Obama, Clinton Rivalry Flares Over Donor

[ieffinhatecardio]

Things are getting ugly over in Democratic Presidential Candidate land. The big dog campaign donors are worth fighting for apparently.


By NEDRA PICKLER and BRENDAN RILEY

WASHINGTON (AP) - The rival presidential campaigns of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama traded accusations of nasty politics Wednesday over Hollywood donor David Geffen, who once backed Bill Clinton but now supports his wife's top rival.

The Clinton campaign demanded that Obama denounce comments made by the DreamWorks movie studio founder, who told New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd in Wednesday's editions that while "everybody in politics lies," the former president and his wife "do it with such ease, it's troubling."

The Clinton camp also called on Obama to give back Geffen's $2,300 contribution.

Campaigning in Iowa, Obama refused.

"It's not clear to me why I'd be apologizing for someone else's remark," the Illinois senator said.

For her part, New York Sen. Clinton sidestepped questions, leaving the issue to her aides to discuss.

"I'm just going to stay focused on my campaign and I'm going to run a positive campaign about the issues that affect the people in our country," she told The Associated Press in an interview in Nevada. She was participating a candidate forum in Carson City.

The Clinton team seemed eager to continue the attack. With Obama in Iowa, aides arranged for former Iowa attorney general Bonnie Campbell to criticize him in a conference call with reporters.

In the newspaper interview, Geffen also said Bill Clinton is "a reckless guy" and he does not think Hillary Clinton can bring the country together during a time of war, no matter how smart or ambitious she is.

Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs added another criticism of Clinton.

"It is also ironic that Senator Clinton lavished praise on Monday and is fully willing to accept today the support of South Carolina state Sen. Robert Ford, who said if Barack Obama were to win the nomination, he would drag down the rest of the Democratic Party because 'he's black,'" Gibbs' statement said.

Ford later apologized. The Clinton campaign said it disagreed with Ford, but the senator has embraced his support.

Another Democratic presidential candidate, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, said at the candidate forum that Obama should denounce Geffen's comments. "We Democrats should all sign a pledge that we all be positive," Richardson said.

http://apnews1.iwon.com//article/20070222/D8NEFMUG0.html

[BRUCE]

Why do I sense Obama is coming out the winner in all of this?

[Camel Jockey]

Why do I sense Obama is coming out the winner in all of this?

That can't make your prime minister too happy..

[BRUCE]

That can't make your prime minister too happy..

Most likely not, but I don't think a strategy to bail on Iraq in around a years' time will sit too comfortably with the American people, either.

We shall see.

[G o a t b o y]

Why do I sense Obama is coming out the winner in all of this?

Because so far he's not a whiny bitch like Hillary and Richardson?

[BRUCE]

Because so far he's not a whiny bitch like Hillary and Richardson?

I think that's what I was getting at!

[OKMike]

I have never seen a politician sidestep direct questions more than Hillary Clinton, and she hand picks every interviewer.  She is afraid to go on Bill O'Reilly's show.

[240 is Back]

"It's not clear to me why I'd be apologizing for someone else's remark," the Illinois senator said.

Damn, he's smooth.

[BRUCE]

Damn, he's smooth.

True!

[24KT]

Damn, he's smooth.

Quote from: ieffinhatecardio on February 21, 2007, 10:36:34 PM
"It's not clear to me why I'd be apologizing for someone else's remark," the Illinois senator said.

there's nothing smooth about that. That was my first reaction... why should HE apologize?
If she wants an apology... she ought to be seeking it from Geffen.

On a side note, years ago, an acquaintance of mine tried to donate $250,000 to the Clinton campaign. I think it might have been either Bill's re-election bid, or her Senate bid, ...but she sent the money back and refused to accept it.

My girlfriend and I laughed our tushes off over that one. How slimey do you have to be that a desperately ambitious politician doesn't want to accept your money? 

[BRUCE]

On a side note, years ago, an acquaintance of mine tried to donate $250,000 to the Clinton campaign. I think it might have been either Bill's re-election bid, or her Senate bid, ...but she sent the money back and refused to accept it.

That's a seriously interesting story!

What's up with your friends?

[240 is Back]

Quote from: ieffinhatecardio on February 21, 2007, 10:36:34 PM
"It's not clear to me why I'd be apologizing for someone else's remark," the Illinois senator said.

there's nothing smooth about that. That was my first reaction... why should HE apologize?
If she wants an apology... she ought to be seeking it from Geffen.

On a side note, years ago, an acquaintance of mine tried to donate $250,000 to the Clinton campaign. I think it might have been either Bill's re-election bid, or her Senate bid, ...but she sent the money back and refused to accept it.

My girlfriend and I laughed our tushes off over that one. How slimey do you have to be that a desperately ambitious politician doesn't want to accept your money? 

I thought it was smooth - a good thing!  I think he's right of course, and I think he handled with with grace and style (smoothness).

Geffen WAS right.  The Clintons lie.  Repeatedly. 

Camp hilary wanted Obama to reject a man's $/support because the man was telling the truth?

Obama came out looking good on this one.  And, Hollywood saw one of their top guys saying something everyone knows...

[24KT]

I thought it was smooth - a good thing!  I think he's right of course, and I think he handled with with grace and style (smoothness).

Geffen WAS right.  The Clintons lie.  Repeatedly. 

Camp hilary wanted Obama to reject a man's $/support because the man was telling the truth?

Obama came out looking good on this one.  And, Hollywood saw one of their top guys saying something everyone knows...

240, The moment I hit 'POST' on that previous reply... I realized you were right. That was smooth.
The off-handed way in which he threw the line away was brilliant. When I think of my reaction to the demand for his apology, I realized that even tho my initial thought was the same... my reaction would have provoked a different response because I didn't throw the line away. the smoothness was all in the delivery.