Barack Obama, Barack Obama primary victories, Bill Clinton ex-campaign manager, Bill Former Campaign Manager, Hillary Clinton
Barack Obama, Barack Obama primary victories, Bill Clinton ex-campaign manager, Bill Former Campaign Manager, Hillary Clinton

Clinton Ex-Campaign Manager Backs Obama

PHILIP ELLIOTT | February 13, 2008 07:45 PM EST | AP

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — The man who served as national manager of former President Clinton's 1992 campaign endorsed Sen. Barack Obama on Wednesday.

David Wilhelm, who led the campaign and later became chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said Obama had the unique ability to encourage cooperation as a 65-percent president after the divisive years of a 51-percent majority. He was referring to the notion that Obama could govern the country with the support of a large coalition, as opposed to more polarized support for President Bush.

Wilhelm is a superdelegate who was previously uncommitted in the race. His endorsement helps Obama in the race for delegates, in which he pulled ahead after Tuesday's sweeps of primaries in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. Clinton remains considerably ahead in superdelegates, which are party officials, elected officials and others who can vote however they choose at the nominating convention.

If the race for pledged delegates based on outcomes in caucuses and primaries across the country remains tight, superdelegates could decide the nomination.

Obama leads the delegate race with 1,275 to 1,220 to Clinton, according to the latest count by The Associated Press.

Persuading superdelegates to back Obama will be a crucial role for Wilhelm in the Obama campaign, he said.

"The only reason this race appears to be closer than it actually is is the number of superdelegates that bought into Senator Clinton's inevitability early _ too early, it seems," Wilhelm said.

The Clinton campaign predicted Wednesday it would be in a virtual tie with Obama in delegates after March 4 primaries in Ohio, Texas, Vermont and Rhode Island, separated by no more than 25 delegates.

Wilhelm said the Democrats could never win a contest about experience over Sen. John McCain, the likely Republican nominee, but could win _ with Obama _ an election that was framed around change.

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Not just support, David Wilhelm said on Larry King Live that he is going to work on the campaign. Specifically on Ohio (ads).

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:53 AM on 02/14/2008

Hillary Clinton famously took Senator Obama to task as a "naive" newbie to foreign relations for stating he'd be willing to meet with our adversaries.

But in this little nugget from a NYT piece on her "35 year resume" seems to show that she's smart enough to realize Senator Obama was correct.

QUOTE She praised Gen. Wesley K. Clark, then the NATO commander, and Mr. Holbrooke, the administration"s envoy on the Balkans, for socializing and drinking with Serbia"s leader, Slobodan Milosevic, as a means of gauging his strengths.

"He"s there " you don"t learn something about him by pointing at him across the ocean," she said. "If you do have to engage in a bombing campaign, you"re going to have a much better idea of how much pressure it"s going to take to finally break him." UNQUOTE

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:23 AM on 02/14/2008

Clinton was right to support Wesley Clark's envoy with the Balkans.

Ther Serbian leader was doing GENOCIDE. Are you too left to see that you have to stop that with force?

Don't be naive.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:06 AM on 02/14/2008

He is a traitor. Period.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:36 PM on 02/13/2008

It is just possible that what Wilhelm (and I) saw to support in 1992 isn't visible in the Clinton we have now.
Can you say "Breakfast with Murdock"?
Can you say "Lobby money"?
Can you say "Support for war"?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:01 PM on 02/13/2008
- mrJJ I'm a Fan of mrJJ permalink

"Who's Pimping Out The Sen Clinton Donor List to InfoUSA?

Err...Heads up to anyone donating to Sen. Hillary Clinton... This is not good for you.... Info you provided may be "rented out" By the Clinton campaign to InfoUSA

Clinton InfoUSA Ties Scrutinized

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18958566

Political campaigns spend thousands, even millions of dollars to acquire good mailing lists.

