Obama backers: Beware Clinton’s wrath
There was a palpable sense of fear and dread at a recent Obama fund raiser: What will Hillary do to us if she wins?
“The Clintons have made it very clear that, in the political world, no dalliances are allowed. There is zero tolerance for that,” Huffington laughed. “It’s sheer loyalty versus sheer fear.”
And it’s reinforced, she said by the “constant e-mails being sent out about the senator’s poll numbers, along with the implication that ‘if you give any money to anybody else, you’re on the outs.’ And that when she is the nominee, and when she’s the president, she will remember.”
A veteran California Democratic campaign strategist — speaking only on condition of anonymity because of clients he represents — agreed.
The message from the Clinton campaign, particularly its chairman,
Terry McAuliffe , has been blunt, the strategist said, “that you’re with us or against us. This isn’t one of those races that you can max out (in contributions) to all the candidates. The message from Team Hillary is: We’re ahead, we’re going to be the nominee — and we will remember who our friends are.”
I’ve always thought that the only real difference between the Clintons and Richard Nixon was that Bill Clinton had charm. One similarity is that no matter how much dirt comes out abut the Clintons or Nixon, their true-blue supporters will find some reason to excuse the behavior.
If Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic nomination, it will be because she will have been able to convince the Democrats that she’s going to win anyway, and if you know what’s good for you, you better get in her good graces, pronto. Which makes the difference between
UPDATE: For those who weren’t following, Clinton and Obama have been trading accusations of mudslinging following publication of Hollywood producer David Geffen’s very critical comments of Clinton:
Analysis remains mixed on who won this fight. The New York Times concludes, “When it came to tallying the final score on the most intense engagement so far in the 2008 presidential race, even Mr. Obama, the junior senator from Illinois, seemed to acknowledge that he may have been outmaneuvered.” An AP analysis piece says the “Hollywood-style brawl” is just “the latest in a series of speed bumps tripping up Hillary Rodham Clinton’s early presidential moves. From the Clinton team’s decision to criticize — and therefore publicize — producer David Geffen’s complaints about both Clintons to increasingly skeptical questions about Sen. Clinton’s nuanced explanation of her 2002 vote authorizing the Iraq war, it became apparent even a battle-tested front-runner can fall prey to missteps.”
I agree with one of my commenters. It makes Obama look strong. He’s not afraid to punch back. I think that’s what some would-be backers have been waiting for. Clinton is the early front runner for the party nomination. But her backing is week, as many are worried she lacks the charm or charisma to win in November 2008. If Obama looks like he could be a winner, look for the rats to jump a sinking Clinton campaign.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
I think the Clintons have come to deeply admire George W. for his ability to flaunt the law and the Constitution. You don’t hear much about impeachment and with good reason . I think the Clinton’s figure they can get away with the same bs. All this talk about not attacking Iran…. What odds are you willing to settle on that if Bush doesn’t do it first that Hillary will? Hillary will be under immense pressure to establish that as a woman she isn’t some softy to international conflict. She is going to want to establish her ‘Thatcher’ credentials early on. She isn’t going to want to dispense with some tools in the box by being overly critical of Bush’s methods in a way that could be binding to them.
The powers of the presidency depend on precedent. I shutter to think about someone as shallow and focused on power as Hillary Clinton coming into office now that W has spent six years using the U.S. Constitution like so much toilet paper. The GOP spent the last eight years apologizing for W. I don’t agree with Obama on much, but I don’t see him as someone willing to abuse the Constitution to promote his agenda.
I’ll bet you $1000 that Obama, if elected, will instutute or at least support the passage of gun control measures. Last time I check, banning firearms is a violation of my constitutional rights. He has stated on several ocassions that he does not feel the general public should be allowed to posess firearms, of any type. He thinks that only the Police and Military should have guns….Come to think of it, Adolph hitler felt the same way.
I hear you, and this is a big concern of mine. But I don’t see any president being able to decree gun control measures into being. Yes, I know President Obama would have power to appoint judges, prosecutors, etc. who will no doubt share his views. But I nevertheless feel Obama is not going to overstep his Constitutional powers, has Bush has constantly.
This isn’t that bad. Why? Some were hesitant to back Obama because they thought that he might be “too nice” to be a successful politician.
He has hit back and hit back HARD, and that has really energized folks who might have been “on the fence” about him.
