Obama-Clinton soap opera takes new turn

[Beacool]

Amie Parnes, Glenn Thrush Amie Parnes, Glenn Thrush – Tue Nov 11, 2008



Michelle Obama wasn’t always an admirer of Hillary Clinton, but last Wednesday the soon-to-be first lady dialed up the former first lady for pointers on protecting her two young daughters from the media maelstrom of the White House.

“Michelle may not have loved the senator, but she always respected how the Clintons raised Chelsea,” said a person familiar with Clinton’s end of the call. “They need to talk. There just aren’t too many people who have shared that kind of experience.”

An aide briefed on Obama’s side of the chat said she was “grateful” for Clinton’s “pointers” on “raising children in the public eye.”

It’s the latest phase in the ruling-class soap opera that is the Obama-Clinton alliance, where the two first families negotiate new personal relationships as Hillary Clinton wrestles with her own ambivalence about Michelle Obama’s husband, a man she once ridiculed as too callow to govern, and then worked tirelessly to elect.

These tensions have created a somewhat schizoid relationship between Clinton and the Obamas – warm on personal matters, warier on political ones, and downright frosty on the still-unresolved issue of Clinton’s mountainous campaign debt, which Barack Obama had pledged to help reduce.

“Senator Clinton did not just check the box for Obama - she went all out for him, which says an awful lot about how important she felt this election was, what kind of character she has, and the positive state of their relationship,” said Chris Lehane, an aide to both John Kerry and Al Gore during their presidential bids.

Since the Democratic National Convention, Hillary Clinton headlined about three dozen rallies and fundraisers – working rope-lines where well-wishers often lamented her exit from the race.


Bill Clinton, who once called Obama’s Iraq policy “a fairy tale,” hosted about 20 events for Obama after the Illinois senator paid homage to him with a mid-September visit to his Harlem office.

Obama responded by lavishing praise on the pair – after months of questioning the legacy of the Clinton White House. More importantly, he embraced much of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s domestic agenda, especially her health care and green jobs proposals.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081111/pl_politico/15498

Hillary went far beyond what any other candidate had done for a former opponent. I hope that once Obama settles into the White House he helps her to reduce her campaign debt, a couple of fundraisers would probably suffice to retire the debt. It would also be nice to see a genuine friendship develop between these two first families.

;-)

[Tatiana]

1. Bill Clinton and Barack Obama looked great in Florida and had lots of chemistry.

I think everyone is well on their way towards healing those old hurt feelings.

[BootinUp]

2. Give it time

they will be staunch allies in the future if they aren't already.

[Beacool]

27. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

I do hope though, that he holds some fundraisers to give her a hand in retiring her campaign debt.

[blm]

3. Chris Lehane was BOOTED from Kerry's campaign - he was a saboteur who 'accidently' left

his laptop with all Kerry's campaign information in an unlocked car in San Francisco. He then immersed himself into Wes Clark's camp and tried to fuel the lie that Kerry had an affair....a lie that the level-headed Clark would not repeat for Lehane.

Lehane - liar and saboteur. He was no 'aide' to Kerry.

[AtomicKitten]

12. Lehane is and always was a tool.

[karynnj]

17. True - also this repeats the claim that Obama took

HRC's green job and healthcare proposals - in fact, he didn't. EVERY 2008 candidate had relatively similar healthcare proposals - the biggest difference between HRC's and Obama's was the issue of mandates - Obama never changed on this - answering late in the campaign why he mandated for children and not adults. On green jobs, Obama sounded far more like Kerry 2004 than HRC 2008. All of the 2004 candidates echoed Kerry on this. ( The fact is that these were Democratic positions - it's only when you look at the details that they differ much.) (Kerry himself was not the first Democrat to outline these positions - though on healthcare, Obama borrowed his idea of re-insurance of catastropic costs. Kerry also did lay out the opportunity of investing in alternative fuels in a more positive light than others and he was likely the strongest environmentalist to run in my memory.)

[beachmom]

19. Agreed. That part of the article was plain false. As to the rest,

what a stupid article. Fluff about nothing.

