Hillary Campaign Raising Money Off Of Bill Clinton-Joe McCarthy Comparison
As we've seen again and again in this race, it's striking how quickly, and unabashedly, the campaigns have converted expressions of grievance about alleged slights into appeals for money -- as if there's no need for the campaigns to even hide the delight lurking within their outrage.
The Hillary campaign, for instance, has already blasted out an appeal to donors that highlights Obama supporter General McPeak's suggested comparison of Bill Clinton with Joe McCarthy.
"Do you think Bill Clinton is like Joe McCarthy?" writes top Hillary adviser Terry McAuliffe in the email, which was sent our way. "Of course you don't. Neither do I. But Barack Obama must because this past weekend, his campaign compared President Clinton to Joe McCarthy. Joe McCarthy!"
Such appeals also reflect the fact that, as noted here last week, the Hillary campaign basically is in the red right now, while Obama has roughly $30 million on hand for the primary.
Full email after the jump.
Dear Friend,Do you think Bill Clinton is like Joe McCarthy?
Of course you don't. Neither do I. But Barack Obama must because this past weekend, his campaign compared President Clinton to Joe McCarthy. Joe McCarthy!
Ever since we won in Ohio and Texas we have been seeing these kinds of personal attacks from the Obama campaign. It's hard to believe that a campaign that talks so much about changing the tenor of our politics would employ these kinds of tactics, but its the kind of thing we are seeing every day from Senator Obama and his campaign.
Here is just a small sample of the words they have used to describe Hillary and her campaign: "disingenuous," "divisive," "untruthful," "dishonest," and much more.
Well I'm not going to stand for it, and neither should you. There's no better way to fight back than to show your support for our campaign in the face of these attacks.
Click here to make a contribution and help us fight the negative attacks.
I appreciate everything you're doing to help Hillary win, and I know she does too. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Terry McAuliffe
Chairman, Hillary Clinton for President
Really, it is good to know that Obama helps out whenever he can.
March 24, 2008 5:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Are they raising money? Granting that they are trying to raise money off of this, I do wonder how successful they are at it. I guess we will see in a few weeks.
Note to Obama supporters - another donation to our guy might be well advised at this point (at least for those of us who can still afford to send even a little bit more).
March 24, 2008 5:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I appreciate everything you're doing to help Hillary win, and I know she does too. Thank you.
Except, um, she's not winning.
March 24, 2008 5:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
There is a Primary season where voters decide who the want to be the nominee.
Hillary supporters are now arguing that the primary process that elected the select delegates should be treated as meaningless, that the $150 Million that Senator Clinton squandered on them was not for any results that meant anything.
A simple question: Why did Hillery waste all that time, money, and effort, not to mention all the time of the voters if she did not wish to respect the outcome. Why did she not make the case, until after she realized that she was a loser, that the nominee should only be chosen by the super delegates, because that is where she is at now. She is saying: To hell with the voters, and the elected delegates that they voted for, super delegates pick me. That is actually the entire gist of what Hillary is demanding.
That sound more like the demands of some Putin type than a Democratic Party candidate.
March 24, 2008 5:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
THIS IS EXCELLENT NEWS!! FOR HILLARY!!!
March 24, 2008 5:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's short. But not really sweet.
It lacks the passion necessary to get people to reach for their credit card. It reflects on nothing positive about Clinton.
It's quite clear from the NAFTA, Bosnia, N. Ireland, pro-McCain, and race stories that Clinton and her campaign have been disingenuous, divisive, untruthful, and dishonest.
But you would think they would include some positive language in there to rally their supporters (e.g her economic plan, her experience, etc.)
This is just flat.
March 24, 2008 5:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
What a boring appeal to voters.
March 24, 2008 5:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
sad
March 24, 2008 5:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, it's striking...how badly the Clinton campaign needs money.
March 24, 2008 5:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Please donate to Hillary Clinton '08 today and help us fight the other Red Scare - our budget problems!
...Seriously though, donate."
If you didn't donate to support your candidate, would you be really be spurred into action by a surrogate of the opposing candidate attacking your candidate's spouse?
March 24, 2008 5:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
I didn't expect the Clinton campaign to mention what caused McPeak to make that comparison, but I would have thought Greg would think to mention it.
March 24, 2008 5:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
This race becomes more of a joke with each passing day. Trivial retorts to trivial comments about trivial remarks about trivial issues. Perhaps the people covering the race might want to assume some more civic responsibility, and help raise the level of discourse above the cotton candy level to which it has fallen.
March 24, 2008 5:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
More of that "see how angry that guy whose porch we tossed the flaming bag of dog shit is?" so send us more money to buy more bags and some lighter fluid. schtick.
March 24, 2008 6:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama can't keep up with Clinton and cut and run on vacation.
