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."

Story continues below

advertisement

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

[CaptainVideo]

Perhaps in the long run it is best if Hillary gets the nomination by cheating. That way McCain can beat her in the Fall election and we will finally be rid of the Clintons. Then Obama can bring about the change he desires in 2012.

The essential thing must be that Obama not let himself get trapped into running as her VP candidate and going down with her ship.

Ralph Nader clearly knew what he was doing when he got into this race.

[giantsteps]

Hillary's attempt at health care before, failed miserably. Her attack on Barrack about NAFTA is laughable because she will not make changes to NAFTA either. Her foreign policy experience is WHAT?

It is her turn to stop the rhetoric and tell the people, HOW she will make changes.

Barrack's speeches are inspirational which is a helluva lot better than her adversarial and condescending speeches.

[nazirmo]

I am accustomed to watching a smiling Obama photo. So why is this one different ?
Really let the democrats end all this nonsense and let Hillary run for Pres and Obama for V.P
She does have more experience. Together they can bring hope , inspiration and actions and defeat the Republicans. It will be the biggest mistake in the history of the planet to put McCain in the White House who will continue with Bush's failed policies. McCain is a hero no doubt. But there are more
problems that need to be resolved and those are economy and health care etc. - Hillary and Obama can together resolve this far better and they can also take care of national defense.
Get the damn dream ticket now. Petition now. Hillary is right. She has won the large states.

[mcfried]

She does not have more experience - he has been in elected office longer than she has. Also he is winning why should he be VP.

[AndriaSmith]

He has never been a leader. She has been a leader as First Lady. It is very important.
She is the most qualified person, regardless of anything. This is her time, and it's a womans turn. Every woman in America know this.

[Kim445588]

This ticket is only a dream for the Clinton team who is losing. Why would Obama want Clinton baggage, and want to carry on this dynasty. No more Bushes or Clintons ever.

[KidMeNot]

I guess the ready to answer the phone at 3am argument really is a sham. If you think he's not ready to be commander in chief why would make him your vice-president. The Clinton style attack first, apologize later. Whether its NAFTA, the bankruptcy bill, or the war (sort of??)

[mlaiuppa]

Obama has 11 years of elected office to her 8.

First Lady does not constitute experience.

[Susan1968]

OBAMA's RESUME: THE MISSING YEARS, 2000-2002

After an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000, he announced his campaign for U.S. Senate in 2003.

People often say he served in the IL State Senate from 1996-2004 - that is not true.

http://www.dirckthenoorman.com/?cat=41
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama

[AndriaSmith]

Oh but it does. It does indeed.

[MartinEdwinAndersen]

The phone rings at the Obama household at 3 a.m. and it is Hillary on the line.

"Okay, so you won. Can I be your vice presidential running mate?

"You know the slash and burn, hack-type politics expected of the No. 2 person comes naturally to me."

Obama: "I said you should believe in hope, not miracles."

[AndriaSmith]

HiIlary: " Are you still thinking Hope? I thought we agreed action was the word.
Obama: What about those tax returns?
Hillary: What about them? Are you redecorating? Shall I frame them first?
Obama: If you don't mind. I love your choice of color schemes.
Hillary: Thank you.
Obama: Can I talk to Bill?
Hillary: He's resting. Maybe later.
Obama: Okay, well then Good bye.
Hillary: Good bye.

[laylahb]

Prediction: John McBush in November 2008. The democrats will still be fighting.
I'm moving back to Canada, and I won't come back until a Democrat is back in the White House..

[mcfried]

Not according to the latest polls Obama ahead by 12 pts and Hillary by 6 (aargh)

[nohat]

Just 4 delegates, that's all she got, see new thread,
Yaaaaaaaay!!!

[nohat]

Just 4 delegates, that's all she got, see new thread.
Yaaaaaaaaay!!!

[specultr]

When are those tax returns being released? April 15? I doubt it.

[joselopez]

Obama is set to win Wyoming, Mississiippi, North Carolina, Oregon, Montana, and South Dakota. Oregon and NC account for 168 delegates.

Obama is not going to lose a blow out in PA.

Bottom line Folks: Clinton is going to be behind close to two hundred PLEDGED DELEGATES AT THE END OF VOTING.