[karynnj]

28. True - there was a nice story there that should have been told by itself

It is an enormous compliment to both Clintons, that Michelle Obama wanted to get Hillary's opinions on raising Chelsea in the White House - they clearly did a great job on that. They seemed to have managed to have protected her and allowed her to essentially grow up as a normal kid. They could have made the whole article that - using what is known about Chelsea.

Throwing in the primary fights, repeating the attacks, and mentioning HRC's dept doesn't fit. (In fact, I don't think there was a 3rd quarter FEC report on it - so I have no idea how much was paid down - but she was listed with over $6 million in her Senate account that was likely moved from those who contributed to a GE campaign. (This was in the HP diary pushing Senators with lots of money to contribute to candidates that needed it. This may suggest that those debt were paid.)

[niceypoo]

4. Bleh @ your thread title

Smart ladies, those two. The children of Democratic presidents dont end up as candidates for 'girls gone wild,' like those of some presidents, *cough* Bush twins *cough* cough*.

[Lucky 13]

8. The only difference between the thread title and the article title is that...

"soap-opera" replaced the word "drama"

[Beacool]

22. Not my title, that's how it reads.

:shrug:

[tishaLA]

5. Chris Lahane. I could have lived happily without ever seeing his name again

What a relic that one is.

[Lex]

6. I doubt Michelle Obama had anything against Hillary Clinton.

Sounds like BS to me.

Both ladies have more class than to be engaged in petty grudges and the like.

[Ichingcarpenter]

7. Media Matters on the two reporters

GLENN THRUSH media matters
http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/search_results?issue=&outlet=&person=3835&show=



AMIE PARNES media matters
Politico repeated Cindy McCain's comment about troop-funding vote without noting her husband's own vote
Monday, October 20, 2008

[blm]

13. The reporters are spindoctors for a certain group of DC figures. The spin in the article is so thick

you have to spread it with a landscaper's machine.

[Ichingcarpenter]

24. Yep, and some people tend to eat it up

I always track the reporters history these days to see
their slant.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

9. Wasn't Obama supposed to help with her debt?

n/t

[bunnies]

10. Obama cant force people to donate to her.

And he also cant give her money raised for him. Much as some around here wish he could.

[Beacool]

25. Yes, he was and while she raised million for his campaign,

his top donors didn't come through for her.

Hopefully, he'll lend her a hand now that the election is over.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

11. Also in this artcle: Clintons disappointed that they haven't gotten help w/their debt.

Bill Clinton, who once called Obama’s Iraq policy “a fairy tale,” hosted about 20 events for Obama after the Illinois senator paid homage to him with a mid-September visit to his Harlem office.

Obama responded by lavishing praise on the pair – after months of questioning the legacy of the Clinton White House. More importantly, he embraced much of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s domestic agenda, especially her health care and green jobs proposals.

Yet a half-dozen Clinton insiders told Politico they are disappointed that Obama’s vaunted fundraising operation hasn’t reciprocated by planning new events or an Internet campaign to help Clinton pay off the $7.9 million she owes to vendors. (Clinton has already written off the $13 million she loaned the campaign during the primaries, aides say).

“I don’t think there’s a whole lot of hard feelings, it’s more like mild annoyance,” said a former Clinton aide on condition of anonymity. “There’s just not a lot of expectation they are going to lift a finger for us.”

[AtomicKitten]

15. I don't think people are generally sympathetic to covering expenses for a campaign

that went on months after it was already over. She had every right to continue to run, but not to expect people to cover that capricious endeavor.

[Alter Ego]

14. *SLAM**SLAM**SLAM*

That sound is me bashing my brains out over the media's INSISTENCE on calling this a "soap opera".

[ErinBerin84]

16. just more of the faux drama from Politico

[beachmom]

18. Barack Obama ran on his own health care plan. Just for the record.

[CakeGrrl]

20. Another excuse to relive the primaries?

:eyes:

So these "reporters" take a steno pad to some scuttlebutt/whining about the Clinton debt and keep the discontent alive.

Hillary's campaign debt was her responsibility. She could have packed it in when she knew the delegate math wasn't there and saved millions.

That she and Bill did some good campaign turns for Obama could be seen as a wash after the type of campaign she ran against him. People will always disagree about that, but that's how I see it.

