Wolfson Doesn't Pause, Crank-Caller Compliments Obama's Ears

As he did with the original 3 a.m. call, John Dickerson of Slate just asked on a Clinton conference call what experience with an economic crisis Hillary Clinton could cite that prepares her for a call about an economic crisis.

Wolfson answered, "There is no single moment that tests you for being present like being president." He went on to detail Clinton's expertise in the economy and the speed with which she reacted to Sept. 11 attacks to help the New York economy back on its feet.

A few weeks ago, when I sat in on one of the conference calls, Wolfson joked that the campaign now had something called "the Dickerson rule:" all questions must be answered immediately.

When Dickerson asked what experience with a foreign policy crisis prepared Clinton for a 3 a.m. national security conference, there was about a five second pause that many reporters on the call interpreted as the campaign being unprepared. Wolfson argued to me that it was simply the time it took to decide who in the room would answer the question.

Shortly afterward, in a moment reminiscent of Bob Bauer's invasion a few weeks ago, but grosser, an obscene crank caller joined the proceedings.

The caller said something that sounded complimentary, but which I can't and don't really want to understand, about how much he loved the 3 a.m. ad. He also said that he though Obama had "cute ears."