Barring any crazy developments, the only way Clinton can win this is if it is stolen from Obama. That would ensure a Republican President, because the Black vote and others like myself will vote for McCain over Clinton.

[SLone08]

I sure hope so

[CaptainVideo]

If Obama has a majority of the elected delegates and of the popular vote and Hillary is the candidate, Ralph Nader should do very well in this election, even better than in 2000.

[HLMerkin]

Others like yourself?

People not certain what they believe each day?

Schizophenics?

Serial liars?

People who see McCain's lack of core convictions as a virtue?

People who would embrace Bush after the most vile of personal attacks?

People who have been tortured?

People who aren't really sure if waterboarding is torture?

Trolls with nothing better to do with their time?

The really, really spiteful?

Someone thinking that this country needs to hit rock bottom before we can elect the real fascist to finish what the Republicans have started?

Hillary may be Rovian in her politicking. She may betray progressive values. She may be lots of things, but she is not a worse choice than John McCain for a voter that identifies himself as a Democrat.

You sound as credible as Ann Coulter or Rush Limbaugh, but not nearly as smart as either of those asshats.

[snowcat]

I hope everyone has the energy to keep up these postings for weeks because to many people are refusing to look at the Clintons with scrutiny. They believe the Clinton spin that they have been vetted. Especially younger voters need to learn the truth about their corrupt past and present before putting them back in place in the future. The MSM is doing nothing so we have to hit them hard!

[Cos1]

Snowcat,
you are so right on this one. Everytime she says she's been vetted, the Media let her slide. The actual vetting was about Bill the last time, not Hillary. Where did all this money come from that they now have. The media will not do anything because it's great for ratings to watch her beat up on him while they help her.

Besides, he can't go after her in the same way. If he does, the sterotypes will come out. (Black man beating up on white woman), (sexism-man beating up on this woman) and people will turn on him. He also has to watch the racism charges. He can's say anything about racist tactics because he will be charged with starting them himself. He's in a tight spot and has shown that he can handle it.

[ObamaEdwards]

Oh, and btw, how about all these Clinton scandals:

http://www.hillaryproject.com/index.php?/en/story-details/hillary/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/21/AR2007102101069.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/31/us/politics/31donor.html?adxnnlx=1201813847-PK2N6inWdCnvviOLah4V/w&pagewanted=all

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/14/AR2007121402124_pf.html

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/29/717817.aspx

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1998/clinton_scandal/49771.stm
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/Feb1999/022599/clintonwomen022599.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/broaddrick022599.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/25/AR2008022500791.html

And finally:
Juanita Broaddrick,
Paula Jones,
Monica Lewinsky,
Gennifer Flowers,
Elizabeth Ward Gracen,
Sally Perdue,
Dolly Kyle Browning

[TimeForChange]

You forgot Connie Hamzy, Marilyn Jo Jenkins and his latest, Canadian Belinda Stronach (did she have anything to do with the memo leak?).

More on Hillary's 35 years of experience:

OTHER MATTERS INVESTIGATED BY SPECIAL PROSECUTORS
AND CONGRESS, OR REPORTED IN THE MEDIA

Bank and mail fraud, violations of campaign finance laws, illegal foreign campaign funding, improper exports of sensitive technology, physical violence and threats of violence, solicitation of perjury, intimidation of witnesses, bribery of witnesses, attempted intimidation of prosecutors, perjury before congressional committees, lying in statements to federal investigators and regulatory officials, flight of witnesses, obstruction of justice, bribery of cabinet members, real estate fraud, tax fraud, drug trafficking, failure to investigate drug trafficking, bribery of state officials, use of state police for personal purposes, exchange of promotions or benefits for sexual favors, using state police to provide false court testimony, laundering of drug money through a state agency, false reports by medical examiners and others investigating suspicious deaths, the firing of the RTC and FBI director when these agencies were investigating Clinton and his associates, failure to conduct autopsies in suspicious deaths, providing jobs in return for silence by witnesses, drug abuse, improper acquisition and use of 900 FBI files, improper futures trading, murder, sexual abuse of employees, false testimony before a federal judge, shredding of documents, withholding and concealment of subpoenaed documents, fabricated charges against (and improper firing of) White House employees, inviting drug traffickers, foreign agents and participants in organized crime to the White House.