Obama is not obligated to pay for his former opponents' debt just because he had a better plan and apparently was a better draw for contributions to his supporters.

[Metric System]

21. When Hillary entered the White House she got advice from Jackie Kennedy and they formed a friendship

It will be interesting to see how this relationship works out.

[Beacool]

23. Yeah, Jackie and she forged a friendship.

Caroline was also for a while almost a surrogate sister to Chelsea. After Caroline endorsed Obama she called Chelsea.

;-)

[ellacott]

32. When I think of Hillary and Chelsea's relationship I tear up

Hillary truly loves Chelsea and she raised a beautiful daughter. Chelsea also realizes how much her mother loves her and she loves her back.

They have an idea relationship. They can give many people advice on this subject.

[Beacool]

36. Yeah, Hillary and Bill simply adore their girl.

They wanted to have other children, but unfortunately the doctors told Hillary that another pregnancy would put her life at risk. As it is, she had a lot of trouble conceiving. If you want to see Hillary's eyes light up ask her about Chelsea. They have a great relationship and it's heartwarming seeing them together. I also like to see them with Mrs. Rodham, she's a cool lady.

:D

[ellacott]

41. I didn't know she couldn't have other children

:( I feel sad for her. She would have been a wonderful mother to any other children she had.

Yes, you can see her eyes light up when she talks about Chelsea.

I like to see Mrs. Rodham also. She has aged very well.

[Beacool]

42. She had very bad endometriosis.

They were married 5 years before she got pregnant. It's sad because they both love children.

:(

[ellacott]

55. I didn't know that, that's too bad

You can see their love for Chelsea. :)

[DevonRex]

26. I'm glad Michelle called Hillary. The media wants a soap opera

but it seems like the 2 families aren't giving them much to work with. Heh heh.

And I will fulfill my promise to donate to Hillary with my mid-November paycheck. Months ago I had said that if she worked for Obama then I would donate. She did work for him, with passion and lots of energy. Because of her positive attitude I'm increasing my original pledge.

That means DU will have to wait until December for a donation from me, but I must honor the committment I made first.

[Beacool]

29. Thank you!!

Hillary would be greatful.

:hug:

[MadBadger]

30. You could have left out all that BULLSHIT about her debt. Obama shouldnt help her AT ALL

[Beacool]

31. Why not?

She helped him and she didn't have to do it. She could simply have shown up at a handful of rallies, instead she went full out in her support of Obama. She did far more than was expected of her. It would be a nice gesture, particularly with his huge fundraising capability, to give her a hand in return.

[MadBadger]

35. In your perfect little make- believe world, what would you like Obama to do?

[Beacool]

37. Not much, just host a few fundraisers to help retire her debt.

Both Clintons raised millions for Obama, by having some fundraisers for his campaign and through phone calls to their top donors.

[ProSense]

38. That's nonsense. A lot of people raised money for Obama. He doesn't owe Hillary jack. n/t

[leftynyc]

44. That's really not for you to say

and is really none of your business. For all you know, they had a deal that she would stump for him during the general and he would help her out with her debt. You don't want to write a check, don't. But anyone who doesn't think she went above and beyond what other also rans did for a candidate is delusional.

[MadBadger]

45. She needed to go above and beyond. Because if she didnt, people would have blamed her for a loss

This was as much about her as is was the Party

[leftynyc]

52. That would have been unfair - no?

I'm not saying she ultimately wouldn't have benefitted from having a Democrat in the White House. She gave full throated support and went to every state she was needed. She didn't HAVE to do that and I assume Pres-elect Obama will have no problem helping her out as he is not a petty man - unlike some of his supporters on this board.

[ProSense]

47. That's complete nonsense.

Hillary held a few events. There were people who held as many events in every month of this campaign as she did the entire cycle. It's nonsense. Dean and Clark went on to give strong support to Kerry, although the dynamics were different in 2004 (they didn't have a reputation that needed salvaging).

What's delusional is the notion that Obama owes Hillary for campaigning for him.

[leftynyc]

53. Good thing

Obama isn't as petty and small as some of his supporters.

Dean and Clark in 2004? How many votes did those two garner - together?

