WaPo pumping up Hill vs Obama showdown.

[jefferson_dem]

For Now, an Unofficial Rivalry
Possible Clinton-Obama Presidential Clash Has Senate Abuzz

By Charles Babington and Shailagh Murray
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, December 8, 2006; A01

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Colleagues say Clinton and Obama appear to genuinely admire each other. So far, they claim to see zero evidence of public rancor. "Everybody gets along just fine," Harkin said. Kennedy described the pair as "extra-dimensional individuals" and asserted in an interview: "There's no sort of pettiness or jealousy that I see. They understand the momentous nature of what the search for the presidency is all about."

Behind the scenes, of course, it's a slightly different story. "Don't tell Mama, I'm for Obama" has become the Obama campaign's unofficial motto. It's a reference to Clinton's nickname as first lady and an example of the conflicted loyalties of many Democratic political aides. Some are talking to both camps about possible jobs in the presidential campaigns. Meanwhile, Democratic senators who are not considering presidential bids of their own are remaining neutral.

Some Obama allies suspect that Clinton supporters generated recent rumors that former vice president Al Gore is weighing a 2008 bid, hoping to discourage donors from signing up with Obama just yet. On Monday, Obama tiptoed onto Clinton's turf, traveling to Manhattan to talk with big-time Democratic donors such as George Soros.

Speaking later to reporters, he made a point of praising Clinton. "I think she is tough, I think she is disciplined, I think she is smart, and I'm not one of those people who believe she can't win," Obama said. "I recognize it's fun to set these things up as a contest between the two of us."

Clinton has been less effusive. She rarely comments publicly on Obama, and when she does, it's often in snippets. She declined a request to be interviewed for this article. In October, she said "it's great" that he is thinking of running for president. And Democrats credit her for letting Obama and a first-term senator, Ken Salazar (D-Colo.), headline a Capitol Hill media event last year while other senior Democrats grumbled about their nonspeaking roles.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/07/AR2006120701755_pf.html

[HereSince1628]

1. Anything to promote the foreclosure of the primary process

Just get in there and push this for it's greatest commercial value. Create the uproar that will bring viewers/readers and thereby advertising revenue.

Tell me again, how many people have actually declared their candidacy in the Democratic Primaries?

Yep this is America, where the media generates the infotainment and plays us for their profit.

[Bullet1987]

2. The MSM and MSP is using the old divide and conquer technique I see...

[Clark2008]

3. Democrats would do well to listen to who the corporate media

ISN'T talking about... and vote for that person or persons.

[beaconess]

4. Thanks, but I prefer to have a little more depth in my decisionmaking

[hijinx87]

5. the MSM always emphasizes the "horse race" aspect

of political campaigns. they think it is more exciting than
a bunch of "boring old issues". :eyes:

[NCarolinawoman]

6. I'm already tired of this soap opera.

By the way, Soros is a Clarkie. Both Obama and Hillary visited Soros while Clark was out of the country for three days, speaking at a conference in the Middle East. Not that this ultimately matters---I just found this to be an interesting sub-plot to the on-going soap opera.