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Big Hillary Donor: We Need Some Rest Before Uniting Behind Obama
Barack Obama's efforts to recruit top donors for Hillary Clinton and to unite the Dem donor base may take a while to be fully realized, the Washington Post reports, for a very simple reason: A lot of her donors are simply burnt out at this point.
"There is no question that the predominant feeling is, 'We have to do what's necessary to win in November,'" said Philadelphia lawyer Alan Kessler, a former Hillary fundraiser who is sitting out a big-money fundraising dinner with Obama this Friday. "But it's just, we're tired. We just need some downtime to figure this all out."
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Whatever, Obama's unprecedented donor base will pick up the slack for all of you rich folks, we already kicked your ass before, I think you've shown your use.
Feel free to come around when you finally "figure this all out"
June 10, 2008 9:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
Easy..
June 10, 2008 12:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is what they mean by 'need some time'.
June 10, 2008 4:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Two, and counting. Can we get to 6 clinton stories today? You guys must be searching high and low on the net for clinton stories. They are starting to get sparse.
June 10, 2008 9:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
NO COMMENT. DON'T FEED THE THE CLINTON TROLL THREAD CREATOR.
June 10, 2008 9:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
"We just need some downtime to figure this all out."
This late in the game, they are yet to figure it out ? Well, it figures...
Greg/Eric - For all your flogging Hillary stories all day long, there ain't gonna be a "resurrection".
June 10, 2008 9:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not sure how difficult it is to "figure this out", Alan... especially for an intellectual assassin such as yourself.
Well, let me help you out, A.:
Go through that Rolodex of contributors that you have on your desk. Start at the beginning. Dial the phone number. Read this script:
"Hello, Mr. Hillary Contributor... I'm calling you because I believe it's very important that we elect Barack Obama..."
June 10, 2008 9:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Gp_7nnIvWJM
hypocrites! Michelle Obama was on record back in Feb. stating she would not vote for Hillary if she were nominee....
Now they expect Hillary supporters to fall in line.
They Won't!!
June 10, 2008 9:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
Michelle: (from your video) "Everyone's going to work hard for whoever the nominee is"
June 10, 2008 9:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
Does being that full of shit actually hurt?
June 10, 2008 10:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
RaeKa, get over it, alright? Just grow up. Nobody died. Hillary will have other chances. Things will work out. McCain sucks. Obama is cool. Republicans suck. Democrats are cool.
Get with the program, babykins.
June 10, 2008 11:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Seriously, this really is becoming funny -- presumably unintentionally. And the post is even incoherent in its evident desperation to come up with more stories about Hillary. Is that first sentence meant to be "Barack Obama's efforts to recruit top donors FROM Hillary Clinton ..."? And what will "fully realized" consist of? And what does " ... sitting out a big-money fundraising dinner with Obama this Friday" mean? I assume it means he's not attending? Or does it mean he'll be there "with Obama" but not forking over the dough?
Does it matter what the verbiage is just so the word "Clinton" appears a requisite number of times? What are we dealing with here?
June 10, 2008 9:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Greg has a Clinton fixation. He's jonesin' for more stories about Clinton.
June 10, 2008 9:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Scratch that--should've seen the byline. Eric, of course.
June 10, 2008 9:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
What whiny asses . . . Obama (and Clinton for that matter) has been going at this for over a year now. And these guys "need some downtime" to write a freaking check? That's the American spirit I like to see!
We have soldiers risking their lives everyday around the world and these guys "need some downtime" to write a freaking check? That's the patriotic spirit!
I guess we small donors will have to carry their water for them.
June 10, 2008 9:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
So, Obama becomes the presumptive nominee over the weekend, and so far on Election Central today, there are two posts on McCain's attacks on Obama, and two posts about the state of the Hillary campaign...
What gives, Eric and Greg?
June 10, 2008 9:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly. TPM is a "progressive" blog./ Not.
June 10, 2008 9:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
The previous story is about how Hillary ran up $30 million in debt all the while continuing to try to milk more out of fundraisers who had given every contact they had the hard sell for Hill for months on end even after hope was lost. The fatigue is Hillary induced, not Obama or Democrat enduced.
I don't think it will matter to the Obama campaign in the long run since he will likely hit the 2 million donor mark soon, and he will be well funded for the general, so the story here is again about Clinton's mismanagement of funds and abuse fo the donor base she had.
The readers here are obviously suffering from Clinton fatigue as well, but the obituaries on the Clinton campaign will certainly continue until there is some other major campaign news. That may not happen for weeks or months until VP candidates are named, so either don't read these posts folks or find some other hobby until August.
June 10, 2008 9:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Call the waaaaaaaaah-mbulance.
Please - "we're just tired." Oooh, sorry multi-millionaires that you're so tired. Nothing big's at stake here, so just make sure you get your beauty rest.
That is not just whining, it is offensive.
