Obama: I Regret That My Campaign Pushed Story About Clintons And Race

Comments (81)

swarty wrote on January 15, 2008 9:17 PM:

I had no idea John Edwards was the son of a mill worker. The things you learn watching these debates.

Greg wrote on January 15, 2008 9:19 PM:

hah -- who knew?

grover_rover wrote on January 15, 2008 9:21 PM:

These questions suck. I'm bored.

And I can't believe Hillary is still trying to say that Bob Johnson wasn't referencing drug use. I wish they could have played the video for people after the denied it again, because the video leaves no question about it.

Anonymous wrote on January 15, 2008 9:22 PM:

I won't believe the regret, unless of course he cries....

Just laughing

Anonymous wrote on January 15, 2008 9:23 PM:

I can't believe Obama conceded pushing this trash.

I have enourmous respect for the man, but the idea that he would concede to pushing this garbage, when infact his campaign was only documenting and pointing out Clinton's bullshit, is extraordinarily disappointing.

zonk wrote on January 15, 2008 9:23 PM:

Don't hit me...

Was that Al Sharpton?

No matter who it was -- BRAV-fucking-O!

Timmeh and blandan williams ought to ashamed.

you didn't get your gotcha... from anyone... now get on with it.

cheflovesbeer wrote on January 15, 2008 9:23 PM:

OMG is Edwards a trial lawyer too?

Dawn wrote on January 15, 2008 9:23 PM:

20 minutes in and all the questions have been about the campaign itself . Sigh.

TexModDem wrote on January 15, 2008 9:24 PM:

So, it turns out that Obama's campaign did push the race issue.

Who knew?

Certainly not his supporters who've continually denied that anyone in Obama's campaign has ever played dirty.

LOL.

pulpitjockey wrote on January 15, 2008 9:26 PM:

Jesus. When are they actually going to ask any real questions? This is just silly. And what was that person yelling in the background? I only caught a couple words

GG wrote on January 15, 2008 9:27 PM:

I wish they'd move on but, if they were going to address race, Rangel's fallacious remarks should have been addressed by Sen. Clinton.

She won't, though. The woman will not risk losing a rich supporter. Kind of like all those corporate dollars poured into her campaign...

I hate to bring up her personal life - really - but the woman can live with an adulterous husband. Why not put up with lying campaign backers???

chikin wrote on January 15, 2008 9:27 PM:

Agree with you 100%, Dawn. This is bull----.

What people want is to hear the IDEAS that each candidate brings to the table, not the high-school drama that seems to have dominated the campaign and the debate.

Matthew wrote on January 15, 2008 9:27 PM:

Great Clinton comment: Bush now in Gulf begging for lower oil prices, how pathetic.

TexModDem wrote on January 15, 2008 9:27 PM:

Wow, and they continue to deny it even after Obama himself admits it!

The koolaid is running out; better get some more.

Stellaa wrote on January 15, 2008 9:28 PM:

The candidates are awesome, Russert is a pig. Who knew?

Tom wrote on January 15, 2008 9:29 PM:

C'mon Greg,
That's a pretty crappy headline.

Obama did an admirable job of accepting his responsibility for what has transpired.
For you to spin it in this manner, as though his campaign pushed this story is wrong.

Benjamin wrote on January 15, 2008 9:29 PM:

Well actually I did not want to say anything because I dont want to attack greg Sargent but his post is a biased interpretation of what Obama said.
At no point did he say anything about "pushing the issue".
Both Clinton and Obama said their supporters said things they would not have. That's all.

So it turns out Johnson was talking about drugs. Who knew ? Certainly Bill Clinton who continually denied that anything of the sorts was intended. LOL

BernieO wrote on January 15, 2008 9:30 PM:

Russert and Williams are such losers!! Their questions are a combination of a rehash of horserace issues and Miss Anerica type personality questions. What is your greatest strength??? Next will be what their favorite color is. A half hour is gone with no substantive discussion of issues and what the candidates propose to do.

eorse wrote on January 15, 2008 9:30 PM:

HRC: Poor John.

This is a nasty comment. A nasty comment.

eorse wrote on January 15, 2008 9:31 PM:

Obama is a class act.

Clinton memorizes speech and does not answer.

Edwards is put in a bad position.

stellaa wrote on January 15, 2008 9:32 PM:

Barack blew it and Hillary hit a home run on the President as manager issue. Obama's answer was a little to Bush like.

TexModDem wrote on January 15, 2008 9:33 PM:

chikin: "What people want is to hear the IDEAS that each candidate brings to the table . . ."

