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Obama Backer Sees Clinton Win as 'Fatal'

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January 13, 2008 12:26 PM

ABC News' Teddy Davis Reports: On a Sunday conference call announcing her support for Barack Obama, Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill spoke about the way in which Obama warned the freshmen senators elected in 2006 to be weary of more senior senators who would pretend to support ethics reform without really wanting to see it succeed.

It was an interesting glimpse into Obama, D-Ill., as a legislator.

What McCaskill didn't discuss on the conference call was her political assessment of what it would mean to have Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. as the Democratic Party's standard-bearer.

Back in May of 2006, the New Yorker's Jeffrey Goldberg reported that before she was even elected to the Senate, McCaskill had told people in Missouri and in Washington that a 2008 ticket led by Clinton would be "fatal" for many Democrats on the ballot.

According to the New Yorker's account, it was fear that a Clinton candidacy would "rule out her chance to win the governorship" which helped prod McCaskill to try for the Senate in 2006 rather than making a second run for the governorship in 2008. She unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2004.

"The Democratic Party has to look at candidates who can be competitive in all fifty states," McCaskill told The New Yorker in 2006. A few days later, at the annual Jackson Day dinner of the Greene County Democrats, in Springfield, Republican protesters held signs labeling her "New York's third senator."

January 13, 2008 in Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (47)

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Only ignorant, biased people would dismiss the impressive list of Obama's endorsements I posted above. Reality is a Hillary Clinton nomination is fatal to the Democaratic party no matter what the Hillary lovers want to believe.

Posted by: Bob, DC | Jan 13, 2008 7:40:02 PM

Obama for America,
Hilary for President,
It says it all, Obama carries the dreams of America, and Hilary is chasing her selfish dream

Posted by: Jean, ATL | Jan 13, 2008 8:03:03 PM

Richard is incorrect about what the polls show. Zogby has been conducting head-to-head polling matching all the Democrats vs. all the republicans for several months now.

Obama comfortably beats them all. Edwards record is 3-2.

Hillary is 2-3; she beats Thompson & Romney but loses to McCain,GUliani, & Huckabee.

That's right Huckabee beats Clinton nationally.

Posted by: bill olds | Jan 13, 2008 9:00:22 PM

The answer to the question of the Day which is: Do you consider Hillary's bid for the Presidency to be fatal for the Democrats natiowide? The answer is yes I am one life long "Democrat" who will never vote for a return to power by the Clintons they have done enough damage to the country like the Bush family they need to go. I will hold my nose and vote "Republican" enough is indeed enough.

Posted by: murl41 | Jan 13, 2008 9:27:22 PM

I too am a lifelong Democrat. I am supporting Sen. Obama. I voted for Pres. Clinton ("Bill" not Hillary). But Ms. Hillary has really turned me off. If she does get the nomination, I too will cross that line and vote Republican. I'm also thinking about organizing like-minded individuals to do the same. Just staying home is not a strong enough message.

Posted by: kelley | Jan 13, 2008 10:06:24 PM

"Fatal" is only a political term describing the consequences to individual Dem candidates caught in the uprising which Hillary would invoke from voters - Repubs, Independents, and perhaps 15% of Dems alike.

"Incendiary" would be a term for the atmosphere of highly charged hate in Washington with Pres. Hillary and the open war from the right to sabotage any bill that might put her in a good light.

Posted by: Jack | Jan 13, 2008 10:30:49 PM

the clintonians will distroy this country if they win. this is not a fairy tale but it is from a well known asrologer (H.D)Grat Britain.

Posted by: Izar Lachman | Jan 13, 2008 11:03:52 PM

Choosing a president is not choosing someone who is likable and rhetoric...It means choosing someone who is best qualified...Clinton of course has that quality.Obama? Ha...What's the only thing this guy is claiming as his asset? The judgement??? Is that really true???When he was a Washington outsider and lacked the enough info for him to judge , he said from his sympathetic heart he was against the war...But when he made it to the Washington ,he said there was no difference between him and Prez Bush...What a rhetoric claiming!This guy is inconsistent and completely has no good judgement.He is misleading you guys ,young people,independents...Wake up!!! The media is tougher to Clinton than any other dems candidates, but finally it turned out nothing...Give that black guy some more time...He is too idealistic and incapable to deal with the turbulent world...Maybe some years later he is gonna make it.But definitely not now...

Posted by: Drama | Jan 13, 2008 11:24:16 PM

I would probally guess that this is not an attack on Clinton. I know its just Clinton thats doing the attacking. HA HA

Senator Clinton for President of the United States.

Posted by: Jimmy | Jan 13, 2008 11:39:56 PM

nominating Hillary will bring out the far right republican voters who hate her as passionately as many hate Bush.

Posted by: vmcgreen | Jan 13, 2008 11:42:45 PM

It's far to early in the process to reach a meaningful assesment of the push and pull of candidates. Issues which will affect voters, such as the economy have not reached their peak yet and there could be more surprises such as N.H.