June 10, 2008 9:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
BOYCOTT TPM THREADS UNTIL THEY GET THE MESSAGE THAT SENATOR OBAMA WON THE NOMINATION.
June 10, 2008 9:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Liam, it's okay. This stuff is interesting to some of us, and certainly relevant. I don't agree with you on the bias issue, and more than that I don't think it does any good to harangue Greg.
June 10, 2008 10:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Here's a possible Obama post, and I bet you could work Hillary's name into the title:
Pollster Scott Rasmussen says that as of today, based on 3,000 automated telephone surveys over the past three nights, Obama gets support from 52% of the women in his national tracking poll compared with 40% for presumptive Republican nominee John McCain. He says that's better than Democrat John Kerry did with women against President Bush in 2004.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2008/06/are-women-shunn.html
June 10, 2008 10:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Scott attributes Obama's performance to unification within the Democratic Party over the past few days. "Before last Tuesday, Obama routinely earned around 70% of vote from Democrats," he tells us in an e-mail. "He's up to 81% today. Clearly the party has been coming together."
-I left this part off
June 10, 2008 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
So let me get this right, Alan... You make a non-starter investment and lose some money, so in turn you choose to wait or pass on a good investment that will advance your initial aim.
Yeah. Got it. Take a breather.
June 10, 2008 10:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Five threads in a row: The last two about Senator Clinton, and the previous three about Senator McCain.
BOYCOTT TPM THREADS UNTIL THEY GET THE MESSAGE THAT SENATOR OBAMA WON THE NOMINATION.
June 10, 2008 10:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
Tell you what Liam: Maybe you could do something similar to the Obama Troll Fund:
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/06/troll-fund-for-obama.php
Maybe contribute $1 or $5 to Obama for every Hillary thread on TPM Election Central?
It might help ease the frustration...
June 10, 2008 10:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
That Friday fundraiser in Philly is principally a party fundraiser, not an Obama fundraiser. $10,000 a head. I guess this would be a sign of folks like Kessler saying they intend to punish the party for not choosing Hillary.
June 10, 2008 10:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
I get the sense that for some diehard clinton people, the memo from the clinton bunker was don't cooperate with the obama campaign unless the clintons get the vp. The clintons in their fairy land think that this will apply pressure to obama. Some clinton people, like kessler, are following in lock step, while others want to get on the obama freight train.
Just look at his statement - "But it's just, we're tired. We just need some downtime to figure this all out." It sounds just like a clinton talking point or similar to what she said last tuesday in her "victory" speech. It's a real silly statement when you think about it.
June 10, 2008 10:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
TRANSLATION: I only know how to bundle corporate-sponsored PAC money and if the DNC & Obama ain't taking corporate whore/blood money anymore . . . I got nothing.
June 10, 2008 10:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
I was reading this morning on google news (couldn't get the WaPo, where the story is, to load,) that Clinton may have set a record for campaign debt.
June 10, 2008 10:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
With her campaign now officially suspended, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is confronting still another challenge: whittling down what is believed to be the largest presidential campaign debt in history.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/10/us/politics/10clinton.html?_r=1&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin
June 10, 2008 10:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh wow...so what does that mean? You hate her MORE than you did yesterday, Tena?
June 10, 2008 10:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
I have to say, and this from a long time Obama supporter, I think the criticism of Hillary Bias at TPM is misplaced.
We are less than a week into the transition from primary to general. And one of the MOST important stories going on now is going to be the success - or lack of it - of building party unity after a difficult loss for almost half the party.
What's so hard to understand about Hillary supporters needing a little down time before lining up behind the guy they wanted to beat for months or years?
And saying we don't need Clinton supporters or the wealthy or anyone else, is a WARNING of the kind of overconfidence that alienates people and loses elections.
Can't we ease up a bit on our allies and save the anger for more worthy targets? Lets not snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
June 10, 2008 10:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
Time to take a nap. When you wake up, no one will identify you as a major Clinton donor" anymore. No more embarrassing "L"s painted on your forehead.
Seriously. Take a nap.
June 10, 2008 10:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
I have a suggestion if they are so tired.
My puppy is often tired and because it is so hot here, he likes to sleep on the tile floor in the bathroom next to the toilet because it is the coolest place in the house.
Just a thought.
June 10, 2008 10:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
keep talking obamamites....
you just keep endearing them to your guy.
June 10, 2008 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, I'm sure their decisions are being driven by blog comments.
June 10, 2008 1:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
There really is nothing to figure out.
The Democratic Party has a nominee. His policies are on the same bag as Hillary's.
Either you want a Democratic President or a Republican President on 2009.
These people are obviously self-important!!
June 10, 2008 10:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Whatever. Fuckin' "downtime". Can you believe these people? You'd think someone died.
There are five months left in this race. Rest when it's over.
June 10, 2008 10:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly. I have an idea, why don't they just click on over to YouTube and re-watch the speech Obama gave to his HQ staffers and volunteers last weekend. Got me plenty motivated (and crying like a baby).
