Oh-eight (D): More donor problems?

Posted: Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:07 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Democrats

CLINTON: Here's a New York Times byline that has to scare the Clinton campaign: Don Van Natta Jr. His piece alleges a cozy relationship involving Bill Clinton may have been used by a Canadian mining financier to help secure a contract in Kazakhstan. The key graph: "Just months after the Kazakh pact was finalized, Mr. Clinton's charitable foundation received its own windfall: a $31.3 million donation from Mr. Giustra that had remained a secret until he acknowledged it last month. The gift, combined with Mr. Giustra's more recent and public pledge to give the William J. Clinton Foundation an additional $100 million, secured Mr. Giustra a place in Mr. Clinton's inner circle, an exclusive club of wealthy entrepreneurs in which friendship with the former president has its privileges.”

The campaign unveiled plans for a live web video-based town hall meeting on Feb. 4. From the campaign: "We believe it will be the first time in presidential campaign history that voters in the Super Tuesday states will have their voices heard in a single national town hall. The event, called ‘Voices Across America: A National Town Hall’ will be simulcast starting at 9 p.m. EST on hillaryclinton.com. The 22 cities where the campaign will host events are Birmingham, AL; Phoenix, AZ; Little Rock, AR; Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; Denver, CO; Hartford, CT; Wilmington, DE; Athens, GA; Boise, ID; Chicago, IL; Wichita, KS; Boston, MA; St. Paul, MN; Kansas City, MO; Cherry Hill, NJ; Albuquerque, NM; New York, NY; Grand Forks, ND; Tulsa, OK; Knoxville, TN; Salt Lake City, UT.

EDWARDS: The Boston Globe covers Edwards’ exit from the race. “Although his angry populism enthralled crowds, and he had at times seemed on the verge of catching fire, Edwards failed to win any of the early state contests and had been written off by most political observers weeks ago. He came in second in Iowa, narrowly beating Clinton, but his distant third-place finish Saturday in South Carolina, where he was born and where he won the 2004 primary, was crushing.”

“Still, Edwards's announcement came as a surprise because he had declared this week that he would stay in the race through the Democratic convention. Not only did he seem to have the stomach for a long fight, but he had the potential to play kingmaker if Clinton and Obama remain neck-and-neck in the race for delegates.”

NBC/NJ's Tricia Miller cobbled together a list of some of Edwards' key support that's now up for grabs. On the superdelegate front:
Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa)
Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-N.C.)
Rep. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin (D-S.D.)
Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (D-Texas)
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas)
Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.)
Rep. Mike Michaud (D-Maine)
Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.)
Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.)
Rep. David Obey (D-Wis.)
Rep. David Price (D-N.C.)
Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.)
Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.)
Rep. Mel Watt (D-N.C.)

Key Unions: Carpenters, Steelworkers, and SEIU state councils in California, Idaho, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, and West Virginia. The other big gets with Edwards are his core trial lawyer fundraising bundlers. With both Obama and Clinton in desperate need for new donors, these folks may be the most sought-after in the short term than either the superdelegate supporters of Edwards or the unions.

The Washington Post has a few donor switchers on record already. "One of Obama's California organizers was the first to reach Deborah Rappaport, a San Francisco philanthropist who a month ago put $25,000 into an independent expenditure effort for Edwards. She told the Obama aide that she already had plans to attend a fundraiser this week for Obama, the candidate who would now ‘get my wholehearted support.’ Florida trial lawyer Mitchell Berger, who helped raise money for Al Gore and solicited contributions for Edwards in both the 2004 and 2008 campaigns, said he, too, will be joining Obama. ‘That's where I will be,’ Berger said. ‘The reason? John Edwards and Barack Obama completely agree on the institutional problems that exist in Washington.’”

“Others said they were more inclined to get behind Clinton. Joseph J. ‘Jerry’ McKernan, a Baton Rouge trial lawyer, said he thinks Obama is ‘just a very big flash in the pan right now.’”

Dangling his endorsement has a possible reward, Edwards got both his former chief rivals -- Clinton and Obama -- to pledge to make poverty a key part of their campaigns.

OBAMA: California Rep. Anna Eshoo (D) has endorsed Obama.

So was Ted Kennedy's decision to endorse Obama aided by the Clintons' praise of LBJ -- and not JFK -- for the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act? Some are whispering that.

We're confused: what happened to the News Corp/Rupert Murdoch/Clinton conspiracy theory? Murdoch's New York Post endorses Obama. The editorial, though, is more anti-Clinton than pro-Obama.

The Chicago Tribune's Zorn makes a good point about Rezko and Obama: The Obama folks could have put an end to this story much earlier had the returned all of this money sooner.

MoveOn is holding a virtual primary today to decide whom to endorse: Clinton or Obama. Isn't this Obama's endorsement to lose? Notes The Nation's Melber: "[I]f MoveOn does manage to unite ‘as a progressive community around one of these candidates,’ as Executive Director Eli Pariser explains in a new e-mail, its activists could play a pivotal role in this race. There are over a million and half MoveOn voters in Super Tuesday states. The group boasts 575,000 web activists in California alone--about 9 percent of turnout for the state's 2004 presidential primary."

