Howard Dean Gets Heated With Clinton Donors At Private Meeting

New York Observer:

Leading donors to the Clinton and Obama campaigns sat down together last night with DNC chairman Howard Dean at a meeting at the Fifth Avenue apartment of super-bundlers Maureen White and Steven Rattner.

According to the accounts of several attendees, things quickly got contentious when Clinton donors raised the issue of seating the delegates from Florida and Michigan. Dean, who was there to appeal for more fund-raising for the party, found himself on the defensive for not being aggressive enough in pursuing a solution to the problem.

Read the whole story: New York Observer

Comments

[HypocrisySlayer]

Youth is the main target of Obama Hussein campaign. The young people are more open to accept any change in the norms. They don't have enough experience to be able to dissect issues in a more practical and more mature level. They are easily prone to be brainwashed by big speeches, and react with passion to issues without much hesitation. We all been there once. In normal situation, I'll let them decide and learn along the way. But not if the countries future is at stake. No No No to young people deciding the destiny of the nation. We the adults and the more mature ones should decide what is the best for the country. It is our responsibility. Barack Obama is not the right choice for the country. His connection to Anton Rezco, Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers; is too much not to be taken for granted. Obama is also too liberal. His stands on abortion issues. His jokes with regards to history, like Bataan Death March; his sexist comments in Penn. Being a minority myself, I should choice a candidate from a minority population. But I've experienced and seen enough rallies, and heard better and more eloquent speaker in the country where I was from. No to big rallies, and speeches. No to Barack Obama.

[Binea]

Hillary supporters are like battered women.Choosing to stay with the abuser .

[JinnRikki]

"We the adults and the more mature ones should decide what is the best for the country."
You mean like you did in 2000 and 2004, yes indeed that's working out just great.

[JGxHitzert]

Every election is about building a strong campaign organization. Those who do the best at managing their resources and marshaling their forces win. This has always been true, pick a year '80?, "92? "00?, or '04? all were won by the individuals who managed the best campaign. McCain and Hillary are going to lose because both their campaign organizations and finances are as flawed as their ability to construct a coherent constituency with their message. This election is over and people like the HypocrisySlayer just don't know it yet.

[Shozen]

Clinton and Obama agreed back in November to not campaign in Michigan and Florida, they agreed to not allow their deligates to be seated, they agreed to pull their names off the ballot. Clinton may only have agreed because she thought they "wouldn't matter" as she would wrap up the nomination by Super Tuesday. Too bad, so sad..... But Hillary, If you said they "didn't matter" back then, then they should not matter now.

Howard Dean, please show leadership and take a firm stand against seating these delegates, per the agreements made by Clinton, Omama, and the National Democratic Party. To Hell with the Clintonistas and their hissy fits!

[bikerdude]

Dean stamped his feet, threw a hissy fit and created this mess. Now he has to solve it. From my perspective, he needs to back down and seat the delegates. This is politics and it gets ugly. The last time Dean ran he had his campaign blow up in his face by his own actions. In my book he should step down as the DNC leader.

[bluesnot]

Dean was just on This Week with George Stephanopoulos. He seemed calm and collected and very reasonable. He is going to stand his ground because it's the best thing for the people of the Democratic party. I'm glad he's on my side.

If anyone should step down, maybe the state party chairs should. The big shots in the state Democratic party got too big for their britches.

[oneiroi]

No, Florida and Michigan did this, by breaking the rules. It isn't Dean's fault they went against the party's rulings. They knew what would happen and they did it anyway.

Dean hasn't done anything that he needs to step down for, in fact he's been rightly praised for the high number of elected democrats in congress.

[MNmommy]

I don't care much anymore - this has all become quite exhausting and frustrating.

I really think Dean has failed the leadership test and one starts to wonder what kind of president he would have made - better than the shrub of course - but still.

The ultra-partisanship will damage any chance of getting a Democrat in the White House in November, and many would do well to think about that. There are Supreme Court seats to consider. Reading the responses here and on the New York Observer site really frightens me. Language being used towards both candidates is absolutely horrible. Shame really, this was supposed to be a slam-dunk for the Dems.

[Kalima]

I agree.

[TN]

The clinton's are doing a lot of bullying lately. Not pretty, not democratic, we've had enough of that.

[JWLANDSCAPES]

And Jesse Jackson Jr. bullying and threatening superdelegates who are african american with loss of support and being traitors if they don't vote for Senator Obama is okay>?

[Leper]

You want to back that up with a quote or are you just another 10 year-old clintonista?

[CookieWrites]

Democratic? How democratic was Dean when he allowed two key states to be cut out of such an important election??? He is claiming to be fair in order to avoid admitting how bad he screwed up. If the democrats don't fix DEAN'S MISTAKE -- then Michigan and Florida could give this election to McCain. Haven't you had enough of that?

[Timetheos]

Do you honestly think Dean is some demigod that can simply wave his wand and make everything occur the way he wants?

HILLARY and Obama agreed to these rules. Hillary then broke the rules in MI.