Last year, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton took the unusual step of renting out some of her lists. The transaction once again highlights the Clintons' connections to a businessman who now faces questions from the Securities and Exchange Commission.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18958566

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:51 PM on 02/13/2008

Donors for all candidates are public domain. It's the law.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:03 PM on 02/13/2008

the e-mail addresses and phones are NOT listed in the public data, that's what sells

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:07 AM on 02/14/2008
photo

So many Clintonites are jumping on the bandwagon.

Pretty soon, Hillary, Bill, and Chelsea (and maybe Lanny Davis) will be the only people riding on their little wagon.

Hillary Clinton underestimated Barack Obama.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:03 PM on 02/13/2008

No, she underestimated MSNBC, HuffingtonPost, and the intelligence of the voters.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:42 PM on 02/13/2008

SeanGardner: Ole' Bill will probably jump on the Obama wagon too....he goes where power goes.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:45 AM on 02/14/2008
- k8k9 I'm a Fan of k8k9 permalink

Go Obama!

Why is it that everybody has a different count of Delegates, et al? Seems something this crucial ought be counted correctly from the outset and everyone should have the same numbers. Obama and Clinton campaigns announcing they are each winners seems like a math (not miracle) problem someplace.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:47 PM on 02/13/2008

Wonder who is more upset...Hil or Slick? Looks like the chickens are coming home to roost on this corrupt duo!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:21 PM on 02/13/2008

McCain Votes Against Waterboarding Ban

The Senate brought the Intelligence Authorization Bill to the floor, containing a provision from Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) that establishes one interrogation standard, requiring the intelligence community to abide by the same standards as articulated in the Army Field Manual and banning waterboarding.

Just hours ago, the Senate voted in favor of the bill, 51-45.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), a former prisoner of war, voted to preserve waterboarding.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:44 PM on 02/13/2008
- Ping I'm a Fan of Ping permalink

Senator John McCain, a member of the Keating 5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keating_5

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:04 PM on 02/13/2008
- k8k9 I'm a Fan of k8k9 permalink

Thanks for the link. I wonder why this hasn't been mentioned (at least I haven't heard it) in this campaign.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:20 PM on 02/13/2008
- k8k9 I'm a Fan of k8k9 permalink

Is this guy TRYING to lose?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:00 PM on 02/13/2008

WHEN IS HILLARY GOING TO SHOW HER TAX RETURN? - OBAMA SHOWED HIS. INSTEAD SHE HANDED OUT A VERY GENERALIZED FINANCIAL BLURB. WHAT IS SHE HIDING?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:18 PM on 02/13/2008

HERE IS HRC'S FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE!!! ITS ALL THERE... HER'S AND BILLS... ASSETS, INCOME, YOU NAME IT! OKAY?

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/c001041/

BARRY'S SHADY DEALINGS DONT APPEAR ON HIS TAX RETURNS, BUT THE INFO IS ALL HERE:

http://rezkowatch.blogspot.com/

(you were yelling, so i thought i do you the same honor. hard of hearing?)

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:32 PM on 02/13/2008

How much did they get for renting out the Lincoln Bedroom?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:10 PM on 02/13/2008

Hey you moron...that is just a financial disclosure...not tax returns...there is a big difference. Tax returns are much more detailed...what is she trying to hide?????

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:53 PM on 02/13/2008

Yeah, that's it.

After eight years and 70 million dollars spent, the Clintons have some kind of horrible financial deal that we haven't heard about already.

Maybe it's that cocaine cartel Bill was running in Arkansas?? Or, hey, why stop with the tax returns? Maybe we can get to the bottom of Hillary killing Vince, rolling him up in a carpet and throwing him onto that hillside? Or, wait...she fired the travel staff (which they ALL do)...maybe that's the ticket.

Good lord...get a life.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:38 PM on 02/13/2008

P.S.

Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday she would only release her tax returns if she secures the Democratic presidential nomination. Her financial holdings had been disclosed in her Senate ethics filings and she has liquidated all her assets when she became a presidential candidate so her investments should not present a conflict of interest.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:42 PM on 02/13/2008

You should pay attention to who her backers are. Haven't you heard "birds of a feather?"