He should drop out and extend his vacation.
March 24, 2008 6:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dear Terry,
Do I think Bill Clinton is like Joe McCarthy(Joe McCarthy!)? No. No, Terry, I do not. I think Bill is a lot smarter than Joe McCarthy ever was. And because Bill is a very smart man, I believe he knows exactly what he is saying when he says it. And I believe he was fully aware of the impression he was leaving with his words. In addition, I believe he knew someone might have a problem with it, and then he and Hillary could go into manufactured outrage mode.
Right on cue.
Oh, and Terry? About that "win" in Texas. . .
March 24, 2008 6:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, it was a stupid comment on mcpeak's part. Obama better have a meet when he gets back and get these people back on message. Why are they going soooo over the top? I don't get it, it actually is unbecoming and it really doesn't look good. Same thing with pouffe. Axelrod should do the commenting. He says some off the wall stuff once in a while, but its not totally over the top. Everyone has to calm down already.
March 24, 2008 6:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
I thought McPeak's comments were quite appropriate:
". . . I'm saddened to see a president employ these tactics. He of all people should know better because he was the target of exactly the same kind of tactics."
". . . I was going to college when Joe McCarthy was accusing good Americans of being traitors, so I've had enough of it."
He's right. The GOP noise machine often accused Clinton of not 'loving America' during the 1992 campaign and Bill Clinton should know better than his innuendo of ommission. Shame on you, Bill Clinton! [slap] [slap]
March 24, 2008 7:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why is Hillary running? I've completely forgotten.
March 24, 2008 6:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
She owes a lot of people favors.
March 24, 2008 6:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Obama campaign, with its manufactured charge of McCarthyism, has finally and definitively jumped the shark, and the Clinton campaign knows it.
March 24, 2008 6:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ok, what does "jumped the shark" mean? Just curious.
March 24, 2008 6:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's a quote from the wiki entry:
Application to Obama campaign's cry of McCarthyism:
1. An ill-conceived attempt at reviving the declining ratings of the flagging show
2. Deemed to have passed its peak
3. Noticeable decline in quality or feel
4. Has undergone too many changes to retain its original charm
March 24, 2008 6:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for the info. I disagree with the conclusion obviously, but the obama campaign has been not as smooth as usual the last week or so, which is out of character. I think the break for obama is a good thing to get back on course.
March 24, 2008 6:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hesitate say to the Clinton campaign jumped the shark long ago because doing so would imply there was ever a time the campaign was run well.
But whenever Sinbad shows up (much less on a helicopter bound for Bosnia), you can be sure it's a "jump the shark" moment.
March 24, 2008 8:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think that the bloom is off both campaigns' roses. Such is only natural. If you mean to say, however, that Obama's fortunes have flagged more than Clinton's as a result of recent events, I think that you are in for a rude awakening in a few months time.
March 24, 2008 11:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Speaking of jumping the shark....
I look forward to the next fundraising request that details Hillary's brave trip to Bosnia, dodging all that sniper fire....
March 24, 2008 6:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
How much do they pay you to troll, BTW? And where do you go to apply for a job like that? Is it listed on (dare I say it?) Monster.com?
(My apology and withdrawal from the campaign will no doubt be demanded in a matter of minutes.)
March 24, 2008 6:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Uh-huh. Just like her campaign knows she's actually winning, despite being ... you know ... still losing. And notwithstanding Pennsylvania, superdelegates, exaggerations about her experience, etc, etc, her campaign can't win unless they manage to successfully reinvent basic math.
You folks might want to start praying, 'cause divine intervention seems like your only hope at this point.
March 24, 2008 6:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, I just went over to the Obama campaign and dumped some cash into it...Thanks for the reminder, Hillary, that the candidate needs dollars.
March 24, 2008 6:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Poor Hillary is showing her desperation. That fundraiser is pathetic. One good thing to come out of all of this is that we won't have to be seeing over and over again statements as to how Bill was such a great president. He wasn't the worse but he was always for himself and was definitely bad for Democrats in general. Let us pray, that the Clinton infatuation is over.
March 24, 2008 6:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know about sharks, but Timmy Russert was all but singing "turn out the lights" to Hillary on Nightly News.
March 24, 2008 6:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here is just a small sample of the words they have used to describe Hillary and her campaign: "disingenuous," "divisive," "untruthful," "dishonest," and much more.
He forgot to add, "I know...truth hurts."
But you can write silly tripe like that if you work for people who are absolutely allergic to the truth.
Time to drop a couple hundred for Sen. Obama.
March 24, 2008 6:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Joe McCarthy, Pat Buchanan... Who can keep them straight?
March 24, 2008 7:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dear Sir or Madame,
Obama is being very mean to me. Please send money.
