Obama's Team Responds To Clinton Camp Slams
The following piece is produced by HuffPost's OffTheBus.
Concord, NH -
The Barack Obama campaign today forcefully lashed back at the rival Hillary Clinton camp accusing it of resorting to personal attacks. "Now is not the time to return to old politics," said Ned Helms co-chair of Obama's New Hampshire state campaign. Helms charged the Clinton campaign with stooping to character attacks in response to Obama's recent rise in the polls in both Iowa and New Hampshire, instead of engaging in real policy disagreements.
"They have moved from looking at his kindergarten record," Helms continued, "to reading his book" to glean information from Obama's teenage years. "There is no place in the process for smearing character."
The charges came in a Concord press conference Thursday morning just hours before the next national Democratic debate and on the heels of remarks made yesterday by Clinton's NH co-chair Bill Shaheen's regarding Obama's past drug use. Some have interpreted Sheehan's remarks as implying that Obama may have also distributed drugs at the time.
Helms was joined by his state co-chair Sen. Martha Fuller Clark as they took questions from the handful of reporters crammed into the Obama campaign's local office.
Senator Clark reiterated Helms' remarks that Obama's campaign was successful because of his positive message. The voters, she suggested, "are looking for a president who can bring people together."
The pair were asked by a reporter what more the Clinton campaign could do beyond condemning the statement. Were they pushing for Shaheen to resign?
"That's a conversation that needs to happen within the Clinton campaign," Helms replied, before adding that they are not in the business of giving advice to rival campaigns.
Another reporter pressed further about whether or not that meant that the Obama team believed that the Clinton campaign actually did, if not authorize, at least allow for such comments to be made.
Helms did not confirm that statement, but said "When you see a pattern," citing the two nefarious e-mails in Iowa and now Shaheen's remarks, "it doesn't take a genius to see that there is a thread going on here." He then added that at some point you just need to say enough is enough.
UPDATE: Bill Shaheen has announced he is stepping down as Hillary Clinton's New Hampshire Co-Chair.
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Mark Penn SHOULD BE FIRED TOO! HE DID THE SAME THING LAST NIGHT! This is a must see...Joe Trippi (of the Edwards Campaign) CLOCKS Penn! Who is running things in the Clinton camp?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iazXbc-3ccU
All I have to say is this:
Leading the most well-funded campaigin in history, with the most well-paid pollsters in the game working for her, Hillary's managed to compile an opposition research composed of Kindergarten essays, and issues Obama himself honestly and transparently told the American public about years before he was elected to the Senate. It's no wonder the press laughs and shrugs off Hillary's attempts at casting Barack as a candidate with poor character - and so are Iowans, voting time and time again for her as the least honest, most negative candidate.
I'm quite comfortable supporting Obama, thank you very much - and polls show so are Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. The rest of the states will fall in line.
The only "change" there is in Hillary is the "extension of old politics into the new." (Michael Whitney). I began this campaign season wanting to support Hillary and now with the tremendous need to restore some character in our political process and statesmanship to the White House, Senator Obama has my full, active support.
I am a registered Republican… who votes as an "Independent." In recent weeks, I've given Senator Biden a more serious look as well Senator Obama. Unfortunately, Biden's cannon-like "outspokenness" works against him while other candidates pander or dance frivously around numerous, serious issues for fear of alienating this group or the next.
The legacy of this current President Bush is Americans must never again choose a president so lightly. No doubt, Bush hit the floor running his first day in office running the USA into a quagmire of isolation, polarization, greed, unimaginable national debt, unexcusable obligation/debt to Saudi Arabia and China, hypocrisy, secrecy, lies and partisanship tap-dancing.
In support of Senator Obama, more than someone prepared to hit the floor running the first day in office (as Clinton purports she can), it is time for a healer to re-present the United States of America as a country of freedom and ideas. It's time to have a serious dialogue on the issues "attacking" our quality of life... I trust Mr. Obama, an intelligent and seemingly honest man, to surround himself with staffers and cabinet members who have proven experience, intellect, truth and integrity to collectively provide optimum, honest information for him to make the best decisions for our country.
The United States of America is a great country with potential to become even greater. The bar voters establish for our candidates cannot choke them into dishonesty or half-truths. Arguably, voters can no longer excuse irreponsible, negative campaigning demonstrated by Hillary Clinton from childhood dreams to the malevolent claims she now purports against Senator Obama. Absolutely, collectively we must judiciously raise the bar to produce truth, rule out hypocrisy and appropriately weigh issues for the betterment of our country.
Obama's campaign did just what they should have. Comments like that do not come out without inside coaching and the Clinton campaign has been obvious. The fact that Shaheen was not immediately dismissed is disgraceful. Hillary still has that "I'll get rid of this bug" look on her face when she looks at Obama. Maybe he should start carrying a can of bug spray to hold when talking with her before the cameras.
I really don't understand why Obama is upset. He told the entire world he did cocain when he was younger and then gets mad when someone brings it up? Go figure :(
Bill Shaheen Just stepped down...A month before NH...Bye Bye!
It's so funny that Bill Shaheen DID what he warned the GOP would do!!!! Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton!!! Aren't we all sick of it...27 years-it's crazy!
What Bill Shaheen did was the same as a push poll!!!
myspace.com/republicans4obama
Mike Gravel on his drug use:
"Of course I've smoked pot. It doesn't do anything for me," he said. When asked about cocaine, he said, "I'll never do that again."
Toughen up, Obama. It ain't a big deal if you don't drag the guilt and shame around like an albatross.
Give a hard, declarative answer, and put the shame on the Clinton campaign. Focusing on it is an utter waste of political and public dialogue.
Thank God that if Hillary gets the nomination, the Republicans won't have any smear material to use against her!
This story should now be put to rest. What are the odds it will be? Not very good I imagine.
Is nothing fair gamer with Obama? Can we not question him at all? Anything you say about this guy, even true stuff, and you're considered attacking him or a racist. Unfortunately I have seen this before from GW Bush. Its ok for him(Obama) to attack others, but dare anyone say anything negative about the holy one. This is getting ridiculous. Even you Obama lovers have to acknowledge this free ride he's getting. When he attacks its, Obama takes the gloves off, when she it attacks its Clinton desperate. I have given up hope on the democracy, I as a veteran, fought so hard for.
The Clinton campaign must smear to cover up Mrs. Clinton's abysmal voting record in supporting the neocons over and over again. Please don't be too hard on her. What else can she do?
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