[maggieb]

You are sure obsessed with the Clintons. Time to take a shower and shave!!

[JeffinIllinois]

Wow, you've been saving these for awhile. Your first link has a story generated by hillary project? Spare us.
Your second link is about the donations from Hsu. This one involved most of the Democratic party (including Barack Obama BTW)
Your third link is about a rich guy getting richer and donating to Bill Clinton's charity.. I could care less as long as little people were helped. Even Hillary reported this one to the State Department.
The next link is about donations from abroad for Clinton's Presidential Library which also mentions the donations to the Bush libraries and Reagan libraries.­. You really should visit them.. they needed the donations.
Your next link is about the Clinton's joint tax returns which (several members) of the Clinton campaign and Hillary herself said would be released around April 15th.
The following links are about Bill Clinton sex scandals.. which Ken Starr even dismisses.
And the last link is about the media covering the sex scandals of Bill Clinton.
Your last statement is redundant because it is in the links (or maybe you didn't even bother reading any of the trash you used).

Wow.. obviously you are a Hillary hater. All of this has been said, reviewed, reported on, investigated, referred to the justic department, the state department, from a hillary hater site (first link) and amounts to the seriousness of any story reported in the National Enquirer. . Good Job!

You should get a job for Rush... naw, maybe even Tom Delay, David Vitter, Larry Craig, Foley, sheesh.. you could work for any of them.

[MartinEdwinAndersen]

Will Hillary kill hope as she enjoys her reinvigorated spoiler role?

Here she is, a tool of the lobbyists, claiming she is the "people's" choice.

Hillary even refuses to release her tax returns for the past two years, which would reveal the source of her sudden wealth.

If Hillary claims experience in foreign affairs, then let her share responsibility for her husband's immoral inaction on Rwanda, when hundreds of millions of black Africans were slaughtered while the Clinton White House refused to act.

(According to the British Guardian newspaper: "President Bill Clinton's administration knew Rwanda was being engulfed by genocide in April 1994 but buried the information to justify its inaction, according to classified documents made available for the first time. ...

"It took Hutu death squads three months from April 6 to murder an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus and at each stage accurate, detailed reports were reaching Washington's top policymake­rs." http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/mar/31/usa.rwandaa])

For every comment the Clinton trained seals make about Hillary's favorite target--Rezko--it is important that people remember the reason Jimmy Carter's chief of staff, Hamilton Jordan, called the Clintons our "First Grifters."

Remember their ties to disgraced fugitive financier Norman Hsu?

Remember Bill’s supping at the trough of the emir of Dubai?

Speaking of the Middle East, remember Hillary's silence when Yassir Arafat's wife libeled the state of Israel?

Of course, the media bends over trying to accommodate Hillary, today the MSNBC talking heads explained that they have to tread softly because it is hard to criticise a woman.

National security and the fate of the country is apparently tied to some moronic political correctness from a media that did not exactly cover itself with glory when America was about to go to war.

Of course, today's media establishment cares as much about access to the red carpet as anyone else.

The legendary journalist Edward Murrow would have liked Barack Obama, beause he also believed, like Obama himself has said, that cynicism is a sorry kind of wisdom.

Fight back America!

Believe in yourself!

[veracity]

Come on, Martin, the Clintons may not be perfect, but the problem with laying RAWANDA at their feet is... well, you ever hear of a little thing like the _REPUBLICAN FOREIGN POLICY establishment,_, the SOMALIA faisco early in Clinton's tenure where _the American public_ DEMANDED that we withdraw US troops from the famine relief mission there,. and the fact that America and the Republican foreign policy crew let Milosovic set up (no exaggeration) DEATH CAMPS in Serbia, less than an hour's flight from the Vatican (in Rome)?
Heck, the impeachment-happy Repuglicans wouldn't even let Clinton go after.. Osama bin Laden, after Al Qaida bombed _two_ US embassies in Africa in 1998! (100,000+ hits for "Clinton and Wag the Dog")
If you are going to lay Rawanda at the Clinton's feet, well, what have you done for Darfur, South Sudan, or the Congo lately? (Estimates are that the Congo is now the bloodiest on-going war zone anywhere in the world, if I am not mistaken.)

[ICUP]

How about Clinton's missile attacks on the Sudanese or his bombing of Iraq? Those do count.

