Obama camp: Clinton obsessed with GOP "attack machine"

[ariesgem]

A top adviser for Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) said Friday that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), the front-runner for her party’s presidential nomination, is obsessed “with what she calls the Republican attack machine.”

“I think we need a candidate who is obsessed with unifying this country again,” said Obama adviser David Axelrod. He added that Obama could break “the sort of decades-long battle we’ve had over this jagged divide — red state, blue state, American against American — and try to bring people together and attract disaffected Republicans and attract independent voters so that we could build not just a victory, but a governing coalition in this country.”

Axelrod, prompted by a question during an MSNBC interview, said that Edwards’s attack on Obama and Clinton could be a sign of desperation.

Responding to reports this week that Michelle Obama had attacked the Clintons’ marriage, Axelrod only said that the story was “nonsense.”

“This was not about Hillary Clinton,” Axelrod said about Michelle Obama’s remarks.

http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/obama-camp-says-clinton-is-obsessed-with-gop-attack-machine-2007-08-24.html

[AtomicKitten]

1. First of all, Michelle Obama did not "attack the Clinton's marriage."

If the commentator doesn't get that right, the rest is suspect.

This is going to be a long-ass primary.

[ariesgem]

6. You got that right.

On media matters, they had a story about of all people, Air America's Laura Flanders going on CNN repeating that Michelle Obama DID attack Clinton.

I wrote Laura, sent her the youtube clip of Michelle's speech along with the text of the full quote and I asked her to do a little fact-checking before going on TV before parroting a bogus drudge headline.

She wrote me back saying, "Oh, I didn't get a chance to view her speech BEFORE going on CNN. Hillary can take it. It's time to move on." :eyes:

[AtomicKitten]

8. WOW - that's the epitome of crap journalism

Proven wrong, they shrug and say, "Oh, no big whoop. Let's just move on."

Reminiscent of the Media Heathers assault on Al Gore in 2000.

There are people at DU that mimic the mindset; they believe using a misrepresentation of the truth as ammunition is perfectly fine.

:scared:

[tularetom]

2. RIght or wrong Obama has a knack for getting under Hillary's skin

She sounds extremely defensive in her responses to the little needles he applies, which scares me. If she can't deal with this kind of pressure WTF is she going to do when the "republican attack machine" really gears up after she is nominated?

Her biggest appeal to me is that the wing nuts hate her guts, but if she can't handlle the shit they throw at her she won't be a very strong candidate.

[dorktv]

12. actually I think it is more of her not liking having to have a D to attack back

on...I mean attacking the Republicans is easy and fun with little damage resulting...but attacking one's D opponent can seriously hurt a person.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

3. Obama is obsessed with unilateral disarmament in the battle with right-wingers

:eyes:

[madame defarge]

4. Has anyone else noticed...

...how the HRC campaign is complaining that everyone is picking on her? There's this story about Michelle Obama, whose comments were taken out of context & misconstrued. Then there's the widespread media reports that John Edwards' comments disparaging "establishment elites" and "Washington insiders" were directed at Sen. Hillary Clinton, which he has denied. And I'm sure they're going to make a big deal out of Dodd criticizing HRC on Friday for her comment that a terror attack before the election would help the Republicans.

Poor Hillary. I personally think it's a stupid ploy on her campaign's part to try to make her look like the victim. They're not doing her any favors.

[Trajan]

5. Something is wrong if a Democrat is NOT concerned with the GOP attack machine .....

I will vote for Obama, Clinton, or Edwards come 2008 ....

I expect each and every one of them to fight the GOP attack machine .....

Nonsense argument ....

[draft_mario_cuomo]

7. Obama does not even think there is a liberal America (DU) or a conservative America

How can someone that out of touch with political reality fight against conservatives?

[TeamJordan23]

20. What do you think the majority of the country is? nm

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

29. In other words, do not question Obama (D-Coronated). If you do, face "consequences" in the future

Par for the Team Obama course here.

You are in a thread in which an presidential candidate has criticized his chief rival and you have no problem with that but are whining, making veiled threats, against a mere message board poster. Team Obama: For attacks (against anyone not named Obama) while they are against them (if they are against Obama). :eyes:

Divisive? Do I have a 30+% unfavorable rating with Democrats like your hero Obama does because of his attacks on his rivals, mainly Clinton? :)

[Changenow]

44. Obama is favored?

huh.

