Geffen and Wolfson Form Democratic Circular Firing Squad

Republicans must be having a grand old time laughing at the Democrats' remarkable ability to form a circular firing squad while the media laps it up. The Geffen/Dowd/Wolfson/Clinton/Obama flap was just the latest example. Grow up, children. You may be scrapping siblings, but you're part of the same family.

Here's some unsolicited advice:

David Geffen: As one of the most powerful and feared figures in Hollywood, you have an extraordinary ability to raise money for your favored candidate. But the campaign is not about you or your personal grudges as a disillusioned FOB. You're an incredibly savvy guy with the media and you must have known that your interview with Maureen Dowd would make national news in which you, not the candidates, would be the focus. By personally attacking Hillary, you didn't help Obama who is running a campaign based on hope, not negativity. You brought bring him down to the level of Rovian attack politics. You didn't help the Democratic Party either--As much as many of us hope otherwise, Hillary may still end up as the Democratic nominee. For all of her flaws, do you really think she would make a worse President than John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Sam Brownbeck, or anyone else the Republicans might throw up? Even if you believe it, do you really want to see Republican attack ads quoting a leading Democrat stating that "Everybody in politics lies, but [the Clintons] do it with such ease, it's troubling." You could substitute "Hollywood" for "politics" and almost any mogul for "the Clintons" and the statement would be even more true. Is it really a good idea to let the media make the campaign about Hollywood? George Clooney's approach that Hollywood should give money, but that a public display that draws attention from the candidate to the celebrity may not help, is something to think about.

Maureen Dowd: You're a brilliant writer, but please curb your bitchy tendencies. In fact you and David Geffen make quite a pair of bitches. You don't want the next President to be a Republican either. You must have known your column quoting a leading Hollywood mogul would draw national press attention. Sure, as a columnist you're free to give your views on the primary candidates. But the campaign isn't about you, or David Geffen.

Howard Wolfson: Please shut up. Calling David Geffen Obama's campaign chair in a press release is a lie and you know it. As Arianna pointed out, you went on Republican Chris Mathew's show 6 hours later and repeated the lie. You came off as evasive, smarmy and dishonest. You're one of those professional Washington campaign "geniuses" who get paid the big bucks as Hillary's Communications Director to presumably make her look good. As her official spokesman, you only gave further credence to Geffen's charge that Clinton is dishonest. Your demand that Obama give back all of the money raised at a fundraising dinner of which Geffen was one sponsor came off as completely disingenuous. By the same logic Hillary should give back all of the money raised for her at a fundraiser sponsored by right-wing mogul Rupert Murdoch.

Terry McAuliffe: Where do you come off, as Hillary's Campaign Chairman, warning Democratic donors that "you are either with us or against us"? When George Bush said the same thing to our allies about the war on terror, he damaged America's standing in the world. Large Democratic donors are a tough and savvy bunch and threatening them does nothing to help the party. As Norman Lear (who is reported to be giving money to Clinton, Obama and Edwards) said, "What's Hillary going to do? Jail Me?"

Hillary Clinton: Fire your high-priced consultants like Wolfson and McAuliffe. If many Democrats believe you're unelectable, it's not because you're a woman but because they fear you are inauthentic and lack fundamental principles and take political positions by holding focus groups and sticking your finger in the air to see which way the wind is blowing. Blithely stating that "I want to run a very positive campaign and I sure don't want Democrats engaging in the politics of personal destruction" won't cut it while your Communications Director and Campaign Chairman are off slashing and burning. You just reinforce the impression that you're disingenuous.

Barack Obama: Take the high road. Avoid the temptation to strike back. Your initial response to Wolfson's demand that you apologize for Geffen and give back the money from the Hollywood fundraiser stuck the right tone. 'It's not clear to me why I would be apologizing for someone else's remarks. My sense is that Mr. Geffen may have differences with the Clintons, but that doesn't really have anything to do with our campaign." That would have been enough, but your campaign spokesman Robert Gibbs couldn't help sticking it back to the Hillary camp, stating "It is also ironic that Senator Clinton lavished praise on Monday and is fully willing to accept the support of South Carolina State Sen. Robert Ford [who is black], who said if Barack Obama were to win the nomination, he would drag down the rest of the Democratic Party because he's black". Ford's was an incredibly stupid and destructive statement, but if Barack can't be held responsible for the statements of all of his supporters, than neither can Hillary. Make sure your campaign says enough to defend yourself, but no more.

Republicans: Enjoy yourselves while the Democratic candidates and their surrogates tear each other apart. Hopefully, this too will pass.