Hillary Bundlers to Pelosi: Back Off
A reader sends over a letter, dated today, from some of Hillary Clinton’s top fund-raisers to Nancy Pelosi. They’re responding to Pelosi’s recent comments in an ABC News interview advocating the Obama campaign’s line on superdelegates, which is that they ought to follow the lead of the pledged delegates. (If they do, Obama wins.)
The fund-raisers note, in a passively menacing way, that they are “strong supporters” of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, before urging Pelosi to “clarify [her] position on superdelegates and reflect … a more open view to the optional independent actions of each of the delegates at the National Convention in August.”
The letter is signed by Marc Aronchick, Clarence Avant, Susie Tompkins Buell, Sim Farar, Robert Johnson, Chris Korge, Marc and Cathy Lasry, Hassan Nemazee, Alan and Susan Patricoff, JB Pritzker, Amy Rao, Lynn Forester de Rothschild, Haim Saban, Bernard Schwartz, Stanley Shuman, Jay and Tracy Snyder and Maureen White and Steve Rattner.
From the letter:
During your appearance, you suggested super-delegates have an obligation to support the candidate who leads in the pledged delegate count as of June 3rd, whether that lead be by 500 delegates or 2. This is an untenable position that runs counter to the party's intent in establishing super-delegates in 1984 as well as your own comments record in The Hill ten days earlier:
"I believe super-delegates have to use their own judgment and there will be many equities that they have to weigh when they make the decision. Their own belief and who they think will be the best president, who they think can win, how their own region voted, and their own responsibility."
Super-delegates, like all delegates, have an obligation to make an informed, individual decision about whom to support and who would be the party's strongest nominee. Both campaigns agree that at the end of the primary contests neither will have enough pledged delegates to secure the nomination. In that situation, super-delegates must look not to one criterion but to the full panoply of factors that will help them assess who will be the party's strongest nominee in the general election.
We have been strong supporters of the DCCC. We therefore urge you to clarify your position on super-delegates and relect in your comments a more open boew to the optional independent actions of each of the delegates at the National Convention in August. We appreciate your activities in support of the Democratic Party and your leadership role in the Party and hope you will be responsibe to some of your major enthusiastic supporters.
UPDATE: Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton responds.
"This letter is inappropriate and we hope the Clinton campaign will reject the insinuation contained in it. Regardless of the outcome of the nomination fight, Senator Obama will continue to urge his supporters to assist Speaker Pelosi in her efforts to maintain and build a working majority in the House of Representatives."
- Poll
- Obama (D)
- McCain(R)
- Spread
- RCP Average
- 49.4
- 44.1
- Obama +5.3
- Candidate
- Favorable
- Unfavorable
- Spread
- Obama
- 54.9
- 36.1
- +18.8
- McCain
- 50.7
- 39.6
- +11.1
That's the Clinton method: if you can't win, lose dirty and leave scorched earth behind
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QUESTIONNING HILLARY'S JUDGMENT. ------
Would a responsible parent bring her fifteen year-old teenage daughter into a "War Zone" as Hillary did on her now infamous 'Snipergate' trip to Bosnia in 1996. ??? If we believe any of Hillary's statements about this trip --- it was s "dangerous" a situation. --- WOULD YOU BRING YOUR CHILD INTO A DANGEROUS 'WAR ZONE' JUST TO GAIN SOME POLITICAL POINTS? --- Why is no one discussing this issue about Hillary's judgment? ---
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Maybe Pelosi will crash and burn with Hillary.
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NOTE TO SELF: THE FOLLOWING DEMOCRATIC SUPPORTERS ARE ''HILLARY CLINTON SUPPORTERS & DONORS'':
Marc Aronchick, Clarence Avant, Susie Tompkins Buell, Sim Farar, Robert Johnson, Chris Korge, Marc and Cathy Lasry, Hassan Nemazee, Alan and Susan Patricoff, JB Pritzker, Amy Rao, Lynn Forester de Rothschild, Haim Saban, Bernard Schwartz, Stanley Shuman, Jay and Tracy Snyder and Maureen White and Steve Rattner.
Clinton tactics turn off some superdelegates -----
Posted: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 5:55 PM by Domenico Montanaro
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From NBC/NJ's Matthew E. Berger
At a time when Sen. Hillary Clinton is increasingly relying on superdelegates to vault her to the Democratic Party's nomination, a handful of undecided and pledged superdelegates are coming forward to say her campaign's tactics in recent weeks are doing more harm than good.
