Hillary And Obama Camps Duke It Out Over Her Alleged "Screw 'Em" Comment
On a Clinton campaign conference call this morning, Hillary's advisers were asked directly what their basis is for denying outright that she said "screw 'em" about white working class southerners in a meeting in 1995, as author Benjamin Barber alleges.
In response, the Hillary campaign floated the name of a new witness who hasn't yet been mentioned: Bruce Reed, the domestic policy adviser at the time.
As best as we can determine, he hasn't been quoted publicly on this yet.
Right now, as the Obama campaign points out, three eyewitnesses are alleging that she made the comment: Barber, Harry Boyte, the director of the University of Minnesota's Center for Democracy and Citizenship, and Alan Wolfe, who said flatly that "Barber and Boyte have it right."
Who is saying she didn't make it? Don Baer, a Clinton speechwriter at the time, and, now, Reed, who obviously isn't a neutral observer.
We'll let you know if Reed speaks out.
Late Update: Baer, it turns out, is now chairman of Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates.
Late Late Update: I should have made it clearer that the Obama campaign is pushing this issue with reporters, sending out links proving that the three witnesses have confirmed that she made the remarks. Hence the headline. I've edited the above to reflect this.
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