As long as Clinton supporters can blame Drudge the HRC camp will never be called on race baiting

I'm not a Drudge fan, I believe he is scum, but I'm also offended by the notion that just because something appears on Drudge its not true. That being said I feel that as long as Clinton supporters can blame Drudge they don't have to answer the question, was it wrong for the Clinton camp to circulate that picture?

As the day goes on it will be interesting to see if this issue is addressed by other media and denied by the Clinton camp.

Drudge is an evil man, but I will repeat what I have said multiple times today. If Hillary called Obama the N word and Drudge was the only person to report on it Clinton supporters wouldn't care. Shame, shame, shame.

For some reason I believe that the next time Drudge posts something negative about Obama that the Clinton folks won't be nearly as skeptical. I think they would be quick to embrace the post as truth.

If this item is untrue I expect a harsh denial from the Clinton campaign, if it is true I expect folks to lose their jobs.

ON EDIT FROM POLITICO: "The Clinton campaign did not deny the charge, but did not comment further."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8667.html

We know two things:

Drudge loathes Hillary.

Drudge has tried to help Obama and destroy Hillary at every turn.

Follow the bouncing ball. (Note Sludge's clever use of the word "circulate.")

:tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat:

On a flier? On a television ad? Or was it in a private email from one staffer to another complaining about Drudge's bias? What was it?

Shouldn't they deny it if they didn't do it?

:shrug:

politico: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8667.html

"The Clinton campaign did not deny the charge, but did not comment further."


They've had ALL morning to deny this, they havent.

:kick:

If this was used as a campaign flier, they should denounce it and fire whomever was responsible.

Something tells me it wasn't.

The only one "distributing" it is Drudge. Along with Plouffe's convenient outrage.

Do essentially what we are doing here? Drudge got his hands on an internal email between some Clinton "staffers". Both parties have eitehr moles or sympathizers stashed in each other's campaigns. Lots of unflattering stuff that no campaign would ever want leaked gets stolen from each campaign and released. The Clinton campaign knows what line of attack the Republican will try against her, and they know what line of attack the Republicans will try against Obama. It is there job to know that

All we are doing in this discussion is admitting that there is ready made, easily available stuff out there that can be used by the Republicans to damage Obama. This is a straight non doctored news service photo of Obama from his trip to Kenya. Republicans do oppositional research. They know Obama has Kenyan roots - they had staffers pour over all the news coverage of Obama's trip to Kenya. They know about that photo and likely others like it. They have infinite ways to use or abuse it any time and any way they want. It exists.

Either it is something Obama can handle, the fact that it exists, or it isn't. I think he can handle it but you are acting as if he can't. You are thinking along exactly the same lines as that private email between some Clinton staffers. "Hoo boy - I can see how Obama's enemies will try to use this". The EXACT same line of thought, or you wouldn't be so worked up over this here now.

It is reality. Obama has an unusual but familiar middle name and there are photos of him dressed in traditional African clothing. Deal with it because he will have to deal with it also. I know it will be used against Obama by Republicans and you seem to know that too. I think Obama can handle it, at least I hope so. Do I have more confidence in him than you do?

Your suggestion is laughable.

for the last four months. Replete with unflattering pictures.

that a political campaign is circulating information that they think the media should give more coverage to, and one media source - especially Drudge - obtaining some internal staff email.

Drudge is hard wired into the National Republican Party. He gets all of their special ops intelligence and dirt they can dig up.

We have all seen numerous occaisions where some internal campaign staff document gets leaked to the press that that campaign NEVER would have wanted anyone to see. It happens all of the time. Not all leaks are arranged, many are damaging and embarrassing and are the result of careless staff behavior and/or moles planted by the opposition in the opposing camp.

But eveyone seems to be forgetting, that photo is in the public record. It was international media coverage of a very high profile visit by Obama to Kenya. No one caught anyone in the Clinton campaing urging people to send that photo out with a caption "proof that Obama is muslim". They were only commenting on what the political effect of that photo "coming out" during the presidential campaign would be. And so are we.

