Leaked Clinton Camp Memos: Paint Obama As Foreign

On Friday the Washington Post reported that The Atlantic magazine got hold of internal Hillary Clinton campaign memos. Today the Politico posts a sneak peek. Some highlights:

On Jeremiah Wright: "Does anyone believe that it is possible to win the nomination without, over these next two months, raising all these issues on him? ... Won't a single tape of [the Reverend Jeremiah] Wright going off on America with Obama sitting there be a game ender?"

On attacking Obama's foreignness: "All of these articles about his boyhood in Indonesia and his life in Hawaii are geared towards showing his background is diverse, multicultural and putting that in a new light.

"Save it for 2050. ... Every speech should contain the line you were born in the middle of America American to the middle class in the middle of the last century. And talk about the basic bargain as about the deeply American values you grew up with, learned as a child and that drive you today. Values of fairness, compassion, responsibility, giving back.

"Let's explicitly own 'American' in our programs, the speeches and the values. He doesn't. Make this a new American Century, the American Strategic Energy Fund. Let's use our logo to make some flags we can give out. Let's add flag symbols to the backgrounds."

On Clinton's confused message: "The internal discord over whether to attack Obama led some of her own staff to spin reporters to try to downplay the significance of her criticisms. The result for Clinton was the worst of both worlds: The conflicting message exacerbated her reputation for negativity without affording her whatever benefits a sustained attack might have yielded."

On the much-criticized 3 AM ad: "In the days leading up to Ohio and Texas, the campaign kept arguing over whether to air the [3 a.m.] ad. With the deadline looming, Bill Clinton, speaking from a cell phone as his plane sat on a runway, led a conference call on Thursday, Feb. 28, in which he had both sides present their case. As his plane was about to lift off, it was Bill Clinton -- not Hillary -- who issued the decisive order: 'Let's go with it.' "

Comments

[HopeandChange]

Leaks from McCain's camp, leaks from Clinton, I think it's all B.S. from Obama's camp.

[Lauren1959]

So they are infiltrating the other camps and leaking memos? Let's think before we write.

[liberalrebuttal]

Not the Obama Camp. The Mc Cain Camp as they are planning to use the same strategy.

[scandals&skeletons]

You would.

It came from Penn. Deal with it sport.

[abby4ever]

What about B, too? That part about him making the decision about the 3 am ad, it makes her look indecisive and him look decisive.

I really have never given much credence to the sabotage theories, i.e. B trying to wreck H's chances, but some have. I do think more people than Penn are behind this, not B, but just anyone who was the target of her rages during her campaign.

[londonrainbow]

As for Bill he belong in GUANTANAMO BAY for his behaviour.

OR Rehab

[abby4ever]

Yes, he needs a long session of truth-boarding.

[londonrainbow]

The CLINTONS are very divisive people. Thats digusting. They choose to sell their souls for the presdidency, by tearing their own party down. How attractive is that?

Rev. Wright offered so much consolation and spritual support during the LEWINSKY affair. Someone, anyone please remind them. But for political gain they threw him under the bus by allowing MSM to distort his sermons, and taking them out of context deliberately. Check out the facts people.

Those internal memos prove some of the filth HillBill campaign was involved in. Karma reversed on her. Whosoever diggeth a pit for his neighbour, will fall in it themselves. That is so true.

Hillbill can forget running for presidency again. She will not win. SHE WILL NOT GET AFRICAN AMERICANS SUPPORT (she threw her most loyal base under the bus), LITTLE MALE SUPPORT (men dont like manipulative women), AND INDEPENDENTS, HELL NO.

I WAKE UP EVERY MORNING HOPING THE CLINTONS WILL MAKE IT RIGHT AND APOLOGISE FOR THEIR BEHAVIOUR.

[abby4ever]

People like them never apologize for their behavior because they never see anything wrong even amiss in their behavior. They are the kind of people who live in world where everyone is in the wrong but them and they will never come out of this world.

[TheBlackCat]

I don't think that it's that they don't think they find nothing wrong with their behavior, I think THEY think the ends justify the means. In their hearts they are certain that they would be able to do the best job leading the country, especially after Bill's popularity followed by the disatrous Bush run. They think they are America's saviors so any tactic they use is okay because the end result will be (in their minds) fixing the country. HRC was constantly bashing Obama by saying he acted like a savior, but in reality I feel that they are actually the ones with a messiah complex.

[liseworks]

"HOPING THE CLINTONS WILL MAKE IT RIGHT AND APOLOGIZE FOR THEIR BEHAVIOUR".

Ruthlessness has no conscience. Zip. Won't happen.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

Painting Obama as "foreign" and not "all-American" is yet another instance of the Clinton campaign playing the race card on Obama (for all of you Hillary supporters who dwell in big time cynical denial). To repeatedly stab black people in the back, who were their most numerous and most loyal supports is the one and only reason Hillary will never be Obama's VP.

