Clinton Campaign Stands By Harsh Letter To Pelosi

Aides to Sen. Hillary Clinton said on Thursday that they knew key fundraisers for her campaign were sending a letter to Nancy Pelosi, castigating the Speaker over her position on superdelegates and threatening, vaguely, to withhold campaign donations.

And while they did not go so far as to say they approved of the letter's content -- "we didn't know what was in it," said spokesman Phil Singer -- they did argue that the "letter speaks for itself."

"There is clearly a broad feeling among many Democrats and many people who are active in the party," said Singer, "that the role of superdelegates is to exercise independent judgment and make a decision that is best for the party and best for the country."

On Wednesday, Talking Points Memo posted a letter penned by some of the most influential fundraisers of the Clinton campaign, chastising Pelosi for suggesting that superdelegates "have an obligation to support the candidate who leads in the pledged delegate count as of June 3rd." Such a position, the authors wrote, "runs counter to the party's intent in establishing super-delegates in 1984."

To make sure their voices hit home, the Clinton backers reminded Pelosi, somewhat opaquely, that they had been the financial backbone of the very committee that helped elect her Democratic majority.

"We have been strong supporters of the DCCC," they wrote. "We therefore urge you to clarify your position on super-delegates and reflect in your comments a more open view to the optional independent actions of each of the delegates at the National Convention in August."

Early on Thursday, the Center for Responsive Politics calculated that the signatories of the letter had, over the span of more than a decade, put $24 million behind Democratic causes.

Asked whether the Clinton campaign thought it would be appropriate for party financiers to threaten to withhold funds should Pelosi not change her stance, aides to the New York Democrat restated their commitment to helping build a larger Democratic congressional majority.

"As someone who is a former executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, who spent a lot of years working in the House, who has both friends and family working in the House, I feel, as do most of the people I know, absolutely committed to helping elect Democrats to the House in 2008," said Clinton's communications director, Howard Wolfson. "I believe strongly in Nancy Pelosi's leadership. Obviously, some of our donors had an issue that they wanted to put into writing... But Senator Clinton and Bill Clinton will not take a backseat to anyone when it comes to helping Democrats or helping to fund the party committees. And the people here at every level are absolutely committed to large democratic majorities in 2008 and doing everything we can to helping achieve those large majorities."

On Wednesday, a spokesperson for Pelosi said that the Speaker was "confident" in her proclamation that superdelegates -- when deciding between Sen. Barack Obama and Clinton -- should take into primary consideration the tallies of both the popular vote and the pledged delegate count.

"The speaker believes it would do great harm to the Democratic Party if superdelegates are perceived to overturn the will of the voters," said Brendan Daly, a spokesman for Pelosi. "This has been her position throughout this primary season, regardless of who was ahead at any particular point in delegates or votes."

Comments

[lissielu]

Clinton and her cronies-total jerks. Trying to black mail congress-can't stoop much lower or can they?

[Whinger]

I've always suspected the Clintons owned 51% of the shares in the Democratic Party!

Time to crack the whip, eh Hillary?

[Plowboy]

Tell those blackmailing twerps that their little Hilly's campaign is broke. Wonder what they'll do about that.
If they really love her so much, maybe they should pick up those checks that she isn't able to.
And tell Hilly that she shouldn't be so damned nasty with us Democrats, or we'll send her to the other party with her bosom pal Joe.

[Americano]

Pilosi was out of line! If she wants to support Obama, just say so instead of saying I am neutral and than throw a bomb at Clinton. .

[kiga]

I have moved on from being a move on subscriber because they lack the judgement as their candidate, Mr. Obama does. Move on is a "has been." Senator Clinton is more qualified and will win the nomination and then the presidency. You are only pissing Senator Clinton's supporter off (in a big way) by try to steal the nomination using Republican style tactics such as not seating the Florida and Michigan delegates, counting the non-democratic caucuses around the country, call her to quit, calling her supporters racist for not voting for a candidate who is not qualified, but happens to be black and so on.
It is disrespectful to millions of voters who voted for Senator Clinton and will vote for her in the next 10 primaries to try to steal the nomination, Republicans did it, and we will not Democrats do it, so by calling for Clinton to quit, all you are doing is making us not to vote for Obama if he is the nominee.

[leftcoastliberal]

The majority of voters voted for Obama, even if one factors in Florida and Michigan, so how can he be "stealing" the nomination. I find Senator Clinton's politics (vote for Iraq war etc.) distasteful in the extreme, but will cheerfully vote for her if she is the Democratic nominee. I hope you will find it in your heart to do the same for Senator Obama.

[ajax2]

kiga, My guess is that you are not a Democrat, MoveOn member or literate because of your right wing talking points and poor math skills. Hillary supporters must come to grips with the evidence (reported by right wing NewsMax) that Bill Clinton is supporting Republican McCain.

[fourex]

Hillary supporters need to face the facts that Bill and Hillary may support (overtly or covertly) the Republican McCain in a general election. Even the right wing NewsMax questions Bill's glowing support for McCain.

[Purple Girl]

Well has Nan pulled her head out of her Ass, or is this just another round of smoke & Mirrors.
Could we get any shittier women in Gov't? It's embarassing and infuriating- not to mentiion the leaps backwards their actions and INactions have caused.
these 'Dem' Contributors my find the base they depend on to elect their Operative have left them. Same Assholes who've been imploding th eRepublican party- they are the ultimate SWTICH HITTERS.
We see you lurking in our Party, we kno wyou have sunk your teeth into those in Blue. have them..We are ready to Fire them all- If not send them to Prison- and you are also on the list. I'm Not a Dem, I'm an AmericaN!!!!! Peek a Boo we see YOU TOO!

