the democratic primary is COMPLETE, McCain polls mean NOTHING. In my opinion. Once there''s a final democratic candidate set up against McCain, then we''ll see what is going to happen.
You, and others, seem to be saying that Hillary and Obama''s contest are "building up" McCain''s chances to win in November and I don''t see that at all. I see two great candidates competing for the nomination of their party, and I think most reasonable, non-partisan Americans see that too. Personally, I don''t mind much - I''ll be deleriously happy if either Obama or Hillary win the general election. I won''t even be 100% depressed if McCain wins - because the republicans have already lost. All their favorite horses died a few months back. So, that''s cause to celebrate, but don''t let the sometimes ugly nature of political competition lead you to overanalyze or question the validity of your candidates or their contest.
Obama in 08!!! Down with the saboteurs!!!
Beyond the political correcteness and the desire for our country to do right by minorities against the ages we all inherited; I am flabergasted by the generalities of the Obama campaign. He runs a good campaign, and while I respect the man, I dont think he is ready. Hiding behind vague rhetorics is insulting.
I dont have the time to read a 10 page document on a website to compare candidates. Obama - speaking to the idealists may convince a younger crowd, but I would seriously consider the republican challenger to his untested idealism.
To those who says he made the right decision re: Iraq. Presidents have to make thousands of decisions, not one, and the problems evolve, they dont stay stagnant... and then read what the Clinton campaign has to say about hiw wavering around the Iraq decision.
I believe Hillary is the practical choice. Her fellow Senators across the isle respect her. At the end, when party campaign funding comes to play, rethorics and aspirations only go so far...they will vote for their party line unless experienced negotiations prove otherwise.
This is a complex world we move into. We need people who have the experience to navigate. The Chinese and Indian and other governments do not speak the rethorics of idealism either.
Posted by spotchest
What arrogance...bwhahaaaaa....are you projecting, Hick? To think all Republicans or middle of the road Dems will vote McCain simply because they aren''t ''give it all away on a silver platter Liberals'' is mildly amusing....but so far off the mark it''s hysterically funny!!! Please keep your day job, as you s.uck at breaking it down politically.
Posted by spotchest
Too true, too true... hehe. Nice one.
Posted by spotchester at 01:02 PM
Also a good post, but important to remember that the republicans have ALREADY lost. All they have left is their lame duck McCain, whom they don''t even like. They just dislike him less than they dislike Hillary or Obama. *chuckle*
per A Muslim Cleric:
"Hussein Obama is a Muslim. He has not renounced his Muslim birth, at which
time, he received his Allah-inspired name. He must become an apostate to Islam
for him to truly not be Muslim -- and publicly announce this apostasy. This is
what he MUST do....but he will never do this. This Muslim can claim to be of ANY
religion, but as long as he does not become an apostate, he REMAINS Muslim"
!JERUSALEM - Sen. Barack Obama''s Chicago church reprinted a manifesto by
Hamas...} This comes to show you why people still believe Obama is a muslim and
that his so-called church has nothing to do with christianity. The following
facts cannot be denied: #1 he was born to a muslim father which automatically
makes him a muslim. #2 he was raised by his muslim step-father. #3 he attended
mosques and madrasas from his childhood. #4 he is a member of a church that
sympathizes with Hamas and hates America. #5 he is endorsed by Farrakhan and the
nation of islam gang. Hillary loves America. This is
not something that can be said about Obama and the people he surrounds himself
with.
He is dishonest, arrogrant, egotistical and a scam artist.
He is a bunch of words and a speech. He has nothing to back him, No history besides his friends. A criminal who dumped 250k of Muslim money in Obamas campaign. A Mad Bomber who is a Muslim supporter. A radical preacher who teaches racist and hate for America. They are the wind beneath his wings.
When he talks about changing government He does mean that but not in the way you think. He is a constitutional lawyer who wants a new constitution.
He wants to redistribute power in government. He wants to add new departments. That is his change he wants you to believe in. It is not for you or me. He has his own agenda.
