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Clinton Camp Compares Obama to Ken Starr

March 06, 2008 11:00 AM

On Sen. Barack Obama's new pledge to run a more aggressive campaign against Sen. Hillary Clinton -- asking what her national security credentials are, pushing her to release her tax returns -- Clinton communications director Howard Wolfson just said on a conference call with reporters: "I for one do not find that imitating Ken Starr is a way to win a Democratic primary election for president."

- jpt

UPDATE:  I asked both campaigns for comment on Wolfson's remarks.

Wolfson said that by making attacks on Sen. Clinton's openness (or lack thereof), her failure to release her tax returns even after loaning her campaign $5 million, and Whitewater, the Obama campaign is employing Ken Starr-like tactics

The Clinton campaign's evidence includes:

1) An Obama campaign memo which noted that when the Clintons in the past didn't release tax returns, there was interesting material in the unreleased returns, per the Wall Street Journal editorial: "During the 1992 campaign, the Clintons claimed to be coming clean by releasing their tax returns from 1980 forward. But they steadfastly refused to release their returns for prior years, and only later did we learn that 1978 and 1979 were the tax years when Mrs. Clinton reported her 10,000% cattle-futures trading profit."

2) The same Obama memo pointing out that "here are eight pieces of information that could be learned from her tax returns, the accompanying schedules, and attachments:

"Effective tax rate – including whether or not any tax shelters were used to reduce it
"Amount of income for spouses by source
"Amount of stock gains and losses
"Gross income for the couple
"Amount earned from stock dividends
"Amount of household employment taxes paid
"Personal exemptions taken
"Charitable contributions made."

3) Obama senior campaign strategist David Axelrod, appearing on This Week with George Stephanopoulos last Sunday, saying, "with all due respect, I would think that the Clinton campaign would be the last person to be wanting to characterize any real estate transaction as unusual," an oblique reference to Whitewater.

4) Axelrod pointing out that the Clintons have not released many materials from the Clinton library, as quoted in Time.

The Obama campaign, noting that Obama has released his tax returns, responded to the Clinton charge, spox Bill Burton saying, “It is absurd that after weeks of badgering the media to ‘vet’ Senator Obama, the Clinton campaign believes that they should be held to an entirely different standard. We don’t believe that expecting candidates for the presidency to disclose their tax returns somehow constitutes Ken Starr-tactics, but the kind of transparency and accountability that Americans are looking for and that’s been missing in Washington for far too long. And if Senator Clinton doesn’t think that the Republicans will ask these very same questions, then she’s not as ready to go toe-to-toe with John McCain as she claims."

Why the Clinton campaign would want to engage in this fight is a question -- Sen. Clinton and her allies have not disclosed a lot of information, that's just a fact.

A bigger question may be why Camp Clinton would want to invoke Ken Starr, conjuring forth memories of grand jury testimony and images of certain presidential mistresses. Will voters really think of Obama as part of the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy? I'm not a well-paid political consultant, maybe there's an upside to this that I'm not immediately grasping.

March 6, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (483)

User Comments

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I am not here to talk ill about either of them. They are both great candidates. I feel as our country does need a change. We are taking a giant step toward depression and we need to have a leader seasoned in being able to handle this situation. I think back to the White House when Eleanor Roosevelt had to take over for her husband due to his illness. She showed America that she could handle the job even though she is not given credit. Do people really know that Hillary fought her way to the top? Do we really know that as Obama is saying what he would have done, she has done it. I do not want to hear from him about what he would have done if given the chance to vote against the war in Iraq. At that time, we all know America was out for blood and anyone who stood against punishing others, were Unpatriotic. You might as well say we spoke out against the war, we were committing treason. There was no choice but to vote for the war.
SNL did a great job of showing how the debates were going. It was a double standard for her being a woman. As she speaks good about Obama, she is called soft. As she goes round for round with him, she is dirty. As Obama speaks good words about her, he is seen as a great man. Sounds like a double standard to me....
I am female and I am also African American. I am going against many of people in my community but I stand for what is right and truth.
We are not in a time where we can take a big risk on someone who has barely spent one term in the US Senate. We have no time to take chances on someone who is ill-advised by his dealings. He said earlier in the campaign that he wanted to Attack Afghanistan. The media let that roll right over Americans. They faded it out because they were weak for him. I remember though. Words you cannot take back. Once you have said them, you really cannot retract them. Obama is like a record. If you play it normal the music sounds so sweet but if you play it backwards, you realize that the sweet music you once heard is really filled with screeching noises...