People do.

Obama supporters however just want to hear over and over and over and over and over about how vile Clinton was when she voted for the AUMF along with a majority of Democratic senators and promote the notion that Clinton ran a campaign of inevitability with no evidence to back that claim up.

Josh wrote on January 15, 2008 9:34 PM:

Couldn't disagree more.

Obama just hit that out of the park on the rebuttal.

Gregor wrote on January 15, 2008 9:35 PM:

Well, we just finished the "what's your greatest strength/weakness" question. Not only did Obama give the most direct, sincere question. But, he flipped Hillary's over-reach in her answer, and pointed out that Bush was a good manager, but, lacked the judgment and intellectual capacity to bring in other views.

stellaa wrote on January 15, 2008 9:38 PM:

You are kidding? Hillary was direct and precise. After having worked for over 30 years in the public sector, the "bringing people together" does not work as well as managing them and riding them.

Passing Shot wrote on January 15, 2008 9:38 PM:

Williams just asked about the "madrassa" e-mail. Good Lord, won't someone bring back Charlie Gibson? The ABC debates were the best by FAR.

zonk wrote on January 15, 2008 9:39 PM:

No clear winners so far, no clear losers...(maybe Dennis...).

Anyone saying otherwise is wearing partisan blinders (and yes - I'm an Obama supporter).

stellaa wrote on January 15, 2008 9:39 PM:

Oh, my god a real question!!!

along wrote on January 15, 2008 9:40 PM:

agree with Josh and Gregor: Obama's rebuttal was a particularly good, specific, and potent pivot to a dismantling of George W. Bush, and parrying Clinton's answer.

dawn wrote on January 15, 2008 9:40 PM:

I pledge my vote right now to any of the three who calls out Williams and Russert on this crap.

While Obama was answering that Ceo question I was wondering if Hillary bring up Bush and Katrina. Obama parried it well I thought.

TexModDem wrote on January 15, 2008 9:40 PM:

Tom: "For you to spin it in this manner, as though his campaign pushed this story is wrong."

No more koolaid for you. Anymore and you might overdose.

stellaa: "Obama's answer was a little [too] Bush like."

What a shock.

eorse: "This is a nasty comment. A nasty comment."

Sure. After Edwards lied about some of her statemens, it is utterly inappropriate to accord him the disdain he's earned. (And I'm an Edwards supporter.)

Better koolaid drinkers please.

Benjamin: "At no point did he say anything about "pushing the issue"."

At no point has Clinton or any of her campaign workers said anything about her nomination being "inevitable," but that hasn't stopped Obama supporters from saying it.

You people are too funny for words.

And too, too sad in your hypocrisy.

Angry Mouse wrote on January 15, 2008 9:41 PM:

Seems as if Hillary and Barak realize that they may well end up on the same ticket together, so it behooves them to not trash each other too aggressively?

stellaa wrote on January 15, 2008 9:41 PM:

True Zonk...I like how they did not let Russert and mini tweaty take over with the garbage.

Matthew wrote on January 15, 2008 9:41 PM:

Why is Edwards even at the debate?

Tom wrote on January 15, 2008 9:41 PM:

What was interesting is that Obama took responsibility for that staffer's memo even though it was never sent to the press and only came out after being leaked on the Huffington Post.

Hillary, on the other hand, refused to accept responsibility for standing there and saying nothing while Johnson brought up Obama's drug use. She defended him like Bill did this morning, saying we have to take him at his word.

Interesting contrast.

chikin wrote on January 15, 2008 9:41 PM:

Ooh. Good question, Russert. Note that Clinton doesn't go immediately for the 'It's absolutely wrong, Tim' on the foreign ownership question (which I know Edwards and Obama probably would). She's warming up a little bit, though.

along wrote on January 15, 2008 9:42 PM:

she's a loud talker.

zonk wrote on January 15, 2008 9:42 PM:

Congrats, TexModDem...

you've succeeded in making the DailyKos debate thread more objective and substantive... well done!

TexModDem wrote on January 15, 2008 9:43 PM:

Josh: "Obama just hit that out of the park on the rebuttal."

The koolaid must have vodka in it tonight.

But then, Obama supporters "refuse to believe otherwise" regarding anything negative concerning their candidate or positive about Clinton.

Delusion is a powerful drug and Obama supporters are addicts.

stellaa wrote on January 15, 2008 9:44 PM:

Obscene, Guliani plug.

TexModDem wrote on January 15, 2008 9:45 PM:

Gregor: ". . . and pointed out that Bush was a good manager . . ."

