Obama Camp May Turn To Negative Clinton History

The Washington Post reports this morning via an anonymous Democratic strategist that the Obama camp may seek to remind voters of the less impressive days of the Clinton administration:

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's victory yesterday in Pennsylvania has only accentuated the quandary that Obama faces: Stay negative and he risks undermining the premise of his candidacy. Stay aloof and he underscores Clinton's argument that he will not be able to beat a "Republican attack machine" sure to greet him this summer....

With Obama clearly favored in North Carolina, even he has called Indiana the "tiebreaker," a state that adjoins Illinois but where Clinton voters hold sway in the working-class towns in the south. In the two weeks leading up to the Indiana primary, a Democratic strategist familiar with the Obama campaign said aides are likely to turn to the controversies of Bill Clinton's White House years -- Hillary Clinton's trading cattle futures, Whitewater and possibly impeachment.

Continue reading about Obama's Indiana primary strategy.

UPDATE: Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe has denied the report:

"We're not gonna do that," Plouffe said. "We have not talked about those issues in the campaign, and won't."

Comments

[mgw]

Sure, this is the ideal thing the wonder boy from the land of Hope should do. It would strongly support his fallacy that he is a new and change politician. Bravo!

[RThM]

The public silence by most party leaders, ESPECIALLY Gore and Edwards, during this unethical campaign by the Clintons to take down an amazingly honest and capable fellow Democrat has been deafening. I wonder why these so-called public leaders show so much cowardice in leading the public? Do they think we don't notice when they hide with the livestock while there's a battle raging only to jump out after it's all over and proclaim they supported the winner all along?

[biglover]

They are not super delegates. Their endorsements won't make a difference to the people they need to make a difference to. I think they would be damned if they do and damned if they don't. I think they are doing the right thing.

[ClevelandTom]

Gore is a super delegate.

[LBM]

Unethical? This is what a primary is for, to pick your nominee. There is not a winner yet, or it would be over. This isn't anything new and there have certainly been much more dirty political campaigns in the past. This one is very tame, cordial and polite. This is the best thing that's happened to the democratic party in a very long time. Do you know how excited each state is to have their turn to vote when usually their votes are unimportant? My niece is in Indiana and she is so excited to have Obama and Hillary both coming to talk this week. This is a great thing for our country.

[mntnguy]

Are you awake LBM? There have been more negative and nasty campaign but not one democrat fighting another! nor has there been a campaign so badly managed in decades.

Go Obama 08 Yes We Can

[mgw]

LBM, please don't try to explain anything to these followers who forever search the English Language for any sleazy word they can find to describe Hillary. Please leave them alone, they'll fall on there own sword.

[britethere]

New Super delegate and 4 of Edwards Campaign Delegates have endorsed Obama.
The New York Times has un-endorsed her....in a scathing editorial today.

[Beachrunner]

Hillary needs to write off NC and concentrate on Indiana. She can spend her last $500 on yard signs.

[LBM]

With the Republican ads they're putting in NC against Obama, she may not need to do much:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cabl0KSFUqo

and

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

[mntnguy]

I guess this puts the argument to rest over who the republicans want to run against in the fall! They want Hillary they know they can beat her!

John Mc Cain issued a scathing view of this add and told the republican national committee it was with out merit! So I doubt it will have a big impact with there nominee undermining it in his statements.

Go Obama 08 Yes We Can

[AnnieinOR]

and how do you intend to fight the Clinton Chronicles and Hillary the Movie? Just wait till they update their material with ammo she's provided over the past six weeks and put out the sequel to Hillary the Movie 2 and Clinton Chronicles 2 - yup, that's a real smart statement you just made, because that is minor, compared to what awaits her if she steals the nomination.

[BryantG]

But Indiana alone won't do it for her.

[LBM]

You can be aggressive without looking stupid. Bringing up the old scandals, is just that...old. None of the idiocy enraged the democrats, which is what really upset that right wing conspiracy. Nothing stuck. It doesn't help Obama in any way to bring it up. He should defend himself though. He needs to be strong. Talk about the issues, his plans, his policies, who he is and why he believes what he does. He needs to talk about why he associates with all these questionable people, what do they bring to him to make him a better person. He needs direct answers to every attack that make him look like the winner. What he really needs to beat Hillary is substance. She is brimming with it and that is what he is most lacking.

