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Clinton Slams Democratic Activists At Private Fundraiser


At a small closed-door fundraiser after Super Tuesday, Sen. Hillary Clinton blamed what she called the "activist base" of the Democratic Party -- and MoveOn.org in particular -- for many of her electoral defeats, saying activists had "flooded" state caucuses and "intimidated" her supporters, according to an audio recording of the event obtained by The Huffington Post.

"Moveon.org endorsed [Sen. Barack Obama] -- which is like a gusher of money that never seems to slow down," Clinton said to a meeting of donors. "We have been less successful in caucuses because it brings out the activist base of the Democratic Party. MoveOn didn't even want us to go into Afghanistan. I mean, that's what we're dealing with. And you know they turn out in great numbers. And they are very driven by their view of our positions, and it's primarily national security and foreign policy that drives them. I don't agree with them. They know I don't agree with them. So they flood into these caucuses and dominate them and really intimidate people who actually show up to support me."

Listen to the audio below:

Clinton's remarks depart radically from the traditional position of presidential candidates, who in the past have celebrated high levels of turnout by party activists and partisans as a harbinger for their own party's success -- regardless of who is the eventual nominee -- in the general election showdown.

The comments also contradict Clinton's previous statements praising this year's elevated Democratic turnout in primaries and caucuses, and appear to blame her caucus defeats on newly energized grassroots voter groups that she has lauded in the past as "lively participants" in American democracy.

"You've been asking the tough questions," Clinton said in April of last year at a MoveOn-sponsored town hall event. "You've been refusing to back down when any of us who are in political leadership are not living up to the standards that we should set for ourselves... I think you have helped to change the face of American politics for the better... both online, and in the corridors of power."

Clinton's criticism followed MoveOn's endorsement of Obama in early February. The group was initially established in 1999 to oppose the Republican-led effort to impeach President Bill Clinton, and now claims 3.2 million members.

In a statement to The Huffington Post, MoveOn's Executive Director Eli Pariser reacted strongly to Clinton's remarks: "Senator Clinton has her facts wrong again. MoveOn never opposed the war in Afghanistan, and we set the record straight years ago when Karl Rove made the same claim. Senator Clinton's attack on our members is divisive at a time when Democrats will soon need to unify to beat Senator McCain. MoveOn is 3.2 million reliable voters and volunteers who are an important part of any winning Democratic coalition in November. They deserve better than to be dismissed using Republican talking points."

Howard Wolfson, communications director for the Clinton campaign, verified the authenticity of the audio, and elaborated on Clinton's charge that these same party activists were engaged in acts of intimidation against her supporters: "There have been well documented instances of intimidation in the Nevada and the Texas caucuses, and it is a fact that while we have won 4 of the 5 largest primaries, where participation is greatest, Senator Obama has done better in caucuses than we have." About Clinton's remarks suggesting dismay over high Democratic activist turnout, Wolfson said, "I'll let my statement stand as is."

In fact, the Nevada caucuses occurred prior to MoveOn's endorsement of Obama, and when Clinton made her remarks, the Texas caucuses had yet to take place.

The disclosure of Clinton's statement disparaging the prominence of party activists in the caucus process comes after she repeatedly suggested that Obama's electability had been compromised because he had allegedly offended other key Democratic constituencies.

This story was developed in cooperation with OffTheBus to which reporter Celeste Fremon is a regular contributor.

At a small closed-door fundraiser after Super Tuesday, Sen. Hillary Clinton blamed what she called the "activist base" of the Democratic Party -- and MoveOn.org in particular -- for many of her electo...
At a small closed-door fundraiser after Super Tuesday, Sen. Hillary Clinton blamed what she called the "activist base" of the Democratic Party -- and MoveOn.org in particular -- for many of her electo...
 
 
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05:02 PM on 04/22/2008
I know its all a show, but, even so, Hillary Clintons dirty tactics make me so mad. As always, what scares me the most is how and what Hillary will do to try to win.
05:02 PM on 04/22/2008
Is it just me, or is what she's getting at basically:

The problem is that people who don't like me exist and are in fact voting for someone else.
04:32 PM on 04/22/2008
I'm honestly not really sure what Hilary is getting at here. I thought "political activist" just meant exactly what it sounds like; someone who is active in the political process. I thought that anyone who actively campaigns for any politician would be considered an activist of said politician. If Hilary is against activism...what does that even mean? Isn't anyone involved on her campaign an "activist"? Isn't anyone who pushes for anything- be it gay rights, literacy, civil liberties, etc, an activist?

Is she suggesting that if you are not officially affiliated with a political candidate's campaign (i.e. on a campaign payroll) that you should not endorse or campaign for a candidate? Is she suggesting that unless you are in politics you should not be allowed to fight for a cause- that only politicians and lobbyists should have a say in anything and the rest of us should keep our traps shut? I I simply can't believe that is what she actually means. Can someone clarify this for me?
04:03 PM on 04/22/2008
I've heard this line of "intimidation" before, but never any facts nor even testimonies from someone who was intimidated... I'd like to know more.

