Aug. 25, 09:38 am
Ah yes, another day, another story about the infighting between the Clinton and Obama wings of the Democratic Party, and John McCain’s team is making the most of it. Because, in actuality, though the traditional media want to make this out to be something else, this is what this is about. There are two equally passionate groups inside the party today. But the Politico piece making the rounds isn’t interested in this story, which is at the heart of what’s going on. What they want to do is stoke the psychodrama battle. Tensions boil between Obama and Clinton camps, screams the Politico:
The former president is disappointed, associates said, because he is eager to speak about the economy and more broadly about Democratic ideas — emphasizing the contrast between the Bush years and his own record in the 1990s.
This is an especially sore point for Bill Clinton, people close to him say, because among many grievances he has about the campaign Obama waged against his wife is a belief that the candidate poor-mouthed the political and policy successes of his two terms.
Some senior Democrats close to Obama, meanwhile, made clear in not-for-attribution comments that they were equally irked at the Clinton operation. Nearly three months after Hillary Clinton conceded defeat in the nomination contest, these Obama partisans complained, her team continues to act like she and Bill Clinton hold leverage.
Considering all the emails I’m getting from the McCain camp, you have to wonder if they’ve placed moles in both Democratic camps in order to get this story written, which will be parroted by the cable talking heads. McCain’s people, a.k.a. Bush’s people, also released two ads trying to stir this one up. “Passed Over” and “Debra” are sure to be classics that would make Richard Nixon proud. Debra Bartoshevich was a Hillary Clinton superdelegate to the convention, until she was stripped of that status after she announced that she would be supporting John McCain.
But really, can you just imagine what Politico would have written about JFK and LBJ? Brother Bobby boils over as brother Jack gives the nod to LBJ? Or maybe Will brothers come to blows over LBJ?
At least Marc Ambinder has names and actual texts of disgruntled HRC supporters. But these comments are just embarrassing:
Why can’t BO just be nice to her??
What is this, high school? For some Hillary supporters it evidently is.
As a Hillary supporter to this day, though I’m working hard to elect Obama, I’ve had nothing but full support from the Obama camp on anything I’ve needed, whether it’s access to foreign policy conference calls or answers to tough questions. The coordination from the primaries between the camps was effortless. Considering I was one of Obama’s toughest critics, that says a lot. It continues today.
But you have to love the energy behind and the sourcing on the Politico article, which is the standard these days on anything having to do with the O-C camp kerfuffle. “Not-for-attribution comments” might as well be noted as “unhinged fringe ignore Hillary’s lead.” As for the “Obama partisans complained” section of the article, are we talking about people anywhere close to Obama’s inner circle that actually know what’s going on? Or is it simply more political juveniles acting out?
A joint statement by the Obama and Clinton camps:
We understand that some in the news media are more interested in reporting the rumor of controversy than the fact of unity. The fact is that our teams are working closely to ensure a successful convention and will continue to do so. Senator and President Clinton fully support the Obama/Biden ticket and look forward to addressing the convention and the nation on the urgency of victory this fall. Anyone saying anything else doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Period.
Clinton has been campaigning for Obama for weeks. On Wednesday she will release her delegates formally, at an event that is sure to be standing room only, including myself. She’s likely to give the speech of her life and maybe even the convention tomorrow. As for William Jefferson Clinton, he’s the only two-term Democratic president since FDR. The Clinton Global Initiative is doing work around the globe on matters of real importance to whole countries. So, sure he wants to pick his speech topic, but he’s not going to throw a national tantrum over it. He knows what the media will do with it.
So, the whole “tensions boil” is beyond overblown. However, it’s a great big fat gift to John McCain, who continues his reign as the original media darling.
Oh, and as for the ads the McCain campaign is trumpeting, hoping to target disappointed HRC supporters, Hillary sent yet another unequivocal message about that today:
“I’m Hillary Clinton and I do not approve that message,” Clinton tells the New York delegation of McCain’s ad that features her old criticism of Obama.
Are you hearing Hillary now?
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