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Ear to the Ground

Death by a Thousand Memos

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Posted on Mar 24, 2008

With the next contest still weeks away, the Democratic candidates, their staffs and surrogates can hardly take a breath without a heated exchange between the campaigns in the form of an angry memo or conference call to the media. Bill Richardson’s endorsement of Barack Obama has been but the latest opportunity for such organized squabbling.

But it is not the only example. In the last few days alone, the campaigns have signaled their shock and outrage over a number of mostly minor developments.

By far the most childish exchange was prompted by the Bill Clinton-Tony McPeak affair. Several rounds after the controversy had already spun itself out, the campaigns were still sniping at each other.

At this point the so-called dream ticket isn’t just unlikely, it’s difficult to fathom.


U.S. News and World Report:

Instead of using the six-week lull—when there are no primaries or caucuses—as an opportunity to debate big issues and elevate the tone, the run-up to Pennsylvania has been filled with recriminations and increasingly nasty charges. All this has intensified the concern of many Democrats that the animosities between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in their closely fought nomination race are getting out of hand.

The latest blowup came over the weekend. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson’s endorsement of Obama on Friday provoked an unusually harsh response from James Carville, one of Hillary Clinton’s informal advisers. Carville told the New York Times that Richardson had committed “an act of betrayal” and said it “came right around the anniversary of the day when Judas sold out for 30 pieces of silver, so I think the timing is appropriate, if ironic.”

Richardson fired back on Fox News Sunday: “I’m not going to get in the gutter like that. And you know, that’s typical of many of the people around Senator Clinton. They think they have a sense of entitlement to the presidency.” Richardson was energy secretary and United Nations ambassador for President Bill Clinton, and the Clintons seem more than a little angered at his endorsement of Clinton’s rival.

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By Purple Girl, March 25, 2008 at 9:22 am #

There “IS” “SO”  much for US to be talking about. We ALL know the Laundry List of Situations and Issues we MUST FOCUS on!
You would think with 24 yr ‘news’ coverage the ‘Free Press’ could find some time to Demand some answers from these PERSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES! At Least let US see a Full Resume, and Performance Review.
Yeah I’m Interested in Who’s Blowing Who”- but not regarding sexual matters of two consenting Adults. I want to know WHO IS Screwing US!-WE Never Consented!
Neither of the Dem candidates have even poked at the subject of Legal Action against those who have for Decades placed our citizens and our Country in Harms Way Fro a Profit, A market Share, “World Order”. Let’s scrape the Sh*t off our Shoes, and things Will Change

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By Purple Girl, March 25, 2008 at 9:12 am #

Clintons are not as dumb as they are acting right Now. Same as Cheney and fiends do not have “oops’ moments.
Actually the point that Bill must want her to lose could be valid. She certainly has not shined any good light on His Preisdency, not helped pull his legacy out of the Hole. Are We in the middle of a Domestic Dispute? May Bill Fears Hillary Too? Or reents her for riding his Coat Tail (and Padding her Resume) all these Years (These ‘wives’ stay with these High Profile men for their own gains- I find a Money Exchange at least more Honest and Straight forward. they deserve no pat on the Back, Nor a Promotion ).
This 2x Bill supporter and avid Defender has left the ‘Funhouse’.

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By P. T., March 25, 2008 at 12:03 am #

A person who supports Clinton is in no position to be calling someone else “Judas.” Remember, the Clintons supported NAFTA. Talk about “Judas”!

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By cyrena, March 24, 2008 at 7:39 pm #

It is a shame Louise…down right depressing actually.

For Obama in the ‘damned if he does, and damned if he doesn’t’ syndrome, it’s been ages now. Still, thanks for pointing out the lunacy of it.

Ya know, you’re not the first one to suggest that it seems like Bill almost WANTS Hillary to lose, if only because there’s no other explanation for his stupidity in some of the things that he’s said over the past few months.

But, we know that he is NOT a stupid man, and that’s why it would seem like he must want her to lose. I don’t think it’s that though.

I’m inclined to see this the same way that I have from the beginning, which is that desperate people do desperate things, and when they become desperate enough, they start grasping at emergency mode stuff, without having given enough thought to how it might backfire, and do the opposite of what they intended.