Earlier this week, the New York Post ran a Page 6 piece, ODD FILM BY HILLARY BACKER, which highlights the close relationship between Hillary Clinton and Chicago-based Turkish businessman Mehmet Celebi.

Celebi, "one of the national leaders of the Turkish-American community in the US," is a key fundraiser for Clinton, and is one of Clinton's Chicago delegates to the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Celebi was also heavily involved in the controversial 2006 movie "Valley of the Wolves: Iraq" which has been widely regarded as "anti-Semitic, anti-American, conspiratorial agitprop."

Mehmet Celebi is also a key figure in the Sibel Edmonds case - he is heavily involved in the narcotics trade in the US and the corruption and bribery of high-level US officials.

One of the Clinton's biggest backers last time around was Jorge Cabrera, a big cocaine drug dealer. She even posed in front of the White House Christmas tree with him for a picture.

Then there was Marc Rich's pardon, and others.

Gee, the Clintons sure seem to attract a lot of drug dealers.


    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:08 PM on 02/13/2008

Better keep Bill on his medication. His tendency to go berserk and begin to attack and ramble with the slightest care in the world needs to be kept in check. he is a divisive old man.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:48 PM on 02/13/2008

I've posted this before, but based on some of the inane personal attacks on Hillary & Bill Clinton I've read today, I would like to ask the question again...and believe me, I'm a liberal who has nothing against Obama and will vote for him if he is the nominee:

Why are so many people so terribly negative about the Clintons (and we ALL know Bill and Hillary are joined at the hip when it comes to political decisions, etc.) when it's a fact that the Clinton administration brought America the following:

1. A booming economy
2. Over 22 million new jobs
3. Almost full employment
4. No serious wars or loss of American life through terrorism or invasions, and when we were attacked in 1993, the culprits were found and convicted within months of the attack. Oh, and we weren't attacked again on American soil until 9/11.
5. Our President and First Lady were revered throughout the world, versus the revulsion we see now.
6. Welfare decreased.
7. Teen pregnancies decreased.
8. Clinton policies helped pay off a massive deficit created by the previous Republican administration.
9. Clinton policies left us with a massive surplus.

Yet, suddenly have Obama touted as the new savior of the universe, a man who has a resume that is limited at best, constantly shouts to the heavens that he "would have voted against the war"...if he indeed had actually been able to do so...which he wasn't (hindsight), and now tells the world that he will create policies that will "change" America forever.

Based on what???

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:16 PM on 02/13/2008

you mention the good now mention the bad, NAFTA, gutting welfare, gutting our intellignece services, attacks all over the globe on our embassys, military ships and installations, the pardoning of FALN terrorists as well as Marc Rich, oh and that little thing with the intern, "it wasn't the sex it was the lying" the complete and total polarisation of the American population, these too are things these Clinton's have brought us....they are a mixed bag and the public is truly tired fo seeing these lying hyena like lawyers hovering around.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:02 PM on 02/13/2008

and how about selling out gays and lesbians to the religious right by establishing ENDA and Dont ask Dont Tell...the worst shit they ever turned into policy and law...did they think we would forget...there time is over...it is a new day, a new time, a new administration!

YES WE CAN!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:01 PM on 02/13/2008

As a former voter for Bill Clinton, I will tell you why many of us no longer like or trust the Clintons - the internet has given us access to a lot of truths about their past actions, so we no longer believe the PR puff crap you're still buying into.

How did Bill balance the budget? By using deceptive practices, ie using Social Security surpluses to hide the real existing debt. Why was the economy good? Hate to say it, but Newt & his pals had a lot to do with that by balancing the budgets.

The Clintons spent a lot of their time in office defending themselves against the various scandals they created and were involved in. It was one scandal after another.

When Bill & the Dems had control, Hillary should have had no problem getting meaningful health care reform. So what happened? She failed miserably. Now the health care industry is some of her biggest contributors. Don't count on meaningful health care reform for us! All I see is a mandate to buy expensive corporate health care policies or get punished, with no job guarantee to pay for it (even with subsidies).

