RECENT POSTS
- Oprah, Health Care Lobbyists, Among Recent Visitors to White House
- An Obama Thanksgiving Menu, with an Extra Serving of Pie
- White House Thanksgiving Traditions: Broken and Observed
- Obama, GOP Air Differences Over Jobs, Economy In Thanksgiving Addresses
- White House State Dinner Party Crashers
- Obama to Lay Out Emissions Goals in Copenhagen
- Free Bird
- The "Good" War
- The Presidential Planner
- Under the Stars, Obama Toasts India’s Prime Minister
MONTHLY ARCHIVES
« Previous | Main | Next »
Obama-Clinton Smiley Time Scheduled Even While Tensions Simmer Between Rival Camps
June 20, 2008 2:02 PM
The campaign of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, held a high-level finance meeting in Chi-town yesterday with top fundraisers, and there was nary a mention in the big meeting of any effort to retire Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign debt, which exceeds $22 million, including more than $11 million in personal loans she made to her campaign.
Word of the radio silence on that subject quickly made its way back to Clinton's erstwhile campaign, since a handful of attendees at the meeting were former Clinton fundraisers trying to get on board.
And while the public face of the Obama-Clinton rapprochement is all smiles -- they will campaign together next week and Clinton will attend an Obama fundraiser at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC -- behind the scenes there remains much tension, sources involved from both camps tell ABC News.
It didn’t go unnoticed in Hillaryland, for instance, that the first fundraising solicitation Obama sent out was not for Clinton but instead one to benefit the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
To many Clinton supporters, Obama could easily send an email to his 1.4 million grassroots supporters asking them to help unify the part to retire Clinton's debt. Obama fundraisers could bundle some cash together; former Clinton staffers could be brought on board. Some big Clinton fundraisers are waiting for Obama's team to make a move to help Clinton retire her debt before they write a check for one cent to the presumptive Democratic nominee.
Asked about progress in retiring Clinton's debt, Obama campaign communications director Robert Gibbs said, "it's been a much talked about issue in the fact that nobody can just write a big check and hand it over."
To Obama supporters, reaching out to Obama's email list would cheapen the brand of his grassroots appeal, and would likely offend some contributors who view Clinton -- and the campaign she waged against Obama -- rather unfavorably. And it's not as if Obama's fundraisers and bundlers necessarily feel any differently.
And while Obama supporters don't think the Clinton team expects them to help her repay the $11.5 million in loans she took out from her personal funds, other issues remain.
For instance, of the approximately $10 million in debt Clinton owes to vendors, Obama supporters are not inclined to have former Clinton senior adviser Mark Penn repaid one dollar on the dollar for his well-compensated efforts.
Many hurt feelings remain on both sides. Clinton supporters feel she was the victim of a biased media and an unfair primary system, that their candidate would be a better president and remains more electable. Obama campaign supporters see Clintonistas as deluded, poor losers, and suffering from a narcissistic myopia that precludes them from seeing that Obama was offended by many of the Clintons' tactics.
And, they ask, why hasn't Clinton done what former Sen. John Edwards, D-NC, has done, and called her delegates and asked them to throw their support to Obama?
In short, though you will see smiles for the cameras next week, do not think smiles equal happiness.
- jpt
June 20, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (259)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Clinton supporters, why do you blame Obama, for Clinton losing the primary election? What has Obama, done to her to deserve this much hate? Why don't we all just stop this back stabbing, and look at the big picture. The Clinton supporters that will never vote for Mr. Obama, were not going to vote for him regardless of what he does. Search your souls, and stop using Clinton as a reason to vote for McCain. You are making Hillary Clinton, into a con artist that has wangled out all of her supporters, sense of reasoning. Wake up and do some research, and act like you are a part of our Democratic Party. If you are going to vote for McCain, shut up, and go change to the Republican Party, we want miss you. For Obama's sake, give us a break
Posted by: Eva | Jun 22, 2008 3:50:50 AM
It Obama has any sense, he will do NOTHING about Clinton's debt. She was an adult, she knew what she was doing, and the debt incurred was for her own personal agenda, so why should anyone bail her out (especially when the she ran up the debt by campaigning against Obama and dragging out a campaign that had no chance)?
And why would you expect a Clinton supporter to even pay your fraudulent candidate with all his cheating and flipflops by giving him a vote? I will never give him a vote. He has not earned my respect. I am truly looking at him as a folly of candidtae as amny times as he has flip flopped this week.
The great unifier has his volunteers tell two Muslim women they may not sit any where near him because they are wearing their native head scarves....sort etnic bias don't you think?
Now he is Jacksonville, FL race baiting the RNC and McCain....they aren't biting.
He talks about experts he has talked to about off shore drilling...what experts? I can get up in front of people and say the same thing!
Wow!He flips on NAFTA....how is that going to help...OH, PA, MI...just to name a few states!