In short, he is proving his mettle by standing up to HRC.
Right now – and hey, we are what, 21 months away from it still – but I don’t feel good about ANY candidate from EITHER party right now.
The Hillary camp is shady government, and it has already influenced many bad judgements and manipulated trust across the board, going back the Whitewater-they can’t be trusted. Obama is young and fresh, but lacks experience and confidence, and overall solutions to existing problems. Its the regular dog and pony show with alot of talking, and nothing in form of solutions. If Obama wants to remove guns from the citizens hands he will not win. Hillary is not going to win either, thats my opinion, anyway.
During his campaign for Senate Obama did say he wants a federal law outlawing conceal carry everywhere, including the 40 some states that allow some form of it. He also wants more restrictions on hand-guns more similar to what he we have in Chicago. With the Dem majorities, I bet he’ll get something on that done.
I’m kind of hoping Hillary and Obama beat each other up so bad that Richardson comes out the nominee. If I have to get stuck with a Democrat, I’d much prefer him.
RE: Jeff Trigg- Yes, hopefully we don’t get stuck with either of them. We shoudn’t have to…I still think Rudy G. is going to win the election, but we will see.
Bill Richardson is the sleeper candidate. I am right-ward leaning and I would vote for him before some of the Rep. candidates. I think more conservatives will vote for him than for Rudy G. Rudy G. and John M. are RINOs (Republicans in Name Only), and I do not think they will get that much support. I think Immigration is going to be a bigger isssue than these folks are making it out to be….Thats where candidates like Tancredo and Richardson, will offer solutions as opposed to fluff.
“The Hillary camp is shady government” ? “Can’t be trusted”
These are amazing quotes. What? Is someone afraid the if elected Clinton will have a PMS moment and invade the wrong country? That chimp we have in office now has done that already. Talk of “Whitewater” That was spurned by the religious right. Has your memory gone bad? Remember when Jerry Farewell was touting the video tape that proved the Clinton’s were murders? My God folks, the “Right” spent over $51 million from the moment Bill Clinton was sworn in trying to discredit him and his wife. You know the old saying; “If you tell a lie long enough, People will start to believe it.” Well that is what happened.
Hillary Clinton doesn’t need time, if elected, to have a “Thatcther” moment. It is doubtful she’ll invade a country just to show she has balls. She’ll have her hands full trying to clean up the mess Bush has gotten us into and you can bet the Right will blame her for every bit of it. To the gun nuts, nobody, Obama included, is going to take your guns away. Everytime a democrat is running or in office, that is the first thing out of your mouths. “My guns, my guns!” You will still be able to keep your sub machine guns for squirrel hunting. You guys have to stop believing everything that spews out of Limbaugh’s mouth. That’s all the gun people cried the whole 8 years Bill Clinton was in office. In fact, if anyone has erroded your constitutional rights, it has been your pal George Bush and his administration via the Homeland Security Act. Bush has treated our constitution like toliet paper. Where is the uproar over that? How come we don’t hear Impeachment? Trash our rights, nothing happens because my God we don’t want a terrorist blowing up our SUV in Dunlap, but the President gets a blowjob and we impeach him.
Look at your good friend on the Right, FOX News. All they can discuss all this week is where the decomposing body of Anna Nicole Smith is going to be buried. That is all any of the news stations can show. For Christ’s sake, that is what is wrong with this country, people can’t or won’t think for themselves.
Meanwhile Cheney, Bush, Rove and their buddies are getting rich, and have been, on the backs of our stupidity and on the backs of our servicemen and women. To me, that is a far bigger crime than any blowjob in office. These guys should be in prison for selling all of us down the drain.
Believe it or not, I like Richardson too; I wonder if he has the “charisma” to raise enough money. But he is a two term governor who has spent 15 years in Congress and served as Clinton’s energy secretary, and has had international experience in negotiation.
On the Republic Party side, I think that Hagel’s war stance might help him, and Brownback is a respected, intelligent social conservative who could win the general election.
Hillary Learned Political Hardball from Her Enemies…
I ran into this post from PeoriaPundit.com warning Obama Backers: Beware Hillary’s Wrath and was amused at how little of the Clinton history some journalists really know. This particular blogger compared Hillary’s tactics to Nixon’s….
I have to say, that I could not agree with you in 100% regarding s wrath | Peoria Pundits, but it’s just my opinion, which could be wrong