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Clinton Campaign Pushes Rev. Wright Story to Win Over Superdelegates
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ABC News asks Hillary Clinton if her campaign is pushing Jeremiah Wright to superdelegates:
ABC News' Eloise Harper Reports: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign has strictly maintained a public position not to comment on Sen. Barack Obama's relationship with Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Many times, questions have been answered with -- "you will have to ask Senator Obama about that."
However at a Thursday press availability in Terra Haute, Indiana after a report surfaced that the Clinton campaign was pushing the Wright story to superdelegates arguing that the relationship hurt Obama's electibility -- Clinton refused to deny that her campaign was pushing the story.
When asked, Clinton ignored the Wright portion of the question and said "well my campaign has been making the case that I am the most electable that I have said that for a year or more that I am the person best able to make the challenges that our country faces as commander in chief."
When Clinton was then asked specifically if her campaign was pushing the Wright story -- she shrugged and took the next question, ignoring the reporter.
Well, I just returned from my ward meeting tonight in University City, Philadelphia, and two Clinton staffers made an appearance. When one spoke on behalf of Hillary Clinton, he specifically listed Jeremiah Wright as an example of why Obama would be less electable in the general election. The context of his argument was that the Wright story demonstrated that Obama had not gone through the rigors of a presidential election before, and it was possible that more damaging stories like that would come out as the campaign progressed. Aka, the Wright story is demonstrative of how Obama is less electable.
While we are not superdelegates, we are committee people in Pennsylvania, so the campaigns consider us very important right now. Maybe not superdelegate important, but important none the less. Also, the staffers were aware that I was a committee person in Ward 27, and so they must have known that there was a good chance I would report on what they said to the blogosphere.
Now, whether or not you consider using Jeremiah Wright in an electability argument off-limits might be another matter. The story has obviously hurt Obama in the polls on at least a temporary basis, and even I have argued that the story has hurt Obama's chances to become President (although I also think he is still the favorite). However, since I was in a position tonight to gather real news on an issue the press is discussing, I thought I would report what I found. Yes, the Clinton campaign is arguing to party officials, including me, that the Wright story demonstrates Clinton is more electable. Take that for what it is worth.
Update: Just to be clear--which seems exceptionally difficult in any online discussion of the presidential campaign--I didn't say it was good or bad, I just said it was happening. And yeah, when I can confirm a story because it happened in public and in my neighborhood, then I'm going to report it. I guess that is part of my ethics.
AlterNet is a nonprofit organization and does not make political endorsements. The opinions expressed by its writers are their own.
Chris Bowers was a full-time editor at MyDD from May 2004 until June 2007. Some of his projects have included the creation of the Liberal Blog Advertising Network, the first scientifically random poll of progressive netroots activists, the Use It Or Lose It campaign, the nation's most accurate forecast of Democratic house pickups in 2006, and the 2006 Googlebomb the Elections campaign.
| Also by Chris Bowers | ||||
| Obama's Activist Victory Here are the four keys to Obama's victory. June 4, 2008. |
Obama Will Narrowly Win the Popular Vote Cutting through the spin in the popular vote count. June 2, 2008. |
Bob Barr Wins Libertarian Nomination Is Barr McCain's Perot? May 27, 2008. |
Republicans to Campaign as Democrats The Republicans are hoping to co-opt the Democratic message to stem their losses in November. May 19, 2008. |
Handicapping the Veepstakes The Hill asks 97 Senators whether or not they would accept an offer to be their party's Vice Presidential nominee. May 13, 2008. |
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