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Reid Jokes Drawn-Out Primary 'Makes Me Bitter'

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April 15, 2008 3:42 PM

ABC's Z. Byron Wolf reports from Capitol Hill:  Asked today for the umpteenth time on the drawn out race for the Democratic presidential nomination and if the sniping between Democratic rivals Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will fracture the Democrats, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid strayed from his rote answer that competition is good for the party.

"Makes me bitter," he said instead, referencing 'bitter'-gate and making light of the recent rhetorical controversy surrounding Sen. Barack Obama's characterization of how small-town Pennsylvanians react to the poor economy.

"This is all going to be over fairly soon," he said, returning to his normal answer. "I think it's been healthy for our country, healthy for our party."

Reid also said a bonus of the drawn-out contest and grassroots fundraising for the Democratic candidates has instituted defacto campaign finance reform without a law.

"We have had a change in the campaign financing of this country, not because of our passing a law, but because of great candidates stimulating the interest of the American people, and that's why they've -- over the Internet and other ways, small checks, checks averaging less than $100 a person -- have poured money into Clinton- Obama campaigns," Reid said. "I think that's good."

This is a sentiment the Obama campaign has pushed as the Illinois Senator has looked for a way to utilize his record-breaking fundraising despite an earlier pledge that he would use public financing.

April 15, 2008 in Tancredo, Tom, Veepstakes | Permalink | User Comments (21)

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Ooh looks like Reid is up to something...

And it does not look good for all the Hillary Fans.

Posted by: The Commander Guy | Apr 15, 2008 3:48:33 PM


I'm so tired of this. It is just a show.

Hillary will loose and her people will vote for Obama and Obama will win against McCain.

Posted by: J | Apr 15, 2008 4:13:10 PM

The Commander Guy,
You're putting your faith in Harry Reid. Look out, your pants are on fire. Hey, just kidding, but seriously, Harry Reid has as much respect from working class Democrats as Nancy Pelosi does at a bowling alley.
========================================
Obama's brilliant strategists at work! Sustaining Bittergate!
The word bitter will be successfully associated with all Democrats running for office come November.
Thank you Mr. Obama.
========================================

Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | Apr 15, 2008 4:14:37 PM

Kennedy caused the failure of DNC when he fought against Carter and he is doing the same to DNC now.

He hardly knew Obama but he endorsed him just because he was impressed with OBama's speech. I am sure he is even more impressed now with OBama's bitter speech and his pastor hate speeches.

Posted by: Paul | Apr 15, 2008 4:24:22 PM

FYI - Ted Kenndy nor the folks he endorsed never became presidents.

In 1988 he supported the successful bid of Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis to win the nomination. Four years later (1992) he initially backed former fellow Massachusetts Senator Paul Tsongas, who lost to Bill Clinton. In 2000, like nearly all Democratic elected officials, Kennedy supported Vice President Al Gore against former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley. In 2004 he backed fellow Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, who won nomination but narrowly lost to incumbent George W. Bush[14]. Currently Kennedy is supporting Illinois Senator Barack Obama.

Looks like Kenndy is unlucky !!!

Posted by: Paul | Apr 15, 2008 4:29:33 PM

You got it wrong. Hillary supportes will not vte for Obama. We will be voting for McCain. Harry Reid you better
think first and do the right thing. The
DNC is in for a big let down. McCain will carry it big in November.

Hillary in 08

Posted by: jstern | Apr 15, 2008 4:36:08 PM

The media, DNC and other blue bloods think they can control the voters.

Nobody has the power to push Bill and Hillary Clinton out of the race. Obama cant win without the super delegates.

Any attempt by anyone to push Clinton out when Obama himself cant win is going to surely mean Mc Cain will get a hefty chunk of the Clinton democrats.

We Clinton supporters are pretty ###### off at this point the way the media is so unbelievably biased , and people within the democratic party who support Obama have tried every underhanded trick to get Clinton out.

If I am hillary clinton, I take this all the way to the convention. If these idiots want to be jerks and show her no respect in the slightest. Then fine.

Dont show Obama any either.

Nobody can stop Hillary from going to the convention. Too many Clinton supporters within the party HATE Obama and HATE how clinton has been treated.

Posted by: tomdavie | Apr 15, 2008 4:39:27 PM

Clearly, Harry is upset that his golden boy keeps dropping his golden harp and looking stupid. Hey DNC Libs.. guess what, you still can't win rural areas with elitist northeastern style candidates. Why do you keep pushing this strategy? When this race began, everyone said that Hillary was that type of candidate, but it sure seems just the opposite. She is actually doing better with rural voters, much to the annoyance of high fallutin liberals like John Kerry. I say, SUCK it up, boys. While she's not the best we could have done, fact is, Obama can't put her away. 1/2 the party still ain't following the pied piper.

Posted by: A reader in Georgia | Apr 15, 2008 4:49:11 PM

s. valenti

For once you are partially right. Obama will most likely be limping into Denver, but he will still be ahead by enough delegates for the Superdelegates to swing his way. They will ahve to live with his flaws. Hillary isn't nearly perfect either.