Sincerely,
Hillary Rodham Clinton
March 24, 2008 7:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
I would call McPeak's comments beyond the pale, but can't because of course that would be deemed racist by the Obama campaign. He can go around calling his gramdmother HIS GRANDMOTHER a typical white woman, but any criticism thrown his way is gutter politics and racist.
March 24, 2008 8:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
are you saying she's not typical? do you think there are no old white ladies who are scared of young black men? or are they just a negligible fringe? or is anything short of an overwhelming majority not be "typical." maybe she's a "typical" white kansan. i've never been to kansas, so i wouldn't know. maybe she's typical of the white people obama knows. should we not support obama cause his granny's a racist, which is atypical for white people?
March 24, 2008 8:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am an old white man, and I hear old white men and woman talk about black people that way all the time. Senator Obama was telling the truth, but America can not handle the truth. It was not black people who created segregation and jim crow, and fought like hell to keep it alive. White flight was real, and anti busing was real. Of course Senator Obama's grandmother was a typical white woman of her generation. Hell, I get abused all the time and get called an N. lover just because I speak up for a sense of fair play and equal rights for all.
March 24, 2008 8:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
There are white people who consider someone a "typical black person"; there a black people who consider someone a "typical white person". Obama claims to be BEYOND race and everyone else has a problem with it. Apparently he still has issues when he calls his own granny a typical white peron.
He is a preachy, self-righteous hypocrite and every time I hear him try to defend himself by criticizing other people I have less and less respect for him.
And this is spoken by an African American woman who criticizes stereotyping whether it's done by black people or white people - rather than some apologist who wants to use the sins of the past to defend bigotry on either side.
March 25, 2008 9:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
God damn it, he should just stay in place while we fling crap at him, we're having trouble aiming and we're soiling ourselves in the process.
It's okay for us to do it, you see, because we didn't speak against it ever. He did, so he should just stand there.
I mean, if you're a pacifist, it means it's okay to shoot you, right?
(Oh, and if you're intelligent and seeing this, look how smart we were for turning our lack of moral fiber into an asset! That's how a president should behave!)
March 24, 2008 8:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Does Bill Richardson look like Judas?
That should be in an Obama fundraising email.
March 24, 2008 8:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Of course since James Carville said that it being Easter Week, that made Bill Richardson Judas, which must mean that Carville believes that Bill Clinton is Jesus, and that would make Hillary be Mary Magdalene. Why is Hillary not outraged at that.
March 24, 2008 9:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
such dudgeon! you'd think the general compared her husband to judas or something.
March 24, 2008 8:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
damn you, freaktown!
March 24, 2008 8:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
you know what they say about great minds...
March 24, 2008 8:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have been looking for context regarding Bill's comments. Does a transcript of what he said at the VFW exist? I have had no success finding one. Surely he didn't walk out and make the one statement. Did he?
March 24, 2008 8:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
This, too, shall pass.
March 24, 2008 10:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well right now Richardson looks a bit like Satan.
Excuse me, I've need to get busy photoshopping Obama's head onto the Fonz.
Boom!
March 24, 2008 10:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well right now Richardson looks a bit like Satan.
Excuse me, I've need to get busy photoshopping Obama's head onto the Fonz.
Boom!
March 24, 2008 10:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like Hillary so much I bought her a house in Chappaqua!!!
McCain/Clinton '08!!!!!!!!!!
March 24, 2008 11:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
If you are saying we need to move beyond race and you are the candidate that can do that, then...
1. why use race to your advantage at every opportunity as in libeling Bill Clinton's statement that the idea that Obama's position on the Iraq War has been consistent is a fairytale into Bill Clinton being racist and denigrating him because he's black and only coming out to correct the record AFTER South Carolina voted - principled I think not.
2. Can Bill Clinton go around calling someone a "typical black person" - no but Obama can call his own grandmother a "typical white person" and not get calle don it by the MSM.
3. Obama is a hypocrite - he uses race to his advantage at every opportunity and then cries foul when anyone even approaches the subject in an honest and open way like Geraldine Ferraro is considered racist. FACT - Obama gets 80 - 90% of the black vote in most states and they split the white vote. Race has been a factor in Obama being where he is. And the way that he's built support with white voters is by saying I am a different type of candidate who is intereste din bringing people together. When Rev Wright's words or his own words in the case of his grandmother belie that fact, he accuses other people of playing the race card. He is of course the perfect Messiah and cannot be criticized for anything according to the oBAHHHHma sheep.
The defense of these comments is a shameful example of a candidate who has no interest in living up to the rhetoric he espouses. You think people would have learned from GWB the compassionate conservative & uniter, but of couse they are just blissful ignorant willing to let a pretty speech obscure the reality.
March 25, 2008 8:53 AM | Reply | Permalink