Obama Camp Lays Ground For Negative Attacks

***STORY UPDATES BELOW***

The Obama camp appears to be laying ground for pushing back against Hillary Clinton's latest campaign attacks, even if that means taking a negative approach themselves. The difficulty, as has been noted in the past, is maintaining the positive approach that has dominated his campaign while still drawing contrast with the Clintons.

Obama campaign manager David Axelrod claimed last night:

"If Sen. Clinton wants to take the debate to various places, we'll join that debate. We'll do it on our terms and in our own way but if she wants to make issues like ethics and disclosure and law firms and real estate deals and all that stuff issues, as I've said before I don't know why they'd want to go there, but I guess that's where they'll take the race.''

The Associated Press cites an anonymous Obama aide:

A senior Obama adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Obama's team will respond to Tuesday's results by going negative on Clinton -- raising questions about her tax records and the source of donations to the Clinton presidential library, among skeletons in the Clintons' past.

And Obama is challenging Hillary's claims to be a better Commander-in-Chief:

"I hope people start asking is what exactly is this foreign experience she is claiming," he said. "Was she handling crises during this period of time? I haven't seen any evidence that she is more equipped to handle a crisis.

"She made the experience argument and her ability to handle a crisis, so I think it is important to examine that claim and not just allow her to assert it," he added. "She has made the argument that she is thoroughly vetted. If the suggestion is somehow that on issue of ethics or disclosure or transparency that she is somehow going to have a better record than I have or could (better) withstand Republican attack, then that should be tested."

Meanwhile, the Associated Press is reporting that some superdelegates worry about future attacks. Donna Brazile, a Democratic strategist, had this to say to the Associated Press:

"Despite Obama's impressive victories in February, Clinton's comeback is based on sowing political seeds of doubt," said Donna Brazile, a Democratic strategist and one of nearly 800 party leaders known as superdelegates for their ability to determine the nomination. "In order to clinch the nomination, he must anticipate the worst attacks ever."...

..."If these attacks are contrasts based on policy differences, there is no need to stop the race or halt the debate," Brazile said. "But, if this is more division, more diversion from the issues and more of the same politics of personal destruction, chairman Dean and other should be on standby."

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UPDATE: The Obama camp has released a memo criticizing Clinton for refusing to release her tax returns. David Axelrod reinforced the message saying Clinton had "a history of nondisclosure," after promising that "the vetting of Hillary Clinton has yet to start."

Read the memo:

TO: Interested Parties FR: The Obama Campaign RE: TAX RETURNS: What does Clinton have to hide?

DA: March 5, 2008

The Clinton campaign today maintained that "the vetting of Barack Obama has just begun." The truth is, more than a year into this campaign, some very simple vetting of Hillary Clinton has yet to start.

In the face of her unwillingness to release her tax returns, Hillary Clinton has made the false case in this campaign that she is more electable because she has been fully vetted. When it comes to her personal finances, Senator Clinton's refusal to release her taxes returns denies the media and the American people the opportunity to even begin that process. Though her campaign has tried to kick the issue down the road, Democratic voters deserve to know, right now, why it is she is hiding the information in her tax returns from last year.

The Clinton campaign has said that they have released copious amounts of financial information but there are many questions about their private dealings that could be answered in their tax returns but not in the information that is currently available. For example, here are eight pieces of information that could be learned from her tax returns, the accompanying schedules, and attachments:

Effective tax rate - including whether or not any tax shelters were used to reduce it
Amount of income for spouses by source
Amount of stock gains and losses
Gross income for the couple
Amount earned from stock dividends
Amount of household employment taxes paid
Personal exemptions taken
Charitable contributions made

Senator Clinton has also claimed that she is too "busy" to release her tax returns. Given the fact she is able to loan her campaign $5 million, you would think the Clintons would be able to hire an accountant. The reality is that she wants to keep this information hidden from voters. The people of Wyoming, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and the rest of the country should wonder why.