He wants religion to be part of government, Golly-Gee isn''t that what all these Muslim states have?
All I''m saying is that driving around with a "Go Army" sticker on your pick-up doesn''t make you a patriot. Obama has done more for America than 95% of the people criticizing him. Hypocrites, one and all.
So the campaign is about a face that can be a series of changing masks and braggadocio and pandering or it can be a clarion call to wake up, get real, make inspiration and authenticity be the currency.
You can tell who and what I prefer. I could care less what the Clintons " really believe" because it vibrates and resonates and radiates out of every act, every word.
If Obama has to slay that dragon, fine. Get on with it.
He is the Black Savior, He wants to set the slaves free and give them the promised land. Didn''t you hear him ask In Greenville "Help me build a kingdom on earth"
Why do you think he plays the race thing, Why do you think he called you all racist.
Less than 5% of the country the white population have and racial recourse. 95% believe that civil rights was won and everyone one is equal and have been living that way for 20 years.
The Blacks have more racism problems and beliefs, They were taught it, preached and instilled in them.
They actually believe, Their lives are the way they are because of Slavery, That the government and the whites did this to them. Absurd and Stupid, But the black leaders have pounded it into their minds, hearts and souls. With repetition and preaching. same way obama got so many to think he was gods gift to America.
Go read all those Speeches he made, Read the ones in Selma, In Greenville, in all the churches obama visited. Then stop and think.
Then go read up on how Hitler won over so many people.
Obama has done it the same way.
His campaign has set you up, the Economy up and this country for the biggest disaster In history.
So do not buy into the hype and *** he says. Don''t give up on your country or you will lose it. Do not give up on your fellow Americans.
Time for The Real Americans to Stand up and Say Hell No.
Obama thinks your bitter, frustrated sniveling fools.
How many times has Obama commented on Bosnia? On Mark Penn?
The fact is, Obama lets alot of things go. Hillary does not let ANYTHING go. Now here is my PERSONAL view: Obama has consistently criticized her criticisms of him. But he let''''s her gaffes go without comment. On the other hand, if Obama farts Hillary comes over to smell it and criticize him for what he had for lunch.......
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Posted by blazercoach1 at 12:54 PM : Apr 14, 2008
You must not be watching or reading the news. A day has not gone by in the past week in which he has not mentioned at least one and usually both of these. I know that him doing so contradicts his image of the great unifying new kind of politician. But, guess what, he''s pretty much blowing smoke when he says this. If you get your wish, you will find out that he is not that much different from most other politicians. The fact remains, there will be change whether Obama or Clinton replace Bush. But for Obama to acknowledge that would remove one of his biggest selling points on why anyone should vote for him.
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Posted by Tanktyler at 01:06 PM : Apr 14, 2008
Well said...
No, I''m educated and I live in a fairly liberal city. Did I offend you? That wasn''t my intention. I don''t mind hillbillies, I *do* mind hillbillies who haven''t done their research and instead throw out whatever garbage they can remember from Fox News.
calls for the murder of Jews - to America%u2019s Declaration of Independence. The Hamas piece was published on the %u201CPastor%u2019s Page%u201D of the Trinity United Church of Christ newsletter reserved for Rev. Wright.This revelation follows a recent WND article quoting Israeli security officials who expressed %u201Cconcern%u201D about Robert Malley, an adviser to Obama who has
advocated negotiations with Hamas and providing international assistance to the terrorist group.
In his July 22, 2007, church bulletin, Wright reprinted an article by Mousa
Abu Marzook, identified in the newsletter as a %u201Cdeputy of the political bureau
of Hamas.%u201D According to senior Israeli security officials, Marzook, who resides in Syria alongside Hamas chieftain Khaled Meshaal, is considered the %u201Cbrains%u201D behind Hamas, designing much of the terror group%u2019s policies and ideology. Israel
possesses what it says is a large volume of specific evidence that Marzook has
been directly involved in calling for or planning scores of Hamas terrorist
offensives, including deadly suicide bombings. He was also accused of attempting
to set up a Hamas network in the U.S.
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