Lanny Davis Loses His Cool On DNC Member

A brief but spittle-filled shouting match broke out in the halls of the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee hearing on Saturday between a committee member and a surrogate for Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Lanny Davis, the colorful, committed, and sometimes unrestrained Clinton supporter deliberately interrupted a small gathering of press who had come to hear Jon Ausman, a DNC member, explain the basis of his proposed Florida delegation compromise.

"I'll tell you what," Davis chimed in, "the Clinton campaign's position has been misrepresented by this wonderful love-fest, and the lady who testified for us was saying that the Obama campaign and your proposal is not generous. But it is in fact unfair. If you want to hear, now that the love-fest is over, why don't you come over and hear the counterpoint to this completely disingenuous argument."

A befuddled Ausman who had earlier proposed that Florida's 185 pledged delegates be subject to a 50 percent penalty, asked who exactly Lanny Davis was. By then, however, Davis had herded a slew of reporters around Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, another Clinton supporter, who was standing feet away and insisting that Ausman's deal was far from a "generous" token by the Obama campaign. Then, in the midst of the hastily gathered question and answer session, Ausman reemerged to defend himself.

What proceeded was a heated and, at times, unintentionally hilarious exchange, with the two standing inches apart from each other and the occasional finger pointed in the other's face.

Ausman: [My proposal] is very generous, because Obama was initially fighting for a situation where Clinton would net 6 delegates, now it's 19.

Davis: Don't say you're being generous.

Ausman: I can say we're being generous.

Davis: But you're allowed to and I'm allowed to disagree...

Story continues below

Ausman: But I'm the one who's on the petition...

Reporter: Ok ok, why don't we --

Ausman: Are you a representative of Clinton?

Davis: No, I'm actually just a person...

Ausman: Are you a designated representative of Clinton?

Davis: I am not a designated representative.

Ausman: Then why don't we have a designated representative speak for Clinton and you be silent?

After the fracas ended, Tubbs Jones fielded several additional questions. Arguing that the only "fair" outcome in Florida would be for the full seating of the delegation and not for those delegates to be halved, she deflected questions as to whether the Clinton campaign's proposals were, themselves, uncompromising.

"My name is Stephanie Tubbs Jones and I am the congresswoman from the great state of Ohio, and on behalf of the Clinton campaign, we don't expect that the Obama campaign could be so generous to us to give us these 19 delegates. It is in fact more generous, and more appropriate, that all the votes be counted as they were cast. And if the votes are counted as they were cast, Senator Clinton will get much more than the Obama campaign is saying will be generous."

Within minutes the congresswoman and the press had dispersed. But a heated Davis was still strolling the halls of the Marriot Hotel. Talking to a separate reporter, he acknowledged that even if Clinton were to get everything she wanted, the likelihood remained that she would still lose the nomination.

"They can give us the full 38 delegates [the net gain of counting 100 percent of the vote] and still win," he said. "So why won't they."

Asked about the exchange with Ausman, he said: "I'm f-ing angry."

Comments

[mythoughts1]

Lanny Rocks!!!!

[McSameisthegame]

No, Lanny has rocks in his head!!

[EosBlue]

Best explanation I've heard for Lanny. Every time I see him on the tube, I immediately hit the mute button when his lips are moving and try to figure out what he's lying about now.

[nonconformist2]

Lanny has a screw loose.

[clearthinker2008]

You don't really believe that do you? Let's be honest with ourselves. Hillary's biggest mistake in this entire thing was picking the wrong staff, and surrogates. All she had to do was stick with one or two messages, planned past Iowa, keep it clean, tell the truth, focus on the issues. She didn't do anything and I knew it was over for her when her biggest "cause" became fighting for Fl and MI. Lanny is in shock that Hillary will not be the nominee.

Hillary Clinton is an experienced professional liar.
Obama 08

[maureendowdisatotalbabe]

i actually disagree with your comment about hillary's surrogates. i thought they were WAY more effective than obama's surrogates by a mile. their only problem was the product they were selling was not as good as the other camp's. i am now an obama supporter so i can tell you without any pro-hillary bias this is the case. anytime i saw hillary's surrogates on the news shows facing off with a obama surrogate, the hillary surrogate wiped the floor with the obama person. not sure why that was the case, but it was undeniable in my eyes. especially people like ed rendell and howard wolffson. these are real pros of spin and politics. i didn't agree with them, but i respected their ability to play the game. and most of the time, they were a lot more effective at promoting hillary's talking points. i would find myself screaming at the obama person to step up and say something intelligent, only to find them retreat to change, hope, blah blah blah. the obama people better step up and get with the program. maybe give wolffson a job!

[Erdgeist]

Are some Democrats more committed to geting the white lady into the White House or being Democrats and trying to defeat McGoo (McCain)?

[Bambaya]

Check this link http://youtube.com/watch?v=-xtYV3bj3jU

[bitabingbitabangbitaboom]

Lanny Lanny.......................show some class...................please

[noneIn2008]

A scene from Fountainhead.

