MAJOR CLINTON FUNDRAISER DEFECTS TO OBAMA

[powergirl]

Source: Chuck Todd - First Read

From NBC's Chuck Todd
One of the things that both Dem campaigns are always nervous about is defectors. In particular, Clinton is more vulnerable to this problem since she's the candidate that is trailing. Well, NBC News has learned that a major fundraiser for Hillary Clinton, former Amb. to Chile Gabriel Guerra-Mondragon is leaving the campaign to join up Barack Obama's campaign. Officially dubbed a "Hillraiser," Guerra-Mondragon raised nearly $500,000 for Clinton's campaign, according to some estimates. He has been informing people inside Clintonworld this week in what's been described as some tough conversations. A formal announcement of a role for Guerra-Mondragon on Obama's national finance committee will be made next week. Guerra-Mondragon was appointed Amb. to Chile by Pres. Clinton in '94 and served until '98.

Among the reasons for Guerra-Mondragon to defect, according to one informed source, was he was uneasy with the tone of the Clinton campaign and was beginning to worry about what this would mean for the general election.

It's unclear if this defection will lead to others; the Clinton camp has been particularly effective at getting folks to keep their powder dry. For Obama, this comes at a time when his campaign is trying to re-convince insiders that the math indicates he has the nomination virtually wrapped up. In addition, Guerra-Mondragon's defection could serve as a tipping point with some key Hispanic Democratic leaders that Obama is ready to start making a bigger effort to court Hispanics.


Read more: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/04/25/946650.aspx

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This has got to be a blow to the Clinton campaign. This person railed a half a million dollars for her.

[marylanddem]

1. Not good news.

[NJmaverick]

2. The best news I heard all day!

Good stuff!

[Binka]

39. What A Blow To The Clinton's

Bill gave this guy an AMBASSADORSHIP, in return he brought half a million clams to Hillary's coffers.....and he is not only leaving them he is going to work for OBAMA! OMFG. This is a serious blow. I love it.

[N4457S]

43. She's Had It...

...and you can add this to the rest of her problems.

It's gonna be hers or no one's. She'll use her muscle to throw it to McCain. All the signs are there.

[Demeter]

45. It's All Over But the Screaming, Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth

Thank the goddess.

[Cha]

48. Know what I have to say about this gentleman?

Gabriel Guerra-Mondragon knows his stuff! Coincidently.. "Guerra" means WAR in Espanol, Portuguese, and Italiano.

[Binka]

50. And Mondragon Means

Dragon Slayer! And yes I meant that the way you think I did.:evilgrin:

[Cha]

59. Cool! I saw that "dragon"

part of his name but I never suspected..:evilgrin: This is too good!

[thereismore]

3. This is bigger news than it appears. Doubt if anyone besides Olberman will cover. nt

[powergirl]

6. It is HUGE and great news!

It will damage all the hoopla about the $10 million dollar money raising. This donor is not that impressed. Maybe her debts are insurmountable. But good news for my candidate!

[smiley_glad_hands]

4. Great news if you are a Democrat, bad news for Hilliary though. eom

[powergirl]

14. Snap! I just got that one

Right you are, right you are.

[knixphan]

24. Zing!

[The Doctor.]

75. I just can't agree with that sentiment.

Snarky, clever, but ultimately not helpful.

They may appear for all the world to be delusional and vindictive, but most of Clinton's supporters are long-time respected Democrats... true Democrats. Just because they are stuck in their ways, and for what ever reason, valid or not, will not see the immense potential in Obama, does not make them anything less.

Furthermore, after Obama is officially the nominee, no matter how many polls say that Clinton supporters will either not vote or vote for McCain in the GE, they are still Democrats and deserve to be treated as consciensious voters who will do the right thing when the time comes.

So whatever we can do to keep even those prone to vindictive behavior from behaving foolishly later on should be considered.

Much as I like to think that they'll be resilient, and cute jabs like yours won't push them, they're all hyper-sensitive, uneducated middle-aged white women... so be careful!
:evilgrin:

[Gman]

5. Good intentions has nothing to do with this

and everything to do with a future ambassadorship. Political fundraisers everywhere do nothing for the common good.

[Kittycat]

9. Ah yes, another one under the bus?

They don't support her. Plain and simple.

[Gman]

13. They don't support either one

it's what can either one do for the fundraiser, a political mercenary.

[Hugabear]

25. But still, it indicates that Hillary insiders are convinced she can't win

If he's simply looking for an ambassadorship, as you say, then he needs to be on the winning team. Looks like he's decided that Hillary ain't the winner.

[gateley]

74. Excellent point!!! nt

[Alii]

27. Well now,

if such be the case than it would be obvious that he knows that Barack Obama is winning, e.g., no chance of an ambassadorship in a Clinton administration.

In so many words...SO WHAT?