Cave Adsum

[Naithom]

The country showed how much it distained the fat cats making the decisions in smoke filled rooms and screwing the average voter. Clinton is taking her big chance and shredding it. She's misread the public, big time.

[MaineMike]

"But Senator Clinton and Bill Clinton will not take a backseat to anyone when it comes to helping Democrats or helping to fund the party committees. And the people here at every level are absolutely committed to large democratic majorities in 2008 and doing everything we can to helping achieve those large majorities."

OK Clintons, how about putting your money where your mouth is? If what you say is true, how about committing to distribute your $20 million general election fund to other Democrats in the various 2008 elections if Hillary Clinton doesn't win the Democratic nomination? That would do a lot to prove this claim.

[druidmary]

MoveOn was suppose to be for all Democrats but they endorsed Obama early on. I wouldn't support them again and if they ask to support the DEM party, I won't they are not inpartial as they intended to be when they started.

HRC supporters go to sites like:

http://www.hillaryisourchoice.com/flip_flop.htm

for thier news

[leftcoastliberal]

Hillary voted for the bankruptcy "reform" bill authored by credit card companies and the Iraq war. She stands by her husband's record, which includes the first uses of extraordinary rendition (ie. shipping suspected terrorists to Egypt to be TORTURED into confession), the homophobic defense of marriage act, and financial sector deregulation that led to the current mortgage crisis. I'll vote for Hillary if she's the nominee, but lets face it, she's really a moderate Republican.

[olephart]

So the difference between the big money backers of the GOP and the big money backers of the Clintons is? The whole purposed of the Clinton campaign was to offer the American people their choice of two Republicans.

[FlowerGirl]

Those ridiculous donors make me laugh! If we don't let HilLIARy have the nomination, they'll go away mad and take their ball with them. They might even call us some names as they leave. (Their kind is good at that.) But after a while people become immune to such tactics.
And besides, their little old ball ain't all that impressive now. We American people have found a new one, much better and more reliable. Oh, and WE own it!

[charley0008]

And how out of touch are they?
Twenty four million over 10 years, versus Obama raising 55 million in one month? They just don't get it, they are caught in a time warp of self importance and entitlement they believe is rightfully theirs based on their check book. The Washington players!
They simply do not understand the significance of the change that is happening.
It reeks of the vindictiveness that was and is the Clinton way!

[Kim445588]

My lord has this campaign gone down hill. Has anyone produced a list of the blackmailers yet?

In case no one has beat me to it, I crown thee... "Fat-Cat-D­onor-Gate"

[finethnx]

Where do read blackmail into this? They are asking Pelosi to stop corrupting the process, and reminding her that they supported her election as a representative of ALL democrats. They are supporters of the Democratic Party - the way it is suppose to be. They are absolutely right about the delegates.

Shouldn't Pelosi be doing something a bit more constructive with her elected office? Isn't there SOME better use of her time? Did any of us want her to win just so she could hang around and try to pull Obama up? Come on!

[knowhelpnow]

I would like to know where the average person is in all of this? Why don't we stop all the spending and just have the Super Delegates pick who they want.
I find this whole process far from being democratic.
I find it disgusting, we the people, are really nothing in this process from beginning to end. From the Democrat's to the Republicans.
I don't even think we are a Republic anymore much less coining ourselves as a Democratic Nation.

[Kim445588]

Wow. First of all, these are Clinton supporters. Next, oh forget it. You are so blinded in defending your candidate that any attempt that I make to explain the obvious will be totally lost on you.

Obama's fund raising abilities makes these type of people obsolete, and I am sure it scares them.

[IHawk]

She's wringing her hands over the thought of those poor voters in Florida/Michigan being disenfranchised, but at the same time she and her surrogates are insisting on a system that allows the superdelegates to pick whomever they want, regardless of the primary/cacus votes. So if Florida and Michigan are somehow counted and that does yield a Clinton win, those voters can go right back to being disenfranchised. Ya gotta love someone who can hold two completely contrary views at the same time. It is the definition of a true politician.

[FINTA]

why don't you ask your candidate to pay her bills?? Its gotten so bad that politico has written about it... stiffing small business owners who cannot afford to go without payment... oh, and she works for them right???

And stop putting the spin on this MI/FL debacle... all candidates knew well in advance that they would not count... now, because she failed to plan beyond Super Tuesday(she thought she had it locked up) she wants them to count...

Your Hillary supporters are a piece of work!!! Should she legitimately win the nomination, I will hold my nose and vote for her bc I will never vote for bomb bomb bomb Iran McBush part 2.

[Scogostology]

It is obvious that the super delegates would be the ones who would finally determine the democratic nominee. This is why the threatening letter by Billary fundraiser­s/supporte­rs to Nancy Pelosi was ill advised and a very big blunder. The threatening letter is a blackmail that says: "If you don't make public statements that favors Billary and help get the super delegates to support and nominate her, we shall cut your funding!"
This is not just a blackmail but an attempt to sabotage the party's electoral rules and therefore it should be considered against the law and the morons who wrote that letter should be indicted and prosecuted for threatening a member of US congress and attempting to sabotage electoral law. Finally, Billary has blown her 30 yr old dream to smithereens. Most delegates would now rush to embrace and support Obama! secret33.com