The Clintons' record on releasing tax returns:

FEBRUARY 2008: Clinton Reiterated That She Would Not Release Her Tax Records Until She Is The Nominee And Not Before Mid-April. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton says she won't release her tax returns until she has the Democratic presidential nomination in hand, and not before tax filing time comes in mid-April. "I will release my tax returns," Clinton said during the debate. "I have consistently said I will do that once I become the nominee, or even earlier." Pressed about the timing of releasing her tax returns, campaign aides were more reticent Wednesday, indicating that Clinton would not release the sensitive financial data during a hotly contested primary, but only at tax filing time. [AP, 2/27/08 ]

JUNE 2007: Clinton Does Not Plan to Release Her Tax Returns Until Next Year. According to the Washington Post, Clinton said through a spokesman that, "like past presidential candidates," she will "release tax information in the election year." [Washington Post , 6/19/07]

APRIL 12, 1996: Clinton Released His Tax Returns. President Clinton and his wife earned $316,074 in 1995, including the president's $200,000 salary, according to tax returns released Friday by the White House. The public release of the tax returns, three days before the April 15 filing deadline, shows that Clinton and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton are owed a refund of $5,656 on the $81,093 they paid in taxes, and will apply that refund to their 1996 income taxes. [UPI, 4/12/96]

April 15, 1992: Bill Clinton Made His Tax Returns Public. APRIL 15, 1992: Bill Clinton made his tax returns made public. [Los Angeles Times, 4/16/93]

Bill Clinton Released His Tax Returns In 1992 But Refused To Release Their Tax Returns From Before 1980. During the 1992 campaign, the Clintons claimed to be coming clean by releasing their tax returns from 1980 forward. But they steadfastly refused to release their returns for prior years, and only later did we learn that 1978 and 1979 were the tax years when Mrs. Clinton reported her 10,000% cattle-futures trading profit. [WSJ, 2/22/08 ]

UPDATE: The Hillary camp has responded with a statement from Howard Wolfson:

Faced with many legitimate questions about Senator Obama's long-time relationship with indicted political fixer Tony Rezko, the Obama campaign has chosen to lash out at Senator Clinton.

Here are the facts:

Over 20 years of the Clintons' tax returns are in the public domain.

Their tax returns since they left the White House will be made available on or around April 15.

This information will be in addition to 15 years of uninterrupted public financial disclosure reports.

Instead of making false attacks, we urge Senator Obama to release all relevant financial and other information related to indicted political fixer Tony Rezko.

Comments

[rich3324]

A Clinton Whitehouse, let the new scandals begin.

[colette]

Here's an idea: Clinton is winning mainly with lower-middle class and working class white folks and Hispanics. She's become a real "woman of the people," with her I-feel-your-pain appeals to voters who (pardon me, Bill) "work hard and play by the rules."
Could we have just one ad reminding people that she: 1) made a lot of money working for a big corporate law firm in Arkansas; 2) sat on the Wal-Mart board for seven years and did just about zilch for "the little guys and gals" working for and exploited by that anti-union company; 3) takes loads (exact figure please??) of PAC and lobbyist money; 4) kissed up to right-winger Rupert Murdoch; 5) tax returns, phone logs, mining deals with Kazikstan dictators, pardons...­....
Wow, there's a case to be made here. the problem, as one of the CNN pundits said last night, is that she's very deft at playing both Victim and Bully. But she's bloodied up Obama so much, that Victim stance may not work so well anymore.

[robXdion]

No,
That demographic of "lower-middle class and working class white folks and Hispanics" tend to be more racist when it comes to dealing with blacks (half or otherwise) than most. They are less educated and rely on stereotypes and prejudice to make decisions. Take a visit to East Texas, El Paso, Corpus Christi and the Ohio rustbelt "Hicksville".

Obama could have won Texas, I suspect some Republican voters helped Hillary there. But him winning Ohio would have been a real miracle.