[ProgressiveThought]

I will donate every dollar in my pocket to vote Stephanie Jones Tubbs out of office. Rosa Parks is probablly rolling over in her grave. People like Sheil Jackson Lee have atleast been clasey as has Maxine Warters from California. But everytime I see Stephanie Tubbs Jones I get violently nauseus. I bet she will be smiling in Barack's face when he wins the presidency. We will not forget this in Cleaveland Mizz Jones Tubbs. I don't care if David Duke runs for your seat we will put him in.

[Raymondf]

Lanny I'm on your side, but take a prozac and relax.

[FADUTA]

Seeing this chronic apologist for the Clintons come unglued was a hoot to watch!

[ishok]

Watching the "antagonist's" supporters brought back memories of Stepford and Jonestown. I think the antagonists have successfully transformed many of their supporters into followers. Their sense of reality seems to be warped. It's as if the "protagonist's" early success showed them how a charismatic leader can move and motivate. They trying to be quick studies, produced a movement but there was something wrong with it. It was borne out of fear and divisions... something more from a bowel than a womb.
They knew they couldn't win this thing without something bad happening. So they hoped for that. They even tried to set the table for it but our protagonist stayed away from WV and KY.
Anything less than a full concession by the antagonists tomorrow will tell us that they are still holding out hope that someone will "straighten this out" for them. The last place that the protagonist in this story needs her is at his back.

[nonconformist2]

Well said. It speaks of corruption at its worse.

[piquet]

very interesting take...

***posters take a second and read this one***

[katzooks]

Insightful analysis with an important conclusion. I agree:

***posters take a second and read this one***

[brizzle]

Wow. This is the first mention I've heard or read that Senator Obama stayed away from WV or KY because he feared an assassination attempt. Do you have any evidence to back this assertion?

[kappa08]

A. He's still alive.
B. There is absolutly no reason for him to campaign in a vipers pit.

Back at you. Do you have proof he wouldn't be or hasn't been threatened? MLK Thought he was above the racism in the redneck state he was dimed in.
"Do you have any evidence to back this assertion?"...That's like saying. You can't prove you would be killed if you took your white ass into the middle of Compton. Maybe not. But at the end of the day you are some where you don't belong and nobody wants you there. So why bother taking the risk. WV and KY wasn't worth it to him. And us for that matter. He is more important to the country than WV or KY is...sorry

[cobobs]

Bad form, my boy. Bad form.

Too many pissed off people.

Bad idea to be so pissed off at 3am, because we have way too much power.

Lincoln seems to have had equanimity, and Roosevelt and Eisenhower too.

[HannibalSilver]

Lanny is a bad apologist for Hillary, he has much to learn with James Carville for his honesty and loyalty to the Clintons and the Democratic Party. Lanny is too emotional and nagging in his "case" for Hillary.

[comingawakening]

Tubbs will lose her seat in her next run. She's been so supportive of the Clintons - to a fault. There is a fine line between loyalty and stupidity. Though, I know she's a good person and words hard. I met her at the meeting. Wexler was also very graceful and approachable.

Regardless of what you think about the RBC meeting, being there in person with a floor pass was one of the coolest experiences I've personally been involved in.

Democracy is incredible but requires hard work to make it happen.

[musing]

The line between loyalty and stupidity runs both ways Hillary is the only one who could beat McCain.Hillary has the common sense to back off when she finds out what the end result will be from a quick pull out of Iraq. , will realize that the Iranian fundemtalist will be in power in months. Gas will be $10.a gallon . Those young Americans who were killed and maimed for nothing. Yes it is about oil.,without the west can not survive. If you pull your troops out now you will back there in five years sacrificing your young people and treasury because you moved too fast.
Peace comes at a price and you will never negoiate with religious fanatics or dictatorships.ask your grandparents about 1941?

[ZandyS]

Ask a mother with a son in Iraq if she is willing to have her boy come home in a box to test your theory.

[AfzaalKhan]

when u get in uniform and join the brothers in iraq then will listen to you. If Ms. Clinton is so right then put her money where her mouth is. If Iraq war is necesssary then draft must come in, no hanky panky like vietnam draft. Every 18 yr old male must server in Iraq till the "victory" is achieved.

[bobo6]

So your answer is to have more men , women and children die for nothing? Not much of a solution.

[AKJane]

Let me get this straight...if you're black and a Clinton supporter you should be voted out of office? The last time I checked this was the USA, the country where you have a right to be support and vote for whomever you wish. A lot of Obama supporters, including you, are as big of a problem for Obama as Lanny Davis is for Clinton. When Obama is officially the candidate for the Democratic Party does this mean you will not accept the support and help of Davis, Tubbs Jones, etc.? I didn't think so.

[Meggie]

maybe the clinton campaign is sorry he picked his drunk a** up off the pennsylvania hotel floor that he passed out on when they "won" pennsylvania. maybe if he was sober until he'd actually won something, she wouldn't be out right now. he's really angry at himself for being so inadequate.