Posted by: Dakota | Mar 7, 2008 1:57:58 PM

These questions are very important. Given the questionable activities that we have seen coming from the couple, it's very important for the Democratic Party to explore these issues, the Republicans certainly will.

We can't afford to look at the world through Hillary colored glasses.

Posted by: KarenZZ | Mar 7, 2008 1:55:07 PM

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) needs to step in against the Clintons lies, misrepresentions, and character assassinations. Obama thus far has taken the high road. I for one would have brought to the forefront what Bill did while in the White House and the lack of experience of Hilary. Hilary went into politics after leaving the White House and is only in her second term in the Senate. The tactics of the Clintons demonstrate they are business as usual and not the change candidate. People you neet to wake up....

Florida and Michigan was agreed upon by all involved before the election process started, now because it will help the Clintons they are trying everything in their power to over turn rules the were agreed upon. Again do these acts demonstrate Presidential ability. If wew are true to ouselves and have been paying attention since day one, there is only one candidate with the skills to lead and unite our Country. Some of us are just as pathedic as the Clintons.

Posted by: Henry | Mar 7, 2008 1:52:42 PM

The underhandedness of Obama's side is to prevent Hillary from getting her winning votes in FL & MI. Who subscribes to dirty politics? Obama. When Obama had more popular votes and losing in delegates he was proclaiming the fair way was to have superdelegates align with their states popular vote choice. Now that he has more delegates and has lost more states in popular votes he is proclaiming the fair determining factor is the number of delegates a candidate has. He is such a flip flopper, double talking, and intelligence insulting person. I know he cannot remember things, but he should realize the public has a better memory than his.

Posted by: this election counts | Mar 7, 2008 12:53:48 PM

One would have to see exampes of her 35 years of experience. She opened the door to that by bringing up the issue.

One would have to be very concerned that the unelected spouse of a US President is making foreign policy decision and also national security decisions. (remember that approx. the last 2 years of the Clinton administration, Al Queda was able to plan 911).

So one would assume that Bill Clinton would also be taking care of foreign policy and nat'l security if his wife were elected?

Very disturbing.

Posted by: William | Mar 7, 2008 12:20:51 PM

Obama is calm and levelheaded even when down in the polls. Hilary losses her voice, breaks down under pressure, and just like Hugo Chavez, becomes brash and undiplomatic at the slightest provocation. “…shame on you Obama, shame on you…” Can a Commander-in-Chief with such a disposition handle foreign policy crisis? A ticket with Obama and Hilary would therefore be ill considered. (Lillian Oyama – Nigeria)

Posted by: Lillian Oyama | Mar 7, 2008 12:10:19 PM

While Obama works to mobilize Americans collectively to bring about real change in America, Hilary professes to be the only experienced American to handle a crisis. A ticket with these two irreconcilable ideologies will definitely be futile. (Odey Oyama – Nigeria)

Posted by: Odey Oyama | Mar 7, 2008 12:05:21 PM

"with all due respect,..."

I think the Obama campaign and Obama need to stop saying this kind of crap -- 'with all due respect'. Clinton never prefaces her sentences with anything like this before saying something about Obama. They need to stop showering her with praise before they go into an attack on her. Obama also needs to stop answering questions about 'why he lost'. They need to act like a lost never existed and just rocket forward, just like Clinton does. To look at her to hear her, you would never have thought she lost those contests that Obama won. They need to respond rapidly to the Ken Starr comment and any other comment. I think Obama needs to say so what about Ken Starr comment, that won't stop him from exposing her, and to let them know they can call him whatever they want he will still stay on message and still expose her to the American people just like she exposes him. Are they afraid of her? They shouldn't have had their aide apologize for calling Clinton a monster either because they never apologize to Obama for calling him anything and everything. Also I've been following this election cycle very closely and for the life of me I still don't know what Senator Clinton's 35 years experience amounts to, also don't know what her foreign policy experience amounts to. I do know that her 'foreign policy' experience must be awfully screwed up since it lead her to not read intelligence reports and it lead her to voting for Iraq and voting for Iran attack. So for all those who want her to answer that phone at 3a.m. you need as much mental help if not more than she does.

Posted by: RuthieM | Mar 7, 2008 11:54:13 AM

I think that obamas the next president because at least he can trust his family members and doesnt take cheapshots or make stupid remarks. especialy when clinton's oppnent obama has a better chance of winning the campain.

p.s. GO OBAMA, ALL THE WAY

Posted by: stud_2 | Mar 7, 2008 11:42:58 AM

The Ecomony BOOMED in thwe 90's because of High Tech NOT the Clintons!