[britethere]

REad todays New York Times editorial.
I rest my case.
btw don't need "old' scandals....there are pleanty of new ones.:
Bosnia Snipers
Northern Ireland peace
SCHIP
Columbian Trade
Mark Penn
Maggie Williams
Sandy Berger ( 2 years old...but btw where's Sandy)
Pardon-Gate
Antique-Gate (ok 8 years old but not yet over-used)
Stiffing the "little guy" vendors
....and Hillary wheres your flag pin...does it not compliment your Easter Egg Yellow pantsuit?

[talkingclock]

Love these updates:-)

[clintfatigue]

Can you imagine the s*it storm of negative ads that the Republicans will cook up should she become the candidate? They would LOVE to have a shot at her. They have SO much material to work with. This is one of the reasons I've swtched to Obama. Far less real baggage.

[britethere]

A friend in the RNC has confessed to great anxiety when considering losing Hillary the Candidate. They have been working on the anti-Hill campaign for 2 years and are gleeful at the thought of bringing it out and bringing it on.

Why else the love in from Buchanan, Scarborough, and the voter-fraud Operation Chaos by Rush...oh and FOX non-stop anti Obama programing?

[genia]

Yes!!! Good idea.
Rush Limbaugh has that "Operation Chaos".......and.....you know...those ditton heads are doing what they are sent to do. They are going to the polls, crossing over, holding their noses and voting for Hillary.
A good strategy is to remind them of how much they hate the Clinton's.
I mean...hell.........Fox has become Clinton campaign entral..WTF ...IS...going on here?

[TWP]

Wrong. Sorry.
Most GOP crossovers have voted for Obama.
Check the exit polls.
Then ask yourself why.
Is it possible he is actually a neo-liberal in radical drag?
Read his proposals.
Hatred is a really poor basis for positive change.
No?

[brenner21]

Don't do it.

"Fear doesn't end with fear, only with love" -Buddha

[Sunburst]

I agree 100%

He needs to be more aggressive. She thinks he's a whimp., and will spread it to all newspapers big time. He doesn't need this negativity.

Obama enemies can be very stimulating. Take a poke at her.

She's trying to make your life a living hell with humility.

Solutions will breed new problems. You sure don't need all her grief besides.

[MikeDu]

I wonder how many Republicans are going to switch parties again to vote for Clinton (per Limbaugh's orders) in Indiana? Y'know, I should've registered as a Republican and voted for Giuliani simply in the hope of sending the degenerate GOP entirely off the rails.

[SamanthaJaneSalem]

"pithymaxim" said it well below.

I said it's a "lose-lose" situation. But it goes further than that.

There are two racial stereotypes in America:

1. The passive black man who is servile and emasculated, the "boy" of our sad history.

2. The angry black man who is a threat, particularly to white women.

ABC News has it all covered. Things being the way they are, Obama needs to present himself as Colin Powell (minus the U.N. show 'n' tell).

[kcbolden]

WELL said pithymaxim via SamanthaJaneSalem! It's a difficult theory for most to understand unless they've experienced it. As a professional black woman, I been accused of quote, "thinking highly of myself." Interesting, when a white counterpart acts the same way I have (handling their business) they are considered a 'go-getter'. I'm good (NON threatening) if I talk like I have a speech impediment but if I speak intelligently like everyone elst, I'm uppidity.

[ndnndpendent]

Doesn't that just suck. My sis and I were talking today about how minority women practically have to have no opinion about anything to get on in this world. You cant win no matter what you do. Well I am glad someone else in this world acknowledges this is a problem.

[Sunburst]

I think Obama should unleash everything he knows about Hilary. Even the communist she is or was envolved with. It's time for him to really get nasty. Why should he keep taking it.

When it comes to Hilary dishing, she will stop at nothing.

Hilary yells loud, and lies louder.

Obama all is not lost. Just begin again with a tougher stratedgy.

Obama you never see a fish on the wall with his mouth shut. Go after her.
She has degraded you with every means possible. It is now your turn.
Show the people what your made of. That's what they want it looks like.
Some people like a good fight. Lord only knows she deserves it.

A chicken doesn't stop scratching just because worms are scarce. Go tackle her.

[lynellep]

Have you forgotten. young black boys were lynched for even looking sideways at a white woman. Barack cannot attack Hillary Clinton in anyway. If he does not only will white working class voters continue to vote against him (because he's black and their scared to death). He will effectively be"lynched" hi-tech style by not only his own party, but the MSM and the Repugs. He mus exercise discipline and self-control when it comes to this. That's just the way it is.