There will not be party unity until you and your arrogant candidate get off your high horse!
Posted by: Nancy H. Armstrong | Jun 22, 2008 1:16:02 AM
It really bothers me when so called Hillary supporters state their willingness to help pay her campaign debt after she has lost. Where were your dollars during the campaign when she needed them to win?
Posted by: Schlinda | Jun 22, 2008 1:00:04 AM
And don't think we Hillary supporters need Barack to show up at HER fundraisers to motivate us to donate to her. The sight of him makes us vomit. The only person who motivates us is Hillary. There are numerous groups of Hillary supporters on the internet who are donating to retire her debt. We will have it paid off by the end of summer. WE DON'T WANT HILLARY ANYWHERE NEAR THAT PHONY BARACK!!! Let him fight his battles alone. She should NOT introduce him to any of her big fundraisers as he's hoping for. All he cares about is money FOR HIM.
Posted by: freyja nyc | Jun 22, 2008 12:43:09 AM
To all you angry Barack supporters, I as a Hillary supporter DO NOT WANT Barack to pay off her debt either. We, her supporters, will do that on our own.
In return, we would like Hillary to have NO obligations to campaign for Barack nor have her fundraisers raise money for his campaign! This is the only fair solution. She'll deal with her problems on her own and he'll have to deal with his HUGE issues to win the GE, especially since many Hillary supporters will not vote for that phony.
You Obama supporters claim to be outraged by him having to help her pay her debts...well, we are OUTRAGED at Obama thinking that it's Clinton's duty to help him out. No thanks, we want her far from that selfish egomaniac. If he's so great then why does he need her to win? Hmmm, poor Barack can't win without her help ;-)
Posted by: freyja nyc | Jun 22, 2008 12:36:05 AM
Why should Hillary do the same as Edwards?
Edwards is Obama's campaign dog. Hillary is not, she is fighting individually, with Obama, actually with the whole unfair media.
Usually weak ones unite together to fight the strong one. That's why Edwards united Obama to fight Hillary.
Edwards is not president's material.
Obama should never receive the same from Hillary as from Edwards.
Obama should earn it.
He should know what he got so far is largely given by media for free.
DNC made wrong choice to make Obama nominee.
DNC made the bitter wine, they will drink it by themselves later.
Posted by: golfgirlusa | Jun 22, 2008 12:34:48 AM
The Clintons had a successful defense-
fund scam in the late 90s. Liberals
can not only be separated from critical
and reasoned thought, they can easily
be separated from their money.
Posted by: oddfellow | Jun 21, 2008 9:11:18 PM
Obama and Hillary would make a good team. They should team up and take back the white house. History in the making.
Dwain
Posted by: Dwain | Jun 21, 2008 8:34:00 PM
'lord of war', I understand your point, but Obama has an obligation first to all of us who care about returning a Democrat to the White House, and this means his fundraisers need donors to send him money before they send any money to Hillary. Makes sense doesn't it? The primary goal should be for Obama to win the Presidency, not get Hillary's mismanaged debt paid off, so that she won't have to pay it off herself with her own 110 million. She ran up the unprecedented amount on her own debt. When you go into debt, do you expect someone else to pay it off to keep you happy? I think not. Hillary supporters will never send Obama any money. Never going to happen.
Posted by: John | Jun 21, 2008 6:41:18 PM
It Obama has any sense, he will do NOTHING about Clinton's debt. She was an adult, she knew what she was doing, and the debt incurred was for her own personal agenda, so why should anyone bail her out (especially when the she ran up the debt by campaigning against Obama and dragging out a campaign that had no chance)?
Posted by: Publius | Jun 21, 2008 5:58:18 PM
Barack Obama hasn't paid anything yet. Not respect, not anyone's debt. Not even on his words that are for sale every day. Nothing is sacret to this man, not even his grandmother. It's all about getting elected.
Clinton owes this guy nothing, and should confront Obama at the convention. 18 million voters gave her the right. Obama has to show up, the Dems convention is the one debate Obama cannot run away from.
