Conservative columnist [Novak] baits Democratic rivals

Source: boston globe



Conservative columnist baits Democratic rivals
November 18, 2007

WASHINGTON - Top Democratic rivals for president tore into each other yesterday after a conservative columnist asserted that front-runner Hillary Clinton claimed to have damaging information about Barack Obama.

The Clinton campaign denied the accusation, saying that Obama's reaction to the vaguely worded column by Robert Novak played into Republican hands and showed the Illinois senator's lack of political savvy.

Obama's team later said they took the Clinton campaign at its word but bristled at the idea that they fell for Republican tricks and should not have fought back against "smear politics" in the race for the presidency in the November 2008 election.

Novak, a syndicated columnist, wrote: "Agents of Sen. Hillary Clinton are spreading the word in Democratic circles that she has scandalous information about her principal opponent for the party's presidential nomination, Sen. Barack Obama, but has decided not to use it."

Novak did not specify the information or give more details about its source.


Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/11/18/conservative_columnist_baits_democratic_rivals?mode=PF

---

and obama fell for it.

Nice try, though.

if there was another way he could have done it==maybe like recogizing it was Novak who was spewing out garbage.

rather than Clinton.



Forum Name Latest Breaking News
Topic subject Clinton Camp Fires Back Over Novak Column
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3069773#3069773
3069773, Clinton Camp Fires Back Over Novak Column
Posted by DeepModem Mom on Sat Nov-17-07 09:43 PM

Source: NYT/Reuters

By REUTERS
Published: November 17, 2007

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top Democratic rivals for president tore into each other on Saturday after a conservative columnist asserted front-runner Hillary Clinton claimed to have damaging information about Barack Obama.

The Clinton campaign denied the accusation, saying Obama's reaction to the vaguely worded column by Robert Novak played into Republican hands and showed the Illinois senator's lack of political savvy. Obama's team later said they took the Clinton campaign at its word but bristled at the idea they fell for Republican tricks and should not have fought back against "smear politics" in the race for the presidency in the November 2008 election.

Clinton, a senator from New York and the wife of former President Bill Clinton, has been the target of frequent attacks by Obama and some of the other Democratic contenders for the White House over her ability to deliver straight answers.

Novak, a syndicated columnist, wrote: "Agents of Sen. Hillary Clinton are spreading the word in Democratic circles that she has scandalous information about her principal opponent for the party's presidential nomination, Sen. Barack Obama, but has decided not to use it." Novak did not specify the information or give more details about its source....

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-usa-politics-obama-clinton.html

:shrug:

Then there's no excuse at all for his gaff.

That's why he took strong, tough action and made Hillaryworld back peddle ASAP. lol

Because Hillaryworld would NEVER plant stories with a right-wing source... like she did with
Drudge twice now -- that we know of.

Who writes your stuff?? They should get a comedy award!!

Checkmate. Your Queen is dead.

I know who writes your stuff: HillaryHub, HillaryIs44 (via Mark Penn, Blackwater PR rep/push pollster/
Clinton campaign manager, with Peter Daou, Hillaryworld's Internet guru planting anti-Obama smears
with loyal Clintonian blogger stenographers like Taylor Marsh and Daily Howler).

Imagine that. A pollster is running the Clinton campaign. Explains a lot.

in trying to prevent Kerry from being Gore's VP candidate instead of Lieberman.

You can fault Clark for taking on Lehane. That is valid.
You can definately fault Clark for the shit his staff pulls.

But do NOT say that it was Clark who spread that crap about Kerry and the intern.

It was Chris Lehane.

http://www.mydd.com/story/2007/6/12/01712/5390

One very prominent Clinton surrogate is Chris Lehane, who ran negative campaigns for Gore in 2000 and ran the Clark campaign into the ground in 2004 (after resigning from the Kerry campaign), along with his partner Mark Fabiani. Lehane, though he doesn't officially work for Clinton, has a long relationship with the Clinton and their machine entourage, even garnering PR business with current Clinton communications director and former Glover Park Partner Howard Wolfsen on Michael Moore's films, which are produced by Clinton ally and supporter Harvey Weinstein (see this clip, where both Weinstein and Moore laud Clinton and discuss Weinstein's relationship with her). Lehane is regularly used by reporters as a quote machine, speaking unofficially for the campaigns in a 'hands-off' manner so Clinton spokespeople don't have to say it. When Lehane says something, you can pretty much be assured that it's coming from the Clinton campaign.

He is a known LIAR and Traitor and it is amazing how many supposed "Americans" will allow him to voice his garbage...

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 is an inveterate gossipmonger par excellence who will spread maliciious
stories in the blink of an eye without question (see Valerie Plame).

"Politics is a blood sport." ~ Bill Clinton

Responded quickly? Check.

Responded himself rather than through a spokesperson? Check.

Criticized the lack of facts and substance in Novak's story? Check.

Told Novak to put up or shut up? BEEEEEEEEEEEEP! No, he told HILLARY to put or shut up instead.