This is a joke, right?

Bush promoted himself as a good manager; he was anything but, whether in Texas or Washington and anyone who knows about his business failures is aware of this.

So, Obama is lying to make a point.

Hardly the methodology of a noble man.

JR wrote on January 15, 2008 9:46 PM:

I'm with zonk... Also an Obama supporter, I miss Kucinich. With the two seconds they would have given him, he'd have put Williams and Russert in their place.

Hate to say it, but is there a drinking game going on for every time Edwards says "mill"?

fairyduster wrote on January 15, 2008 9:47 PM:

This isn't a debate. msnbc worked their will on the Nevada supremes and got him tossed out.
Does anyone call "this" a democratic republic anymore?
They shouldn't.

Matthew wrote on January 15, 2008 9:49 PM:

Edwards voted for change in bankruptcy law before he was against it?! How convenient. One hears how Romney changed his tune as he prepped for his run and this is another of a very long list of changes that Edwards has made to create who he is presenting during the campaign. He is not authentic.

stellaa wrote on January 15, 2008 9:50 PM:

You don' t want to hear it, but Hillary knows her stuff and gets the issues. Disclosure I am an Edwards supporter

chikin wrote on January 15, 2008 9:53 PM:

Not an Obama supporter, but how powerful was that for him to be able to say 'I opposed them both'? That was pretty powerful.

Was that anouther shouter by the way? What is this, 1968?

TexModDem wrote on January 15, 2008 9:54 PM:

Really, I just can't believe that Obama is promoting the idea that Bush is a good manager despite his obvious failure at management (and leadership) at all levels of his presidency, his governorship, and in his business dealings.

He's either lying or he's hopelessly incompetent in judging leadership.

Ever single American (even the damn conservatives who continue to publicly deny it) know that Bush has been a terrible, awful, incompetent manager.

How Obama thinks he's going to get away with this obvious falsehood with anyone other than his delusional koolaid-drinking supporters is unfathomable.

Dawn wrote on January 15, 2008 9:55 PM:

Hillary's answer on the mortgage issues right now was her at her best. Explaining the facts of an issue exactly right, and putting some passion in it too. Even when I don't agree with her solutions, I have to give her that.

TexModDem wrote on January 15, 2008 9:57 PM:

Obama's new meme:

Bush was a good manager.

Therefore, we need a terrible manager.

Elect me; I will be that terrible manager!

fairyduster wrote on January 15, 2008 9:58 PM:

I loved Bill but, if Hillary "wins" the primaries, my hubby and I will stay home.

Hillary is still a Goldwater girl. blech..

TexModDem wrote on January 15, 2008 10:00 PM:

fairyduster: "Hillary is still a Goldwater girl."

More insulting crap from the Hillary Haters.

chikin wrote on January 15, 2008 10:00 PM:

Is it just me, but did Edwards just lob Obama a softball right over the plate about raising money?

Perhaps this is an indirect stab at Senator Clinton. Very intriguing.

fairyduster wrote on January 15, 2008 10:04 PM:

TexMod

Hillary hater? No.

Are you a Republican?

Greg DeLassus wrote on January 15, 2008 10:12 PM:

I cannot believe all of these "snake oil" comments. Are they following the same debate that I am following? I am terribly impressed by all of the specifics that all of the candidates are offering, but Sen Obama is being at least as precise and specific as the other two. Did you hear his answer to the capital gains tax question? How could that answer get any more specific?

Dawn wrote on January 15, 2008 10:22 PM:

Hey, Obama's a leftie!

Matthew wrote on January 15, 2008 10:26 PM:

Edwards shows his pandering with change on nuclear power and waste storage. Bigger question, is there any Senate vote that Edwards made that he still agrees with?

stellaa wrote on January 15, 2008 10:28 PM:

Energy Bill....say any Obama spin here? Ha..ha

chikin wrote on January 15, 2008 10:29 PM:

Nice little deflection on the nuclear power question by Senator Obama. He reminds me a lot of now-Australian PM Rudd when he was running as the Labor candidate.

I worry a lot about McCain being the Republican nominee, but it makes me think all the more that Obama would be a formidable candidate, simply because his youth stands in absolute stark contrast to McCain. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure McCain's up for the intensity of this campaign if he ends up on the GOP ticket.

stellaa wrote on January 15, 2008 10:34 PM:

English....ahhh....you have to speak English to be a US citizen, this is the Gringrich issue. What crap. Can everyone get this: to pass the US citizenship test, you have to do it in English and show English proficiency.