Posted by: sue | Mar 7, 2008 10:51:55 AM

GC....maybe you are right about image....If I was on Obama's team I would formulate adds highlighting Hillary's experience....start with bright sunny day of Bill's promise of a 2:1 presidency in 1992....show clouds starting to form by mentioning some of the scandals at the beginning of Clinton's presidency, show the wind kicking up with the Ken Starr investigation...the show the hurricane hit with the Clinton impeachment procedings....Unfair to link to Hillary to Bill's troubles? Well she is touting those years as experience. She is part of all good and bad during those years.

Posted by: John | Mar 7, 2008 10:44:20 AM

Either of these two would place your healthcare dependency into the hands of the same government that botched the Katrina response in New Orleans. Gee, what result would you expect? Then again, the Dem buzzword seems to be "dependency", breeding voters through entitlements.

Posted by: We the Sheeple | Mar 7, 2008 10:33:45 AM

Someone said that Hillary has a plan and Obama doesn't. But what good is a plan if she cannot get the country to support it? She had a plan in 1994 for Healthcare. How'd that go? A leader must motivate people to follow his/her lead. Hillary does not motivate anyone other than her core constituancy.

Posted by: John | Mar 7, 2008 10:32:19 AM

Is it really about winning at all costs. Invading IRAQ because we want to win. Where did truth, justice and understanding go. Sorry I don't want a president that will do anything to win. I want a president that will do what's right. Listen to others thoughts even if they are different. I don't want someone that will push the button at 3AM becuase she knows that she is right, with out being open that she may be wrong.

Posted by: DD | Mar 7, 2008 9:52:01 AM

Hillary Cover up. It turns out that it was Clinton's campaign that was reassuring the Canadians about NAFTA. She failed to mention that prior to Ohio's vote. Hmmm. If the people of Ohio knew it was her, I think that would have voted differently. So... let's redo the voting in Ohio as long as we are redoing Florida and Michigan.

Posted by: spoon2456 | Mar 7, 2008 9:32:15 AM

why in the world would anyone want a politician that has been in washington, or any other government capacity, for more that 20 yrs????? it be like electing strom thurman to the presidency and expecting a radically different game plan.....

Posted by: ray | Mar 7, 2008 9:17:15 AM

Isn't the Clinton camp mentioning Ken Starr like Rush Limbaugh telling a joke about mixing Oxicontin and Viagra?

Starr was associated with the lowest point of the Clinton administration and ensures that Bill's name will forever be the byline for a joke about a humidor. What idiocy... mentioning Starr's name!

Posted by: smartprimate | Mar 7, 2008 9:12:51 AM

The whole thing of the Bush-Clinton deal has been like a small family in which the kids are having incest and running the country together with big corporations. And then their kids are going to have incest again and run the country again and again and again...

By the way, Rush Limbaugh has been urging people to vote for Clinton. That tells you people what you should do.

Posted by: Louise | Mar 7, 2008 8:59:37 AM

We've had 7+ years of fearmongering, lying, and cover-ups. These do not reflect what America wants and it's reflceting in Georgie-Porgie's approval ratings. So when Pespi says, "Hilliary will do any thing to win, well that is what...winning is about, this is for the leader of our nation,and we need a leader that is willing to fight" I and America disagree with you that the ends justify the means. And if you are interested in getting your NAFTA information from some unnamed person in a right-wing Canadian administration, then I've got another source for you. There is this guys named Rush Limbaugh...

Posted by: TSnow27604 | Mar 7, 2008 8:56:21 AM

Ken Starr? Then it's as if Karl Rove is running the Clinton campaign. America will not elect a Clinton to the White House. Republicans have been/still are salivating at the idea of having so much fodder for a run against Senator Clinton. And she is stooping to any level to win the Democratic race. First there was South Carolina where she sent out her husband to dismiss Senator Obama as, among other things, another Jesse Jackson. She lied, misquoted, misrepresented his interview about Ronald Reagan and Republicans, then she tries this red phone ad!? Someone please tell me just one, single, solitary crisis to which she has led a response. (Queue the chirping crickets.) Sitting in a committee meeting with a group of peers days or weeks after the fact does not come close to qualifying as being able to have the judgement needed. Give me a break. I live in NC and I not only look forward to voting for Barack Obama, I look forward to volunteering as well.

Posted by: TSnow27604 | Mar 7, 2008 8:25:42 AM

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