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New Pro-Clinton 527 to Ding Obama in Ohio

February 20, 2008 9:33 AM

ABC News has learned that a group of Democratic politicos have set up a new independent 527 organization called the American Leadership Project (ALP) with the express purpose of helping Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, beat Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, in Ohio, and possibly Texas and Pennsylvania as well.

Free from campaign finance rules, ALP will not be legally permitted to coordinate with the Clinton campaign, but it is clearly intended to help her.

The group is targeting through TV ads, mail, and phone communications white women under 50 in the Ohio area -- specifically Cleveland, Columbus, Youngstown, Charleston (WV), Wheeling- Steubenville, Zanesville, and Parkersburg (WV).

White men will also be a focus, and if there are any excess funds Latinos in Texas and middle class families in Pennsylvania will also be targeted.

ALP has developed three ads aimed at pushing the idea that Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, is a talker and not a doer -- the ads are called “If speeches could solve problems" -- and they will contrast Obama and Clinton on issues of importance to middle class voters, such as the economy, health care, and the mortgage crisis.

"Our purpose is to encourage audiences to look beyond the campaign speeches and political rhetoric to specific proposals to address these core issues," says an ALP mission statement obtained by ABC News.

The plan right now is for the TV ads to never actually mention Obama -- rather, the statements about rhetoric vs. reality will go after him through implication, the contrast between Clinton and Obama already being so well-known.

Marc Ambinder of The Atlantic this morning first reported that a pro-Clinton 527 had been set up.  Per Ambinder, the group is "canvassing Clinton donors for pledges of up to $100,000 in the hope of raising at least $10M by the end of next week...A Democrat who was briefed on the project said that Pennsylvania attorney William A. K. Titelman is leading the effort to solicit money. Titleman, who raised money for Gov. Bill Richardson's presidential campaign, has not contributed money to Clinton. He did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment…A Clinton spokesman said he knew nothing about the 527."

ALP is being run by the following people:

Jason Kinney, of California Strategies, LLC, a former senior communications advisor and chief speechwriter to former California Governor Gray Davis;

Mattis Goldman of SeaChange Media, a former ad maker for Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, who works for . (Samples of Goldman's ads can be seen HERE).

Erick Mullen, a political consultant with lots of Capitol Hill experience who has worked for the presidential campaigns of Gen. Wesley Clark (Ret.) in 2004 and former Sen. Bill Bradley, D-NJ, in 2000, as well as the successful 1998 Senate run of Chuck Schumer. (Mullen's website is HERE).

Paul Rivera, founder of Britton Marcy, LLC, senior political adviser for the 2004 Kerry-Edwards campaign, and a Clinton- Gore White House advance staffer from 1994 through 1999.

Roger Salazar of Acosta|Salazar LLC, who worked in the Clinton White House from 1994-1999 as assistant press secretary, national spokesman for then-Sen. John Edwards' 2004 presidential race, national spokesman and deputy press secretary the 2000 presidential campaign of Al Gore, and press secretary for Gov. Davis' successful re-election.

The law firm representing the group is Remcho, Johansen & Purcell, LLC.  Accounting and bookkeeping is being handled by Nancy Warren of the San Francisco-based Warren & Associates LLC.

- jpt

NOTE: Some minor tweaks in diction to this post were made for accuracy about the actual ads. And the sentence about the ads not mentioning Obama by name was added.

February 20, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (570)

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Yeah... Obama claims all innocence in not knowing. Just like he claimed he didn't know Tony Rezko was being investigated before speaking with him on the phone about his house purchase.

Interesting how the Chicago papers were plastered with Rezko being investigated the month before Obama put his offer to purchase on the home.

I guess Barack Obama fails to read the front pages of the Chicago news paper.

In the same manner, he claims he didn't know about the companies and their dealings when he bought their stock. Shall we dig a little further??

Lets watch the Obama worshippers shake and quake and spin their way out of this one.

Posted by: sue | Feb 21, 2008 7:31:29 PM

Obama's financial dealings is rather suspicious. He is always being a hypocrite... always asking for Clinton's taxes. But what about his insider stock trading? oops... did I claim the holy one to have done some "sin"? Oh dear. ;)

Less than two months after ascending to the U.S. Senate, Barack Obama bought more than $50,000 worth of stock in two speculative companies whose major investors included some of his biggest political donors, the NYT will splash on Wednesday Page Ones.


The paper claims, according to newsroom sources: One of the companies was a biotech concern that was starting to develop a drug to treat avian flu. In March 2005, two weeks after buying about $5,000 of its shares, Obama took the lead in a legislative push for more federal spending to battle the disease.


