Heilemann, Like Noonan, Suggests That Clinton Camp May Be Fracturing

On today's Meet The Press, Peggy Noonan got ears burning when she suggested that there was some matter of dissension in the ranks of the Clinton campaign, saying that Clinton is "surrounded by people who would adore the chance to be for Obama." She added, mysteriously, "One of her top aides, who kind of privately makes it clear that he knows that he himself is an insurgent character and that it would be wonderful to be a part of Obama's insurgency but that he is backing Ms. Clinton."

Noonan otherwise made her animus for the Clinton's fairly readily apparent, which was just one of the factors that made me think she was worth dismissing. Others included the fact that last week, Clinton's surrogates weren't working the Reverend Wright angle particularly hard - Charles Schumer and Nita Lowey both backed off of hammering Obama on his association with Wright. Additionally, Clinton's position in the race for the nomination - while obviously hampered by the math - is nevertheless very strong where perceptions are concerned: she's had a pretty good couple of weeks (outside of perhaps the whole Bosnia matter) and is well-poised for a win in Pennsylvania, which is sure to give her some momentum. Additionally, and perhaps critically, the superdelegate flood to Obama has, in the past fortnight, subsided.

On Chris Matthews' show, panelists Norah O'Donnell, Clarence Page, and Elisabeth Bumiller all basically agreed that Clinton was nowhere near the point where she'd be thinking about leaving the race. But there was one outlier: New York Magazine's John Heilemann, who echoed some of the things Noonan would say on Meet The Press:

HEILEMANN: I think that one thing that's happening internally is that some of her top people are starting to say to her, "We won't stick with you. We won't keep working for this campaign if it's going to destroy Barack Obama." She's starting to hear that from her people and she's starting to kind of see it.

MATTHEWS: How do you know that?

HEILEMANN: [archly] How do I know that? Reporting.

The one thing I'd caution is that if you look back, rumors of internal dissension seems to always precede Clinton's momentum-swinging victories. Everyone was supposed to be getting fired in New Hampshire, but Clinton's win forced the press to table their obituaries. And the week before her Ohio win was fraught with Mark Penn-bashing from within the campaign.

Comments

[Boringat]

Bill's a good guy. Given the choice between deep-throating some plump young Jewish chick,and going home to this lying frigid Ball-break­er.....wha­t would YOU do ???

[UnknownSoldier]

LOL.......­....... OMG hilarious!!!! but as a man I know that women hate when we say things like that about Hilary....­...... Only women can say that about Hilary and not be called sexist.

[txgal44]

I hope she divorces him after she loses.

[Pammy1151]

That's is what I said from the beginning!!! I voted for him. Poor guy LOL

[AZDemocrat500]

And you probably have a blow up doll. Quit spending so much time with your computer so you can have a little perspective on real issues. Who cares about all of that garbage .

[babar77]

The ability to own up to you mistakes is a very real issue for leaders - especially when it's obvious you're letting the country get distracted for over a year trying to cover you ass. Even Nixon had the decency to resign.

The ability to follow the laws you are sworn to uphold is another big issue - especially when you are the top official who's constitutional duty is to enforce the rule of law. I could have been a little more forgiving, up until the part where he committed perjury.

Finally, a large percentage of people in America feel that marriage obligations are a big deal. Hillary (I would feel more sympathy for her if she weren't so politically calculating) suffered the double whammy of dealing with infidelity AND being publicly humiliated. Dismissing that so lightly is a major slap in the face for those who feel that way. Even for a progressive like myself, commitment to your spouse (be it same or opposite gender) is an important thing. At least have the decency of divorce or trying to work your problems out before you go cheating.

[bish66]

This is utter nonsense!

"MATTHEWS: How do you know that?

HEILEMANN: [archly] How do I know that? Reporting.­"

No source, no quote, just hearsay. Great. We have heard before Ohio that Clinton should leave the race because she would fail in Ohio. She did not. Now, while leading in the polls for Pennsylvania, West-Virginia, Kentucky, Puerto Rico and even Indiana and North Carolina, the media is trying to declare her campaign dead and over. We heard that before New Hampshire as well and she showed herself as the "Comeback Kid".

Advisors have egos and egos clash. Some feel that polls matter, other advisors have other issues and hobby horses. To suggest that the people working for Clinton want to work for Obama is ridiculous.

