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Obama Attacks Elmo

May 03, 2008 2:30 PM

Today in Indianapolis, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., went after Elmo.

By which I'm not referring to the "Sesame Street" character, but to Democratic strategist Steve "Elmo" Elmendorf, who has helped the campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.

"Some of you may have seen that Sen. Clinton is spending a lot of money on a TV ad that attacks me for not supporting her and John McCain's idea of a gas tax holiday," Obama said. "Now keep in mind this is an idea that will save you altogether half a tank of gas, 30 cents a day. For three months. That’s if the oil companies don’t simply jack up their price, to fill the gap, as they've done when this was tried before."

Then, Obama took a turn not in his prepared remarks.

"Does anyone here really trust the oil companies to give you the savings, when they could just pocket the money themselves? There's not an expert out there that believes that this is going to work. There's not an editorial out there that has said this is actually the answer to high gas prices.  In fact, my understanding is, today, Sen. Clinton had to send out a surrogate to speak on behalf of this plan, and all she could find was, get this, a lobbyist for Shell Oil to explain how this is going to be good for consumers. It’s a shell game, literally."

Obama was referring to an appearance on CNN, Wednesday, when Elmendorf -- introduced as a Democratic strategist who supports Clinton -- said, “I think Sen. Clinton has a good proposal to give people a gas tax holiday, and we really ought to do something. Congress can do a lot of different things with the money they're getting. I just think we ought to focus on consumers and what we can do to help them right now in this economic emergency this summer."

Elmendorf was once top aide to then-House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo. The Obama campaign says Elmendorf lobbies for Shell Oil on behalf of the firm Bryan Cave, as well as Elmendorf Strategies.

Clinton campaign spokesman Phil Singer responds that it's "rather ironic for Obama to make that hit, considering that Kipper Tew, a lobbyist for the energy industry, is the state chair of his Indiana campaign."

(UPDATE: Tew has been identified in media accounts as an Obama state co-chair, but the Obama campaign says he isn't the state chair but rather a member of a leadership committee along with dozens others.)

Singer also says that Clinton's plan would attempt to replace the money the gas tax raises for bridge and road repair, with millions from a "windfall profits tax" on oil companies. "Why would Shell Oil support a windfall profits tax?" Singer asks. "They’d lose money. The logic is off."

It's also worth noting that Obama's informal advisers include Broderick Johnson, head of Bryan Cave's Washington, D.C., lobbying operations, per USA Today.

- jpt

May 3, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (69)

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To the people of Guam: please do not let Hillary or her husband, Bill and their campaign to "hoodwink" you for a vote. She is just saying things to make you happy! Your voting in U.S. elections when did she think of it? When she was in front of the camera? Sen. Obama has worked many years helping the poor, the disenfranchised, he's responsible for getting millions, and millions of young voters to the polls. Why did they go? They're tire of Washington and their "dirty tricks". Obama wants to speak to the young people, our future leaders of the world. We want a united party, not a divided party. We want someone to discuss the issues and not get personal. With your help, Obama will be the nominee for president of the U.S.

I cast my vote for Sen. Obama 2008

Posted by: change | May 3, 2008 7:22:18 PM

Obama knows he can do anything and still get 90% of the black vote....and probably 30% of those that hate Hillary.

It is very obvious they don't care about his judgement or character.

Posted by: cindy in nc | May 3, 2008 7:17:26 PM

Hoosier Sue

Evan Bayh voted for the same energy bill as Obama as it was good for Indiana -- as well as Illinois -- these are elected officials

Now Evan Bayh stands next to Hoosier Hillary while she lies about the energy bill, the gas tax, the closing of the Indiana plant (that went to China and Bayh is on record disagreeing with then Pres CLINTON who approved this move) - and so much more

So Hoosier Sue - you and your comrade Hoosier Hillary have one thing in common - you think the public is dumb

You may be right - but you still have to live with yourself

How do you do that?

Posted by: alison | May 3, 2008 7:04:44 PM

Of course Obama doesn't support the Gas Tax Holiday. For one, he couldn't be last to jump on the bandwagon so now is left to ridicule and hurl insults at Hillary and McCain over it. Secondly, as was proven by his "Yes" vote for Cheney's Oil Bill, he's in the pocket of big oil (which reaped billions in taxpayer subsidies through the bill). He's also beholden to Exelon which wants to build 16 nuclear power plants throughout the USA, also included in the Oil Bill.

Obama is a sham. And frankly, he's getting real old, real fast. Time to crawl back in his hole. His new politics is just the same old same old.

Posted by: HoosierSue | May 3, 2008 6:44:22 PM

owen, and ortega
if you are not one and the same person
what don't the two of you get together and discuss it.
you keep asking can anyone explain to me.
well you have all of the links, you can read. so go to it and get you own explaination.
and stop bothering us with it.

Posted by: justsaying | May 3, 2008 6:34:27 PM

s valenti, this was actually McCain's idea. And Hillary jumped on his bandwagon.

Posted by: d | May 3, 2008 5:55:53 PM

Remebber Clinton's TV ad at Christmas when she was wrapping up all those presents for under the tree? It was for real. Slicing and dicing special interests is her definition of politics and government. Period.

Guam, here's voting rights (which won't actually happen, but I need your vote NOW).