Don't forget, the Clintons were so good to the Democrats that they handed Congress (both houses) to the Republicans starting in 1994 for 12 years because of their disreputable actions.

I could print pages of why they don't belong anywhere near the White House ever again.
8 was enough.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:02 PM on 02/13/2008

Obama was campaigning for the senate and couldn't vote on it, but he gave a speech against it, which took courage, because most of the public was buying the spin Bush & Cheney & Rice were spewing.

Compare that to Hillary or Edwards. Edwards said he made a mistake in supporting the war. Hilly spins "didn't think it meant war" or "Saddam wanted to compete with Bin Laden" !?!?!?!?

Haven't we had enough of admitting no errors?

And, there's an ammendment prohibiting third presidential terms, yet the Clintons are running together.

I voted for Perot twice, I certainly don't want the Clintons back.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:18 PM on 02/13/2008
- k8k9 I'm a Fan of k8k9 permalink

integrity

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:49 PM on 02/13/2008
- Ping I'm a Fan of Ping permalink

This one really hurts Clinton. Right after Obama goes 8-0 too.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:55 PM on 02/13/2008

Everyone take a couple of minutes to read Joe Wilson's endorsement of Hillary Clinton. It's actually posted on HuffPost - nearly hidden under the title "Battle Tested". As everyone knows, Joe and his wife Valerie Plame have survived the Rove-Bush-Cheney attack machine and survived. Just like Hillary.

This is a man who knows how government works and more importantly how is SHOULD work. It is probably the most important and thought provoking endorsement during this election cycle and should be read and considered by anyone who has not yet voted. It's not too late to bring sanity back into the Democratic party.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:46 PM on 02/13/2008

Wilson, despite the fact that he and his wife have been targeted by the Bush/Rove/Cheney machine, is a Clinton hack and shill. He was appointed by Bill Clinton, and is repaying political favors. It seems to me that the Democratic faithful's embrace of the senator from Illinois is a COMPLETELY SANE and RESPONSIBLE path to be on. I'm glad to be part of a movement that will bring about REAL change in government. Status quo politicians, including Joe Wilson, had better take note. Change IS happening regardless of the fear, smear, and cynicism that is issuing from camp clinton.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:14 PM on 02/13/2008

To define Joe Wilson as a hack and a shill is you doing your swiftboating for your candidate.
You are as bad as the Republicans attacking John Kerry. The man is a true patriot and he and his wife have done more for their country than Obama has and certainly a hell of a lot more than you ever did or will.
Disgusting.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:47 PM on 02/13/2008

With all due respect to the Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, and their supporters, I believe that David Wilhelm is making a point at least worthy of your consideration.

So, for those of you that are willing (which will include the rational and exclude anyone that [understandably this year] has a strong emotional commitment to Hillary), please allow me to respectfully submit the argument as I see it.

In the mid-20th century, the Democratic Party retained a series of rolling majorities and executive rule through most presidential terms. Our majorities were strong and resulted in the ability to pass progressive legislation. Our political philosophy, a manifestation of our generations-long majority, became known as the "vital center," a general political agreement that led to a stable environment that fostered unprecedented and unrepeated economic growth.

In short, the years of the "vital center" in American politics were the years during which our grandparents could go to work at a factory and earn a sufficient income to buy a home, raise a family, send their kids to school and retire securely - via pensions NOT 401K's or slender Social Security checks.

Then, "identity politics" destroyed our party. Reagan - a man of "ideas" - reaped the rewards of APPEALING TO OUR BASE and linking that appeal to a malignant agenda that redistributed wealth upward while destroying unions and smashing the heart of our industrial economy.

We have not recovered. For, the triangulation and controversies of the 1990's led to a stalemate in government - one not broken up to this moment.

Most political scientists and politicians agree that the ONLY way to break that stalemate is via a strong majority.

CONTINUED BELOW . . .

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:36 PM on 02/13/2008

CONTINUED FROM ABOVE . . .