The paper's Mike McIntire and Chris Drew get front placement [side by side with Libby Coverage] for details of Obama's most recent financial disclosure:


It shows that he bought more than $50,000 in stock in a satellite communications business whose principal backers include four friends and donors who had raised more than $150,000 for his political committees.
A spokesman for Obama says the senator did not know that he had invested in either company.

Posted by: james clark | Feb 21, 2008 7:26:28 PM

This all just shows that in America everything is for sale, even the presidency. I don't know if Obama will be a good or a bad president in the event he wins, but in this moment he has given ordinary Americans some of their selfrespect and dignity back as well as a fighting chance to halt the sell out of our country to big business, corporations, pressure groups and corrupt politics. America has been much too long focused on money and profit and has forgotten all about what our forefathers fought for: We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Think about what today remains of the dreams for which they gave their lives and which candidate will be the most likely to restore to the people what belongs to the people! I think the answer is clear enough to all.

Posted by: Philip | Feb 21, 2008 7:24:49 PM

Apparently Hillary hasn't raised enough money from the lobbyists and political action committees she's in the pocket of (Obama has taken not one cent from either) so she has to get a bunch of rich friends together to pretend to be an independent group.

The usual Clinton garbage. Glad she'll be gone soon.

Posted by: JJ | Feb 21, 2008 7:18:11 PM

Obama-manics get all in arms and attack Senator Clinton and her campaign whenever things do not go well for their "messiah".

Shall we forget this little piece of Obama sleeze and lies:
Obama Toured His Now-Home With Rezko Who Was Under Investigation At The Time Feb. 20, 2008

Watchdog groups are questioning why it took Sen. Barack Obama more than a year to disclose additional details of his dealings with indicted fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko.

Lawmakers Call for Congress to Probe Bodies Shows in Wake of '20/20' ReportExclusive: Drug Smugglers Dig Record Number of Tunnels in 2007Fugitive Watch: Have You Seen This Woman? While Rezko was known to be under federal investigation, Obama toured a Chicago-area home with him to get his opinion of the property, Obama's campaign revealed to Bloomberg News for a story published Monday. The politician later bought the home, with Rezko's help, who bought the adjoining lot in what was effectively a package deal.

Until then, Obama has professed trouble recalling such details during interviews with reporters.

Posted by: eileen | Feb 21, 2008 7:09:35 PM

To the person who said Obama has the Asian American support behind him, simply because his brother-in-law is Asian... well... we see the logic in THAT argument from the Obamaphile.

Over 70% of Asian Americans in California voted for Senator Clinton, compared to Obama's measly showing of Asian support. He has a snazzy website going, but it's all a flash in the pan.

I've spoken to a NUMBER of Asian American friends, who say that if Senator Clinton does not win, they will be voting Republican for the 1st time in their lives.

For someone who touted himself as the agent of change, he is afraid to deal with minority issues... be it Asian American inequality issues, or Hispanic inequality issues in America.

BTW: we see beyond the smoke and mirrors and all the flash, and beyond the fluff and candy clouds, there literally is NOTHING there.

Shall we count how many times he says "HOPE" and "CHANGE" and "PRIDE" in a speech? What speech does he have left without the Messianic message of HOPE and CHANGE. I'm sorry... my salvation does not rest in this mere person who can't even keep his story straight.

See Rezko dealings. "I do not recall.." to "I spoke with him on the phone". Whatever!

Posted by: sue | Feb 21, 2008 7:03:52 PM

Typical Clinton sleaze and big-money, special-interest poltics. It won't make any difference -- she's going down and she knows it.

Posted by: Mark C | Feb 21, 2008 7:02:13 PM

As a democrat, I can guarantee you that we will NOT vote for Obama should he win the democratic nomination. He is neither qualified, nor honest with his dealings. He is constantly whining to the media when he or his wife is under any sort of scrutiny for their blunders. He writes things off as "making too deal over it" or being "swift boated" or "slander" or "smearing". Everything has a spin, but never does it come with an apology .... and the worst part is that HE NEVER TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS ACTIONS.

I mean, if I wanted another George Bush in the white house... someone who never admits his mistakes... then why even bother with this election? Obama is another George Bush...someone who NEVER takes responsibility for his actions. Never apologizes.

So - should Obama be the democratic candidate, then we WILL be voting for McCain. Guaranteed.

Posted by: sue lee | Feb 21, 2008 6:54:43 PM

She and her group are right: action speaks lower for itself!

To win a losing compaign, she acts just like her political partner called Bill Clinton. They are using all these dirty tricks, in this case, gathering money to spend purely for her smear compaign against Obama without taking any responsibility.