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The Democratic Party insiders say they believe Clinton's direct attacks against Sen. Barack Obama in recent days are hurting the party and its chances in November, and also say it is showing a calculated, desperate-to-win side of Clinton that they dislike.
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"In looking at the manner in which the candidates are campaigning, I think it would be best they focused their attention on the presumptive nominee and showed our party which one is better in campaigning against McCain," said Garry Shay, a California superdelegate, who announced his support for Clinton.
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Unlike some in the party, these superdelegates said they do not believe Clinton should drop out of the race. They said they are committed to the democratic process, and want to allow the states still remaining to cast their ballots. But they acknowledged Obama is the likely nominee and suggested the personal attacks were only hurting the party and its viability.
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The Clinton campaign has been actively wooing these delegates, believing a plurality represents the strongest, and increasingly the only, way for her to win the nomination. But one undeclared delegate, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the recent tactics are turning her and other superdelegates off.
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"I don't think anybody's saying 'step aside,' but 'stop with the garbage' is what people want to say," the delegate said. "Just chill a little bit."
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As activists committed to the party, they said, they have been impressed by Obama's ability to bring new Democrats into the fold, and they worry that Clinton is threatening that.
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"We like the fact that there is a candidate that has won so many states overwhelmingly," the delegate said. "We're feeling her advisors are leading her in a path that diminishes her as well as him."
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Several said they were angered by comments from James Carville, who called Bill Richardson "Judas" for backing Obama after serving in the Clinton White House. One delegate said Richardson's rationale for supporting Obama, and his implicit frustration at the Clintons' heavy-handed approach to garnering his support, was echoed among superdelegates.
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Others said they were frustrated by recent reports that Clinton embellished her description of landing in Bosnia as First Lady, and said it suggested she would do anything to win. "I don't remember what movie I saw two weeks ago; I don't necessarily remember what I had for dinner last night," one superdelegate said. "But I would remember having to duck and run from sniper fire."
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The final straw, though, were Clinton's comments Tuesday, when she said the Rev. Jeremiah Wright "would not have been my pastor." Several superdelegates saw it as a direct, personal attack on Obama.
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Re: The letter written by Clinton Donors to Pelosi re her comments on Super Delegates supporting the pledged delegate leader at the end of the primaries.
Well of course the letter is legitimate. Rules are rules, and the Super Delegates were formed to be independent arbiters at the convention. There is ABSOLUTELY NO RULE that states they have to go with the candidate who is leading in pledged delegates. Who is REALLY trying to change the rules? Or circumvent the very reason Super Delegates exist. Nancy Pelosi for one.....she knows better. She is the one going against the Democrat Party's own rules. She is a surrogate for Obama and is showing favor to him by her remarks, and is making herself look predjudiced and not a true leader who represents her party fairly.
I wonder which one of billary's "donors" posted the last item? Do any have criminal records? Let's investigate.
Wouldn't it be sweet if some of Hillary's pledged delegates switched to Obama after she has stated it if perfectly fine for them to switch allegiance?
PS: Just saw Elton John fundraiser might be a violation of the FEC
What would be sweet if it were discovered that Hillary and Obama were secret lovers.
Elton John? That old queen, he needs to go back to his mansion in Atlanta with its black servants and maids, and stay the hell out of what he knows nothing about.
It is apparent that Hillary wants to push for McCain to get in to Presidency, by trying in Desperational tactics to try to bring down Barrack! Hillary is Desperate!!!! Sorry Hillary but your Not going to Worm your way into the White House! I also Read her campaign and some advisors wrote a letter to Pelosi telling her if she didn't change her opinion on delegates and caucus winners for Superdelegates they wouldn't be donating funds and gifts anymore to the Democratic Party! Takes Nerve to try to Manipulate officials! Little Low Handed I'd Say! I for one look forward to Barrack taking on McCain and McCain won't know how to react! Barrack is a Very Smart, Intellegent, Candidate! McCain will lose his cool and show us all his temper! Let him know What is What Barrack! 100% Barrack Supporter Here!
Something to Think About?
If you'd put a 2 year old Black boy and a 2 year old White boy together in a room full of toys, they'd get along! Only when Hatred is taught to them will they fight.... Human Nature they would grow up friends without Hatred taught to either one...
p.s. I'm a white 52 year old male