[David__77]

34. Hey whatever it takes.

We'll take the tumbleweeds with the persons of conviction - so long as they drift the right way, the rest is of secondary importance.

[Kittycat]

7. And of course he'll be taking his golden rolodex along with him.

Very bad news for Clinton & the DLC, indeed.

However, Excellent news for Obama & the DNC.

[Cha]

49. Yeah, what Kittycat

said. B-)

[DJ13]

8. Couple this defection with McGoverns negative Clinton comments today

and it looks like many Clinton backers are ashamed of the Rove style of campaign she's been running.

[Cha]

51. I look at this primary and general election

as good vs evil and I'm always happy to see who doesn't respond to the lying, twisting, and smearing of our Democracy.

[N4457S]

52. My Concern...

...is that she and Bill are so powerful that if they say theirs or no one's, they just might prevail.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. If the Clinton campaign isn't already toast. a few defecting fundraisers will make it so

Maybe we can thank FoxNews for making Mrs. Clinton an honorary Republican this month. Got that, McAuliffe?

[Cha]

53. "An honorary republican" until

they throw her ass of the fauxnoiseclub. Yeah, maybe some Democrats with money, even ones working for hilary, don't like how far down the sleaze path she'll go.

[Lady-Damai]

11. Why are Clinton supporters always leaving them?

Who's the next person....John Mccain?

[powergirl]

15. Notice there are NO Obama defectors at all

The Clinton supporters never respond to the big question: Why aren't Obama SDs, donors, supporters, changing their minds for Sen. Clinton?

[jettison]

32. According to the Hillary crowd...

... it's because all of the defectors are fond of kool-aid. No other way to explain it. ;-)

[limit18]

16. You're fast,beat me to it.

[Hardrada]

20. No. Lieberman.

[Alii]

28. That was...

[Schema Thing]

12. I think it coincides nicely with the DNC fund-raising agreement :)

[wryter2000]

17. Totally off topic

What kind of journalist says "a person that"? It's "a person who."

[powergirl]

19. I know, but since it is the "First Read"

It's supposed to be "cutting edge" almost like a text so that "cool folks" will read it. No time for grammar check. But good news nonetheless.

[wryter2000]

44. Yes, good news

"People that" just grates on my nerves. Not important in the scheme of things, and I make plenty of misteaks of my own, but still...

[Cha]

55. I have to catch myself doing

"that" every once in a while.

[Gore1FL]

60. You'd have more fun catching yourself doing who

[me b zola]

63. Doing who is better than doing that?

[Gore1FL]

64. I like doing who's better than doing that's

[Cha]

66. Oh great..now everytime

I catch myself..I'll be thinking of that whole who/that thing. }(

[nebula]

18. Abandon the sinking ship while you still can!

[genna]

21. I am SO happy to hear a message change for this news cycle

After PA, I thought the story was going to continue to be he
can't win white male voters, white women voters, or white
voters in the general election.

I wonder what the storyline will be here after Richardson and
this Hispanic fundraiser.  Questions raised about Hillary by
Hispanic voters.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

22. "When we look at Obama, we see who we want to be....

....When we look at Clinton, we see who we are. And we're douchebags."

[Cha]

57. I would change that .. When I look at Obama

I see who I want to be and when I look at hilary..I see who I'm very thankful I'm not.

[burythehatchet]

68. that sounds like Jon Stewart

[madrchsod]

23. but obama does`t attract Latino voters!

it`s over....

[Alii]

33. Yes it is over...

for Hillary at least.

[Indenturedebtor]

26. How many nails does it take?

To close the Clinton Campaign Coffin?

Drop out already you're done. n/t

[heliarc]

29. Viva Chile Mierda! nt

[still_one]

30. tone? tone? she questioned Obama's patriotism, she questioned he might be a Musilum, said mccain

and her were qualifed to be president, but Obama wasn't. implied that Obama "might" be anti-Jewish through his associations

this campaign, the Clinton's have revealed who they really are

[Connonym]

37. and let's not forget her comments about nuking Iran

Pretty cavalier attitude about what would effectively be genocide. I was already not liking her republican lite attitude and her smack about Obama but this Iran thing just was the final straw and went waaaay to far to the right. The thing that I really hate is that it seems that she (and an awful lot of her supporters) would rather McPain win than Obama. To my way of thinking, that's traitorous to the party.

[still_one]

77. remember how they were so outraged when Obama indicated he would make

targeted strikes in Pakistan, if intelligence located bin laden. They said out irresponsible he was to attack a soverign country

Funny, but he never said he would NUKE Pakistan. She voted for the IWR, which was a pre-emptive war based on a lie. She voted for the Kyle/Lieberman ammendment which in principle said we would stay in Iraq indefintely as long as Iran is a threat

The Clinton's make me sick

[Window]

31. God don't like ugly. (Old southern phrase.)

Hillary's been acting real ugly for a while now.