It’s like a grease fire breaks out in a kitchen, and in a moment of panic or hysteria, one grabs for a huge bucket of water and throws it on. Well, that just makes it 5 times worse. Sand or even baking soda would have been better, but nobody thought of having that on hand, in the event of such an emergency.

BECAUSE..from the beginning, Hillary’s team was confident that she would win, and pretty much by a landslide. (and I’m sure Bill thought the same). So, the only thing they ever really planned for was the Kitchen sink method that they’ve employed, and even then, they didn’t expect to need it. Once it became required, (to reach for the closest and fasting thing available) to squash the fire, that’s what they did. Again, in panic mode. 

At that point, it’s just become a frenzy of the same, without anybody bothering to stop and take a breath, to say…wait, maybe this isn’t working. Maybe we’re in some quicksand here, and maybe we’ll have to figure a different way out, because the more we thrash about, the quicker we sink.

How long does it take to figure that out? How long does it take say, to drive down an unfamiliar road, before one realizes that maybe they’ve gone off in the wrong direction, and should stop and either check the map, (or ask for directions) before continuing on.

And, it’s bizarre, because it’s so totally contrary to the actions of a good strategist, who generally considers all possibilities, before making ANY moves, and then plans accordingly, (in advance) for how they will then respond.

HOWEVER, that takes a measure of humility, and a realization that one cannot control public perception in what is such a vast society, (national v state level) in such a diverse country. That means that the ‘arrogance’ inherent in “ASSUMPTION’ will kick one in the ass, each and every time.

I would expect both of the Clinton’s to know this, but….times change, and circumstances change, and that’s where they may have missed the boat.

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By Louise, March 24, 2008 at 5:55 pm #

There really is nothing new here folks. Just a re-hash of the same tired “points” with one teeny new angle. Now, since Richardson has endorsed Obama, Obama is being accused of ...

“... breaking his promise to stay on the “high ground” and added that the Obama campaign’s main message is “not to build him up but to tear Senator Clinton down.”

Gosh, I didn’t realize that meant he should refuse public endorsements the Hillary camp figured they should get by default! I mean last time I looked, it was still a free country! Is accepting an endorsement NOT staying on the high ground? And how does that tear Clinton down?

What was he supposed to do, say no thank you? Now that would have been a field-day for the brain dead pundits! Or maybe we missed the kidnapping when Obama roped and hauled him in ... duh

And this is a real gem, “Clinton aides point out ... he should have endorsed Obama weeks ago and perhaps made a difference in Texas and other heavily Hispanic areas.”

Clinton aides are running off at the mouth because Obama didn’t pick up Richardson’s endorsement earlier?!

Yeh, that makes sense ... I guess ... if it could have made a difference. Hillary might have quit already. Geez there’s no pleasing those folks. They’re mad because Obama got that endorsement and they’re mad because he didn’t get it sooner!

Go figure.

When Richardson was asked about being compared to Judas, he said, “I’m not going to get in the gutter like that.”

Good idea.

Meanwhile Hillary would do well to boot all of her official and unofficial supporters/advisers out the door.
Including Bill! [I always figured she might have trouble getting him to Butt Out! In fact I’m beginning to suspect deep in his heart he wants her to lose, cause his behavior makes no sense otherwise!]

Yep. Nothing new here, except maybe the title:
“Richardson Endorsement Sparks More Negative Campaigning in Clinton-Obama Race”
“Leading up to Pennsylvania, the Democratic presidential contest is getting nasty”

But new or not, like all things mainstreammedia the title’s misleading. ‘Cause the nasty and negative seems to all be flowing down-hill from the Clinton camp. And there’s no campaigning about it!

And as far as their concern about other superdelegates following Richardson’s lead goes.
Has it ever occured to them that maybe a wish to dis-associate from the nasty and negative led him to make that decision? And have they considered the nasty and negative could influence a lot of other superdelegates the same way?

Yep, like I said, Hillary would do well to boot them all out the door. They are burying her alive under their run-away muck!
Damn shame!

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