"... Clinton's surrogates weren't working the Reverend Wright angle particularly hard - Charles Schumer and Nita Lowey both backed off of hammering Obama on his association with Wright."

The rule of thumb is such cases is: "If the other guy shots himself into the foot, step back, keep quiet. He will harm himself plenty and attacking him will only give him a chance to distract or present himself as a victim."

[Thurber]

Uhm what polls are you smoking? Penn, WV, KY, and PR have always been givens for her, but IN and NC? I've yet to see anything suggesting a lead for her there, even a post-Wright, pre-speach lead.

[xargaw]

Reporters don't burn sources and this guy is a good reporter. He would not make such a statement if he did not know this. Peggy Noonan, on the other hand is a GOP shill. It was disgusting this morning on MTP that they would use her and Krauthammer as the analysts for Obama's speech on race.

[HuffJob]

hey man, Matthews and msnbc is dedicated to taking down Hillary. facts do not matter when it comes to her.

[AtlantaBill]

I thought it was the voters that are taking down Hillary. After all Obama has more pledged delegates, more votes, and more states won. Any other "bullet dodging-running across the tarmac" person would have conceded long ago. Fourteen straight losses would have ended the candidacy on most mortal individulals.

[Pammy1151]

Hey all Obama has to do is stay even with her and he still will be in the lead!!! She is done!!

[Catspaw]

She almost certainly DID lose Ohio, at least, in terms of the legit voting. Haven't you noticed the currently exploding issue surrounding cross-over voting by Repugs, one of whom was actually bright enough to write "this time only" on his strictly illegal ballot. This is under investigation even now. Hard to say what might happen, but it surely casts doubt on her "winning" Ohio. Save for Texas, natch.

[benwha]

Ya Hillary has got it bad. I mean I have just watched 60 minutes of CNN and not one mention of the terrifying experience Hillary went through in Bosnia. I mean she has to dodge sniper fire. What a true American hero!

Wait, I am looking at a youtube video, ahhh turns out she lied about the sniper fire. Oh but thats ok Hillary because we need to do all we can to keep Barack out of the white house because that would be horrible!

[Pammy1151]

All I can say about the women that back her must be just like her. They must have that same angry, victim, mean, lying personality traits. I just can't see how many woman with any intelligence can stand by her. I have never liked her. I did vote for Bill twice. I now see the error of my way on that also. I totally believe this has for many years been a marriage of convenience and now he is paying dear dues for Monica and all the others. Get me elected or you are done Mr. Bill. One thing I will say is that they have raised a smart daughter. How that happened I am not sure living with those two. I want to vote for a woman and do believe I will be able to do that in the future. Just not HER.

[JoshMiami]

my my pammy so nice that you know so much on other peoples relationship and that you are soo jugemental you must have worked really hard to get to know ALLL the women who support her

[Lisette]

Josh, Pammy is right in the sense that one wolf knows another wolf.
Do you get it now. Women who don't think like Hillary, won't vote for her.

[on2them]

Give woman a little more credit to know a bit more about women then a man. Pammy is right and as a woman I agree with her 100%.

[snowfall]

In your next life you will have the chance to vote for another female president.

[KimberlyKay]

No, there will be one long before that. Hopefully, the truly qualified, inspirational best candidate who is also a woman (the kind I have been dreaming about) will arrive sometime in the next two decades. I rather hope she will have served in Iraq or Afghanistan-- and been under fire. That would be particular brilliant.

[Simone]

"They must have that same angry, victim, mean, lying personality traits. I just can't see how many woman with any intelligence can stand by her. I have never liked her."

Pammy - Some of my friends support Hillary and some support Obama and they are all wonderful, thoughtful, brilliant women who have worked for progressive candidate their entire adult lives. They would never think of describing a fellow progressive in the terms you have. I'm supporting Obama (a convert from Hillary) and discussed the election yesterday with a friend of 30 years who still supports Hillary and seems shellshocked by the hatred on both sides of this election . We've been activists together for 30 years - she listens to me and I listen to her. I understand why she supports Hillary. She understands why I support Obama. There is no hatred or name calling between us. We know we'll work together to elect the Democratic nominee because another republican would be disasterous.