It's unfortunate this story wasn't released sooner.
01:54 PM on 04/22/2008
It seems that Hiliary only wants us (moveon.org) when it will benefit her. I have noticed in the last several months that SHE will do or say anything to get the nomination. Even praising McBUSH over saying anything nice about Barack. I find that she is very willing to open up wounds and help them fester if advances her cause. She may find herself SOL if she doesn't start being more less devicive.(sp)
12:56 PM on 04/22/2008
We resemble that remark.
11:54 AM on 04/22/2008
Unless Moveon and the rest of us working class follow to the beat of her drum then we are considered the activist radicals out to destroy her unquestionable plan to rule America.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=6h3G-lMZxjo


Power corrupts, and lusting after it corrupts as well.
11:45 AM on 04/22/2008
I find Hillary's comments to be true. As a former member of MoveOn.org I was extremely embarrassed when the well funded liberal machine called a General "General Betray US". I am no republican, but there is a line you do not cross and MoveOn did. Obama has MoveOn's endorsement but better him then Hillary. That's republican ammunition.
02:17 PM on 04/22/2008
Oh Please RRH ,,moveon.org was right when they used the phrase General Betray Us because that is exactly what he was doing and his own general or cheif whatever his label is who was over him said totally opposite what he told the american people .

More Hillary double speak ,,first she is for you then she against you ,,it all depends on who she is pandering to.
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HUFFPOST PUNDIT
Meggie
Your micro-bio did not meet our guidelines.
11:08 AM on 04/22/2008
it's clear clinton expected to have an easy time in the democratic primary. but, since she's run into some competition, she's been bitter and whiny and she has shown time and time again that she does not care for what the voters think. she's careless with her lies and doesn't really seem to think it means much when she's caught. she expects the electorate to do whatever they're told and she has made distainful comments about them too many times to count. she treats them as if they're republican voters! I don't know who in the democratic party told her that she'd be the nominee even before this process started, but she was listening to the wrong group. perhaps this time the American voters will choose.
07:47 AM on 04/22/2008
Why do they group Moveon.org as a terrorist or radical group? Because they are free-thinkers?

Sure, they come out with thought-provoking videos -- oh, wait, there it is!!! Thought provoking !!!
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HUFFPOST PUNDIT
Meggie
Your micro-bio did not meet our guidelines.
11:15 AM on 04/22/2008
it's easy to marginalize the group after you've labeled them this way. it's harder to attract new members and nearly impossible to get people to take you seriously until it's too late. even if every single move-on ad is non-partisan and dead on with the facts, MSM will call them kooks &tc, and few will listen to the message.
if hil got the nomination, she'd expect this group to fall in line and have its members vote for her. but they could not count on any support for their views from her, and she'd treat them horribly until she needs them.
this is the type of politics that Obama is trying to change. It's why Nader is running again. It's why Bob Barr is running. There will be choices other than Dem/Repub this election, and perhaps if the voters do not make the choice in the Dem primary this year it will be time to look at other options.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
YvonneH
be kind to each other
03:47 AM on 04/22/2008
Another day, another whine... that is what Hillary Clinton is good at - whining and playing the victim role. Moving on.........
11:48 PM on 04/21/2008
Hillary doesn't like us because we are not supporting her like Richard Mellon Scaife, Rupert Murdock, Rush Limbaugh and all those favorites of hers.
She doesn't act like us either. She acts like Richard Mellon Scaife, Rupert Murdock, Rush Limbaugh and all those favorites of hers.
Now Molly was my kind of woman.
http://www.cnn.com/2006//POLITICS/01/20/ivins.hillary/index.html
says it all.
Birds of a feather, you know! But things do change. Lieberman is no longer pretending to be a Democrat; he's finally in the open, serving McCain. (But that's a lot like Hillary, too.)
02:21 AM on 04/22/2008
Molly Ivens, Ann Richards....both gone but remembered. Gods I wish they were here now.

Ann Richards said..' Poor George, he can't help it, he was born with a silver foot in his mouth." Awesome.

Molly was right, back before most of us realized how right she was.
07:32 AM on 04/22/2008
Yes, isn't it funny that McCain is more liberal than Hillary in so much that the gender-confused Anne (Arthur) Coulter would vote for Swillary?

I thought Swillary was a communist? :)
09:15 PM on 04/21/2008
Hillary whines about MoveOn.org and plays the "victim" card for the umpteenth time. Queen Hillary wants us to believe she is the victim of a vast left-wing conspiracy.
DoTheMath
We're outspent, but they're outnumbered
05:16 PM on 04/21/2008
Only with massive, enthusiastic activism is the Democratic nominee likely to defeat John McCain in November.

Only with massive, enthusiastic activism is our next president likely to overcome the influence of the health insurance industry to enact meaningful health care reform.

Only with massive, enthusiastic activism is our next president likely to overcome the influence of Bush-Cheney Republicans in Congress to bring an end to our occupation of Iraq.

Only with massive, enthusiastic activism is our next president likely to overcome the influence of the oil industry to reduce our dependence on oil in favor of more secure, more environmentally sound energy policies.

