The Clinton camp follows the lead of FOX NEWS, Hannity and Limbaugh in making Wright an issue. . .

[wndycty]

. . .even John McCain is not doing this. I am beyond disgusted. This will be the talk in the Black community, Hillary may win this battle but she is going to lose the war if she continues to use these types of tactics. Most African Americans (even heathens like me who do not go to church) know that the Black church is a strong power base and the way to ATTACK Black power is to attack the Black church. The attack on Wright is about a lot more than what words rolled out of his mouth.

Many of us understand why the Wright controversy is so explosive, many of us understand why Obama needed to distance himself from Wright BUT many of us also understand that making Wright an issue was nothing more than a right wing plot to stir up trouble and the MSM took the bait. For Hillary's camp to look to exploit this volatile controversy which can divide this country is just disgusting.

I'm more ashamed of them (the Clinton camp) than I am pissed at them, ashamed because despite my support of Obama I have admired them for so long.

[BeyondGeography]

1. Her nomination, if it is secured this way, would be worthless

[truebrit71]

5. Amen to that. She's completely screwed a major portion of the Dem base...

Not the smartest election strategy...

[David__77]

10. There won't be a Clinton nomination.

Not possible. It was pretty clear, I think, a month or more ago, that Clinton could only possibly hope to prevent Obama from being the nominee, but could not be the nominee herself.

[NJmaverick]

2. You need to stop falling into their trap

Start talking about Obama's words and actions. You are only helping by posting this sort of post. This is only an issue if people allow it to be an issue. I think it's time you refocus on Obama. Last I checked Wright is not running for president.

[ellacott]

3. It is truly disgusting

They used the black church along with the other politicans who showed up only at election time.

[Skwmom]

31. What's truly disgusting is they are LEADING the way with their good buddy Murdoch.

They aren't just following Murdoch's lead.

[anonymous171]

4. Obama needs to do something to force this out of the news.

He needs to go on the offensive.

[TwilightGardener]

6. He has been. He gave a speech on Iraq yesterday, is giving a speech

on Iraq and the economy today. Will the media pay attention? No--they play Hillary's speech about the Michigan re-vote instead. As if that's an issue that affects Americans.

[anonymous171]

8. Not a Kerry "let's refocus on the issues"

He needs to draw a little blood. Attacking Clinton on transparency would do.

[gayron]

7. Obama made it an issue

After he poured gas on the fire a couple a days ago but address race with a political speech.

[ashrob123]

9. Yes because we all know that race was not an issue in this election before

:eyes:

[EFerrari]

24. Yeah! Obama made it an issue when he called himself

a drug dealer ahead of SC. When he compared himself to Jackson and not Edwards or Kerry. When he tried to marginalize HIMSELF as a black candidate. When he accused himself of mugging himself! When he flogged the Wright non issue to superdelegates.

Damn Obama! :sarcasm:

[BigDDem]

11. You tell 'em!

USofKKKA rules!

[JorgeTheGood]

12. Team Obama accused (implied) ...

that Hillary, Bill and Geraldine (probably others also) are racists when everyone knows that to be the polar opposite of the truth.

What Obama is experiencing is instant karma (thanks John) and he needs to do 2 things and do them pronto ...

1) disown the rev
2) publicly announce that he does not believe the Clintons and Gerry are racists.

That would be a good start. But he won't do it. Republicans never admit they're wrong.

[EFerrari]

25. Bullshit. Even those of us who had not committed to anyone

at the outset have been thoroughly REPULSED by the race baiting from the Clintons. Tell your story walking.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5171424&mesg_id=5176314

[juajen]

13. Perhaps you could tell us what they said, and who said it?

NT

[wndycty]

15. From the NYT and Lanny Davis on the Huffington Post

-snip-
Mrs. Clinton’s advisers said they had spent recent days making the case to wavering superdelegates that Mr. Obama’s association with Mr. Wright would doom their party in the general election.

That argument could be Mrs. Clinton’s last hope for winning this contest.
-snip-

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/20/us/politics/20memo.html?_r=1&hp=&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1205978784-DYODfocUf%20PREVvCwoyFsg&pagewanted=print

But many people, including Obama supporters, may still have two questions that Senator Obama's speech did not sufficiently answer, at least in my opinion. And, for any Democrat whose priority is to win back the White House in 2008, they need to be answered now -- because, if Senator Obama ends up the party's nominee (I am a supporter of Senator Clinton's) -- for sure Senator McCain will insist they be answered in the fall.

These two questions are:

1. If a white minister preached sermons to his congregation and had used the "N" word and used rhetoric and words similar to members of the KKK, would you support a Democratic presidential candidate who decided to continue to be a member of that congregation?

2. Would you support that candidate if, after knowing of or hearing those sermons, he or she still appointed that minister to serve on his or her "Religious Advisory Committee" of his or her presidential campaign?

I hope my message gets to someone in the Obama campaign -- or to a reporter traveling with the Senator -- who can persuade Senator Obama to answer them directly. As I just wrote, he will have to do so -- either now or perhaps in the fall.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lanny-davis/two-questions-for-senator_b_92386.html

[mopinko]

18. yeah, lanny, cause we all know the us of a would never stand for a pres

that had ties to people like that. like jerry falwell, pat robertson, jim dobson. never happen. :sarcasm:

[wndycty]

19. Yes, the Cliintons are playing the game. . .

. . .by any means necessary.