Posted by: BTL musings | Jan 13, 2008 11:52:06 PM

Yes, many Red State Democrats will endorse Senator Obama's candidacy because he rated more liberal, for raising taxes to solve problems, and although he lacks real world hands-on experience in growing economies, balancing budgets, and foreign affairs, he has so much wisdom from achieving so little.

Posted by: threeriverscrossing | Jan 14, 2008 1:05:51 AM

For McCaskill to make the statement that a democratic candidate can be "fatal" at this point in the game .. just shows are naive she is about politics. But then she is a first term senator too, like Obama, with little experience to back up her statements. Hers is really a non-endorsement as most of the people in Missouri are very disappointed in her, both democrats and republicans.

Posted by: elinda | Jan 14, 2008 1:35:27 AM

I live in a red state in the south and Im backing clinton for the simple fact the voters in the south say they will vote an african american but like they did Harold Ford Jr. for senate in TN 06 he was heading toward victory and he found out that certain negative ads work how will handle the the pressure of the GOP machine I sincerely hope that once he gets that liberal label it will be a wrap and my party will be down the ticket losers in swing districts.he will have to face the music that when voting starts they will not "change" and rather go with a safe choice. He cannot unite the country if he wins the west, northeast, midwest, and the last pocket of voters in south vote GOP, he cant even campaign in places such as east TN, north GA, north AL, north MS, if he can I will be glad to here his ideas with details on how he is going to pay for all this new spending on us, in person, instead of traveling to Nashville or Memphis where my democrats usually do their stumping.

Posted by: Q.T. | Jan 14, 2008 4:34:27 AM

she has experience alright, too bad its more mob like than presidential.

Posted by: DJ,Iowa | Jan 14, 2008 4:53:30 AM

YOU KNOW: IF THE DEST DEM. NOM. DOESNT GET IT AND SEN. OBAMA GETS THE NOM. ITS FOR SURE MY VOTE WILL GO FOR A TRUE AMERICAN TO BE PRESIDENT AND IT WILL NOT BE SEN. OBAMA. SO MY VOTE RIGHT KNOW IS FOR THE ONE WHO REALY CARES, ONE THAT HAS AND WLL SE TO THE NEEDS OF ALL THE PEOPLE,ONE THAT HAS THE LEADERSHIP AND THAT WILL LEAD, US THE PEOPLE A TRUE AMARICAN, WITH A AMERICAN BACKGROUND.

Posted by: ALVIN | Jan 14, 2008 6:06:15 AM

So the nomination of Hillary Clinton could necessarily result in the continuation of the Iraq War and the continuing lack of an effective response to global warming.

How do I get there? Hillary's nomination would be bad for the Dems, result in a Repub. President, with insufficient numbers in Congress to override vetos. Continued stalemate.

Posted by: BSmith | Jan 14, 2008 10:11:37 AM

Hillary Clinton is the best way for Republicans to stay in the White House. If she's the nominee then people will not only be voting "for" the Republican nominee but voting "against" Hillary. She's poison for Democrats. I hope you'll evenutally see that.

Posted by: George | Jan 14, 2008 10:24:20 AM

Hope, Kelley and Christopher London I agree with all of you. You all were right on the money.
Hope:
Hope I understand your pain. I, too, am really tired of seeing Bill! Furthermore, when will they stop talking about the 90's for goodness sakes?! Enough already.
Kelley:
Why be a sheep for the Clintons? Sending a massage is exactly what I had in mind myself.
Chris:
I couldn't have stated it any better if I tried. If she is the nom, - not only will she not get any cross over votes - but she will lose votes in her own party. So much for victory.

Democrats better wake up. If you want another 4 years of Republican rule, then go with Hillary. If you want even the slightest chance of a victory, then I suggest you look at Edwards or Obama. Either one of them is better than Hillary. She is a hypocrite. She goes on tv and talks about the guy for an hour, then goes to some church and praises him? What a joke. This campaign is showing her and Bill for the people that they are, power hungry.

The lengths they are willing to go to are shocking the crap out of me...And those are not the type of people I want to see in office.

Power corrupts and they (the Clintons) are corrputed....

Posted by: Thomas S. | Jan 14, 2008 11:29:16 AM

Scorpion will be vertical on Saturn and caprion will be shifted 54 degrees in beginning of November 2008. On October 26 2008 Gemeni will concide on Torus. The difference between Qctober 26 1947, the birth date of Hillary Clinton and 26 November of 2008 is exactly 61 years, the sum of which is 7 which is Jupitar; that is Sagittorios, the archer. This means distruction if she wins in November 2008. However, her star will be shinning if she wins in May 2009, the peace will prevail, and the economy will be at its peak.

Posted by: Henry the astronomer | Jan 14, 2008 1:57:26 PM

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