[britethere]

FIVE TWENTY SEVENS
we need the 527 attack machine to do a little swiftboating...there is a wealth of "ugly stuff" on the lying shrew

[talkingclock]

This is exactly why change is desperately need in this country.

[kcbolden]

WORD!

[rjean]

obama and his campaign homeys arent very smart...there is a wealth of info out there about the witch.....he needs to unload it daily to remind those in nc and indiana what a con artist / liar she really is...of course i dont care who wins...i just want the CHAOS to continue and the dems defeated

neither one is fit to be POTUS....................

[LINY516]

Obama needs to start throwing elbows and fists.
Talk about Peter Paul, Penn, NAFTA, Colombia, suicides, whitewater, . . . . . .
Let the Superdelegates get a taste of what the Republicans will throw at her if they steal the nomination from her.
She's a disgusting individual who needs to be stopped.

[Safire]

I truly DESPISE that woman!

[britethere]

YES! Me too.
If she steals this I will not only vote Nader but work like crazy for him.
How about Bill bringing up race and stiring the race pot the day before the PA Primary? Scum of the earth.

[loper2008]

I think this is false. Or it is incredibly brilliant. Leak that you are going to do it (and get reporters digging around) but don't actually do it.

The thing this election proves is that investigative reporting is dead. The candidates do the reporter's jobs, but this results in the shockingly low-level of discourse we have today.

[pertello]

Al Gore didn't go negative against GW and look what he got: a stolen election. During one of the debates Gore almost said something damaging and Bush gave a look to someone off camera. Gore stopped immediately. It was like he had a warning. I think the Reps get as dirty as they can- and I will not put John McCain above this (as sick as he is). He will get ugly so it's time for Barack to pull out all the stops and put Hillary down for good so he can concentrate on going after McCain. Beat her at her own game.

I can tell you: I am from NY and she did SQUAT for me. I needed to get NY State health care for my kids and wrote to her. Never got a reply. Then when I wrote to her about why she voted for the war she gave me all the Bushie answers about "9-11, keep our country safe from Saddam's WMD's-blahblahblah". She's looking to start a war with Iran. She's as bad as McCain. But all the prejudiced whites will vote for her because GOD FORBID! they let a black (even a 1/2 black) guy get into the white house! This country makes me sick!
Well, you'll all get the president you deserve, as you do every 4 years: some braindead lily white idiot.

[pithymaxim]

Sounds like you've had it rough...hang in there...have courage...keep blogging...it helps release stress. Remember...there are millions of us going through similar stuff...you are not alone...yes you can!

[urbanscorpio88]

He needs to stay above the mud flinging, kitchen sink throwing otherwise it could turn ugly for him. If he carries on going negative, it may affect him in the polls. We all know the Clintons' history and I'm pretty sure all the American people care about is issues such as the economy, the war in Iraq, universal healthcare and such, not whether Bill did the nasty more than once.

[Safire]

I agree. The President they deserve!

She and her hubby played the race/fear card.

If people are so blind that they can't see that woman for what she is, then they all deserve each other!

I hope we survive the next 4 if she gets in. I hope McCain makes mince meat out of her! But what am I saying? She has forged an unholy alliance with the Repugs, and I would bet that some of
the votes she got in PA were Repugs voting for her.

I totally agree with every word in your post. She sure took NY for a ride! LOL

[SamanthaJaneSalem]

Lose-lose:

Lose: if Obama sticks to the issues, he's accused of not being tough enough.

Lose: if Obama hits back, he's accused of being a typical politician.

Thank you, media, for creating another "Al Gore exaggerates" false story line where, no matter what the candidate does, he loses.

[pithymaxim]

If Obama hits back, antebellem racist tentacles will technologically string him up, a vigilante type media beheading because the black man threatened the White Woman...

[MPeter]

This is the woman we are talking about. She lies so naturally, she does not even flinch:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=exsmFDYyK4U

[nuglet304]

hillary's been fighting that same phenomenon since the 90s. let's see how barack handles it for once.

[SamanthaJaneSalem]

This is the unfortunate logic which is depressing our historic race-- because Clinton was unfairly attacked, Obama should be unfairly attacked. No-- she shouldn't have been unfairly attacked, and she should know not to unfairly attack him. Clinton learned the wrong lesson from the vast right-wing conspiracy.