[KimberlyKay]

I agree with you. But you need to remember that even the candidate herself, Senator Clinton, called Senator Obama's supporters "delusiona­l." You get insulted for days, weeks and then suddenly, well -- even though Senator Obama asks that we remain civil, sometimes it becomes a bit difficult. Sometimes I even suspect this is the rationale behind the constant stream of insults flying from Senator Clinton's supporters. Sometimes I suspect that the insults are actually coming from Republicans pretending, but then I remember that Senator Clinton, herself, called me and the millions like me, delusional.

However, I agree with you -- another republican would be disasterous and we have to work together.

[bridgeworker]

I hear you Simone. But I do question are these women who are supporting Hillary really being as "thoughtful" as you say? Are they supporting the idea of Hillary or the actual Hillary. Because when you really look at her actions, which after all say the most about a person, she does not seem to me to be the great progressive feminist that women would like her to be. She is clearly padding her resume, stretching the truth, using the old politics of saying one thing and doing another, and, most despicable to me, using the latent and not so latent racial divisiveness in this country to her advantage. None of these qualities are in my progressive feminist playbook.

[txgal44]

"been a marriage of convenience and now he is paying dear dues for Monica and all the others". That is so true! Geez! Why else would she stay married to that serial cheater? She will divorce him after she loses and blame the lot on him. Karma, Bill!! What goes around comes around.

[babar77]

Not only that, but now that we've all seen Clinton's true colors - makes one wonder about those alleged sex offenses against Bill.

[BrooklynLager]

"One of her top aides, who kind of privately makes it clear that he knows that he himself is an insurgent character and that it would be wonderful to be a part of Obama's insurgency but that he is backing Ms. Clinton."

I don't know if I believe the whole thing, but this part - I've heard this same story since last year from people way more credible than Peggy Noonan.

Would you all like to know who this Clinton aide is????????

[BrooklynLager]

Eh, no one's going to bite, and I feel like a fool.

Anyway it's Harold Ickes.

[NCYvonne]

I absolutely believe you that it's Ickes. I guessed that right away. After all, Ickes ran Jesse Jackson's campaign when Jackson was definitely the "black" candidate and had no chance of winning. Now, he sees in Barack the real promise and wants to be with him.

Also, I will bet you that although she is fiercely loyal to Hillary, Maggie Williams want help destroy Obama. Williams knows that Hillary can't win and she won't help her kill the only real chance in electing a black president.

[IkeChicago]

After Hillary's Big Bosnia Lie, some of Hillary's supporters are jumping ship, read some of the comments on Politico and view this Youtube of Hillary. Should be all over the news on Monday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It6JN7ALF7Y

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/

[BrooklynLager]

I seriously doubt they're going to pile on over it. Why? Because the "Hillary as liar" story is already in the public's bloodstream.

They're much more interested in hyperventilating over a gaffe by Obama, or some unslick innuendo by Bill Clinton.

[beaglemom]

I wouldn't be so sure that it will be all over the news on Monday. The msm hasn't set the record straight on Reverend Wright's sermon yet, so I have my doubts.

[NORKAY]

AS USUAL, THE OLD STORY, INNUENDO, GOOD OLD ANTI HILLARY BUNCH, THEY PSYCHO ANALYZE, NIT PICK ANY STATEMENT, MAGNIFY A STORY TO ITS DETRIMENT, BUT AS FAR AS THEY ARE CONCERNED , THEY NEVER DO ANYTHING IMPROPER, AXELROD, TO HIS CREDIT , NEVER TAKES OUT THE PROVERBIAL HANDKERCHIEF WHEN HE IS MOANING, GROANING AND CRYING, MCCARTHISM , THEY SHRIED, BILL CLINTON IS A BIGOT, HILLARY IS ANTI BLACK, OF COURSE, THE MEDIA IS NOT WHITEWASHING, THEY ARE "BLACKWASHING" DUCKING THE REAL ISSUE OF WHERE THE MONEY HAS BEEN COMING FROM AND THE INFLUENCE OF THE BLACK CHURCHES AND ALL THE SERMONS THAT HAVE EMITTED FROM THE PULPIT , IN SUPPORT OF WHO ????? HAVE YOU ALSO NOTICED THE BEVY OF PERSONS THAT APPEAR ON MSNBC AND CNN IN SUPPORT OF HILLARY, AM I KIDDING, OF COURSE, I AM , ITS THE OTHER WAY AROUND AND IT IS ASTOUNDING AS TO WHERE THEY COME FROM, IF THEY ARE NOT FROM CHICAGO NEWSPAPER OR THE WRITER WHO WORKS FOR THE POST OR THE CNN POLITICAL ADVISOR, AMAZING !!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!B­Y THE WAY, WHAT MAKES PEGGY NOONAN SO SPECIAL ??? SHE WORKED FOR THAT GREAT MAN NIXON, WHO ELSE IS SHE SERVICING TODAY ???

