Obama Suggests Clinton Show Tax Returns

NEW ORLEANS — Democrat Barack Obama suggested Thursday that Hillary Rodham Clinton follow his lead and release her and her husband's income tax returns so the public can see where the $5 million she loaned her presidential campaign came from.

A day earlier, Clinton acknowledged that she had made the loan late last month. At the time, Obama was raising and spending more money than her heading into the round of presidential primaries and caucuses on Super Tuesday.

Asked whether he would call on the Clintons to release their tax returns, Obama stopped short of saying they should.

"I'll just say that I've released my tax returns. That's been a policy I've maintained consistently. I think the American people deserve to know where you get your income from. But I'll leave it up to you guys to chase it down," he told reporters on the flight to Omaha, Neb., for a rally.

"I've disclosed my income tax returns," he said. "I think we set the bar in terms of transparency and disclosure that has been a consistent theme of my campaign and my career in politics."

There was no immediate comment from Clinton's campaign.

Obama noted that Clinton is wealthier than he is. Asked whether he would rule out tapping his personal funds to pay for his presidential campaign, he said, "I don't have enough money to drop $5 million into a campaign."

Clinton's financial disclosures, which reveal only broad ranges of assets, place her and former President Clinton's wealth between $10 million to $50 million.

Obama released tax documents last year showing income of more than $991,000 for him and his wife, Michelle. The figure included his Senate salary as well as her income as an administrator of the University of Chicago Hospitals.

Comments

[flasher3838]

obama's made a million dollars last year. stop acting like they are some poor man's god or something. if the obama's were so all about public service and not about money, they would of stayed helping the poor, instead of climbing the ladder of power and money that they are. as far as politicians go obama is probably a fine guy, but to put him up as some almost saint is just stupid and you are just letting yourself in for a big letdown. then you will have to look in the mirror and go, yes, agian, i was so stupid

[Goldie9]

"but to put him up as some almost saint is just stupid"

Yes, that would be stupid, but his campaign and momentum is not about "sainthood" -- it's about winning in November, and that means nobody named Clinton should be on the Dem ticket! Why feed the Repugs in their hunger to vote against the Clintons in November???

[scandals&skeletons]

yup

[bobdob]

I'll second that. Hillary has no chance of beating McCain.

[Waldimore]

Word to the wise: Be careful about making political leaders into saints. History has proven that this combination never turns out for the good of the people. Just saying....

[finally]

Sen. Obama and his wife have made their tax returns public for the sake of transparency - like they would have to do if he were president, like the Bushes do now and like the Clintons used to do. Read again - the press asked HIM - plus, what is so wrong about being open? WHy is this dirty????

[OS2Guy]

Any women who votes for him is voting to degrade their own daughter, to ensure their own daughters never achieve equal rights or break the corporate ceiling of America. Barack Hussein Obama is the worst type of racist we could have loose in America.

[gojackets]

And any woman who votes for Clinton just because she's a woman is an idiot.

[IkeChicago]

The Republicans are dead scared of running against Barack Obama and his impressive campaign machine. Here is why

Obama was right on the war.

Obama attracts many new voters.

Obama attracts young voters.

Obama attracts cross over Republicans.

Obama gets a bigger bite of the independent voters than John McCain.

Poll after poll shows Barack Obama ahead of John McCain.

Here is the decision for the Super Delegates:

Does the Democratic party want to win the Presidential Election.

Or does the Democratic party want Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton come hell or high water.

Time to choose Democrats.

[Waldimore]

IkeChicago: ask yourself why on earth would Limbaugh raise money for a candidate that they know John McCain can beat? Don't you get it? All Limbaugh's ranting and ravings are about how desperate he is to see McCain lose the WH. Why if poll after poll shows Obama beating McCain why on earth would he throw good money toward an effort that he doesn't want to see happen? Trust me, it cost nothing for white independents to vote for Obama this Primary Season. But when it's 'fish or cut bait' time, these independents are going to vote for McCain. Limbaugh KNOWS this. We are now seeing the Republican lie being exposed: Hillary is the candidate they most fear. As long as Romney was in it, the whole party was energized and united toward a common goal and naturally they wanted to see Obama get the nom so they could beat him. Now that they are refusing to unite under McCain, they're cutting off their noses and want Hillary to be the nominee so that she can beat McCain and they can stay relevant for 4 more years while they rebuild.
BTW, it's so disingenuous for Obama to claim he would not have voted for the war. It's childish and dishonest. No one knows what they'd do unless they're actually confronted in a real situation. People who claim differently, are far from wise and mature.