Matthew wrote on January 15, 2008 10:36 PM:

The repeated 'this is a Black-Brown issue or debate' is offensive. Didn't the debate start out with trying to set aside race? Further, with these 'Black-Brown' references, does this mean that no one else has standing or issue? Shall we next have discussion of white issues and debates?!

eric wrote on January 15, 2008 10:52 PM:

Dawn wrote on January 15, 2008 10:22 PM:
Hey, Obama's a leftie!

Also, Bill Clinton and George Bush Sr.

Julie wrote on January 15, 2008 10:57 PM:

Agree that Edwards lobbed a softball to Obama--it looked rehearsed to me.

Hilary dodged a bullet when Obama wasted his question on Edwards.

Or maybe not, maybe Obama was going to return the kissy face with Edwards....

Julie Gislain wrote on January 15, 2008 11:01 PM:

I am nervous about Edwards giving any delegates he has to Obama--with all of their soft ball discussions and general kissy face

stellaa wrote on January 15, 2008 11:11 PM:

Tweaty did not like it that they were civil and sitting on the table. Gawd...when will they ever get rid of him.

blackstar wrote on January 15, 2008 11:17 PM:

:note:

a disproportionate amount of genises and crazy people are left-handed.

:)

:also note: TexModDem is obviously a troll.

Mary wrote on January 15, 2008 11:40 PM:

What I can't understand is TPM constantly bashing Guliani's 9/11 threats. Everyone knows the Republican schick is to scare everyone into submission.

That being said, isn't it blasphemy to suggest to the American people the question

"Who do you want for president during the next terrorist attack?"

Then try to scare their vote up with her claims of "experience"?

Trying to portray a guy who has held elective office longer and elected on his own merits and not name recognition?

Are we supposed to vote for Hillary because we get the bonus 2 for 1. The experience she is claiming is Bill's not her own.

I loved the way she dodged the Bob Johnson question. Don't think she is going to end her association with him soon. Nor do I think she will stop with the racist attacks. All you need is a surrogate who will claim the words and you can say "I didn't do it".

I am disgusted beyond words and the punditry who switch their praise of candidates not on substance, but something more like teenage crushes in high school.

ShutupNvote wrote on January 15, 2008 11:49 PM:

Peace.

acf wrote on January 16, 2008 12:01 AM:

Obama was only too happy to have his campaign operatives run with the 'attack Clinton over the race' issue, including getting his wife into the picture, and now when the advantage has run its course, he wants to take the high road. I don't think so. This is nothing more than politics as usual, and he's no better than the rest of them. While I'm on to this, Edwards hasn't covered himself in any glory here, either. As far as I can see, he was full of self righteous indignation, which is as phony as a 3 dollar bill. Again, politics as usual.

stellaa wrote on January 16, 2008 12:07 AM:

The clincher for me was when Obama was talking about his management style. Sorry folks, but I just don't see the meat. I don't believe in the delegation myth. I like how Hillary put together all the talents needed to do the job. Second, how can you twist on the Energy Bill Vote by Obama. Gee, the one time he is tested and he votes the wrong way.

dancop wrote on January 16, 2008 12:25 AM:

stella you can't bring substantive change by micromanaging a huge bureaucracy, nor leaving it to your Veep. Brining people together to sound out solutions is the most effective way to effect change, and a good leader communicates the possibilities to his people. What is wrong w/that. You seem to trust in the authenticity of a woman who tried to disenfranchise youth in Iowa for political purposes and ios now trying to disenfranchise union members in NV.

savvy wrote on January 16, 2008 12:42 AM:

The headline for this thread is atrocious.

When Russert held up those 4 pages, all I could think was, how were they able to compile 4 pages of race comments if Hillary was not pushing the race issue?

It is a complete crock that Obama is said to have 'pushed' the statements on race that Hillary made. That is utter nonsense.

ugh. But Obama was smart he knew not to challenge Russert on the substance of the issue.

I don't think there are any votes left that Edward can claim he does not regret...geez.

jeanba wrote on January 16, 2008 1:10 AM:

Greg,

Seriously are you nuts? Obama did not say anything about pushing race issues, what's wrong with you? Hey you forgot to pick up your check from Hillary for president. Shame on your lousy reporting. I would suggest that you change your title.

DonnaG wrote on January 16, 2008 1:27 AM:

I think all three did very well: Clinton's myriad details, Obama's calm intellect in action, and Edwards passion.

It was obvious that the debate moderators weren't respecting Edwards, though.....guess the guy really is a threat to corporate power, including consolidated media power.