[OverIt]

ANOTHER OF HILL'S FUNDRAISERS IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW:

"A Texas oilman who's accused of defrauding the Nigerian government by illegally pumping and exporting 10 million barrels of oil is a major fundraiser for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.

Kase Lawal of Houston is at least the fourth person accused or convicted of criminal wrongdoing to help finance Clinton's political ambitions since 2000 and the second in her quest for the White House. The list also includes Chinese and Pakistani fugitives and a former Miami lawyer who was convicted of defrauding Cuba.

There's no indication that Clinton's campaign was aware of Lawal's legal problems when it accepted his help in raising more than $100,000, but a McClatchy investigation in the U.S. and Nigeria suggests that her campaign did little to scrutinize the background of one of its top fundraisers.

Jay Carson, a campaign spokesman, brushed off such criticism.

"While no vetting process is perfect, our vetting department does extensive vetting in order to catch any issues with donors," he said. "And to our knowledge, Mr. Lawal is an upstanding member of his community in Houston."

[AdultFilmLegend]

What exactly does Dean do? When does he do it?

[loudspeaker]

He's a traitor. He works for the oligarchy. He works for the same people that put Bush and Cheney in the White House. This time he is working to put Al Gore and/or Mike Bloomberg in the White House. If that means getting rid of both Hillary and Obama -- so be it.

[JulieinVT]

Where on EARTH are you getting this from?

[bluesnot]

OMG, too funny. Dean is the main force behind giving the people of the Democratic party their power back.

[heywhat]

"Bite you in the ass" does not begin to cover what the stupidity of the DNC in MI and FL will do to the Dems in the general.

http://strictlyanecdotal.com/2008/03/25/democratic-voters-in-florida-remind-me-of-a-rabbit-i-was-hit-with-my-car.aspx

[JulieinVT]

Why is it, some so conveniently want to ignore the millions of voters who STAYED HOME knowing their votes WOULD NOT COUNT? Sheesh!!!!

[bikerdude]

The fact that this is an issue can be blamed on Dean and the DNC. Why in the hell wasn't this cleared up BEFORE the primary? I voted in FL because I knew that they couldn't block our delegates. Dean has to own up to the fuckup. He doesn't have the leadership qualities to run the DNC.

[SharonB]

I wish I had the skills to write a book. This whole past year of politics has been a real lesson for Democratic hopefuls in the future. If only I had the skills to write a book that could be used by Poli-Sci students...
Oh, wait... where is that author that ghosted Hillary's two books? I am willing to make a deal.

[jadez]

clintons made at least 110 million dollars.
now these people crying are the big money shots who EXPECT favors had hillary won.

so they are fake crying like hillary likes to do.

dump the liar she cant win
VOTE OBAMA he is in!

[loudspeaker]

Oh, as if Obama doesn't have big donors in Greenwich, CT and on Wall Street? Get real!

[Timetheos]

He may have them, but at least they aren't writing letters whining to Pelosi and Dean.

[realrick]

This is such a phony, bait-and-switch argument that the Clintonites are using to try to undermine Obama's presumptive nomination. Leaving aside that the Clintonites are bargaining in bad faith and welching on a deal that all parties made to invalidate the MI and FL results once those states broke the rules, the Clinton campaign simply does not have the money to compete in them, much less to contribute to the refinancing of any kind of primary revote.

While we're posting these comments and debating this issue, Obama is outspending her 5-1 in PA and creeping up higher in the polls there every day.

This whole farce is nothing more than sour grapes from Clinton's big money windbags, with Dr. Dean being unfairly exploited as their scapegoat. Disgusting....

Let's hope that this primary season ends HRC's presidential chances forever. I look forward to seeing her grow the beard that Bill Maher predicted for her, a la Gore and Richardson.

[JWLANDSCAPES]

Obama doesn't want MI and FL voters to be heard, or counted, because then he loses. He removed his name in Michigan to garner support with supers and elected officials in Iowa who covet their first state status. He then campaigned for his supporters to vote "uncommitted" so he can later claim those votes all the while appearing as if he supported the first state status quo. Who really is playing favors to politics as usual? Seriously, Obama traded the voters of MI for those of Iowa. WHY DIDN'T HE REMOVE HIS NAME FROM FLORIDA IF HE IS SUCH A RULE FOLLOWER?

[JohnnySorrow]

You act as if Obama was the only one who pulled his name off the ballot in Michigan. Everyone did except for Hillary.

While we're asking questions...

Why didn't Hillary "champion the cause of the disenfranchised" until AFTER she "won" the states and found herself trailing? I bet my left arm, if Barack had won those bogus primaries, she'd be fighting them being seated and complaining that the boys are bullying her again (boo hoo).

So, you prefer to criticize the candidate who, in your opinion, appears to be manipulative instead of the one is blatantly doing so? Brilliant.

[loudspeaker]

We know from past experience how unreliable those polls are, don't we?

[bikerdude]

Really ricky, I might be a windbag, but I'm not big money. Senator Clinton and Senator Obama are trying to win this primary. Dean is trying to impede the popular vote by his actions. Dean, not Senator Clinton is the problem. Don't be unfair and untrue in trying to win your argument. Senator Obama is a good guy, but people like you stain his image.