Now, Nancy Pelosi is no enemy of the Clinton's. Yet, she has let it be known that she believes that an Obama candidacy would add 75 seats to the Democratic majority in the House.

But how?

Well, we've GOT to win a huge landslide in November. Now, Senator Clinton's negatives have RISEN since the beginning of the campaign. Right now, the "will not vote for Hillary no matter what" number stands at 49 percent of registered voters. That's VERY bad, because it means, even if she won, we would STILL lack the sort of coattail effect that could sweep us to power with a sufficient majority to govern.

Folks, no offense intended, but we HAVE TO own the House and Senate or the Republicans will block all our best legislative efforts.

Gridlock, which is all Senator Clinton can offer even in a best case scenario, WILL PREVENT the passage of all the legislation we've been discussing since last year.

Add in the fact that Obama's poll numbers continue to rise. His constituency is broad - the broadest in two generations as of now.

Meanwhile, Senator Clinton's negatives rise and she offers only a united Republican Party that will retain or gain seats in the House and Senate.

Truth is, "fighting" will make no difference if the Congress remains divided. We all know that.

AND, if we win the BIG majority that people like Pelosi and Wilhelm anticipate, WE WON'T HAVE TO FIGHT. We'll send down the bill, pass it, and get it signed into law.

Do you want to sweep the table in November? Or are you feeling so attached to your candidate that you'd rather throw over the greatest opportunity in a generation to actually seize control of the levers of government?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:36 PM on 02/13/2008
- Ping I'm a Fan of Ping permalink

Obama has coattails, Hillary does not. Obama takes votes away from McCain. Just look at what happened in Virginia last night.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:59 PM on 02/13/2008

Agree. I don't think the answer to correct the last 2 terms of ultra-partisanship manifested by the republicans is to replace it with ultra-partisanship by democrats.
There are now more people (like me) declaring themselves independent, because partisanship is ruining our country.

Obama addresses this with saying we are All Americans. For the Clintons to profess anything but being democrat is laughable, and will attract no republicans and few independents.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:33 PM on 02/13/2008

Obama is untested.

Hillary has stood up and withstood all the attacks from the GOP and from the media.
Obama has yet to be tested. The GOP is rubbing their hands in glee awaiting our side to name our candidate and doing what they can to ensure its Obama.
Commenter Voltaire has given us a list of what I have seen on many GOP websites.

While most of us expect the upcoming swiftboat attacks from the GOP, what disturbs me most is the gender attacks provoked by the Obama crowd against Hillary. Commenter Jay illustrates this with his lame "who is it that let themselves fly off at the mouth and then ended up putting hubby back in the doghouse while she had to paper over as sweetness and light." What a lame, idiotic, petty attack. And this from a supporter of the "Dream of Unity?" Come on.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:28 PM on 02/13/2008

And what, pray tell, was Hillary's test?

Here's what the New York Times thinks:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/26/us/politics/26clinton.html

And politifact has completely destroyed your argument re ad hominem attacks, which, it says (along with ALL media outlets) originated with your candidate.

Sorry. Excellent effort. But a recycled argument and one that has failed throughout the primaries.

I recommend you find another.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:08 PM on 02/13/2008
- Ping I'm a Fan of Ping permalink

Obama is passing the test with flying colors as we speak.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:09 PM on 02/13/2008

wait until rezco's trial starts sweetheart... you obama-ites are playing right into karl roves hands... they want mccain to go up against barry bc when this comes out, those "flying colors" you speak of will be barry going up in FLAMES!

http://rezkowatch.blogspot.com/

http://thecityedition.com/Pages/Archive/Winter08/2008Election.html


    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:38 PM on 02/13/2008

Amen! Look at the demographics of the Viginia vote. Obama has all strengths! People are waking up.
We are sick of the same old politics.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:36 PM on 02/13/2008

Yes, she has been tested; and she has flunked. 50 percent of the population dislikes her. A grade of 50 is an F. She has voted with republicans many, many times. The biggest test that she took was the authorization for military action in Iraq. She bombed it. She has made terrible decisions.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:58 PM on 02/13/2008
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