[griffon2k]

Last night made one thing clear.

Hillary doesn't care what she has to do to get the nomination so long as she gets it. Including:

Agreeing to break DNC rules to have Florida and Michigan delegates seated.

Asking superdelegates to overturn the will of Democratic supporters who have alredy spoken because she's "more electable" and their states don't matter anyway.

Buddying up to her "shameful", "untrustworthy", "self proclaimed Christian", "empty suit", "speechmaking" democratic ally for a "Dream Ticket"---so long as she's at the top of the ticket.

She'll wave the "the terrorists will get us" flag just to pick up scare votes.

And last but not least, she'll allege that she and McCain so much experience that her potential "Dream Ticket" VP has NO PLACE in the race for commander in chief.


Hillary Clinton has completely adopted the Republican playbooks folks.

1) Attack your opponent on their strength.
2) Accuse your opponent of murder (to shield yourself from future accusations) and then commit murder yourself.
3) Bully the media into giving you a slant by arguing bias. (Republicans call this "Liberal Bias")
4) Take advantage of voter doubt caused by false attacks against your opponent by not flatly denouncing them. (a la Bush to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth)

Other Democratic candidates relased their tax returns. Hillary rode the fence in a nationally televised debate about releasing them and then said effectively she'd do it when she's ready. Despite alleged media bias against Obama, NO ONE called her on it.

She lied in Ohio about being against NAFTA from the beginning when there is videotape of her supporting it and books about her and Bill clearly claiming it as an achievement. Yet she still skated by the Obama biased press on this and NO ONE called her on it.

And it's not these are not in any way the first or few straddling the fence moments of indecisiveness Hillary has shown.

She want to run against the war and Bush, but she voted for it and further enabled in by voting for measures against Iran.

She couldn't make up her mind on the driver's license issue.

She hasn't given any examples of what foreign policy or executive experience she's had in these 35 years that makes her "vetted"

She hasn't stated what she plans to do differently with her new Healthcare plan that will make it more likely to succeed than her previous failure.

She didn't even show up to vote on the FISA bill. (she would have been asked to vote against immunity for telecom buddies).

And she question's Obama's ability to lead or be ready for the 3 am call. If she can't be at the Senate to vote on whether spying on Americans without warrants is legal in combatting terrorism, how can we expect her to be there when that phone rings?

If she wants to invoke doubt, there's more than enough out there about her. The questions just need to be asked.

Obama needs to simply call her out on the truths behind the baseless arguments she keeps making and just keep hammering away.

She's got enough holes in her argument..­..it will break with enough effort.

[JeffinIllinois]

Did you compare Hillary's copy of the Republican play book to your own copy?
The Majority Whip has the responsibility (Dick Durbin-IL) to inform members when their votes are required. It went nowhere. See Thomas web site at .gov.

[griffon2k]

1) I don't need a copy of the Republican play book when we've witnessed close to 8 years straight of it in action.

2) If the excuse for Hillary not voting on whether Americans deserve the right to pursue justice against unwarranted violations of their privacy is that it was someone else's job to tell her that her vote was needed, she has no business claiming the ability to lead.

Hillary got what she wanted, which was a continuation of the race/debate, but Obama's not going to stand there and not defend himself.

If the press won't call her out for straddling the fence, and not showing up for major votes to take a stand against Bush while he's still in the White House, Obama will.

At this point he has to. And she'll be pressed to do more than cry media bias.

[tkk]

Oh, great. He's wearing his Televangelist face.

[Evidence]

What were you doing in Mexico, Barrack?

[mcfried]

Spring break

[lokywoky]

Maybe someone should ask HILLARY about HER ties to Rezko...pe­ople, don't forget - she's from Chicago originally, and she also has ties to Mr. Tony Rezko. What about that? hmmm.

[Evidence]

I guess we'll find out soon enough about the Rezko & Obama relationship as the trial progresses.

[JeffinIllinois]

I imagine that's how she found out about Rezko to begin with. You should really read into Illinois politics before you start slinging the mudd. Obama is mentioned and official A happens to be our current Democratic governor. No mention of Hillary, but I'm quite certain if there was ... we would have known by now, or Barack would have hit her with it. HMMMM.

[sklfcats]

I heard the delegates are PAID. No wonder the right person never wins.