Thanks for the info.

[Trajan]

45. *snickers*

Team ? .... me ? ..... laughable ....

I am on a team alright:

I am on the 'Human' team ....

I am on the 'Family' team ....

I am on the 'Father' team ....

I am on the 'Musician' team ....

I am on the 'Democratic Underground' team ....

I am on the 'Democratic Party' team ....

I am on the 'Liberal' team ....

I am on the 'Progressive' team ....

I am on the 'Obama' team ....

I am on the 'Clinton' team ....

I am on the 'Edwards' team ....

I am on the 'Biden' team ....

I am on the 'Richardson' team ....

I am on the 'Kucinich' team ....

See ? ... I am on LOTS of teams ....

One team I am NOT on: The 'gratuitously self serving, egotistical, ME and MINE FIRST and fuck everyone else' team ....

I am not on your team ...... and I never will be .....

I will take ANY of our fine candidates come 2008 ..... and I will pull the lever without (much) regret on Election Day .....

And I will certainly pull that lever knowing I am not betraying my own words and beliefs ..... Nothing is perfect in this life, and neither will our crop of candidates be perfect ... but they will be, pragmatically speaking, lights years ahead of any GOP offering .... each and EVERY one of them ....

So ..... Take your Obama-Hatin arse and stuff it in a hat ..... I am on the team that wants to see a Democratic Party candidate win the presidency, and that will take unity ...... Obama WILL be my candidate if he wins the nod .. and I will PROUDLY knock on doors to proclaim him ...

Unity is the opposite of what you strive for ....

Mario Cuomo would toss you out on your arse ....

[Changenow]

43. Are you deliberately ironic? nt

[killbotfactory]

9. there is being concerned and being obsessed

Hillary is obsessed. She is so risk averse in everything she does, it's insane.

For example, her stance against federal needle exchange programs.

She says she is against it, and that she would like to see how effective it is before endorsing it. When it is pointed out that it was proven effective under her husbands administration, but not funded, she responds by saying it is because they knew they couldn't maintain the program politically!

She won't endorse these proven effective programs NOW because she might MIGHT take a political hit? Because the program didn't look very popular in the late 90's?!

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0707/A_needle_exchange.html

This is the same type of political cowardice that led to democrats like her voting for the Iraq war in order to look tough on national security. Her recent comments about how republicans own the terrorism issue just confirm this.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

13. And Obama (D-straddle every issue) is not riska verse??? nt

[killbotfactory]

22. Not to the degree Hillary is

Obama is in favor of a federal needle exchange program. Was there any controversy about this in the news? No. Right now the electorate isn't going to support or abandon a candidate based on that position. Just like with the Iraq war and terrorism, Hillary has again needlessly ceded an issue to the republicans.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

30. Have you read his book? nt

[Colobo]

10. Axelrod is completely right.

[BeyondGeography]

11. She's genuinely traumatized from Clinton I

Given her role in those years, it's understandable. It's also a very good reason why we should pass on Clinton II. Andrew Sullivan puts it well, much better than Axelrod:

"One difference between Obama and Clinton does not seem to me to have been stressed enough. They are of different Democratic generations. Clinton is from the traumatized generation; Obama isn't. Clinton has internalized to her bones the 1990s sense that conservatism is ascendant, that what she really believes is unpopular, that the Republicans have structural, latent power of having a majority of Americans on their side. Hence the fact that she reeks of fear, of calculation, of focus groups, of triangulation. She might once have had ideals keenly felt; she might once have actually relished fighting for them and arguing in thier defense. But she has not been like that for a very long time. She has political post-traumatic stress disorder."

..."Obama is different. He wasn't mugged by the 1980s and 1990s as Clinton was. He doesn't carry within him the liberal self-hatred and self-doubt that Clinton does. The traumatized Democrats fear the majority of Americans are bigoted, know-nothing, racist rubes from whom they need to conceal their true feelings and views. The non-traumatized Democrats are able to say what they think, make their case to potential supporters and act, well, like Republicans acted in the 1980s and 1990s. The choice between Clinton and Obama is the choice between a defensive crouch and a confident engagement. It is the choice between someone who lost their beliefs in a welter of fear; and someone who has faith that his worldview can persuade a majority.

In my view, the call is not a close one."

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/20...