[partyofone]

It would be very wise for the Clintons shady finances, includign donors to the Clinton Library and Foundation, to be scrutinized BEFORE a Democratic nominee is selected. If there are problems there, and it is very likely there are, we should know it before we hear it from the Republicans in a general election. If Hillary claims to be fully vetted, then she has no reason to resist close examination of Clinton financial dealings since 2000.

[hugs4u]

I totally agree with you.

[aks]

yes, you should want that no matter whom you support.

[finally]

Ditto - absolutely!

[ImayAgree]

I've said this before and I'll say it again. The way you Obama followers talk makes me think you are republican moles. Hell almost all I hear from you is anti-Clinton rhetoric straight out of the republican talking points. I don't mind the you goo-gooing for your candidate but this hate Hillary and Bill thing sounds right wing to me. If you were really as progressive as you say you would back Kucinich and don't give me that eligibility dribble he is the only true progressive candidate left in the race.

[scandals&skeletons]

imayagree, did you ever think that the anti-hillary rhetoric is because people with common sense realize that obama would likely beat mccain and hillary will not. did you ever think that the anti-hillary rhetoric is because people want true change not change of lip-service? and maybe, just maybe, dems don't want to once again snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory by nominating hillary.

[finally]

Exactly! We don't need Rove to tell us that no election can be won without the independents, esp if you cannot turn out 100% of your base (give the FACT the HRC has high negatives, this is not so likely). The states she carried are the ones any dem. nominee would most liekly get - seems that the presidential race is decided in the middle - of the country and of the voters - where Sen. Obama is stronger. And these are FACTS!

[Waldimore]

Yes.... let's REALLY talk about 'change.' Wasn't change supposed to happen when Democrats took over the Congress almost 2 years ago? And look what happened. Nothing about an Obama administration is going to change squat! I can't believe how naive the Democratic Party is. There's a piece of paper called the Constitution that every president must swear on the Bible to defend, uphold and protect it. You think the members of Congress are going to be mesmerized by all of Obama's speechifying? He will be an ineffectual president. If people WANT real change FIRE your congressman and Senators. It's the only way.

[MrClean]

I DID back Kucinich!!
Dennis was MY candidate in a perfect world...

Now that Kucinich is out of the race, I'm going with the next best thing....OBAMA!!

Hillary has supported this war.
Hillary has accepted more special interest funding that the Republican candidates combined!
Hillary aligned herself with Joe LIEberman against Iran.

my personal favorite however:
She supported a flag burning ammendment to our Constitution to pander to the right wing! Ask yourself...is FLAG BURNING the biggest problem in our country today??

Lastly, Hill and Bill are lightning rods for the right wing fund raising effort. I was a Bill Clinton apologist for years but he has recently lost me completely! I'm a progressive Democrat that might stay home rather than vote for this corporate whore and business as usual. I know by election day, I would place my vote holding my nose like I did for Kerry but I detest her so much...

I want to see her finances!! If you think back...the Clinton finances was the excuse to find that blue stained dress! I don't want any more surprises!

[vippy]

it is imperative that the Clinton's show their tax return as was done so far by every politician. They try to hide it now is the wrong time. That only substantiates how secretive they are and they cannot be trusted.
I wondered why we even ran her with as much baggage as she brought into this campaign.
Ludicrous. But vote for glitz and glamour and
see what more you get?

[mkls]

The issue of the Clintons' finances looms large because unlike other candidates--past and present--their wealth was not built before entering public office but Immediately After. Aside from his questionable dealings post-presidency, both their multi-million dollar book deals were brokered on the promise to discuss Monica Lewinsky. Best cartoon of that episode--Two middle-aged women at the bookstore buying HRC's book... "How much for just the chapter on Monica?"

[aks]

mkls-- good lord. you don't belong here. You make too much sense. Clinton supporters, get a grip. Hillary has not been vetted post Bill's WH yrs. Wait until those Repugs attack and you will have wished this was all out in the open previously.

[NoMoreHawks]

Clintons Show Tax Records?


ROTFLMAO!


Don't expect the Clinton's to answer this question.........they never have before! LOL!

1996 Campaign Finance Investigation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_United_States_campaign_finance_controversy

The Clintons HAVE NEVER RELEASED their tax returns.................they have problems with guys who's names end with Huang, Chang, Wang, etc.

BARACK IS PLAYING A KNOWN HAND - 4 ACES and the Clintons are going to LOSE here!!!! ROTFLMAO!!!!