[Shozen]

If Florida and Michigan are so important today to not "disenfrancize" then why didn't she fight it last November?

[ClevelandTom]

So where were these large donors on the FL and MI issue last year when the DNS ruled their primary schedules to be invalid? They were silent because then Hillary was the odd-on favorite to win the nomination. This is blackmail, pure and simple. If the Democratic Party allows itself to be manipulated so obviously by money, they're going to lose votes in the Fall.

[SoulSistah]

Get ready. I suspect Hillary will try to do a Lieberman. Their excuse will be that the DNC treated them unfairly as it relates to FL and MI.

HRC camp's desperation is reaching an all time high pitch. This article is one of many which demonstrates that HRC has very little regard for the Democratic party. In her view, the DNC is only a horse she can use to ride to the White House.

Even with all of their dirty tricks, HRC is losing. She is not running on a platform comprised of hope or change but one of you-scratch-my-back-and-i'll-scratch-yours. Apparently, she owe some mighty big people (and foreign governments) a lot of favors and now they realize she'll be unable to deliver on her backroom promises. Remember, Bill supported Dubai's bid for our ports.

She says she's tough, she's a fighter, she's vetted, she's ready from day 1. I say she is a fraud who should immediately announce her plans to run as an independent. Regardless of the outcome of the democratic primary, HRC has no intention of abandoning her bid for the White House.
..................................................................................................................

Power concedes to nothing without demand. HRC
we demand you cease your underhanded, pitiful, destructive
tactics immediately. You and your big money supporters
need to get to stepping . . .

[JWLANDSCAPES]

You are wrong, only 2% less of voters than Obama, believe Hillary brings Hope and Change. They disagree with you.

[YRM]

It's Orwellian the way people keep trying to put a spin on voter disenfranchisement. Why has Barack "I'm going to bring people together" Obama been so reticent about re-doing the Florida and Michigan primaries, instead demanding caucuses or just to forget about the voters altogether and split the delegates in half? It's equally reprehensible that Nancy Pelosi came out with that whole "Superdelegates shouldn't overturn what happened in the elections" line, when what happened in the elections was that Florida and Michigan votes didn't count. How stupid do these Democratic Party big-wigs think we are? Even worse, given the way Obama has dismissed the voters in these two states, it's painfully clear they're not voting for him in the fall. Without Florida (the 4th most populous state) and Michigan (the 8th most populous), he has no chance of becoming president. That leads to the inevitable conclusion that Speaker "impeachment is off the table" Pelosi, Reid and Dean want the Republicans to win because it insures that they will continue to control the Democratic Party. Otherwise a Democratic president like Hillary Clinton is liable to run them all out of town.This explains their love affair with Obama and tells us who the real "change agent" is in this election. For more on the election, see http://www.thecityedition.com/Pages/Archive/Winter08/2008Election.html

[gayleg]

Obama blocked the revote in MI. His lawyers stopped citizens from voting.

Now he expects 50/50. 50/50 is 0/0. Obama doesn't believe in democracy if it threatens Obama.

The Hillary donors are right. Good for them!!

I won't give the DNC another dime unless they fix this now.

[valleygent]

Gayleg, you are the kind of Clinton supporter that represents what the National Democratic party must shed like an old snakeskin. Go ahead and stop contributing, and please don't vote for Obama in November, the party doesn't need voters such as you. Go vote for McCain in November. Same goes for all the voters who support Hillary Clinton in Michigan and Florida. If you can support the Clinton's royal desire to take pledged delegates in primary elections that were unauthorized by the DNC, and in two states that Obama did not campaign in because he was following the rules and in Michigan was not even named on the ballot, then you are a facist. Go to the other party, go somewhere, but please just go.

[SoulSistah]

RIP -- HRC Presidential Aspirations
............................................................................
no more bush, clinton, bush, clinton

[jadez]

get a grip .

if you had a clue , you would know hillary signed a pledge not to count MI.
now she wants a revote?
another lie...shes just trying to drag out the process.
she is lost and knows it.

wake up and dump the liar!

[bluesnot]

Okay, you were blunt with me. Now let me be blunt with you. You're full of shit.

[starboymikey]

Okay, you were blunt with me. Now let me be blunt with you. You're full of shit.
____________________________________________________________

" ... brevity is the soul of wit."

Lord Polonius, from Shakespere's Hamlet

[Jaybot]

Voter disenfranchisement? What are you talking about? No votes have been cast, the ballots haven't even been determined. Oh, you think primaries are the same as elections. Sorry, you're grossly mistaken.

[bikerdude]

When I showed up at my voting place and cast my ballot for Senator Clinton, was I not voting? Was not my vote counted? Did Howie Dean and his mischief makers try to make these votes not count? That Jaybones, is voter disenfranchisement, or at least an attempt to disenfranchise. The primaries permit us to cast our vote for our candidates. The caususes are more campaigning than election.

[samuraijack]

Screw the Clintons and their monied friends. We don't need them.