Though he clearly learned something from the madrassah smear, he apparently didn't learn anything from Hillary's expecting HIM to apologize for remarks that Dave Geffen made about her own husband.

However, Obama did nail Hillary on the Social Security salary cap at the Vegas debate, so what do you say that we call it a wash?

:headbang:
rocknation

Rookie mistake. Not unexpected, and would never have happen to an experienced Democrat.
Maybe Obama had no idea who Bob Novak was? That could be he only excuse for looking so stupid.

respect for him

August 8, 2003
Younger Blacks Tell Democrats to Take Notice
By LYNETTE CLEMETSON


LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The debate had become a familiar one for LaShannon Spencer. As director of political affairs for the Democratic Party of Arkansas, Ms. Spencer, 30, is charged with taking the pulse of voters and keeping them connected to the party.

But at Cajun's Wharf, a restaurant and bar on the banks of the Arkansas River that is popular with young professionals, Ms. Spencer's political pitch was met with skepticism.



LaShannon Spencer is finding that young blacks are not as connected to the Democratic Party as their elders.

snip
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/08/national/08VOTE.html?ei=5007&en=1eb5085cd879c762&ex=1375675200&partner=USERLAND&pagewanted=all&position=

.........
..........

Transcript: The Democratic Presidential debate

Published: November 15, 2007
BLITZER: Welcome back to the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. We're at the Democratic presidential debate. Suzanne Malveaux's got another undecided voter with a question.

MALVEAUX: LaShannon Spencer, please stand up for a moment. What is your question?




http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/11/16/america/15debatetranscript.php?page=25

CNN’s Malveaux Modifies Voter Question to Make It About Abortion
By Matthew Balan | November 16, 2007 - 13:05 ET
CNN’s Suzanne Malveaux, while moderating the second half of the Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas on Thursday night, added her own "two cents" to a question she fielded from an "undecided voter." After the voter asked the nominees what qualifications a Supreme Court nominee should possess, Malveaux directed the question to Senator Christopher Dodd, and added whether or not he would "require nominees to support abortion rights."

LaShannon Spencer, who was identified as a member of the First African Methodist Church, asked the question near the top of the 10 pm Eastern hour.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/matthew-balan/2007/11/16/cnn-s-malveaux-modifies-voter-question-make-it-about-abortion

-Just saying, the audience will always be stacked with ringeras throwing slow pitch curves from now on...and all sides will report the mud.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/17/AR2007111701599.html?nav=hcmodule
Clinton and Obama Campaigns Clash Over Report
Columnist Asserts That Senator From New York Has Damaging Information About Her Rival

By Anne E. Kornblut
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, November 18, 2007; Page A08

Just days after a series of sharp exchanges in a debate Thursday night, a tense back-and-forth erupted between two top Democratic presidential candidates Saturday as Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) accused Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) of spreading rumors that her campaign is in possession of potentially damaging information about her rival.

Robert D. Novak wrote in his syndicated weekend column that "agents" of the Clinton campaign have been "spreading the word in Democratic circles that she has scandalous information about her principal opponent." Novak did not offer any further details about the allegedly negative information.


The Obama campaign lashed out at the report, saying it is "devoid of facts, but heavy on innuendo and insinuation of the sort to which we've become all too accustomed in our politics these past two decades."

Obama challenged Clinton's campaign to either make the information public "or concede the truth: that there is none."

Why didn't she?

Why does it seem like she was waiting for HIS camp to respond first?

"The old man says the mean lady isn't gonna say something bad about me!"
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!

Why any of our candidates are paying attention to Novak is beyond comprehension.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/17/AR2007111701599.html?nav=hcmodule
Clinton and Obama Campaigns Clash Over Report
Columnist Asserts That Senator From New York Has Damaging Information About Her Rival

By Anne E. Kornblut
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, November 18, 2007; Page A08

Just days after a series of sharp exchanges in a debate Thursday night, a tense back-and-forth erupted between two top Democratic presidential candidates Saturday as Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) accused Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) of spreading rumors that her campaign is in possession of potentially damaging information about her rival.

Robert D. Novak wrote in his syndicated weekend column that "agents" of the Clinton campaign have been "spreading the word in Democratic circles that she has scandalous information about her principal opponent." Novak did not offer any further details about the allegedly negative information.


The Obama campaign lashed out at the report, saying it is "devoid of facts, but heavy on innuendo and insinuation of the sort to which we've become all too accustomed in our politics these past two decades."

Obama challenged Clinton's campaign to either make the information public "or concede the truth: that there is none."

Rookie mistake.

Obama may have heard it from other more reliable sources before this, then Novak made it public once he got wind of it.

Disinformation worked well for the neocons in the past, lets not let them define what we are.

They should remind him of it.

or are we just going to pile on Obama/Clinton? Last time I checked his salicious rumor-mongering was TREASON, not a lie.

:mad:

Though I'll add another.

Why are his employers still taken seriously? Even on DU?

Kudos to him for standing up to the viscous dirty politics that emanates from both sides of the aisle.