. . .did have something to do with the circulation of this photo.

But even if they did it does not go from hard politics to dirty politics unless they tried to circulate it underground, taken out of it's original context and newly framed with a caption like "Proof Obama is a Muslim". THAT would be dirty politics and that I would deplore.

To be brutally honest with you, we all know the type of attacks that will be coming against Obama from the Right. I have not been pleased with the ability Obama has shown to date to deflect and defuse this line of attack. The photos exist, his middle name exists. He knows how the Right will try to twist them against him

Hell Jon Stewart made jokes about Obama's name last night in front of hundreds of millions, about both Obama/Osama and "Hussein". He talked about that great WWII Democratic candidate with the wonderful ideas with the unfortunate name "Gaydolf Titler". Jon used humor, maybe Barack should too. He can't get away with being indignant about people remembering his middle name or looking at photos of him that were published internationally and he posed for himself in the General Election.

:kick:

Seriously, if this gets a lot of press, it will get a lot of everyday Joes thinking about Obama in a negative light.

. . .I'm sure the Clinton camp thinks its worth it if they can tarnish Obama.

that this even comes from the Clinton campaign.

The Clinton campaign did not deny the charge, but did not comment further.


if they didnt do it, shouldnt they deny it ASAP? I mean this is getting really ugly, really quick.

. . .responsible.

Methinks they are scrambling to figure out what to do.

Lots of campaign staffers --Do you want a real answer, or do you want a platitude filed with meanings words?

Oh wait --you support Obama. Of course you want meaningless words.

If the Clinton campaign originated this, they'd obviously have already crafted a response.

But you knew that.

oh THAT'S why they havent denied it???? :sarcasm:

Sorry maddie, I cant believe for a moment you'd defend this.

As far as I'm concerned --this story has no proof.

take a good hard look at this. this is low, I think we ALL know the implications of how low this is.

The camp has had ALL morning to deny this, they havent.

The campaign staffer is not named --and what is even the definition of campaign "staffer"

How did the Clinton campaign staffer even get this picture? Further, how did a Drudge reporter get a campaign staffer's e-mail?

Was the pic sent by a Drudge reporter? and then a staffer responded --hence 'circulated"?

How many 'staffers' are in Clinton's campaign?

You want a truthful answer? Well then let the Clinton campaign staff investigate this.

If this was some nefarious plot, they certainly would have already had an answer.

use your brain for a sec. Seriously this would be as bad as if Obama staffers circulated a picture of HRC in curlers and and apron. we both know what the implication is.

don't defend this, please. it only makes you as a human being look bad. this is NOT ok.

There is NO PROOF that this was a sanctioned Clinton campaign activity.

I sure as hell would get a denial or an explanation out ASAP if I didnt do this.

sorry maddie, I think the lack of denial speaks for itself.

it speaks to the campaign's honesty in not denying something until they find out what this is about.

Maybe some campaign 'staffer' DID do this -- what does 'circulating' even mean?

How do you know some Drudge idiot didn't send this to someone in the campaign and then 'circulated' back their response?

The lack of denial means nothing other than a campaign that was caught off guard by this.

Doesn't stop Ploufe from waiting for facts though does it?

For all you know this is originated FROM Obama's camp.

look at the facts.

Putting you on ignore, ANY HRC supporter who can back this, and defend this in any way needs a lot of help.

I'll join "Truth" then.

You seem to ignore that very nicely as well.

even matters to anyone. I dont care if Obama is a muslim. I support him anyway. He is the only one that can change us. We must have change. Please!

of racism. What a bore and a just another reason not to vote for him

:kick:

BTW - that's a nice picture of your candidate in your avatar. Shows her in her truest form, from the inside.