But, Hillary really was talking too loudly and too long, like using a forcing current to project herself and her points. So it was funny when Williams reminded her of the reason for the visible time-warning lights and then chided her on her loudness, adding.... 'we are sitting right here across the table.'

kid oakland wrote on January 16, 2008 1:35 AM:

I don't see how this title is fair.

How can a memo whose contents were well known (and boring) to anyone who reads TPM be viewed as pushing anything?

And how can a conciliatory statement Obama makes in a debate to a national audience made up of people, 98% of whom have NO IDEA what the SC memo is or was, be worthy of this headline? Obama chose to be conciliatory. That's the story.

Regardless. I think Democrats, the media and bloggers all blew the politics of this big time.

Congressman Clyburn, the House Whip, "expressed disappointment / perplexity with the Clintons" in the New York Times.

That was the first thing that happened.

That's a really big deal. (Clyburn + NYT + disappointment with Clintons) It has nothing to do with Obama. (Clyburn was not endorsing, is not endorsing and is not connected with Obama.) It does have something to with the Clintons, African Americans, South Carolina and the Democratic primary going forward.

Jim Clyburn is the third-ranking member of the House Democrats, the Majority Whip...and the only reason most people don't know him or pay attention to him is because he's African-American.

At any rate. Clyburn is loved and respected in South Carolina and what he says matters to Democrats and should and does matter to the Clintons.

Clyburn had a problem with the Clinton's statements and that problem was published in the New York Times.

Reading the blogs (outside of Josh's post here on TPM) this was invisible. That doesn't mean it wasn't important..and won't be a significant factor in the primary going forward with the Af-Am vote.

At any rate, all the talk of Obama "race-baiting" really can't produce the evidence because the "smoking gun" is Clyburn.

And Clyburn has and had NOTHING to with Obama.

yesterday gone wrote on January 16, 2008 1:45 AM:

when has hillary ever admitted a mistake? even her war stance is a dodge.

when cornered in a box, she blames others. e.g. her war vote was all bush's fault.

Tapper wrote on January 16, 2008 6:27 AM:

What intrigues me is how many of the self described "progressives" can support a war criminal for president.
Edwards, Clinton, and Obama have all supported an illegal war of aggression and the crimes which have flowed from that war. They belong in the dock at the Hague.
Have we all become Good Germans?

Michael A wrote on January 16, 2008 7:47 AM:

Barf. Clintons win again. Politics as usual 90's style.

Anonymous wrote on January 16, 2008 7:57 AM:

Clinton lost 30-70 among African Americans in Michigan.

2 Points to note (well 3)
1. First that is good news and I hope African Americans and all Americans voting in the Democratic primaries remember her campaign was willing to throw Obama and a core pillar of the democratic party under the bus to gain power.
2. This will impact other key primaries
3. IF Hillary is the nominee do you think all these voters will come back to the D camp? And if they don't can a Dem win? Nope and Nope.
...and while I am at it - Obama dialed it down here because his campaign knows Clinton wins if this ends up in the gutter...what price did she pay in New Hampshire for Shaheen? None. Better for Obama to take the high road - he can win there.

Liam wrote on January 16, 2008 8:59 AM:

Reality Check.

If Hillary is such a great manager; why did she screw up her Health Care Reform project so badly that it set back Health Care reform by at least twenty years?

If Hillary is such a great manager; then how did she create the Travel Gate mess.

If Hillary is such a great manager: Then how do you explain those very important files that vanished for years, and then mysteriously turned up again in her White House quarters?

If Hillary is such a great manager: Then why has she never been able to provide the documentation on how she happened to make an overnight killing on the futures market, from a tiny first and only time investment?

If Hillary is such a great manager: Then how does she explain how her brothers came to get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars by convicted drug dealers who were trying to by a pardon from her husband? Keep in mind her brother was living with her at the time.

If Hillary is such a great manager: Then why has she been able to reveal more about what Senator Obama said in Kindergarten that what she has been able to reveal about her actual White House records?

PatG wrote on January 16, 2008 9:10 AM:

Haven't read all the comments here, but did anybody watch the after-debate body language? Obama went out of his way to shake hands with everybody around the table. I believe he walked all the way around the table to shake Hillary's hand, and she shook his with a perfunctory "Barack" and then turned away. She looked like a disapproving school teacher who had had enough of her star pupil's outwitting her.

tritonesub wrote on January 16, 2008 11:21 AM:

Hey Liam,

What? No Vince Foster? Are you even a democrat? Take your goat-smellin' troll ass elsewhere.

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