Obama Aide: Clinton Adviser’s Decision to Quit the ‘Right Thing’

Obama Aide: Clinton Adviser’s Decision to Quit the ‘Right Thing’
By Kate Phillips

JOHNSTON, Iowa — David Axelrod, the Obama campaign’s chief strategist, called the decision by William Shaheen to resign from the Clinton campaign after controversial remarks he made about Barack Obama “the right thing to do.’’

“It’s important for every campaign to send a signal that there’s not going to be a wink and a nod to this kind of activity,’’ Mr. Axelrod said, just a short while ago as he stopped in one of the media rooms here after the Democratic debate.

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The details a la Axelrod: A Clinton campaign staff member approached Mr. Obama at Reagan National Airport, and said that she wanted to speak with him. Mr. Obama went over to her.

The exchange lasted 10-minutes, in which – as is known now – she apologized. Mr. Axelrod, who was not there at the tete-a-tete although he said a few aides were present, said Mr. Obama made clear that a signal had to be sent from the top down of the campaign that these types of tactics are out of bounds.

He said Mr. Obama expressed his concerns about these attacks – (Mr. Axelrod mentioned not only the remarks but the controversial emails circulated here in Iowa by Clinton volunteers that falsely claimed Mr. Obama was a Muslim and worse. (Those emails prompted resignations and admonishments, too.)

Mr. Axelrod asserted that campaigns need to send a strong signal that these types of attacks won’t be tolerated, and that those engaging in such behavior should not remain attached to any campaign. (He made these statements less than an hour before Mr. Shaheen announced that he would resign as one of the Clinton campaign advisers. ) But asked whether Mrs. Clinton’s apology wasn’t enough, he merely said Mr. Obama had accepted her apology and that the Obama campaign was not calling for further punishment. That, he said, should be left up to the other campaign.

He said earlier in the post-debate area that Mrs. Clinton told Mr. Obama she had not known that Mr. Shaheen would say that. Mr. Axelrod said he had “no evidence’’ that anyone from the Clinton campaign had coordinated Mr. Shaheen’s attack. Asked whether Mr. Shaheen’s expressed concerns – that Republicans would use Mr. Obama’s drug use against him and hurt the Democratic party’s chances – Mr. Axelrod said Mr. Obama had always been forthright about his drug experimentation. (He wrote about it in his book several years ago.)

And, Mr. Axelrod added, he believed that Iowans and others appreciated honest, upfront answers and were fair-minded about such things.

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http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/13/obama-aide-clinton-advisers-decision-to-quit-the-right-thing/

after his slimy performance on Hardball?

Funny how her supporters on this board considered the attack a-okay.