[mellene]

Sour grapes--they can loose gracefully. It's really made the Clintons look small and petty.

[hopeforchange]

No its made the Obamas look ungenerous and greedy. Why did they have to steal those last 4 votes. It says something-it speaks volumes.

[whatsmyname]

IT ONLY Makes the Obama's look greedy? Well, if you can't imagine a black in the 'white house' as many older folks cain't -then I see where you're coming from --I just think you are totally wrong and narrow-minded.

[stevietheman]

No, all candidates agreed to penalize Florida and Michigan at the outset, and it is extremely unfair to award Clinton all the delegates she "won" in a sham primary. Everyone with common sense agrees with this position.

[speedingpullet]

Because 'The Obamas' had nothing to do with the decision.

It was a compromise suggested by the Michingan Dems themselves, as a half-way point between what the Clintons wanted and the Obamas wanted.

Remember that it was voted for 19 -8. Which means that - with 13 Clinton supporters at the table - some of the Clinton supporters voted in favour of it.

By all means demonize Obama if you want to (you might find sites like Savage Politics and Hillaryis44 more to you taste, should you want to vent), but at least get your facts straight.

[hoodrat]

It's called a thrust at total unadulterated hypocritical ignorance. Because YOU helped formulate the rules, broke them, then want to change them because your boss ran one dumb campaign? And now because she's in denial, you cry about four delegates? Instead of hoping for change - try hoping for enlightenment.

[kdublya]

It's the Michigan leadership's proposal!

Sen. Clinton was within her rights to claim 73 delegates. Then, Ickes et. al. got the mad notion that they should be free to peel away another 20+ uncommitted delegates at the convention.

In a straight up comparison, her side was 16+ delegates more greedy.

Ofcourse, I assume you realize that 2 delegates (4 times half) amounts to

[MarkieBee]

Is Tubbs insane? Yeah, seat the delegates exactly the way the illegal primary occurred. There ya go Tubbs. No penalty and Hillary gets all the illegal votes. Yup. That's fair in Hillary's world.

[northeast73]

Illegal primary?

Someone had better inform the Secretaries of State for both states that they certified illegal elections...

[McSameisthegame]

They were Legal-they just didn't count-as per agreement by ALL the candidates!! OOPS -I forgot---the Clinton mantra remains: "Clintons before party and country"!!!

[Sneakerface]

Ok, illegal is the wrong word. The primary was ILLEGITIMATE. Clinton did not win Michigan "fair & square;" it was highly disputed by BOTH sides what amount of people really wanted Clinton & how many people wanted Obama. How can anyone even question that fact ?? We DON'T KNOW how the candidates would have fared had the DNC NOT said the MI election would not count. We don't even know that Clinton would have won MI - and that is a FACT, not an opinion. When you don't know what the outcome of a legitimate election would have been, the ONLY fair thing to do would be to not give either candidate more delegates - either by not counting any of it, counting some of it, or counting all of it - but counting them EQUALLY. But in the end, they were not counted equally, because the Obama campaign made a concession which cost him 5 delegates that were rightfully his (it was 69-59 instead of 64-64) . The Obama people are the ones who should rightfully be raising hell with this outcome. But we have bigger fish to fry.

[ziggymack]

It is irrelevant whether or not the Sec of States of both Michigan and FL certified those elections because neither was santioned by the DNC. Every state could hold elections every month if they so chose to, but they would be moot since the DNC likely would not sanction them. As far as the DNC is concerned, the FL and Michigan elections never happened so the major issue last Saturday was to determine what to do with the delegates from each of those states. They could have chosen to seat the delegates by dividing them up between the remaining candidates in some form or stayed the course by totally excluding those delegates from the convention which eliminates their say in the official choosing of Dem Nominee. So now, you have the Clinton camp wanting to claim the popular vote from an election that never happened in addition to seating the delegates directly in proportion the manner in which these unsanctioned elections occured. Now where is the democracy in that?

[Dustee]

Man,Stephanie Tubbs Jones, if she had every other tooth in her mouth missing, maybe she would shut up!

[econdr]

apparently lanny davis is a bush appointee.

go figure

[SharonB]

Lanny Davis lost his "cool" many, many years ago. The last that ol' dude was cool Elvis was singing on Ed Sullivan.
What he has lost is his mind. He is just one of many Clinton supporters who felt the same sense of entitlement that Mrs. Clinton felt and it is incomprehensible to them that despite a hard fight, they still have lost.
My favorite part of the story was when he was asked repeatedly if he was an actual designated representative for the Clinton campaign and when he could not state that he was, he was told to sit down and shut up.
Mr. Davis needs to move on from the Clinton worship and get his own life. Millions of us Democrats have left the Clintons and all their parsing far behind us, and we don't miss them one bit.

[econdr]

it must be really difficult for them though.

a year ago people like lanny davis were dreaming of future cabinet positions.

now they will have to go back to their mcmansions and jobs as lobbyists

[HannibalSilver]

Sharon thank you for writing my thoughts so beautifully!