Drivers, here's a gas tax holiday which I'll claim will be paid for by a windfall profit tax (which won't actually happen, but I need your vote NOW).

Just keep adding to the list. She lies, she panders, she makes promises she has no intention of keeping.

As Molly Ivins used to say, "When people tell you who they are, believe them!"

Posted by: Tom J | May 3, 2008 5:40:11 PM

Gee, what took Obama so long? Go Obama go!!! It's also funny, ironic, not ha ha, that Hillary was praised for that OReilly interview and all I could hear was what Obama has said from the very beginning, she sounded just like Obama in makeup and blond hair and earrings when she said what we have to do is get out of Iraq and focus on Afghanistan! And she had the temerity to say this after blasing Obama in the past for these words but now she copies him as usual. What a loser, this Hillary. If it weren't for her last name she surely wouldn't be where she is.

Posted by: RuthieM | May 3, 2008 5:37:37 PM

Clinton is desperate. The gas tax holiday is nothing more than so many "sniper bullets," a phantom piece of duplicity, a deficit of authenticity. She lacks the scope and courage to solve America's big problems and retreats to the spin approach. Such a shame. Her deviousness wont pay our bills, or make us less cynical about Washington.

Posted by: Iris | May 3, 2008 5:28:51 PM

Ed, I agree with you....that is why Democrats never win....they do not know how to unite. Republicans do.

Posted by: indy_voter | May 3, 2008 5:24:29 PM

You want someone strong on principles and flexible in policy making because the world changes and you have to improvise to survive.

Obama is just the other way:
He fixes himself in policy and weak in principles. His words always come back to haunt him.

He claimed that didn't take a dime from lobbyists and special interest group. Are these LIES?

His campaign are built on phonies like this and inspiration; what are the fruits, a bunch of mobs. Hollow as it seems, you have guys like Joe Andrew trying to put you on.

Are you inspired? Despicable slogans, hollow propaganda, Copy cat policies. High sounding nothing that do not connect to common sense and real people.

Take your college kids and the black community who is willing to sacrifice the coalition achieved for a phony.

Posted by: John_Lai | May 3, 2008 5:15:42 PM

The Silly thing about you democrats is that you self destroy. The elections ended one month ago by every measure. The rest is for the gallery. You destroy yourself even after finishing the race. Idiots!

Posted by: Ed | May 3, 2008 5:14:58 PM

Great ides, let's reduce our demand for oil by reducing the price via a tax break. Great thinking. And people in Europe and Britain laugh at us for complaining about gas price that are half of what they pay. Maybe there is a reason you don't see too many SUVs when you travel abroad.

Posted by: Dan | May 3, 2008 5:06:50 PM

Let's see why this is wrong.

First, Obama attacking Hillary when he claims he is above attacks and politics as usual.

Second, Obama has an ENERGY LOBBYIST running his campaign in Indiana. I thought he HATED lobbyists...whoops.

Posted by: Eric | May 3, 2008 5:01:54 PM

Sounds like NEGATIVE campaigning from Mr Obama?!

Posted by: DaneNM | May 3, 2008 4:58:47 PM

Everyone has forgotten about Health Insurance and the war in iraq. the big news of the week has been about suspending the gas tax... for the summer . It's called HUSH money and designed to keep you quiet for at least for a couple of months.At first I was I was concerned that perhaps there were a lot of Hillary supporters blogging.... then I remembered Lush Rhimbaugh and his operation..... It seems to me that the Republicans are going out of their way to get Hillary nominated, because they believe she would be the BEST opponent against McCain. That would be great ..... getting to pick your own opponent. That's what they do in wrestling... isn't it ?

Posted by: Ron | May 3, 2008 4:58:23 PM

Thank you jgaw - couldn't have said it better.

Posted by: bon53 | May 3, 2008 4:51:41 PM

Indiana and NC, wake up and smell the coffee. Barack Obama, is the new Messiah, the son of God who was born amongst us, to unite and heal the US and the World, and to make divisions disappear. Barack Obama is the destiny and hope for Americans and the rest of the World. Hail to our new Messiah.Join Barack to heal the World. Get close to him and feel the love.It is now or never.It is never too late. Hallelujah! Amen

Posted by: Warren5678 | May 3, 2008 4:48:07 PM

indy_voter: I'll explain why one would bring up Rev. Wright when it does not seem relevant to the article. When deciding upon which candidate is best, the issues of character and judgment are threshold issues, and must be addressed before issues relating to policy. Because if the candidate is deficient in areas of character and judgment, he or she will not make a good candidate. In Obama's case, he has shown, by his 20 year affiliation with his racist and anti-American "mentor and spiritual adviser," and his changing stories throughout this whole scandal, that he does not have the character and judgment of one who would make a good President. So, discussions of policy become less relevant.

Posted by: Fred | May 3, 2008 4:41:22 PM

So Senator Obama voted (how many times) to lower the gas tax in Illinois and now calls it a "shell game" when McCain and Clinton propose it nationwide. Bet, it would have been his "message of the week" if he had thought of it first. He is such a crock. This is just more political pandering on Obama's part. My guess he is looking out for the oil companies instead of people driving to work. And certainly, not all gas tax money goes to building roads and bridges.

Posted by: Irish Gram | May 3, 2008 4:40:30 PM

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