Obama addresses Novak column at press conf.

Obama addresses Novak column at press conf.

By Mike Dorning

MARION, Iowa—A day after a tense exchange with rival Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton over a column reporting her campaign was spreading innuendo of an unspecified scandal involving Barack Obama, Obama declared at a press conference that he would respond forcefully to any allegations of wrongdoing on his part.

"We don't want anybody to have any doubts that when it comes to these kinds of practices, I won't tolerate it," Obama said, responding to reporters' questions on the controversy. "In the era of the blogosphere…if you don't get on this stuff quick, then it starts drifting around."

With Obama addressing the controversy at a news conference with television cameras rolling, his comments are likely to keep the story alive.

The skirmish erupted Saturday after conservative columnist Robert Novak reported in a column Saturday that "agents" of the Clinton campaign had been "spreading the word in Democratic circles that she has scandalous information about her principal opponent (Obama)." Novak did not offer any details on the information.

The Obama campaign swiftly responded, calling the report "devoid of any facts, but heavy on innuendo and insinuation."

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

By the end of the day, the Clinton campaign denied that it was spreading suggestions of a scandal involving Obama and criticized his reaction, arguing that he was too quick to believe the worst about the former first lady and it showed inexperience on his part.

"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," Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said in a written statement.

At the news conference this morning, Obama called that "silly."

" The fact of the matter is that we are letting Democratic voters know and we are letting Republican operatives know and we are letting other people know that we will respond swiftly and forcefully when there's untruths being floated out there," Obama said.

He added that he thought it was important to get a denial of any negative information on the record immediately.

more...

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2007/11/obama_addresses_novak_report_a.html#more

In spite of the fact that the Clinton people are insisting on imposing their take on how this played out, as an Obama supporter I am THRILLED that he called bullshit on this kind of cheesy politics regardless of which side of the aisle it came from.

I hope he learns something from his enormous gaff.

He did exactly what he should have done.

Attacking the Clinton campaign based on the word of Bob Novak?
How is that "exactly what he should have done"?

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Oh Lordy... The "Hillary-hate-police" would be out in force.

I've grown to expect such immature rants from this poster. Not to be taken seriously.

Like when he made up that thing about Valerie Plame being a CIA operative...oh wait. That was TRUE!

Q. Sir, just one other point on this. Back in February when David Geffen said some disparaging things about Sen. Clinton printed in Maureen Dowd's column the Clinton campaign went nuts and called upon you to distance yourself from it. And you said why should I distance myself from something I didn't even say. I mean why should the Clinton campaign distance themselves from a blind item, with no evidence, nobody coming forward to say whose making these charges. Why should they distance themselves?

A. No, no, no, no. Wait. This is entirely different. You know, with respect to the Geffen incident, he's not, he doesn't work for my campaign, he's not associated with my campaign other than having done a fundraiser with us. I mean Clinton supporters have said disparaging things about me all the time, and I don't ask them to apologize. I don't ask the Clinton campaign to apologize for a statement that one of their supporters makes about me. This is different. There was a item that indicated that they were engaging in this activity. We asked that they deny that that, in fact,that was the case. When they finally did, we said we take your word for it. But we wanted to make sure that it was clear, on the record, that in fact it wasn't the case, right? There was no other way for us to make absolutely certain that people did not have any doubts that in fact this was not true.

Q In terms of how you found out they were distancing themselves, did you receive a phone call from the Clinton campaign or was this all through statements?

A. No. This was all done through statements. But this is my point, I mean, you know, if they wanted to let us know this wasn't true, they could have.

and it was. This is not as if some Hillary fundraiser like Jon Huange made these staments to Novakula. It was clear that he would have said fundraiser.

He didn't ---he said "Hillary's Camp"

Now if Mr. Geffen had been a part of the campaign ,beyond his enthusiasm for the candidate, if he worked in Hillary's War room spinning crap about her for release by online drones et al, then we would have an accurate comparison.

But this is specious bullshit. More of the same crap the we have in DC now.
Whichis why Hillary is not the ideal candidate for everyone.

Some of us desire CHANGE, not the status quo.

it is evident that he is not presidential material. Oh my. Astounding.

You'd think someone on his staff might've clued him in.


edit: added /what

:crazy:
Makes as much sense to me as anything spinning out of the online Hillarkateers.

Obama should've ignored Novak. Instead, he elevates him. Inexperience, again.

imagine, online innuendo and puffery. Amazing.

But buying it so completely and having a public hissy fit like Obama did?
No, I can't see someone with her experience acting like he did.

I'm sure your candidate would be proud...

I have to be concerned about who he will believe if he is elected president.

I mean, who'd ever believe them?












:sarcasm:

Otherwise, he is left arguing with Novak who will stall and protect his sources leaving the rumor to stink up the place.