[ProSense]

54. You know what's petty?

The incessant whining about what Obama owes Hillary beacause she campaigned for the Democratic candidate.

As to your second question: probably more than Hillary and Bill by the time they got around to campaigning.

Dean certainly did a lot more for Obama in this election cycle than almost anyone else.

The frame on these articles claiming Obama owes Hillary so he must pay off her debt is BS.

Give it up.

[leftynyc]

58. Do you know for a fact

the he DOESN'T owe her? That he didn't make any promises? Are you in the inner circle? As far as you thinking he should kick her to the curb, you give it up. Ain't gonna happen.

[ProSense]

59. "Do you know for a fact the he DOESN'T owe her? That he didn't make any promises? "

Are you suggesting that he promised that he's pay her debt if she campaigned?

So she didn't have her heart into campaigning, she did it as a deal to retire her debt?

Fact: Obama doesn't owe Hillary retirement of her debt because she campaigned for him. That's absurd.

[leftynyc]

60. I'm not suggesting anything

because I don't know - neither do you - that was the point - I thought I was speaking slowly enough. And if you don't think deals are made all the time in politics, you're very young.

[Beacool]

46. Too funny.

I guess she and Bill should have stayed home and her supporters too. It's politics, one hand washes the other. Just look at the line-up of his supporters who are bucking for a job, Kerry, Richardson, etc.

[ProSense]

49. "I guess she and Bill should have stayed home and her supporters too. "

See this is the genesis of the stupid idiotic threat that assumed Hillary supporters were the 18 million people who voted for her in the primary. Millions and millions of those voters moved on and didn't look back.

Hillary and Bill could have stayed home, and the risk of doing so was to her reputation, not Obama's campaign. Period.

Bill and Hillary helped, but stop pretending that their efforts tipped the scale for Obama, and that he's somehow forever indebted to them.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

39. Can't she pay it herself?

If Obama's top fundraisers haven't helped her yet, they never will.

[ProSense]

40. Think about the concept of these nonsensical articles:

Hillary spent time raising a few million (even the numbers being reported are suspect) for Obama in his more than half billion fundraising drive so he owes her. Hillary did this instead of raising money to help pay off her own debt so Obama owes her.

Why didn't she just cut to the chase and raise the money for herself?

The articles are all over RW sites like Newsmax: "Obama Still Not Helping Hillary"

Ridiculous.

[Beacool]

43. No, it's not legal. n/t

[Arugula Latte]

50. On the other hand, she went way into debt when it was obvious she wasn't going to win.

The math was clear early on ... yet she kept spending. Very bad judgment, IMO.

[CreekDog]

33. I wonder if most of the shit stirring is almost completely from Chris Lehane?

it would not surprise me in the least.

[ProSense]

34. What a bogus and stupid article.

Ludicrous.

[TexasObserver]

48. Great. Hillary can give her many good insights.

[BeyondGeography]

51. Get help

[progressivebydesign]

56. The Clintons campaigned for Obama as though they were the incumbents...

and that is pretty amazing and humbling. Gore and his people didn't want them 10 feet from him when he ran in 2000, apparently, but they are obviously willing and able to help out when asked -- and go way above and beyond doing it. I don't think anyone, outside of the Obamas and Bidens did more public events for him.

I just don't see Hillary and Michelle having some animosity toward each other. I'm reminded of how many times the people in the peanut gallery try to ascribe these things to pubic figures. Like the comments here yesterday about George & Laura Bush being rude to the Obamas at their meeting. These people are grownups.. and though most people don't realize it, even people across the aisle socialize together and are friends.

[Beacool]

61. Thanks for recognizing it,

unlike the usual bitters who still think that the Clintons are the enemy.

Take care!!!

;-)

[my3boyz]

57. Immediately after the primary I said he should not help Hillary. HOWEVER,

Hillary did go all out for him. She was not a little shakey about it like Bill. She went all out. Also, in hindsight I think the tough primary helped him. Imagine what could have happened if the bitter comment or Rev Wright tapes had came out as an October surprise. People might have reconsidered their vote for Obama if they were suddenly hit with something like that.

[Orangepeel]

62. the author of this piece took a phone call and created a melodrama around it. n/t