Posted by: Sylvia Johnsen | Jun 21, 2008 5:32:04 PM
wow...remember when Gore won Florida and suddenly the Bushes did their number and Gore became the loser and how many said Gore was a sore loser? I see now that many Clinton backers are crying about how unfair the media and everyone was to Hillary. Please wake up and ger a life for goodness sake. Remember all those remarks and ineundos from Hillary about Obama..from the insinutations that "things can happen, as it did with Robert Kennedy to being an elitis, she and Bill made $100 milions, to her supporters making it abudantly clear that they could not vote for Obama simply because he is black, I dont remember seeing anywhere in the print meda where she took the high road and asked that those people in Pa, Ohio, Kentucky, and puerto rico to keep their votes as she cannot accept such support since they are based on race rather than ideas etc..now you want Obama to help her with her debt..Hell no..Obama does not need Hillary and her suppoters that are so blind and think Hillary is entitled to the presidency. Enough of the clintons..they had their 8 years in the white house. and Hillary is still in congress. Obama did not help create her debt. She knew she could never win. She knew when she agreed at the onset the Florida and Michigan wont count, but when it became apparent that she could never win, she wanted to change the rules. Troubling to me is that these Hillary supporters cant see the hypocricy of that. If this is how she had planned to run her government, thanks heavens she is not the nominee. Obama, does not owe her and her supporters anything, rather, until Hillary and her supporters make a bold and honest apologies to Obama and the media for all those remarks during the primary, nothing will change. To Hillary supporters, look at your candidate and remember all thsoe remarks and insults she hurled on Obama and he respected her out of party unity and kept quiet..that is class..that is presidential
Posted by: chris george | Jun 21, 2008 3:53:33 PM
Oh - and why would anyone want to contribute to pay off the debt of a candidate who lost?
Posted by: ellsbells930 | Jun 21, 2008 3:18:11 PM
"John" we understand that obama can not use his funds to pay off clinotons debt, but fundraisers of obama can solicit the big contributors of obama to contribute to the clinton campaign. I think that obama would like to have the fundraisers and contributors of clinton to contribute to his campaign.
Posted by: lord of war | Jun 21, 2008 12:48:05 PM
Obama can help raise the money for Hillary to pay her debts by making appearances with Hillary at her fundraisers and appealing to Hillary's supporters to send more money to camp Hillary. This would be the proper and expected thing for him to do.
Posted by: Sarah | Jun 21, 2008 11:05:29 AM
Obama can't pay off her debt! Where do Hillary supporters get off thinking that Obama supporters (via email solicitation from Obama) would send a check to HILLARY"S campaign fund to retire her mismanaged debt? It is absurdity at its worst. Hillary's supporters will need to come up with the money, and shouldn't this be natural? You run up debt, especially in places like Puerto Rico, who's people cannot even vote in the National Election? What a waste of Hillary supporter's money! I'll be d@mmed if I'm going to send one dime to Hillary that will go to Mark Penn. Her advisers were grossly overpaid. I would also like to say that any money that we Obama supporters send to HIS campaign right now will NOT and can NOT legally be used to pay off her debt. You don't need to worry about that, because it is not legally possible to transfer funds that way. Please remember this!
Posted by: John | Jun 21, 2008 11:00:50 AM
Don't you folks understand? Obama cannot legally pay off Hillary's debt. He would be indicted and be charged if he did, because it is illegal. He can show up with her to fundraisers and make public appearances soliciting money from donors to write HER campaign checks that would help her out. It most certainly not tradition (or legal) for the winner to pay off the loser's debt, no matter how much more money the winner raises. It is quite likely that Clinton will need to use the 20 million that she raised for the National election (separate pool of money) to pay off her huge debt to over-paid advisers like Mark Penn. She can do this by electing to transfer the money to her NY senate re-election campaign, and then using that money to pay off her OWN debt. The latter maneuver must be approved by the feds, but high-ranking lawyers have already rendered the opinion that it would past muster in the courts, and likely would not be challenged. Who would challenge it? People here have to understand- why on earth would an Obama supporter pull out his or her checkbook and write a big check to pay off Hillary's debt? Obama's job is to show up at Hillary's fundraisers to appeal to HER supporters and lovers to write checks to pay off her debts. No way for most Hillary supporters to have already maxed out on their donations. Do you really think that once Hillary's debts are paid, that all of these bitter Hillary lovers will give him any credit at all? Of course not, their going to vote for MCCain to punish the DNC, democratic party, and Obama, no matter what he does. No loser of the nomination process has ever effectively negotiated with the winner for anything. It won't happen now either. Hillary-pay off your own debt, and for once in your life, show some decent judgement, and turn your delegates over to Obama, and get your rear out there on the street campaigning hard for Obama like you promised to do!! Hillary- MIA! Liar!
Posted by: Jillian | Jun 21, 2008 10:47:21 AM
Clinton's Debt is Clinton's folly!! Let her look after it herself. She stayed in a losing race for weeks burning up red ink. She should now deal with her own mess. You don't see Mit Romney walking around with hat in hat begging for help.
Get some pride and move on already!
Posted by: No Help for the Foolish | Jun 21, 2008 10:35:32 AM
We may be very surprised to find out where Bam Bam's money is actually coming from . That may be the next big scandal, but you dont need a crystal ball to know that there will be lots of dirty secrets and another big scandal around Obama soon. Hope it comes before August. Hang in there Hillary - its not over yet..
Posted by: jimbo | Jun 21, 2008 10:32:26 AM
If Obama can't reach across the isle in his own party, how can he reach across the isle as president?
Posted by: McCartersTerm2 | Jun 21, 2008 9:54:50 AM
Post a comment