[BrooklynLager]

Yeah, they're constanty saying Hillary is anti-black. The media. They say it all the time.

Instead of saying she's anti-black, which they do all the time, they should consider playing Rev. Jeremiah Wright once. I mean, do your job - I'm not asking for endless loops or anything, but lets have some real reporting. Instead of accusing Hillary Clinton of being anti-black. They need to stop constantly doing that.

[benwha]

Ya Hillary has got it bad. I mean I have just watched 60 minutes of CNN and not one mention of the terrifying experience Hillary went through in Bosnia. I mean she has to dodge sniper fire. What a true American hero!

Wait, I am looking at a youtube video, ahhh turns out she lied about the sniper fire. Oh but thats ok Hillary because we need to do all we can to keep Barack out of the white house because that would be horrible.

[robXdion]

How is Rev. Wright anti-white??? Did he EVER say or advocate specifically to hate whites?

[fixbone]

which party is hrc in??? the democratic party or the clinton party??? I hope her $$ backers see the futility in her campaign and the money shortage demonstrates/forces her to the proper course for the party!!!

[alwayslearning]

Peggy Noonan continues to feel she has credibility with the listeners. I turn off any program that includes her because she speaks as if her word is gospel on any topic. She exudes self importance which is very unattractive. I really don't know why she is asked to give her opinion on any program.

[tkk]

If you believe, I've got a nice piece of swamp land to show you.

[zull2]

Having dissension in the ranks isn't going to just keep making everything work, just like tearing up whenever your poll numbers drop doesn't keep working. When a candidate relies upon pity too much to keep going, the majority of people get sick of hearing about it. If this is Hillary Clinton's entire gameplan, even IF she somehow won the primary, she'd get clobbered by McCain in the general election. By November, people would be entirely sick of her. The only way she could win the general is for Bush, not McCain, to do something so staggeringly stupid between now and then that voters are purely turning out over a moment of anger. I'm thinking this administration will play it as safe as they can, though.

[accountability]

Interesting.
Heilmann should be very glad he wasn't on Hardball, even though the camera shot was from a distance you could see though he appreciated the quickness Matthews was not thrilled with the answer... H had to use the ploy of repeating the question to give him the second to get a good answer.. Matthews is more bearable to watch on this show, not so abrasive and not as much over talking. He actually lets people answer questions. Though it would have been enjoyable to see this if it had been on Hardball. Matthews would have pinned him with the barrage of questions trying to make him slip and say something like ... oh, maybe something like "I made it up."

[Shannon2008]

I think this again shows what Hilary's current campaign is about which is destroying Barack Obama. Let's forget the issues. Let's set aside the interests of the party. Let's forget that we have a platform. Let's destroy Barack Obama.

[Thomei]

This is the typical Clinton way of doing business..­.if she can't have the nomination, nobody else can lead the party to victory in November.

[Blutus]

Peggy Noonan is an unctious fool.
She makes my flesh crawl.

[swe]

I agree. Why is she taken seriously after the Elian/Magic Dolphin column?

[PioneerKing]

SWE:

good one! you remember the Elian/magic dolphin column. what a lark.

[accountability]

amen to that Blutus..
ew ew ew ewwwwwwwwwww.

[Roose]

Hillary Clinton makes my skin crawl. She's vicious, she doesn't care about the party, and she will do anything to win.

[ampay]

Almost worse than her viciousness is the annoying way she treats her audiences: as if they are kindergarten. Clap, clap, point, point. And all those phony facial expressions. It's nauseating, not to mention condescending.

[BrooklynLager]

Blutus, I don't know your politics but never has an adjective more closely fit a subject before. It's like before Peggy Noonan people were searching far and wide for someone to match "unctious".

I salute you, sir.

[Wildcatdiva]

unctuous..­.you're welcome!