Team Shrillary

Heh. This is better than the various conspiracy theories that issue from the Kooky Kult of Koslam.

Clinton aide likens Obama to Ken Starr
An aide to Hillary Clinton likened Democratic presidential rival Barack Obama to independent prosecutor Ken Starr on Thursday, comparing criticism of her to the 1998 probe that led to President Bill Clinton's impeachment.

Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson criticized Obama's promise to take a more aggressive stance with the New York senator after she won three of four states on Tuesday in their hard-fought battle for the Democratic nomination to face Republican John McCain in November's election.

"I for one do not believe that imitating Ken Starr is the way to win a Democratic primary election for president, but perhaps that theory will be tested," Wolfson told reporters.

Starr was the independent prosecutor who led the investigation of Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton's husband, in a 1998 controversy that led to his impeachment on perjury and obstruction of justice charges by the House of Representatives and his subsequent acquittal in a Senate trial.

Starr's probe, which focused on Clinton's denials under oath about his sexual relations with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, came under heavy attack at the time from Democrats who called it politically motivated.

Obama, an Illinois senator, said on Wednesday he planned to step up his criticism of Hillary Clinton and raise more questions about her national security credentials and issues like her refusal so far to release her recent personal tax returns.

Obama's comments were in response to what his campaign called Clinton's "slash-and-burn" tactics in the contests in Ohio and Texas, where she questioned his readiness to be commander in chief and lead on the economy.

"When Senator Obama was confronted with questions over whether he was ready to be commander in chief and steward of the economy, he chose not to address the questions but to attack Senator Clinton, and that's what we're pointing out," Wolfson said in a conference call with reporters.

'ABSURD'

Obama's campaign quickly labelled the comments "absurd."

"After weeks of badgering the media to 'vet' Senator Obama, the Clinton campaign believes that they should be held to an entirely different standard," Obama spokesman Bill Burton said.

"We don't believe that expecting candidates for the presidency to disclose their tax returns somehow constitutes Ken Starr-tactics, but the kind of transparency and accountability that Americans are looking for," he said.

Obama and Clinton face a long battle for the nomination after Clinton's big comeback victories on Tuesday, just as she appeared to be on the verge of being knocked out of the race. Clinton announced she raised $4 million (1.99 million pounds) over the Internet since her big wins.

With 12 contests remaining, Clinton still faces an almost impossible task in overcoming Obama's lead in pledged delegates who will choose the nominee at the convention.

But Obama also is unlikely to reach the 2,025 delegates needed to win, turning attention back to their efforts to woo 796 "superdelegates" -- party officials and insiders -- who are free to back any candidate and could make the difference in the race.

It also renews the focus on the states of Florida and Michigan, which were stripped of their delegates in a dispute with the national party but held unsanctioned contests anyway.

Talks have resumed about the possibility of a "do-over" in those two contests, which Clinton won even though no candidates campaigned. Obama was not even on the Michigan ballot.

The two campaigns, the state parties and the national party all would have to agree on the formats and timing of new contests, and Democratic Party chief Howard Dean reiterated he does not plan to intervene in the process.

"I think we may well have a clear-cut winner. I think we need to give the voters an opportunity to do that," he said on ABC's "Good Morning America."

I just love it when a plan comes together.

Via IHT


Solutions.

The Bitch Is Back

She never left, actually. The past few weeks of Hillary-nice has been nothing more than the usual Clinton smoke and mirrors.

Oops, there goes Hillary’s Latino vote?
Another bit of Clinton campaign madness, courtesy of Newsday’s Glenn Thrush (who, coincidentally, had a bit part in the Mandy Grunwald debate debacle the other day). The Mariachi Divas, an all-female pan-Hispanic music ensemble, appeared before a Hillary rally at Cal State Los Angeles. But when their performance was over, they were kicked out with the words: “Thank you! You were awesome!...There's no room. You can listen outside. Thank you!" Read the full account here.

Now I can’t think of any other campaign where this kind of thing would happen. Just as I can’t think of any other campaign in which a senior adviser would spend more time refusing to talk to a British journalist than it would to answer his question (in front of a gaggle of American reporters who would, presumably, have benefited from the sublime wisdom of her answer in any case). So why is the Clinton campaign like this?

Each campaign has its own personality – usually (though not always) a reflection of the candidate. Mitt Romney’s is highly efficient and buttoned-down – everything is like a business transaction. John McCain’s is anarchic and seat-of the-pants. Rudy Giuliani’s was tough and no-nonsense (though the candidate was friendly and chatty once you got to him).

Barack Obama’s campaign is super friendly and relaxed. In Iowa, Obama volunteers were given the instruction: "While canvassing for the campaign, you are acting as a representative of Senator Obama. It's absolutely imperative that at all times we remain respectful, polite and overly nice to the people we encounter."

This ethos feels like a version of the “practice random acts of kindness” philosophy – it leaves you feeling good, makes the world a better place and who knows when it will have some practical value.

Hillary Clinton’s campaign, however, is – with the occasional exception - arrogant, uptight and myopic. And this seems to flow right from the top.

Kicking the Mariachi Divas out into the cold was unkind and just plain stupid. Each one of those girls will have gone home upset and feeling anything but positive about Hillary Clinton.

Replicate that kind of attitude a hundred or a thousand times and you begin to alienate a lot of voters.

Toby Harnden

Via The Telegraph

Heh. This wouldn't have happened if BJ Bill had been there. No way in Hell.

Not with all of that strange runnnin' around lookin' for a good time.


UPDATE: NoisyRoom.net links. Thanks!