[pompano]

35. How unloyal....

to actually expect a paycheck once in a while.
:sarcasm:

[cliffordu]

36. Are they going to call him a traitor, too??

[trickyguy]

38. Oh happy day for the Obama camp.

We all know how important the $$$$$ are in these campaigns.

And this will no doubt resonate with the Hispanic voters.

A double-whammy.

:dem:

[Cha]

58. And that translates into Oh Happy Day

for our country. :patriot: :bounce: :kick: :party:

[demo dutch]

40. So I take it that this guy will want favors in return from Obama

[Binka]

42. He Obviously Got Some From The Clinton's!

Before you disparage this guy and his motives REMEMBER he left the Clinton camp because he was concerned about THEIR tactics! Speaks VOLUMES about Hill & Bill. What a hoot. You can't call this guy an opportunist or slime or unethical because he already called TEAM CLINTON those things and that is why he left. LMAO!

[demo dutch]

83. Maybe or maybe not. Everyone like a winner if it's benefits you

[Imagevision]

41. don't think the msm will be spresding this story

[gmudem]

46. Hillary needs to read the tea leaves.

And GTFO of this race! She needed to win PA by 20. She didn't. She's gonna get crushed in North Carolina, the biggest state left. She just cannot win.

[rndmprsn]

47. who's next...

k&r

[jeff30997]

61. Bill maybe ?

:shrug:

[kwenu]

54. This is not a shock. Hillary cannot win and her campaign will decompose before our eyes.

Richardson and Reich should have made it clear that even the Clinton's diehard loyalists can no longer tolerate her campaign.

[TheIronLion]

56. Ya gotta love it!

[Ahpook]

62. I was listening to Nova earlier..

It was either on Randi's show or Hartmann when a caller called in and had a chilling thought. If she loses the nom, could she pull a nitwit move and run with McCain?

Is that scenario even possible?

[Maccagirl]

72. McCain/Clinton

Of course. I'm sure that will be a possibility in another galaxy.

McCain/Lieberman maybe.

[Doctor_J]

73. Well, Limpballs and Andy Coulter said they'd campaign for her

oh, wait

[Arugula Latte]

65. Ooopsie!

Another one bites the dust.

[totodeinhere]

67. Another nail in the coffin.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

69. drip drip drip

this took awhile, but a true believer has had the scaled lifted from his eyes.

[Infinite Hope]

70. Who else switched support recently because of the tone of Clinton's campaign? n/t

[rainbow4321]

71. Probably cuz he realized that his $500,000 only paid for 2 of her bills each month

Her healthcare premiums to Aetna and Blue Cross/Blue Shield EACH MONTH together equal just under $500,000 per her monthly FEC filings.

I am not saying that he didn't raise a shitload of money for her, don't get me wrong. But when you look at that amount and hold it up against HER monthly bills...it doesn't even put a pea size dent in her me$$.

Perhaps he also realized that the money he raised could go alot further in the Obama campaign.


Another guess: behind the scenes HRC is blaming HIM for her not getting more donations??

Think back to how the MSM kept repeating on Tuesday night over and over that she had no money left, that Obama "MADE her spend all her money" pre-Pennsylvania.

You know having her cash-strapped/bankrupt news flashed (for a change) all over the cable airways sent her into a fury. Was it not within minutes that we heard about the mass email sent to supporters (per a news anchor who also got the message on his blackberry)to "send $5" then within 24 hours we are told how she "raised 10 million dollers".

She is trying to spin this financial mess BIG TIME. No doubt pointing a lot of fingers at people under her instead of taking the blame herself.

[cui bono]

76. Clinton is a Major???

Who knew? :shrug:

[catgirl]

78. Kick!

[ckramer]

79. Could it be that he's working without pay?

or with a slave wage?

[MilesColtrane]

80. This guy is NBC's director of political news?

Pretty poorly written.

"Gabriel Guerra-Mondragon is leaving the campaign to join up Barack Obama's campaign."

Either take out "up", or add "with".

"It's unclear if this defection will lead to others; the Clinton camp has been particularly effective at getting folks to keep their powder dry."

What's unclear is what on earth "keeping their powder dry" is a reference to... their donations?

It is just a web posting, but this guy's supposed to be a professional reporter.

[Faux pas]

81. !!!

:woohoo:

[AngryOldDem]

82. Tired of seeing his hard-raised cash going down the shitter, I guess.

Maybe someday -- hopefully soon -- HRC will get the message that it's not about HER, it's about the PARTY and the ELECTION, and what is GOOD for the COUNTRY. Not the CLINTONS.

[LiberalFighter]

84. First, headline doesn't match the source.

Second, CAPS? It's not courteous to use caps even for headlines on this board.