Posted by: Kevin | Apr 15, 2008 5:08:16 PM

Hillary gets caught in another lie, this time on NAFTA

At her recent campaign stop in Pennsylvannia, Hillary insisted that, "I did speak out and oppose NAFTA". I raised a big yellow flag and said, "I don't think this will work."

According to documents released by the National Archives, Hillary in 1993 attended at least 5 meetings that were used to win approval of NAFTA by Congress and these documents detailed her role in promoting NAFTA while she was first lady.

Teamsters union President James P. Hoffa told The Associated Press recently that, "No one who was around in the time of NAFTA remembers her" opposing the agreement.

Posted by: E Nelson | Apr 15, 2008 5:13:04 PM

So far you have known much more than you did months ago.

Just use your judgement and make up your mind and vote with your trust.

But it gets to be someone real rather than fake.

Posted by: jy2008 | Apr 15, 2008 5:31:58 PM

A drawn out campaign underscores the deficiencies of the Two Party System which protects and promotes incumbents, also read, Business As Usual in Washington. The only benefit to this Political Silly Season is the encourage more voters to register as Independents.

Posted by: x32792 | Apr 15, 2008 5:39:04 PM

AFter all the flack the Dems got for trying to give Hilary the bum's rush out of the campaign. What a bunch of hypocrites.

Posted by: druggstohr | Apr 15, 2008 5:50:12 PM

The fundraising is great news for the Democratic Party. Too bad they are spending it bashing their own candidates!! Go McCain! Howard Dean is the biggest schmuck on the planet for letting this go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and...

Posted by: Jonah | Apr 15, 2008 5:52:50 PM

Josh-you deserve what you get.

Posted by: RL in Illinois | Apr 15, 2008 11:12:21 PM

Reid is not very clear in his answer, because the reality is that the grass root money which is characterised as major change in financing campaigns is coming to Obama's campaign and Hill the Bosnian General is getting her money from the 20 FAT CATS who would like to be guests in the Lincoln bedroom and 800 000 from Urube in Colombia via Bill's pocket. God bless America and God bless Obama. OBAMA08.

Posted by: BKMC | Apr 16, 2008 10:28:09 AM

What is an elitist? Clinton's people are using that term, hoping that the "common" people, i.e. blue collar Americans will reject him as a leader.

But folks, Clinton is an elitist: rich father, uppity private women's college, Yale, millions of dollars earned last year, once married to the president of the USA. Don't be fooled by her "folksy" comments. Her handlers, good psychologists, tell her what to say to attract disgruntled (shall we say bitter and cynical?) voters.

Both Clinton and McCain woo us with fear talk. They hope that they can implant the idea that Obama doesn't understand "regular" folk, that his Harvard education makes him removed and aloof.
But his election campaign shows that he is willing to tell the truth. People ARE bitter. I am bitter, and I am a teacher who came from blue collar roots. I am so sick of Bush, and the mess he has made of our wonderful country. I AM fearful, fearful that another President controlled by powerful industrialists and war mongers will be elected and further ruin our country.

We need a gifted, very smart leader who is honest, who is controlled by his conscience (not fat money cats), who is organized and will choose moral advisors. Someone who is fearless. Is that not Barack Obama?

I was going to vote for Hillary until I saw how her character changed when her campaign started going poorly. She is so angry because this was to be her year! And this upstart Obama is taking it all away! She is trying to have a "catfight" with Obama, kicking and scratching, trying to wound him in any way. After all, she is "entitled" to the presidential nomination. And... isn't that entitlement the essence of elitism, I ask you???


Posted by: Madeline B | Apr 16, 2008 12:31:03 PM

You guys are so silly, your candidate can't close the deal so you blame the media. The media is not biased (except for DEM/Rep biase). The report the story because the people make the story. When Obama messes up the media reported it. When Hillary messes up it is reported. The problem is, Hillary sits and waits for Obama to mess up, and when she thinks he did, she jumps like a wolf. This last time however, the sheep fought back and bit her in the A**. The truth is, she has run a horrible race, and she can't close. You guys act like your bad child gets in trouble but of course its the teacher's fault, not the child's. Hillary is not your child, stop acting like it. She shoots herself in the foot constantly.

Posted by: Jason | Apr 16, 2008 12:31:23 PM

To add, then you guys act like children and say that if she doesn't get the nomination, you'll vote Republican. That is the epitomy of how a child acts. You guys are just too funny. If she doesn't get it you'll sabotage the whole reason you support her in the first place. REAL Smart! But I'll just watch as McCain wins, and laugh in your stupid little faces. And when you say that Obama is the reason, McCain is President, I'll call you on it. It's not Obama it is YOU.

Posted by: Jason | Apr 16, 2008 12:36:57 PM

Um...there is not a huge difference between Obama's policies and Hillary's policies. There are huge differences between Obama's policies and McCain's policies. There are huge differences between Hillary's policies and McCain's. There are also several Supreme Court justices heading toward retirement. If Obama gets the nomination, will I vote for him. Yessiree Bob! If Hillary gets the nomination will I vote for her. Yessiree Bob! If you support a third Bush term, vote for Weathervan McCain.

Posted by: jd | Apr 16, 2008 5:15:17 PM

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