Obama to Clinton: Don't 'Swift Boat' me

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/11/17/obama-to-clinton-dont-swift-boat-me/

Obama to Clinton: Don't 'Swift Boat' me

Obama reacted Saturday to reports that a smear from the Clinton campaign may be coming.

(CNN)–Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama called on his rival for the nomination. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-New York, to put to rest a report that agents of her campaign are spreading word of an alleged scandal involving Obama.

"She of all people, having complained so often about 'the politics of personal destruction,' should move quickly to either stand by or renounce these tactics," Obama said in a statement released by his campaign on Saturday.

Obama's comments stem from an item published Saturday in the 'New York Post' by Robert Novak. Novak claimed that surrogates for Clinton have mounted a word of mouth campaign among Democratic circles regarding scandalous information the Clinton campaign has about Obama. Novak said that experienced veterans of Democratic politics believe the Clinton campaign is withholding the release of the information because it wants to avoid a re-play of the 2004 nomination fight, when attacks on each other by Richard Gephardt, and Howard Dean were credited with assisting the rise and eventual nomination of another candidate, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry.

" The cause of change in this country will not be deterred or sidetracked by the old 'Swift Boat' politics," the Illinois senator went on to say in the statement. "But in the interest of our party, and her own reputation, Senator Clinton should either make public any and all information referred to in the item, or concede the truth: that there is none."

"We have no idea what Mr. Novak's item is about and reject it totally," Clinton campaign spokesman Phil Singer told CNN Saturday. "Instead of pointing fingers at us,Senator Obama should get back to the issues and focus on what this election is really about."

"Once again Senator Obama is echoing Republican talking points, this time from Bob Novak. This is how Republicans work," Singer went on to say. "A Republican leaning journalist runs a blind item designed to set Democrats against one another. Experienced Democrats see this for what it is. Others get distracted and thrown off their games. Voters should be concerned about the readiness of any Democrat inexperienced enough to fall for this. There is a campaign in this race that has engaged in the very practice that Senator Obama is decrying, and it's his."

That's what he said; how is the title sensationalistic? Did you even bother to read this?

He got played by Bob Novak.

:boring:

k...that was funny.:rofl:

to give credence to a story from Robert Novak is insane.

I'm by no means in the Clinton camp at this point (I'm not in the
anybody camp at this point) but this is just ludicrous. Someone who
is known to use their column specifically to fuck over Democrats
writes an unsourced item about unnamed Clinton operatives doing some
unspecified thing to damage Obama's campaign because he's the
frontrunner and she's askeered of him and the Clinton campaign has to
prove a negative?

This looks like a two-fer for the Obama campaign going into
the first primaries - Hillary gets bad publicity and Obama helps
build his image as the anti-Hillary.

Using right-wing talking points, for the second time in two weeks
to accomplish that is over the line into useful idiot territory.

Obama might have inside info that her campaign is doing this. Novak does have a lot of connections which is amazing to me but there it is. Presidential politics is a blood sport these days which is a shame.

This BS has been logged in by some journalist on the beltway. It's been around for a month or so and apparently there must be some truth to it because Bambi is making a pre-emptive strike against Hillary (how CONVENIENT!).

Michelle hasn't been too visible lately either, except when she's talking BS to a reporter about racism. I find her to be a very inwardly strange individual. She's carrying around a lot of racist baggage just simmering under the boiling point ready to spill over. If he doesn't lose the nomination all by himself...she is sure to sabotage whats left of his flagging campaign.

:D

n/t

Clinton campaign's response to Obamas statement on Novak hit piece...
Posted by rodeodance on Sat Nov-17-07 12:54 PM

Forum Name General Discussion: Politics
Topic subject Clinton campaign's response to Obamas statement on Novak hit piece...
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3730742#3730742
3730742, Clinton campaign's response to Obamas statement on Novak hit piece...
Posted by SaveElmer on Sat Nov-17-07 12:49 PM


"Once again Senator Obama is echoing Republican talking points, this time from Bob Novak. This is how Republicans work. A Republican leaning journalist runs a blind item designed to set Democrats against one another. Experienced Democrats see this for what it is. Others get distracted and thrown off their games. Voters should be concerned about the readiness of any Democrat inexperienced enough to fall for this. There is only one campaign in this race that has actually engaged in the very practice that Senator Obama is decrying, and it's his. We have no idea what Mr. Novak's item is about and reject it totally. Instead of pointing fingers at us, Senator Obama should get back to the issues and focus on what this election is really about."



Democrats again fall for a rw disinformation campaign...

"The Clinton campaign has admitted that they do not possess the ‘scandalous information’ in question and we take them
at their word," said David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager in a statement on Saturday. "But what we don’t accept is
their assertion that this is somehow falling for Republican tricks. This is exactly the kind of smear politics, Democrats
need to fight back on, regardless of the source or the party. Democrats should know that when Barack Obama is their
nominee, he will not allow the ‘Swift boat’ politics of fear and diversion to prevail in this campaign."

I like that "take no shit" attitude by Obama! If the Clinton campaign was trying to start a swiftboating whisper campaign,
they failed miserably.

What idiots the Obamas have become...

What swiftboating sleezeballs the Clintons have become. Taking a page out of the Republican playbook
didn't work this time.

Checkmate. The Queen is dead.

suspicious of the reason behind the article! Bob has been a Pub writer forever, and it wouldn't surprise me if what Singer said was the real truth! Say something by saying nothing just to cause dissent inside the Dems!

Hillary will do anything with anybody if it helped her be the Democratic nominee. And Chris Lehane, Mark Penn, and
Harold Wolfson know damn well that Novak will spread maliciious stories (see Valerie Plame). F*ck them for swiftboating
a good Democrat!!

Hillary has no reason to repond to Obama's scandals. She is 20 points ahead.Even if she looses Iowa it doesnot matter.IT is just a cockass,only 184000.people show up after candidates spend their lives there.Iowans should all come to vote.She kicked their ass,in the debtes ., could be the 12% erdid this,he is a slimy lawyer.

Hint: Posting while sober is a plus.

:rofl: Reminds me of posts I've seen elsewhere...:freak:

Nice. They're swiftboating Obama while denying they're swiftboating him, unbelievable sh*ts that they are..

Face it, Novak is twice the politician Obama is.
Obama got his lunch money stolen - again.

Say anything / do anything....if it can be used to manufacture some political advantage, eh.

Obama called Hillary and her henchmen out for their sleaziness and she knuckled under. Still...people don't believe her. When her credibilty ranks no higher than does Robert Fuckin' Novakula's, you know she's in trouble.

Many here are sick of the Chimpy-Clinton way of doing business. That...you're going to have to deal with.

That might be the dumbest thing ever typed on DU. I can't be certain though, for I have not read all your posts. :rofl:

after Obama demanded it? Still, her claim rings of a sorry bit of "plausible deniablility."

My guess is that there's more to come on this story...and it won't reflect well on "your girl."

You're new to this, right? They were probably to busy laughing at him.
:rofl:

The point is that they did respond swiftly with their denials.

Silly.

when they're not directed towards her.

:rofl:

Obama's lack of experience is glaring.