[politicsnut]

Only noneducated and racist whites and older women vote for her because they can't look for facts on the internet and are easily gullible. They will believe every lie she tells. Do we want our country to be represented by those people?
Obama has to start exposing the facts against Hillary or he will lose. Her demografics do not understand finesse.

[Krazime]

So its time to sit back and watch the fireworks.
Tear her azz up Obama, let the Chicago politics come out strong.

He may not get the nomination, but neither will hillary, and I have to say I can deal with that, because she has been too nasty for too long. Its time for her and bill to get some of the nastiness they dish out.

Go Obama! If they thought you were black before....­.
whewwww lol

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Another fan of "new politics," I see.

Obama, recast as the junior member of the Black Panthers. Kind of retro, eh?

[Krazime]

yeah, see how quickly the racists come out of the closet when you talk turn about is fair play?

lol you guys are so transparent! go hide, someone might see your tail.

[SShaw490]

I was disgusted that the Clinton campaign would release a radio ad in Ohio that claimed to be an Associated Press news story but was just a slime ad using refuted information on the NAFTA deal. That's low-down gutter politics that you don't expect in a Democratic nomination race.

Her tax returns, her papers from her time in the White House, her donors, Bill's donors to his foundation, his foundation's finances, Bill's pardons (who did he pardon and why, and what did they do after they got out), Bill's carousing (remember, Hillary said there "would be no surprises in November"). It's about to get ugly. Obama dropped a few points in Ohio after Hillary went negative - he won't let that happen again.

If the party doesn't want them attacking each other, they need to make a deal. Now.

[politicsnut]

I am so disgusted by the clintons and even more disgusted with the people who are voting for her despite all the low blows she has layed on Obama. What does it say about them? Obama can't be a diplomat and a gentleman with these kind of voters! They do not understand dignity or finesse. They want a "fighter". Let's fight!

[dct19]

It's past time for Obama to man up, gotdam didn't he see what happened to Gentleman John Kerry. I don't care how many times people say they don't like negative campaigning, the reality is that most of us do not respect people who keep getting hit and never throw a punch in return. Obama has to stand up, throw his hands up and start swinging.

[LaFilleEnRose]

You go guy! I was disgusted with the NAFTA thing. As if the major NAFTA issues are with Canada anyway. Of course your team would have been reassuring to a Canadian offical. Canada is not the problem. I'm sure they are even ahead of the US in applying environmental laws to business, and certainly pays its workers a fair wage -- the things that need renegotiating with the ahem other NAFTA partner. We know where the problem is and it's Mexico. That's where the factories have gone. She -- Hillary -- knows that. To use something like that which you couldn't very well say without causing problems with Mexico beforehand was sickening on her part.

Also note Senator Obama that negative campaigning like she does is done just before a primary. And I'm sure in those states where she wins that way, shortly after the election people have buyer's remorse. But you may have to be prepared for what's going to happen just before Pennsylvania. And have your own kitchen sink ready to blast back. If you start too soon you risk a backlash and sympathy for her. Get someone who knows how to do this. And knock that misery of a candidate out for good.

[BlueLogic]

Excellent. I'm tired of the milquetoast approach he's taken so far. I want to know that the man I've donated my hard earned money to has some teeth and is willing to fight for this thing.

Watch out Shrillary, your many skeletons are about to be brought to the light. The issue of her highly guarded senior thesis from Wellesley should be brought up as well. What is she hiding?

[glorija]

I agree, BlueLogic, it's important to challenge Hillary Clinton but it's also important not to become her. We all need to keep that in mind.

The sad thing in all of this is that it is the journalists who were supposed to dig into Clitnon's claims. I don't think it's because they are privileging her, I simply think that they are not doing their job.

[RationalDem]

It's about time to challenge some of her "magical thinking" and assertions that she is somehow more vetted and experienced.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Project much?