Obama Camp's Memo on Clintons' Politicizing Race

[rodeodance]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/01/12/obama-camps-memo-on-clin_n_81205.html

…….The Obama camp did not return repeated requests for comment. But campaign spokesperson Candice Tolliver told Politico that, in regards to the race-based comment: "Folks are beginning to wonder: Is this really an isolated situation or is there something bigger behind all of this?"………..

Obama Camp's Memo on Clintons' Politicizing Race

January 12, 2008 01:15 PM

Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign has prepared a detailed memo listing various instances in which it perceived Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign to have deliberately played the race card in the Democratic primary.

The memo, which was obtained by the Huffington Post and has been made public elsewhere, is believed to have been given to an activist and contains mostly excerpts from different media reports. It lists the contact info and name of Obama's South Carolina press secretary, Amaya Smith, and is broken down into five incidents in which either Clinton, her husband Bill, or campaign surrogates made comments that could be interpreted as racially insensitive.

The document provides an indication that, in private, the Obama campaign is seeking to capitalize on the view - and push the narrative - that the Clintons are using race-related issues for political leverage. In public, the Obama campaign has denied that they are trying to propagate such a perception, noting that the document never was sent to the press.
.........

[Buzz Clik]

1. Christ. This is the 2000 GOP race all over again:

The Clinton camp says something hideous, Obama reacts, the Clinton camp blames Obama.

We'll see is this works or not.

[Azathoth]

2. It's a standard GOP tactic

The GOP has been doing this for years. They use code language and seemingly offhanded remarks to drag the topic of race into the political debate, and when the Democrats draw attention to their tactics and condemn them, the GOP responds by hysterically denouncing the Democrats for playing the "race card."

[Bullet1987]

3. It's exactly the way Clinton supporters are acting on this site...

as if it's Obama's fault that the Clinton campaign is saying this stuff.

[emilyg]

4. Thank you for grouping us.

[creeksneakers2]

11. Its Obama's supporters' fault

They are twisting what the Clintons said. It say in the article linked to that Obama doesn't condone efforts to make Clintons look like they are trying to make race an issue. That makes sense. If the election becomes a racial thing everybody loses.

[ronnykmarshall]

6. ..

wrong post

[OHdem10]

5. M. Eric Dyson went and MSNBC and CNN acrtually left no

doubt that he considered Clinton's racist. The day of NH Results.
CNN, Anderson Cooper 360. He represented the Obama Campaign
on MSNBC onHard ball often. This was the start of the RACE
CARD.

Having said that, more harm than good will come of all this if
we do not drop it and move on.

No sane person believes the Clinton's are racists. It looks
lacking in credibilty to call them thus.

[goclark]

9. I'm sane mt

[Barack_America]

7. Or how they are planning on DEFENDING themselves against the narrative.

"The document provides an indication that, in private, the Obama campaign is seeking to capitalize on the view - and push the narrative - that the Clintons are using race-related issues for political leverage."

This is their interpretation. It is NOT fact. There are other interpretations.

Use your brain. Interpret what you read. Try to see the other side of the issue before you make up your mind. Don't be a sheep.

"The Obama camp did not return repeated requests for comment."

This statement, for example, contradicts their eventual conclusion. This statement suggest, pretty clearly, that the Obama campaign is trying to stay out of this. But should people in their campaign know about the incidents in question so that they aren't caught off-guard if asked about them? Absolutely. Just because a memo is sent out detailing what the hubbub is all about, does NOT signify a desire to act on them.

[Cameron27]

8. K&R

[smoogatz]

10. "It's terrible, but my hillbilly neighbor would NEVER vote for

a b-b-b-b-black man! It's deplorable and horrible, but that's the way it is and I'm VERY concerned that if Obama gets the nom, it'll be eight years of President Huckleberry!"

The usual racist bullshit, brought to you by Hillary and Edwards supporters on a daily basis, right here on DU.

[snagglepuss]

12. If this is the case why does Maya Angelou continue her unwavering support of Hillary?

Is she a dupe?? The camp politicizing race is Obama's. I don't support Hillary but it seems to me if Hillary were guilty of the offenses stated in the article Maya wouldn't be in her camp.

[sniffa]

13. dupe

cali Donating Member (1000+ posts) Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list Sun Jan-13-08 02:20 PM
Response to Reply #12
15. Why should I explain it? What on earth is your point?

People I admire and people I don't have endorsed all the candidates. That's entirely their right and I have never once criticized any individual for choosing to endorse a candidate, or criticized any candidate who is endorsed by someone I have little regard for.

I don't like the way Clinton is running her campaign. It's that simple. I've said repeatedly that I'll vote for her if she's the candidate, and I can't imagine any circumstance that would change that, but Maya Angelou's endorsement means absolutely nothing to me one way or another.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4051661#4052960