[esl]

I think you are wrong about the Clintons NEVER releasing their tax return. By the way, could you explain how a couple making $900,000 a year can afford to buy a $1.6 million house. Terry MacAuliffe said that he had to loan money to the Clintons so they could buy the house in NY. So much for the Clintons profitting off public service. Obama is the dirtiest campaigner the Clintons have ever faced and the media loves him so.

[scandals&skeletons]

esl, you wrote "could you explain how a couple making $900,000 a year can afford to buy a 1.6 million house". someone making 900g's a year could afford a 5 million dollar house. have you ever heard of a mortgage?

[finally]

Your statement is so absurd that it does not qualify as "spin"... LOL!

[KaAp]

As if the Clintons ever told the truth about anything in the world ...

[Seral]

Obama has made 1 million dollar, and who knows how many millions over the last 10-20 years. And, he doesn't have 5 million. Who is he kidding?

[aks]

Uh no. They just paid off their student debt 3 yrs after he wrote 2 best selling books. He didn't cash out like he could have and instead made 13K as community organizer after Harvard. Who are you trying to kid?

[Cunningham]

Who are you trying to kid?

[johnhummel]

Based on his tax returns? Nobody. Looks like it's all right there.

[LeftLeanWing]

Nope; this is for real. The only big money he has made was the royalties from his books. He did not take the high paying jobs like he could have. You don't make much money as a community organizer (start $19K or as a civil rights lawyer); The state senator and the teaching position didn't pay very high salaries either. Michelle probably made around $190K as a hospital administrator, she did get a big bump when she became a VP but that job was short-lived because the Campaign start a few months after she accepted.

This was true of the Clintons too; they were not wealthy before or during their White House years. Don't you remember that didn't actually have a home of their own. The money flowed in afterwards; from books and Bill speaking fees and other sources legally made available to ex-presidents.

[scandals&skeletons]

his finances are an open book seral. did you read the article?
sorry, i keep forgetting the clinton campaign attracts the uneducated.

[AgathaX]

Obama has made a good, if obvious, point: we should not elect anyone to any position if we do not know where their money is coming from. Trying to get him to specifically call on Senator Clinton to release her tax returns is to encourage the sort of political point scoring we need to get away from. Are we such sheep that we do not care how she happened to enlarge her fortune from as little as $350,000 to as much as $50,000,000 during about three or four years while she was in the Senate? Do you really need to be a "Clinton hater" to be curious about that? Does the media really need Obama to tell them what questions to ask?

I was struck by how Sen. Clinton referred to it being "my" as oposed to "our" money that she lent her campaign. Is that true? If Saudi, Kazakh, Dubai or other interests are showering former President Clinton with funds that are making it into Senator Clinton's campaign coffers, aren't we interested in that? Does she really believe that she has been vetted when it comes to investigating where she and Bill have been getting their money since he left office? That is one arrogant fairytale.

I think, as the "inevitable" candidate, Senator Clinton really thought she could make it through the primaries without answering this kind of question. Once in the general election I think she thought she could mount the kind of defense that she and her husband have mounted in response to almost every unwelcome query: "shame on you" "we are the victims" "right wing conspiracy" "we are tough" "four more years of Republican policies" and so forth.

[TruthLives]

Now where did you get the figure of 350 thousand to 50 million while she was senator... and if she says "her" money instead of "their money" what difference does it make... they're married the same as Obama & Michelle are and where he said in the statement that "he" doesn't have 5 million to put into his campaign, we all know he's talking about "their" money so lets stop splitting hairs over every little thing.. Also the Clinton's money comes from his speaking gigs and which I suppose Obama will be making also at some point. We all know that at some point, all candidates release their taxes so this is really a non issue except that Obama wants to show that the Clinton's have money and poor little Obama is just a struggling US senator... Go back to the Bush elections and see if anyone running against GW or his father was crying sour grapes over wealth... And another point, do you see the Clinton's complaining or crying that Obama is getting so many millions in donations...

[scandals&skeletons]

truthlives your post is complete speculation. you have no idea where the clintons money comes from.
you show your ignorance by stating that clintons money comes from his speaking gigs, actually they have made much more money from their books. i think we should know where the person who will lead this country makes their money. also bill clinton just made about 35 million from a uranium mining (blood money) deal he just brokered.

[uheardme]

Well said.

[LeftLeanWing]

Oh, because it has to be 'HER' money not their or HIS money otherwise it's considered a campaign contribution under the same applicable FEC laws.