In the way, one can see that at least McCain promoted campaign finance reform so such tricks can not be easily played. In this sense, voting for Hillary Clinton is worse than voting for McCain -- no principle, a hopeless old dirty political way!!!

Vote for hope, vote for inspiration, vote for a decent person, vote for the better future of this country, Vote For Obama!!!

Posted by: JZF | Feb 21, 2008 6:03:29 PM

If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas

Posted by: Barney | Feb 21, 2008 5:56:01 PM

The Clinton effort to raise funds without responsibility... ambiguous ads that suggest attack on Obama while offering lowered expectations as the only alternative... What an embarrassment to the Democratic party! Disgusting.

Posted by: Emmanuel Winner | Feb 21, 2008 5:34:09 PM

Me, I'm hoping Obama goes all the way to the White House. Because then we may hear a newscaster utter the crown jewel in the Osama-Obama-Blunderama: "American president Barack Osama confirms U.S. forces have just captured Obama bin Laden!"

Posted by: Tony | Feb 21, 2008 5:33:35 PM

I noticed that Obama was being blamed by at least one person as being responsible for the McCain smear.It should be noted that the first report on McCain was from Matt Drudge from the Drudge report.It should also be noted that the Drudge is very right wing and anti democrat.Look to your own party for the John McCain "leak" After all they thought McCain wasn't conservative enough for their taste.

Posted by: kim | Feb 21, 2008 5:22:35 PM

Good Job on trying anyway! We will bring change for our generation! We need to do it now, or these old people will shut out our generation with ideas of the future. Not to be persuaded anymore! Welcome in the New Generation of people who stand for bringing people together! Starts Now..with OBAMA!

Posted by: SgtMaj | Feb 21, 2008 5:20:20 PM

I really did not want to accept the media reports that say Clinton supporters are generally undereducated. However, after reading their postings here, I think they have removed all doubt. There may be a few educated people supporting Clinton, but education is not an indication of common sense.

Posted by: joes | Feb 21, 2008 5:14:24 PM

Ok, here is a question that Obama will never answer. I have asked it again and again to his website and they have yet to answer me.

Where did you go to school BEFORE college? I want to know what you were raised on BEFORE college. What was your childhood life like what were you brought up to believe and to pray in? I don't want to know about your parents parents childhood, I want to know about yours!!!!

Posted by: Tina | Feb 21, 2008 4:46:15 PM

This is just too funny. Some of the statements are so ridiculous, it has to be a joke. Folks, you can't argue with ignorance and this is clearly a ploy to create negativity and stir up hatred for each other. God sees and knows all and as long as you are prepared to accept responsibility for statements and actions . . . go for it because you will have to pay for it.

Posted by: dotheresearch | Feb 21, 2008 4:29:37 PM

To state that OB has deep connections with asians because his half sister is indonesian( this is from an article from Yahoo press) is trying to make a case in favor of him. In California the asians that mostly voted for Hillary Clinton are vietnamese and chinese. They are not muslim as the indonesians. And they are not sexist. The chinese may vote republican because they like order. So do the vietnamese but they had rather vote for Hillary. So the connections OB has with asians as suggested are not that deep because of differences of cultures, nothing to do with race. They believe in the culture of experience and they think OB is too inexperienced period. Tired of the media trying to pull the cover to their favored candidate.

Posted by: Jane | Feb 21, 2008 4:21:22 PM

Regarding the Center for Responsive Politics blurb, note that both Clinton and Obama have raised money for fellow democratic candidates (Obama has been more successful at it apparently!). Supporting the campaigns of fellow democrats is a way of supporting the party, and much of this support came before Obama even decided to run. In addition, note that Obama has raised more than twice as much money for superdelagates that have NOT expressed support for his candidacy than for those who have expressed support. Hard to argue from this that hey is buying off superdelegates.

— Since 2005, Obama’s committees gave $228,000 to superdelegates who have endorsed him, $363,900 to those who were still undecided, and $102,400 to those who have endorsed Clinton.
–Clinton’s committee’s gave $95,000 to superdelegates who have endorsed her, $88,000 to those who were still neutral, and $12,500 to those who have endorsed Obama.

Posted by: Phil | Feb 21, 2008 4:18:11 PM

This kind of action is Washington politicos at their worst. Patriotism is the farthest thing from their minds; the concept of it being a privilege and to serve your country instead of your cronies in way over their heads. WE NEED BARACK OBAMA TO END THIS NOW!!!

Posted by: Jacqueline | Feb 21, 2008 3:48:17 PM

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