[MizLiz]

I've got the Atlantic website bookmarked­...THIS is one article I really want to read..comi­ng out in September.

[FACINGREALIT]

OK PUMA's since your candidate is alleged to be superior to Obama let's have a real face-off on their records. I'll start by giving you the reasons I'm voting on my candidate (Obama - elected to Illinois Senate 1996 / US Senate in 2005) and then you answer with why you are voting on your candiate (Hillary - elected in 2000 re-elected in 2006).

Senator Obama in his three short years in the US Senate.has sponsored or co-sponsored 570 bills in the 109th and 110th Congress; sponsored or co-sponsored 15 bills that have become LAW since he joined the Senate in 2005; introduced amendments to 50 bills, of which 16 were adopted by the Senate. His record is in fact quite impressive for a junior Senator from Illinois.

Most of his legislative effort has been in the area of Energy Efficiency and Climate Change (25 bills), health care (21 bills) and public health (20 bills), consumer protection/labor (14 bills), the needs of Veterans and the Armed Forces (13 bills), Congressional Ethics and Accountability (12 bills), Foreign Policy (10 bills) Voting and Elections (9 bills), Education (7 bills), Hurricane Katrina Relief (6), the Environment (5 bills), Homeland Security (4 bills), and discrimination (4 bills).

I remind you that the information provided is Obama's record for the 3 years in the US Senate - this doesn't include the bills passed in the Illinois Senate. Now since your candidate has the 'most experience' - WHERE IS THE BEEF?

[dmack]

This expierence argument is still funny. Being in the Legislature isn't the same as being the executive. The same holds true for foreign policy and Comander and Chief. Being the First Lady isn't the same as being the President. The same is true for McCain. There is a difference between taking orders and giving them. Clinton was and is part of a system that failed the American people time and time again. So how relavant is her expierence? Why should she get a promotion. Obama is also included in this. It's time to empty out Congress, The House of Reps, and all these types of offices and start over.

[FACINGREALIT]

My point is that Obama did not run on experience - he is running on change. In order to be an executive you must embrace bipartisanship - able to reach across the aisle and get things done. Clinton ran on experience - her puma's keep stating she has more experience - her record does not bode well in this genre.

As to the difference between taking/giving orders - I would say that the way their campaigns were run speaks volumes to their abilities to move the country forward. We are in dire economic times and Obama ran a campaign from the bottom up - empowering the people - Clinton ran a campaign from the top down and is now 20 million in debt.

The fact is - no one is ready for the presidency - it is a position that one must embrace and as their records indicate - Obama has a broad range of interests in the Senate and as a junior Senator he got a lot done in the 4 years he has been there. Hillary/McCain, have records that do not reflect the experience they are touting.

[Seral]

Actually your response is funny. Right now, when US is still in war condition, saying McCain's life in the army has nothing to do with what he can do as a President says a lot about the logic mentioned in your post. And, based on your view, Obama is a null when it comes to Presidency, so why select him over McCain. There is no guarantee he will succeed in anything. His previous experience can safely be ignored and thrown into trash, as those have nothing to do with Presidency. And, the changes he was talking about, there is no guarantee he will ever succeed. In this case, if someone wants to walk on a realistic path, Obama is the worst kind of President one can ever select.

[DXP]

I think if you want to actually inform yourself about a PUMA response you will have to visit their sites. This is a very biased site for Obama and it is a site that has a generally low level of debate and discourse. It is more a prep rally site. There are many ways to rebut your post, most have to do with who sponsors bills and who gets to get credit for them. If you are looking to test your ideas then test them, if you are looking to just do prep rally posturing then keep posting here and keep yourself isolated.

[abby4ever]

***This is a very biased site for Obama and it is a site that has a generally low level of debate and discourse. It is more a prep rally site.***

Today's first prize for condescension goes to DXP.

[FACINGREALIT]

And since you are a self-described borderline PUMA I will consider you silenced on the issue.

[dollphingurl]

yes, and while YOU'RE talking about who really sponsors bills, let's talk about the fact that the SCHIP child health care initiative was a bipartisan cause championed and spearheaded by ted kennedy, - WELL BEFORE MRS. CLINTON ever entered the white house.

so her biggest claim to fame is an utter lie and gross exaggeration.

Party Unity My A???? PUMA MY A$$!!!

[poppyseed]

Uh, I guess you just got spanked.

Way to fold!

[EarthToZoey]

PEP rally. Your cheerleader obsession needs a brush up on proper terminology.

[TheBlackCat]

What is PUMA?

[SCG2]

Michelle on C-Span now.

[liseworks]

Thanks ! Love it that you told us !

[SCG2]

You're welcome ; )

[DXP]

I posted this in reply to a buried comment way back several pages but the essence still holds. It was regarding rumors and questions regarding Obama's citizenship(s), and was a response to a typical obot poster here on this site who can be just oh so cute I will say again, not all Obama supporters are obots, not all Hillary supporters are PUMAs obots are not helping their candidate with their cute, uninformed, sports rally banter. Prep rally rah rah rah.....