[rodeodance]

14. Where is your EVIDENCE that Clinton camp is invoved?--you are LYING>

[MethuenProgressive]

16. I have discovered who was behind breaking PastorGate!!

Using several sophistcated Internets Tubes (one an amazing new invention called "The Google") it turns out that some mysterious never before heard of clandestine group calling themselves "ABC News" is the Obama Hating right wing freeper pissypants behind this non-story. And it seems that as far back as 2006 (!!!) a Hillary Clinton surrogate called "Wikipedia" was in on the conspiracy to bring Obama down!


http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4443788&page=1

Obama's Pastor: God Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11
Obama's Pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Has a History of What Even Obama's Campaign Aides Say Is 'Inflammatory Rhetoric'
An ABC News review of dozens of Rev. Wright's sermons, offered for sale by the church, found repeated denunciations of the U.S. based on what he described as his reading of the Gospels and the treatment of black Americans.

"The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people," he said in a 2003 sermon. "God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme."

In addition to damning America, he told his congregation on the Sunday after Sept. 11, 2001 that the United States had brought on al Qaeda's attacks because of its own terrorism.


Pastor Jeremiah Wright has been an entry on Wiki since 2006!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah_Wright
"The government lied about inventing the HIV virus as a means of genocide against people of color. The government lied."

But don't worry, for Obama has ruled:
Sen. Obama said, "I don't think my church is actually particularly controversial."
And all shall be well in world again.

[JohnnyLib2]

17. Out of line--no facts are allowed.

:sarcasm:


Good post.

[MethuenProgressive]

20. Yep, it's not as much fun for the DUbamas if it was just ABC News...

..makes a better Fairy Tale if it's a Monster.

[pointsoflight]

21. McCain and Huckabee defend him, Clinton doesn't.

That says a lot.

[Arkansas Granny]

22. Now I'm really confused. There is another thread that I just clicked

on saying that Clinton doesn't deny talking to the super delegates about Wright, but the reporters say that they couldn't get her or her aides to talk about him.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5174767

Now you say that she is making him an issue like Hannity and Fox news, but I can't find any evidence of that. Do you have a link?

[EFerrari]

23. They have obviously mobilised all their media contacts to flog this.

Here is just one example. This story is built around quotations from someone who worked for them:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5174858

[Arkansas Granny]

26. The article that thread links to only states that they will use the incident

to convince the superdelegates, which is to be expected. You have come to a conclusion that is not supported by the link that was given. The reports I have seen indicate that she has not mentioned it in her campaign speeches and has deflected questions from reporters when asked about Pastor Wright.

[EFerrari]

28. No -- the article itself is built around quotes from a Clinton surrogate.

And if you need links to her campaign actively flogging this story, I'll be happy to provide them. They were all over this forum earlier this morning. I'll edit this post as I fish them up.

From the New York Times and that should get you started if you are really interested in how this story is being used:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5168167

[Skip Intro]

27. Wright should be an issue now because he will be in Nov if Obama is the nom.

its called reality

[ericgtr]

48. The reality is that she's forcing attacks that not even the Republican nominee will use

showing she cares only about winning, not the party nor the people.

[Skip Intro]

53. She's forcing the Wright issue? Link?

[zulchzulu]

29. The Clinton camp needs the Wright story to cover up the impending storm on them

The First Lady records are just a prelude to the Clinton tax returns that are "scheduled" to be released by mid-April.

The Swift Hortonization is not working. The MSM will be fully in Clinton shark infested waters by next week. And it's going to last all the up to at least the Pennsylvania primary.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

30. grow up...CNN, MSNBC, ABC and CBS are doing it too

[nonconformist]

32. If you are talking about the Clinton camp bringing up this issue with the superdelegates

It would be irresponsible not to.

Here in the reality-based community, we know that this is going to hurt Obama hard in the GE. Believe it or not, the goal is supposed to be to get a Democrat in the White House. If something can jeopardize that, it's far better that it's addressed now instead of when it's too late.

But your subject line implies that she's going on a media spree with this, slamming Obama for his ties to Wright. That's not true in the least.

[EFerrari]

33. Really? So, you haven't read this thread, have you?

[nonconformist]

34. Yes, I have.

Her campaign is talking about the Wright issue and how that could play in the GE with the superdelegates, just like I said.

If you have evidence of her speaking about this issue in the media or in speeches, I'd like to see it.

[EFerrari]

36. Corners hate cowards. The Clinton campaign's strategy

was posted all over this forum this morning.

If you didn't see that, you weren't looking.

Evidence? LOL!

I only hope that this drug dealing, BLACK, mugger who hates America isn't finally our candidate!!!!1111

[nonconformist]

37. Jesus, take it easy.

I asked for evidence that she is using this issue on a media blitz, as is implied in the OP. I acknowledge the fact that she is speaking to the superdelegates about it, as it pertains to electability in the GE.