So now I am curious about how she made $5 million dollars after going from the 1st Lady to Senator.

[ivana]

OMG LLW...don't you read the news. She retained one of the highest advances in history for her memoir! Maybe if you read it, you would show her the respect she deserves. Her whole life has led her to the door of the presidency...so get over your hillary-hatred and just accept you're gonna have a MADAME PRESIDENT....

[scandals&skeletons]

agathax, good post.

[inthecolour]

He has a point. And the title of this article is misleading. Obama is too classy to say it outright.

[OS2Guy]

Too classy? Barack Hussein Obama is a walking race card. With virtually no political record or significant history of public service to speak of, a "change" in skin color is basically all he's got to offer. Other than being Black, his policies and programs are no different than those of loser John Edwards. Obama's biggest claim is his desire to get rid of Social Security. Obama's admitted drug use (in his own memoirs) should be a major concern to the American people and to ignore that or to claim it is inconsequential is ridiculous. Obama didn't vote against the Iraq war, in fact, he abstained hoping he could claim "I didn't vote for the war..." Obama entered into a sleazy real estate deal with his close friend, Rezko, which allowed him to buy a house for $300,000 under market value and now refuses to release all of the closing documents relating to the purchase of his house from his good friend, Rezko.

Any women who votes for him is voting to degrade their own daughter, to ensure their own daughters never achieve equal rights or break the corporate ceiling of America. Barack Hussein Obama is the worst type of racist we could have loose in America.

[raptor]

Do Bill and Hillary file tax returns jointly or separately?

[MRb1000]

Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton will never release the Tax returns until after the primaries. The do not want people in there own party to see where there money comes from. Yeah they have the American people back. Yeah we better watch our own back. We are going to get mugged!!!!

[OhPlease2007]

Politico: Obama blocked own 'top Senate achievement' ... in Campaign Finance Ethics Reform!

Jan 16, 2008 12:58 PM EST

"LAS VEGAS — Barack Obama boasted at Tuesday's Democratic presidential debate that, thanks to his work in the Senate, the public can find out which special interest lobbyists are raising money for candidates.

In fact, the public cannot — also as a result of Obama's work in the Senate.

He led a partisan confirmation battle that crippled the agency charged with implementing the new law requiring candidates to disclose lobbyists who collect big checks for candidates — a process known as “bundling.”

..."But as it stands now, the public can't find out which lobbyists are bundling contributions to which candidates, as Obama claimed, [and it likely won’t be able to until well after the presidential nominations are decided."]

IN my opinion, Obama can 'try' to bogusly blame Republicans for blocking his own 'ethics reform legislation', ridiculously blaming it on just one guy, but at the end of the day, the only thing that is truly blocking real transparency in honest and ethical campaign finance reform, ... is, Obama. Stalling the nominee process until the primary season is over, or later, is Washington D.C. insiders politics-as-usual. Once again, the people see that Obama *doesn't* walk his talk. Yeah, Obama's got 'the peoples' back. LOL

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0108/7929.html

[johnhummel]

So let's get this straight from the article:

But the commission lacks the votes necessary to take any official actions, including implementing — let alone enforcing — the law, rendering it effectively moot. That’s because Senate Democrats, led by Obama, blocked the confirmation of four nominees to the six-seat agency, leaving it without a quorum.

Obama and Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) technically put a hold on the Senate confirmation of only one nominee: Hans von Spakovsky. He has been accused of diluting minority voting power during an earlier stint as a Justice Department lawyer.

But Senate Republicans demanded that all four nominees (two Democrats, two Republicans) be voted on as a group — the way confirmations have traditionally gone for the commission, which by statute consists of three appointees from each party.

---------------------------------

So, you've got Democrats who say "These two Republicans are crooked - we're not appointing them. And for some reason, you'd rather let corrupt people onto the group - instead of taking a stand against corruption.

Good choice, there.

[LeftLeanWing]

Have you seen this:

http://www.usaspending.gov


He did this as a result of legislation that he co-authored and got passed

It shows how our government is spending it's money on bills and contracts.

[StillAmused]

You've already been mugged.

When Sen. Obama blew off his longtime, extensive relationship with Antoin Rezko in the recent debate as being limited to "five hours" of legal work (purportedly for a "non-profit" church group involved with Rezko, at that), it was the equivalent of Gary Hart daring the press to catch him 'in flagrante delicto'.