June 10, 2008 11:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sure. Give them some time to chill. In fairness, if any campaign would have induced burnout, it's Hillary's. But have 'em back up and running by mid-July at the latest.
June 10, 2008 11:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
Um, it's not like we're talking about field organizers who did the real campaign work 12 hours a day, seven days a week for however many months. These are wealthy fundraisers who risked, at most, blisters on their dialing fingers.
June 10, 2008 1:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, but the mental anguish! Especially from all the threats they had to make to Pelosi and Dean!
Seriously, I know what you're saying; I just think a light touch from the Obama side makes sense for the next week or two while they nurse their bruised egos.
June 10, 2008 2:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
My boss came to me today and said that the project that I had been working on was scuttled. Didn't seem to be going anywhere. Anyway, she wants me and my team to refocus on one that really seems to be taking off and will be a big seller, from all signs. I told her to back off. We're really tired and just need time to sit back, figure this thing out and see where things take us.
Turns out she didn't really like that answer and tomorrow I have to start looking for a new job.
June 10, 2008 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
What a bunch of big, fat babies. Obama took, what? Five minutes off?
If the Dems want to win in November, the Dems are going to need to work their asses off. No rest for you, babies! Crack! Get back to work!
June 10, 2008 11:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
What is there to figure out?
June 10, 2008 12:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
If Hillary *really* meant it.
I think her telecon yesterday encouraging her delegates to move over to Obama is helping that effort.
June 10, 2008 4:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
you know i am sick of these cry babies who threatens to vote for mccain or watch obama sink or swim just b/c obama supporters are not necessarily playing nice...it is this wimpy, cry baby, blame the world, take no responsibility attitude, let someone else dictate your morals and standing on issues that cost your candidated the nomination.
go ahead and plow forward with your folly...obama has been a stellar candidate...your candidate was not and for all negative things obama supporters may say on the blogs, the venom was ten times more poisonous from the hrc camp, be it her surrogates or her supporters..stop the whining and stop the threats...vote your conscious or your cry baby feelings since they were successful in winning the ticket for your candidate, i am sure the same empty strategy will win mccain this election...NOT!
jump on the express train to winning the w/house or choose the wrong candidate and reap what you sow...either way, we are hurting ourselves more than we could possibly punish obama....in his own words, his children are privileged.this fight is for us, the local people...throw away b/c your feelings are bruised...
if you think you are making hrc look any better for the vp slot, you are not...try another tactic....
June 10, 2008 12:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
To me, this is yet more indication of how self-deluded some of these backers were. Did they not even HAVE a Plan B?
I hope they learn how to power nap. Quickly.
June 10, 2008 12:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Downtime = Strong-arm Hillary for VP or we take our ball home.
June 10, 2008 12:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
i am a woman and it is all this cry baby mess...i should be treated with kid gloves..give me time to rest...i am so exhausted so i misspeak, i should weep everytime the going gets rough, blame the world, not me...everyone is against me b/c i am the weaker sex, but oh, i am equally strong when it suits me....it is this kind of mess that had me so disenchanted with the candidate who is no longer in the run for the nomination..it is the same attitude that has paralyzed her donors..
could you imagine such fatigued people having to take a 3am call?????god be with us all! too tired to do what is right? especially b/c so much was wasted doing the wrong thing.....you would think the DEMS would finally develop some backbone and go about this thing in a way to win it....
unity my big fat toe...fla dems are a disgrace..they afraid that obama's melanin may stain them...and now these buffoons are too tired...do the right thing and rest later..no one is asking you to start praising obama..it is understand that you need time to get used to the idea, but you do not need time to write a darn check period!!!!
hrc took forever and a day to acknowledge her defeat and as nice as her speech was, it will always be remembered that she was days late period!!! and now these people with their fatigue issues just made me blow a few fuses...
June 10, 2008 12:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
sorry about the typos....cannot edit on this thing....
June 10, 2008 12:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm one of those people who supported Bill back in the 90's (I even worked for him, answering his mail on the transition team in 92), but I supported Obama this time around, volunteering in CA.
I'm fine with the Clinton people taking a breather. I was originally bummed that Hillary didn't endorse Obama last Tuesday, but I think the few days between then and Saturday was well-spent. I liked her speech on Saturday, I was glad she devoted an entire speech to endorsing Obama. I was also impressed that she did so from a position of strength; I think that will help her supporters make the transition.
I can remember, at certain points over the course of this primary season, being very depressed at the prospect of Obama losing. I'm sure Hillary fundraisers put their heart and soul into working for her, so I can understand that they need some time. I would vote for Hillary over McCain in a heartbeat, but in terms of actually supporting her, that would take some time.
It's a minor and understandable request. We have time before November.
June 10, 2008 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Clarifying my last post:
If the positions were reversed, and Hillary had won, I'm sure I would have needed time to actively support her, so I can understand where Hillary supporters are coming from.
June 10, 2008 1:51 PM | Reply | Permalink