Clinton Camp's Latest Attack Comes Straight From Romper Room

Via Matt Yglesias and Steve Benen, we are directed to the Baltimore Sun and a recent press release from the Clinton campaign, which, in hitting back at Obama's remark that he had not been "planning to run for President for however number of years some of the other candidates have been planning for," goes so far as to dredge up writings of Obama's that date back to...well...seriously -- you better just read it for yourself.

In third grade, Senator Obama wrote an essay titled 'I Want To Be a President.' His third grade teacher: Fermina Katarina Sinaga "asked her class to write an essay titled 'My dream: What I want to be in the future.' Senator Obama wrote 'I want to be a President,' she said." [The Los Angeles Times, 3/15/07]

In kindergarten, Senator Obama wrote an essay titled 'I Want to Become President.' "Iis Darmawan, 63, Senator Obama's kindergarten teacher, remembers him as an exceptionally tall and curly haired child who quickly picked up the local language and had sharp math skills. He wrote an essay titled, 'I Want To Become President,' the teacher said." [AP, 1/25/07 ]

That's right. Essays written in the kindergarten and the third grade, which are sure to one day find a permanent home at the National Archives, are being cited by the Clinton campaign as proof that Obama's bloodthirsty presidential ambitions began as a plot hatched between naptime and snack. "If only the many, many people who want to vote for him in Iowa knew," reasons the Clinton campaign.

Mind you, this press release so ably proves its point with three preceding citations that it makes including the stuff Obama wrote back when he was eight years old seem...well -- totally nuthouse insane!

It's not clear what his elementary school essays say about the Obama presidency, but this information speaks volumes about the Clinton camp. Get in their way, and they will go to the ends of the earth to straight MESS YOU UP.

Comments

[Democrab]

The Clinton "folks" have led us through the greatest of times in my life.

And I didn't see anyone whining about Obama, Edwards, Russert and the rest when they were attacking Hillary.

I think I'll just keep voting for the Clinton "folks" until I see something more democratic, more logical or more sensible come along.

I haven't seen it yet though.

[Mutineer]

I was completely neutral about Hillary Clinton until this week. Now, there is no way I would vote for someone who could stoop that low. Better to dream of being president on your own merits than to hop on your husband's coattails.

[FirstShirt]

I am impressed. The staff of a future President is searching the school records of citizens to see if they are politically correct. Sounds like thought police, doesn't it?

[rh654]

Now the story of their digging up Obama's grade school thoughts have become a story people are talking about - the Clinton Camp is trying to spin it all as a joke.

The only joke is that they think the rest of us believe their lame attempt to spin.

The Clinton folks had a great start but then it is easy to look good when winning - now that Clinton isn't leading by the huge numbers in the very important first few states they are off their game plan and we'll have to see if they recover or keep looking desperate to throw any mud they can find.

Perhaps we'll soon know if Obama wore red, white and blue onesies as an infant...

[noparty2]

Why does Obama dismiss the tale of his life long presidential dream as silliness? Where would Tiger Woods be if he hadn't started playing golf at 3. As a reporter you make light of the facts but you fail to mention Obama's commitment to his presidential candidacy was propelled with urgency when he reached the Senate. Are the tales of Obama's ambition just lies perpetuated by teacher, family and friends? Is Obama feeling politically uncomfortable? Is it because certain calculation are required in politics? For example when to vote "present" or when to just not show up for a vote. It must be uncomfortable when the "righteous" candidate makes a political calculation to spread a discredited tale about another candidate's "20 year old pack" of presidential ambition to embellish his own standing. Why can Obama be ambitious and be praised for it and Clinton be vilified for hers? Why when she points to the testimony about his ambition its silly and she's insane? Are you saying youthful dreams are silly and don't mean anything to the dreamer? Obama's as politically calculating as any of the candidates, did his drive toward his goal make him more so? His record in the Senate is basically the same as Clinton's, at least those votes he showed up for. Clinton lets her constituency know where she stands. She voted no the MoveOn.org resolution. Obama chose not to vote because it was beneath him. Are Democrats proud he chose not stand up to the hypocrites with conviction? Clinton has a record as a Democrat and she stands by it whether you agree with her or not. What are the Democrats looking for in a candidate? Don't Democrats want a candidate who gets knocked down and gets back up. Don't they want the one who is ready for the fight and has historically stood up against the odds? Or do Democrats want a candidate who's won't even claim his own dreams because it makes him a calculating politician.

[Kane]

The Obama campaign has developed a website to "chronicle and rebut the increasingly desperate attacks and accusations being produced by the Clinton campaign"

http://hillaryattacks.barackobama.com/

[gcswift2]

Whats wrong with electing a dreamer? I mean really, why can't we elect someone who believes in the best of America and Americans? Why not someone who tries to make his wide-eyed dreams come true? He's been doing okay at making them come true so far. Do we really want another synical, petty, beaten down, ideolog, leader? Someone who only fights for what they can achieve and not the things we should achieve. A mans reach SHOULD exceed his grasp. The point is to REACH! Why not shoot for the Stars we might get lucky and bump into Mars? How about we give America a leader that inspires her back to sky instead of the mud-wrestling we've become acustom to since Nixon.

[mudfiles]

It's Howard Wolfson.

She will lose this thing if she doesn't fire him ASAP. It's a big risk keeping him on to release information on what Obama was doing in Kindergarten. And his 'holier than thou' attitude asking Obama to take back funds from Geffen or Slush or wherever else he dreams 'unexceptable' is becoming increasingly embarrassing.

[flanardiente]

I don't get it. Wanting to be President is an evil act? What's Hillary's excuse?

[Royce]

What kind of my mind does oppo research back to kindergarten? Did they hope to find he was being secretly trained to be a 'Manchurian Candidate'?

If he really wrote an essay in kindergarten, I want him as our president even more. Definitely a genius!

Kindergate.

[Janco54]

Proof of his bloodthirsty Presidential ambitions! Bloodthirsty???? Wow - that's really a reach.

I thought she was getting a little jittery but this is ridiculous. Absolute panic.

[vbond]

Has a candidate's victory ever been fueled by the embarrassment of his opponent's supporters?

Hillary needs a governor on her instinctive venality when she is cornered.

HRC Communications Director Howard Wolfson is not that man.

Neither, apparently, is her husband.

This is sickening.

[karmaburger]

I say bravo Mrs Clinton, if for no other reason than to make sure that parents learn to keep their kids' dreams in check. These power hungry 5 year-olds should keep their traps shut until they are old enough to know what they're in for should they decide to follow their crazy dreams.
When I was in kindergarten I told my friends I wanted to be the king of England. MI5 opened a file on me as a potential threat to the crown. US - British relations were tense for a while until they realized I was in kindergarten - and my parents are Mexican.

[ruthinking]

Senator Obama wrote an essay when he was in kindergarten? WOW!! After Bush, we need someone with that kind of brains. Go Obama!!

[joanjourne]

Could some of you brush up on your spelling & grammar? It's downright painful sometimes reading these comments. Get a dictionary...use Spell Check ... SOMEthing!