You can either provide the evidence or not, that's up to you. But you asked if I read the thread, and I have. I saw the links you posted, but all I saw there was confirmation that the Clinton camp was speaking to the superdelegates.

[EFerrari]

39. I'm pretty calm, actually, because have personally lived through

smears just as disgusting and for years. These tactics lose their lustre after a while.

Here's a link to an article built around a Clinton surrogate's comments as if that surrogate was neutral.
I've worked PR for too many years to doubt that the Clintons aren't doing everything in their power to push this story. Sorry.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5171424

[nonconformist]

41. That's a link to this thread.

But if you meant to post this link that you did above:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5174858

Which says this:

snip
"If the sort of figures we've been seeing in the past 48 hours persist, they will certainly play into the superdelegates' calculation," said Bill Galston, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former White House advisor.

With Obama only just ahead of Clinton after 46 Democratic contests, the nomination is likely to hinge on nearly 800 party elders known as superdelegates, who are free to vote as conscience dictates.

In public, the Clinton campaign has kept its distance from Obama's pastor problems. But The New York Times reported Thursday that the row was grist for her aides' lobbying of superdelegates.

"Mrs. Clinton's advisers said they had spent recent days making the case to wavering superdelegates that Mr. Obama's association with Mr. Wright would doom their party in the general election," the newspaper said.

The Clinton campaign did not comment on that assertion, but her chief strategist Mark Penn seized on the shifting landscape suggested in the latest polls.

"The more that the voters learn about Barack Obama, the more his ability to beat John McCain is declining compared to Hillary," he said in a campaign memo. /snip


Which proves nothing.

So, this is = to Fox, Hannity and Limbaugh coverage of this fiasco? Really?

[EFerrari]

42. The article is based on the comments of a Clinton surrogate.

Really.

[nonconformist]

43. So what?

It only talks about the superdelegates and issues with Obama's electability.

[EFerrari]

44. It is built on the comments of a Clinton surrogate.

Which means Clinton surrogates have been deployed, that's what.

[nonconformist]

45. We can keep going back and forth on this

But I go back to my OP in this thread, where I say that I haven't seen any evidence that Hillary is slamming Obama for his ties to Wright. Talking to superdelegates? Sure. Questioning his electability after this has come to light? Yes. But NOTHING where Obama is attacked for his association with Wright, or even anything about Wright's comments themselves. She could have very easily jumped on the media bandwagon on this, but she hasn't. No matter how many times you say "but but her surrogates", it doesn't change the facts... because the only thing her "surrogates" have said is that they're talking to superdelegates as this pertains to Obama's electability in the GE.

It was implied in the OP that Hillary was going on about this like Fox, Hannity and Limbaugh have. She's not.

[EFerrari]

47. No, we can't keep going back and forth unless you ignore the evidence.

This isn't Fox News. All claims are not equal.

In order to believe that the Clinton campaign isn't flogging this story to the detriment of the party, you have to have an agenda which you clearly do.

[nonconformist]

49. Yeah, I do have an agenda.

GET A DEMOCRAT IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

What's your agenda?

You failed to prove your allegations. "Flogging" a story is now = to a couple of quotes about talking to superdelegates about electability in one article about how Obama is now tanking in the polls, even though this story has been all OVER the media for days now?

What a strange reality Obama supporters live in. Must be all the rainbows and shit.

[EFerrari]

52. A couple of stories.

Understatement of the year. Clinton alienated a host of voters by her tactics.

That you don't bother to follow up on the evidence is your problem and has no effect on the popular vote or on the delegate count.

Grab your own rainbow while you can.

[kwenu]

46. Hillary must affirmatively act to stop these assertions that Obama is a racist just like McCain.

To do anything else discredits her as a Democrat. I fear that at what should be this party's greatest triumph, it will instead self-destruct. I now see us clearly heading in that direction.

[nonconformist]

50. When did Hillary accuse Obama of being racist "just like McCain"?

I'd love to see that quote.

[kwenu]

54. Let me rephrase it so you can understand. Hillary must denounce and reject these racist tactics.

[Perry Logan]

35. Logan's Law: all accusations against the Clintons are bullshit. Best debunk of this one is #32.

[Blarch]

38. She is a hack.

She isn't showing any respect, and therefore deserves none herself.

[kwenu]

40. The anti-obama strategy is clear: MAKE IT COMFORTABLE TO BE RACIST!

By making it seem as if he's the racist. Doesn't matter that he's never expressed a single racist statement. We'll just find someone to attach him to and do the "high tech lynching" thing.


I'm definitely a Democrat until the election this Fall but if this garbage continues, my vote for the Democratic nominee will be my last vote as a Democrat. I am ashamed that we are the ones who are serving up our own candidates for right wing racist fodder. This party has become just as GUILTY as the most racist right wing conservatives.

[MarjorieG]

51. Given Fox's Murdoch giving Hillary fundraiser, I'm suspicious.

Race-baiting started before New Hampshire by the Clintons, and to me beyond politics as usual. Same with the comparison to McCain, foreign policy creds as only having given a speech.

Dirty stuff, deliberate and over the line.