Here's it again: Your comment was so very cute. Are you in the Obama cute legions? Do you realize that this is an important election? this is not a cute election. I will vote dem no matter what but there are real problems in the dem party - structural, philosophical differences. And there are horrible rumors about Obama out there, and I'm sure you are blissfully unaware because you probably only enjoy your latte here and Kos. Are we nominating a very vulnerable candidate? Has he been properly vetted by the DNC (committee for vetting pres candidates)? Could there be legal/cons­titutional issues with his candidacy? If those issues can legitimately be raised will this hurt his candidacy and the down ticket candidates?

[EarthToZoey]

You're asking a lot of questions and not providing any reason why those queries are substantial. O b a m a posted his BC that clearly shows he was born in Hawaii and there is no hard evidence to support these claims that it is forged. This is the line of hollow logic that is posed on fiercely partisan websites such as No Quarter.

There is, however, a pending lawsuit questioning Mc Cain's citizenship. I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt, but we'll see where it goes:

http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/06/mccains-citizen.html

[EarthToZoey]

By the way, the lawsuit is brought forth by a concerned Republican.

[doctorwang]

I have to say I like the way you think.

[loria]

EarthtoZoey,
I'm with you. McCain should have the benefit of the doubt. His father was stationed in Panama when he was born. With that said it is ridiculous for people to maintain that Obama isn't a natural born citizen. Talk about reaching.

[rosal]

I pretty much doubt your are voting DeM, "no matter what". After that statement you are questioning the Dem nominee using Repug talking points. You either are a Repug or a Hilda fan. Why don't just come out and say it?

[Sparty1]

Are you kidding me? Obama was born in Hawaii. If I can remember correctly, Hawaii was a part of the USA by the time he was born. McCain on the other hand was born in Panama. I'm certain that Panama isn't a part of the USA. Are we making an exemption for McCain? Why aren't you so deeply concerned about him?

[doctorwang]

You should have left your reply buried along with whatever comment you were responding to.

"Could there be legal/cons­titutional issues with his candidacy?"
If you're not PUM@, then you should be.

[loria]

If you are concerned about the his citizenship, he was born in Hawaii and is a citizen. So, no there aren't legal/cons­titutional issues with his candidacy. Obama is actually the only one of the two candidates that was born in the US. These lies are easy to disprove. All you have to do is to to
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/citizen.asp. While you are there you might want to check out the many other lies about Obama. They've all be debunked too.

[EarthToZoey]

Ahh, good ol' snopes. ;)

For fairness, here's Mc Cain's citizenship question (which they code as "undetermined"):

http://www.snopes.com/politics/mccain/citizen.asp

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

Yeah, what a sad day in hell, when someone born in Hawaii is painted as an untrustworthy foreigner!

[Kalima]

Not really surprised. When they fought dirty in pubic view, nothing would shock me about
their thoughts in private.

[Totto]

Mark Penn is now working with Bushie Karen Hughes, Wolfson is working for Aussie "Citizen Kane" wannabee Rupert Murdoch. Growing up in Kansas, Barack ate that "un-American" delicacy, Jell-O salad.

[saltysea]

showing their true colors, eh?

[SCG2]

There are More Comments on this Thread. Click Here To See them All!

[MsLiz]

Isn't that annoying? Sometimes I click it and it just goes away. No new comments.

[EarthToZoey]

Is it not working for you either?

[SCG2]

no

[triplbee]

Leave it alone. We're running against McCain now.

[lorla]

Well the mods have deemed me not worthy of timely posts, so I'll call it a night.

[mistlesuede]

This shows that former President Clinton is not displaying good judgement anymore. The fact that he approved and released the 3 am garbage, tells me that he no longer earns any respect from me. Am I alone in this thought?
They also wanted to own "a New American Century? They wanted to be part of PNAC? That is ever so troubling to me and gives me even more hope that Senator Obama can turn the page on that whole entire piece of history.

[orangepetal]

Well security is a very BIG issue.

[orangepetal]

The middle of the night thing was just because of world time zones.

[EarthToZoey]

How, exactly, do you think O b a m a won't protect our country? What leads you to believe he wouldn't be a good CIC? Just curious.

[liseworks]

I suggest a big, fuzzy blankey & your favorite teddy bear ....

[reliant1]

menards - bigger lock

[BBGCali]

I guess you will vote Republican. Let me inform you about Republican security. Bush was in office for approximately eight months before he considered Bin Laden and the Taliban to be a threat to America. When Clinton left office in January, his staff informed Bush and his staff that Bin Laden and the Taliban was a large threat to America, however, Bush ignored it. This is why later we were attacked on 9/11 due to Bush and his staff ignoring our security.

[scandals&skeletons]

GOOOOO USA!!!!! We beat the loudmouth Frenchys in the 400 meter freestyle relay.


Yeah Baby!

[livesimply]

Wrong thread.