When the press has wrung every remaining ounce of melodrama from the Obama hope-and-change 'insurgency' meme, it will get around to THIS kind of meat:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/1/19/14111/1116/879/439500

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/749138,obama20web.article

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/184540,122306obama.article

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/14/us/politics/14rezko.html

Bon appétit.

[scandals&skeletons]

lets n ot forget rezko made a contribution to one of hillarys lead campaign managers. and of course you didnt mention that glossy pic of rezko with his arms around the clintons. why do you think hillary hasnt brought it up since that debate?

[StillAmused]

For the benefit of the above scholars, who didn't (or can't) READ the linked articles but get really excited by pictures, NASA has one of a 'smiley face' on Mars which will clearly prove -- to YOU -- that it's inhabited by creatures with a sense of humor... possibly, your own distant relatives.

Denial produces some anatomically fascinating contortions, but you should really have an orthopedic surgeon on hand when you assume the position... just in case you get stuck.

Morons.

[OhPlease2007]

*** ABC NEWS: Despite Rhetoric, Obama Pushed Lobbyists' Interests ***

I feel sorry for all of the kool-aid drinking Obamabots; they have been clearly hoodwinked again by the latest crop of Democratic neo-change, hustlers! LOL

"Away from the bright lights and high-minded rhetoric of the campaign trail, Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has quietly worked with corporate lobbyists to help pass breaks worth $12 million.

In his speeches, Obama has lambasted lobbyists and moneyed interests who "have turned our government into a game only they can afford to play."

"It's an entire culture in Washington -- some of it legal, some of it not," the Democratic hopeful told a New York crowd in June, rallying support for his ethics reform agenda.

But last year, at the request of a hired representative for an Australian-owned chemical corporation Nufarm, Obama introduced nine separate bills exempting the company from import fees on a range of chemical ingredients it uses in the manufacture of pesticides and herbicides. Nufarm's U.S. subsidiary is based in Illinois.

Nufarm wasn't the only beneficiary of Obama's efforts to reduce customs fees and duties. In early May of 2006, two Washington lobbyists registered to work on behalf of Astellas Pharma, a Japanese-owned drug company which also has offices in Illinois.

The lobbyists' task? "Introduce legislation to temporarily suspend customs duties for the importation of a pharmaceutical ingredient," they wrote on their lobbying forms. Less than three weeks later, the men had earned their $20,000 fee, thanks to Obama. On May 26, he introduced S. 3155, a bill specifically exempting Astellas' key ingredient from tariff payments. The bill cost the federal government more than $1 million in lost revenue, according to government estimates.

Together, Obama's obscure measures -- known as tariff suspensions -- steered more than $12 million away from federal coffers, according to government estimates."

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/07/despite-rhetori.html

[mawrm]

You guys TRY and TRY to find ANYTHING to hit Obama and they all fall FLAT.
Yes, I did read the story. Logic says if you ask for a reduction of tarriffs, you lose some tax revenue so the $12 million is understandable. Now the question to ask it WHY the tariff suspension. It was suspended to allow US-based operations to be more competitive, translating to jobs for Americans. Think about what was happening -a company manufactures an ingredient overseas that gets taxed coming into the country. The company makes a product here in the US that then gets taxed by the US and then taxed AGAIN (via import tarriffs in the receiving country) if it is now exported. It's easy to see how these taxes stack up and how easy it would be to convince the company to offshore the operation to avoid the multiple taxes. Incidentally, it is PRECISELY because of this multiple tax issue that quite a few American jobs are going offshore - if you're taxing imported components used to make a car or electronic gadget in the US, collecting taxes for its manufacture here in the US then when it is exported, the receiving nation hits the product with import duties, it makes the product uncompetitive and drives one to say, why not put the whole thing offshore?

[OhPlease2007]

Your flimsy spin, and a Quarter, 'might' get you a gum-ball. The Obamabots wanted purity in a politician, and all they got was a hoodwinking empty-suit! Priceless!

LMAO!

[AgathaX]

If more of the article were quoted we would learn that Hillary has co-sponsored significantly more similar measures, though she got her colleague Mr. Schumer to actually introduce them. Notice, too, that no explanation by Obama is offered or apparrently sought. Reading the whole article is a bit more enlightening.

Ultimately, Obama was trying to benefit a constituant that provided environmentally responsible products and jobs. I think if asked he would be more than willing to defend this action. The article is more interested in sensationalism than light.

[semorg]

The corrupt people like clintons will never show their tax returns. These people are like Cheney X 2. Where did they get all that money from to begin with? Not on government salaries!

[ivana]

So? And that affect you ..... how?