. . .I would think thye have evidence that above and beyond Drudge. If so Clinton is so screwed.

Some Obama supporters call the Clinton's racist if they sneeze.

. . .in race baiting.

enable civil rights legislation as racist, no.

Nor do I consider a picture of Obama in foreign garb any more racist than the pictures here today of Bush and Clinton in foreign garb.

Just like the Voting Machine outrage in New Hampshire, people do damage to their cause when they cry "Wolf!".

How dare you! Obama fights for you. We all need to be changed. Please! Yes we can!

Hillary is the change I'm looking for. How dare you!

fights for all of us. He is the only one that can save us. We have to be changed. Please!

I don't need to be inspired, and I've never been lacking in hope. I need progressive legislation passed, I need universal healthcare, and I know that Clinton will fight to make those things happen.

Now please go peddle that nonsense to someone who's more susceptible.

Obama disses me.

Even so, if it is that he is to be our nominee, I wish him well and will vote for him.

to support Obama. I took out a personal loan for $1,400.00 and have made 2 cash withdraws on my credit card to send to his campaign. Im so in debt now that I may not be able to pay my bills next month but its a small price to pay for change we can believe in. Obama is the only hope for the world. Please follow this hero. He is perfect in every way. Yes we can.

What does that mean???

They must be win at all costs just like the one they support.

I'm done with the Clintons.

And yes, this is politics, but it was below the belt and was not worthy of an attack on a fellow Democrat. We expect this type of thing from republicans, but I certainly did not think Hillary Clinton would stoop to this level.

F*ck an apology. I hope they get called out on their disgusting and repulsive attack and I hope Obama presses extra hard in Ohio to wrap this thing up.

We must support Obama for change. Please!

Working with right wing rethugs like Drudge to destroy a fellow democrat!?

Kick her ass out of the party NOW!:mad:

which definitely does not exclude the Clinton camp or anyone else from using it

OP is bullshit, as ususal.

blame Hillary. Wow, that's a shock.

They see Hillary Clinton vomiting out a series of attacks and wild-eyed, sardonic speeches
about how gullible and stupid Obama supporters are.

She's purging herself of every REAllY bad campaign idea that she's ever had--in an attempt to
find something that works.

She tried to do this in Iowa. One of her Iowa Directors was fired for circulating "Obama is
a Muslim" emails, but everyone in Iowa clearly understood that the campaign was behind this,
despite the denials and the firing.

She also planted questions in Iowa, denied that--and then other Iowans came forward and revealed
that Clinton staffers were asking people to ask planted questions.

Everyone in Iowa knew that the denials were lies. It's ridiculous and insulting.

Just as everyone understands that Clinton is now disseminating these pictures of Obama
and trying to smear him.

I predicted that Obama would win Ohio in Texas by 10 or so. I'm now thinking that he'll
win both states by 15-20 points. This is not a winning strategy for Clinton.

From "The Raw Story"

"Supermarket tabloid The National Examiner reportedly ran the photo in its Feb. 4 issue. The photo appeared on right-wing message board Free Republic and conservative blog Sweetness & Light before Drudge picked it up."

And this:

"ABC News political tip sheet The Note says the photo flap could be a result of "frustration" from the Clinton team, but it notes there is some question over whether her team distributed the photo:

(If it really is the work of someone associated with the Clinton campaign, it has atypical fingerprints all over it -- and it's an interesting call on a day where Clinton is giving a "major" speech on foreign policy.)"
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Obama_campaign_blasts_Clinton_over_photo_0225.html

. . .what do you think?

How blind are you to what they are doing to us, to you? How obvious this needs to be for BO supporters to realize we're being played?

Continuing Tom's quote from Raw story:

"At least one Freeper recognized the need for wider distribution.

"Good Job," a user on Free Republic said Sunday to the person who posted the tabloid pic. "t needs to get to Drudge,M.Malkin,Debbie Schussel etc....I want to see his explanation on this."