[draft_mario_cuomo]

14. You're citing a neocon to bash Clinton and promote Obama?

Par for the Team Obama course. ;) Nice switch of positions in a matter of minutes, btw. BeyondHypocrisy, indeed.

[BeyondGeography]

15. Sullivan is not a neo-con, plus he happens to be right

We also sing his praises when he bashes Bush, which he has done repeatedly. You'd know that if you were paying attention.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

31. Sullivan came out for invading Iraq in October of 2001, linking the anthrax attacks to Iraq

Not a neocon?

[killbotfactory]

34. Hey, look, he has something in common with Hillary

They both supported the invasion of Iraq.

[BeyondGeography]

38. And he supported Kerry in 2004

Try again.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

42. And Bush in 2000, Dole in 1996

He thinks the Republican Party is not "truly" conservative enough.

[Cameron27]

16. I have to disagree with Obama on this.

Bill, Hillary and even Chelsea have all been victims of the RW smear machine, so she knows exactly what they're capable of. I don't think she's obsessed at all, and Obama better get ready for it himself.

[BeyondGeography]

17. It's better to say that they are intimidated rather than obsessed

See the above from Sullivan.

[Colobo]

19. Obama is not only ready, he is above it.

[sampsonblk]

18. Obama = Kerry without the medals

His advisors are terribly wrong. The RW attack machine needs to be a top priority, or we will get beaten again. Those people are absolutely nuts, and they will stop at nothing.

[ruggerson]

21. This worries me a lot

If Obama gets the nomination, he is going to have to have a rapid response team AND a proactive attack war/team. If his campaign thinks that Hillary is overestimating the Republican attack machine, then his campaign is unbelievably naive about American politics in 2008.

Rhetoric about unifying the country is great. But you unify the country AFTER you've won the election. And winning the election takes extraordinary skill, agility and an in depth understanding of modern political warfare. And yes, it IS warfare.

[BeyondGeography]

23. HE will; he just won't base his entire campaign on anticipated attacks

He knows how to counterpunch, but he also loves to play offense. The speech on terrorism and acting unilaterally in Pakistan if necessary is a perfect example. He put the Republicans in the position of having to oppose the capture of Bin Laden if they wanted to criticize him. Rudy Nine Eleviani himself came out in agreement with this position. He boldly staked out foreign policy ground that will serve him well in the GE while other Democratic candidates were congratualting themselves on their resumes.

The issue isn't overestimating the Republicans' propensity to attack, it's how you behave in the face of that reality. She can be preoccupied with the Right to the point of paralysis. He isn't.

[Cameron27]

25. I hope you're right BG,

because after what happened in 04, my support will partially depend on who I think will fight back hard, fast and with the most success.

[BeyondGeography]

37. A good way to look at it...we should also be able to make the other side play defense

which is something we haven't done in a long time. After all, you have to play to win and to govern from some position of strength. We need to change the country, not just get into the White House by the skin of our teeth.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

35. Obama has the opposite problem. He seems to have a naive, benign view of right-wingers

You know, the very people "uniting" with is at the heart of his candidacy.

[ariesgem]

27. I'm sure the candidates are aware of the right-wing machine..

and whoever gets the nomination knows and are preparing for what they're up against. So far, the Obama camp has continued answered every attack thrown at him (in rapid response mode) while continuing to keep his campaign theme of uniting the country intact. I see Clinton's campaign theme revolving more around "vote for me because I can beat the right-wing machine". For many people, it just reminds them of the divisive politics of the 90's and is a turn-off for voters looking for a new direction.

[wyldwolf]

26. Obama: The Republican attack machine is a myth... they really want to play nice

[killbotfactory]

28. Clinton: So scared of the republican smear machine she won't take a stand on anything

Unless it favors the republicans.

[Colobo]

33. Nice comeback.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

36. Someone needs to read the Audacity of Being Everything to Everyone nt

[killbotfactory]

39. I don't have to read that to realize Clinton is a political coward

[draft_mario_cuomo]

32. His campaign is premised on such thinking for his "new kind of politics" and "unity" themes nt

[AtomicKitten]

40. oh, the horror

:crazy:

[Skip Intro]

41. I think it naive to downplay the repuke attack machine - ask Max Cleland

or Kerry or the Clintons


Going into battle underestimating your enemy does not scream cometence or experience.