Only with massive, enthusiastic activism is our next president likely to overcome the influence of small groups with big money to create an economy that works for working Americans.

It's not just MoveOn. There's a massive, enthusiastic political movement out here. We're working for health care reform, ending the occupation of Iraq, energy policies that benefit the American people instead of the oil industry, living wages for working Americans. Obama's campaign is about us. The more of us, the better. The more active, the better.

What is Clinton's campaign about?
05:37 PM on 04/21/2008
"We're working for health care reform, ending the occupation of Iraq, energy policies that benefit the American people instead of the oil industry, living wages for working Americans. Obama's campaign is about us. The more of us, the better. The more active, the better."

Hillary voters, being over 25, recognize this bunch of soundbites from elections over the past 30 years. It sounded great to us then when we were in college too
06:27 PM on 04/21/2008
Obama voters, being over 25 and beyond like say 60 recognize the same old politics of fear and say anything to get elected from this very tired political family. It sounds great to me, Obama's campaign messages, the best I've heard in 40 years.
Obama 08
10:50 PM on 04/21/2008
Good luck on changing the oil industry, it's been tried through about 14 presidents, and they are still making money hand over fist. The only way to hurt the big oil companies, is if every car driven in the United States cuts their use of fuel, by just 10% a day for a year. Also skip a vacation for one year, but it won't work if everyone don't do it.
08:52 PM on 04/21/2008
You are a massive group of people who are brainwashed. You seriously have no real common sense. You believe that you can protest everyone and everything that you feel moved. Well, why don't you fly to other countries and protest human trafficking, heroin trade, child labor? You want the people in government to work for you but you have no respect.
I say this from having given my flash light to Cindy Sheehan on the night before the Veterans for Peace Convoy excorted her to Bush's Ranch. In your zest for your protests, you could care less when the males on those trips harrassed women. You avoid the fact that several people were carrying marijuana on them and endangering others to be arrested alongside those. You risk innocent people's lives by allowing them to think that your cause is so just that you can do no wrong when in fact there is abuse of people in your world. Who will monitor it. I have seen no evidence that you people actually take any responsibility when your work ruins any one elses lives or livelihood. You are causing people to fear, hate and rebel against people that you do not know. You all should be ashamed of yourselves for harrassing people.
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HUFFPOST PUNDIT
Tulka2
Solidarity. Courage. Humor.
04:38 PM on 04/21/2008
I have personal knowlege of the goings on in two caucus states... Iowa and Washington State. My 85-year-old, white mother stood for Obama in Iowa. She says the Obama people were wild with joy to have Obama for a candidate. "They came prepared with little speeches and were having a wonderful time". The same thing happened in our local Washington state caucus. When the moment came and the person running the meeting asked for comments, several Obama supporters had prepared, POSITVE remarks about Obama. No Clinton person said a word. Why was that? Certainly not intimidation. This is our friendly neighborhood and no one wants to make enemies in their neighborhood. (We were suprised to see one older neighbor who said he had not voted Democratic since Harry Trueman, but he was excited about Obama.)
Were Clinton people were influenced in any way by Obama supporters....? Well, it makes me think of that old Jerry Rubin quote, "The only way to beat the status quo is to have more fun than they do." There you go.
09:00 PM on 04/21/2008
If it did not happen in your area, then it is not an issue for you. Our California people traveled to Iowa and Texas and they did see some things. I am not going to speak for them. They are in PA right now. Yet, I can say that several people in our city have been harasshed by Obama supporters. One college student had "F.... Hillary" notes stuck onto her windshield. Another woman, in fifities, was followed home and harassed on the freeway. Another was harassed after a caucus last weekend when we chose our delegates to go to Denver. She was harassed outside the caucus building. We hear a lot of things like that here.
02:26 AM on 04/22/2008
Since I have seen too many lies from Hillary, I have trouble now to believe what Hillary supporters are telling us the truth. Were there sniper fires at those caucuses?
12:02 AM on 04/22/2008
I went to the ME caucus and spoke on behalf of Hillary Clinton and we got an Edwards supporter and an undecided to come over to our side. A college student stood up and talked about how "inspiring" Obama was and she hoped that he inspired them to and then sat down. We spoke about healthcare, the economy, and issues. The most important factor for me in choosing a president is that I have confidence in that president's ability to run the country. I have not had that for eight years and Hillary Clinton gives me confidence and a sense of security. I'm not looking to have a drink with her or have her over for dinner. I want a leader and I strongly believe that she is.

I also noticed the potential for voter fraud and could see how it could be an intimidating enviroment, especially if you belonged to a union that was voting the other way. They would have counted me if I didn't say that I was from another state. A vote should be private and anonimous. We also phone banked for WY and a woman told us that her local newspaper said that the Caucus location was for Obama supporters only. I'm also a little disturbed that the people convening the caucuses wore the pins of the candidate they supported. Republicans were caught voting for Obama in one of the caucus site and it was supposed to be closed to registered democrats.