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Comments

CLINTON: Here's a New York Times byline that has to scare the Clinton campaign: Don Van Natta Jr. His piece alleges a cozy relationship involving Bill Clinton may have been used by a Canadian mining financier to help secure a contract in Kazakhstan. The key graph: "Just months after the Kazakh pact was finalized, Mr. Clinton's charitable foundation received its own windfall: a $31.3 million donation from Mr. Giustra that had remained a secret until he acknowledged it last month. The gift, combined with Mr. Giustra's more recent and public pledge to give the William J. Clinton Foundation an additional $100 million, secured Mr. Giustra a place in Mr. Clinton's inner circle, an exclusive club of wealthy entrepreneurs in which friendship with the former president has its privileges.”

This is why Clinton can not win the general. There is far, far, far more scandal to come. Sorry Clinton supporters, Rezko doesn't even come close to the amount of very questionable money being given to the Clintons since Bill left office.

Hillary can't compete with McCain on policy, and they'll tear her apart on the scandals and dirty money.

BL, Cincinnati OH (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:22 AM)

What about those WalMart shareholder meeting tapes reported on ABC this morning. Why is MSNBC news not up-to-date on this? I would like to get this blog's analysis of this.

James, Wichita, KS (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:37 AM)

My comment regarding Bill Clinton's Foundation donor, whatever his name is, I could not really tell what the New York Times article was implying and I read it twice trying to understand it.
It is no secret that Bill Clinton has the Clinton Foundation and holds public Forums to raise donations for it. Very rich people from all over the world contribute huge sums of money to it. The money is accounted for and is not Clintons Money. It is his foundation established to help the poor and sick impoverished people around the world. Warren Buffett and Bill Gates are also associated with the Clinton Foundation however they also have their joint Foundation.

What will you people dig up next - absolutely disgusting.
Go get the truth out about Obama and Rezco, that guy has been Obama's buddy for 20 years and there has been a lot of underhanded stuff going on there and Rezco is in jail right now with Obama referred to in the indictment, so investigate that and get the truth out about all of the crooked stuff Obama was involved in right here in America. Not to mention Obama's ties to the "Nation of Islam" So he says he's not a muslim, well his "racist" black church supports Louis Farrakhan and has honored him with an award in December 2007 and also Rezco is a member of the Nation of Islam.
Bill Clinton will continue his work in his Foundation and he will get donations from very rich people all over the world to further his cause, so go peddle your stupid story somewhere else.
This is just ridiculous. What next.

Lynne, LR,Ar (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:41 AM)

31.3 million dollars is a lot of money by any standard. I'm curious where all that money went.

Non-profit agencies must account for their spending. This is how they maintain their non-taxable status. There is assuredly a good story here.

sg, michigan (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:43 AM)

"The Chicago Tribune's Zorn makes a good point about Rezko and Obama: The Obama folks could have put an end to this story much earlier had the returned all of this money sooner. "
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
In order to return money, you have to know you have it. Apparently, the money that is being returned now was donated by people associated with Mr. Rezko - so it takes time for these additional donations to be located. Not nearly as nefarious as some would make it seem.

Nashville_fan (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:48 AM)

melissa (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:48 AM)

There could be a tax evasion angle to the Clinton donation scandal as well since the IRS prohibits deduction of a charitable contribution where there is a "financial or economic benefit as a result of making a contribution." There may also be something with the fact that Bill Clinton provided services and received a benefit (if not direct income) and did not pay tax on that benefit. Someone with more tax knowledge then I should look into this.

George, N.Y. (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:49 AM)

OOOOOOOOH NO! This ain't good Bil & Hil.. The full story says Hil actually pushed the hardest to squash the deal in which gave Bill's cronie this contract...

Agree w BL, this is absolutely why a Clinton can't win.. Their running on the past and too much baggage..

The vote is clear. OBAMA, OBAMA!!

JB, Los Angeles, CA (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:55 AM)

"FATIGUED ALREADY"

An Ex-President, a Mining Deal and a Big Donor--

Both Mr. Clinton and Mr. Giustra at first denied that any such meeting occurred. Mr. Giustra also denied ever arranging for Kazakh officials to meet with Mr. Clinton. Wednesday, after The Times told them that others said a meeting, in Mr. Clinton's home, had in fact taken place, both men acknowledged it.
--
http://mobile.nytimes.com/article;jsessionid=12CF6008868E3B658A3A124C610C599A.w5?a=137499&f=19&single=1

Marbw (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:56 AM)

He who lives in a glass house must never throw a stone. Clinton threw her stone on Rezko and she must pay for it squarely. The Clintons are not clean and shouldn't be allow to win this election.

There are more scandals on the way...

Bee, (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:57 AM)

Clintonistas,
Do you really want to scream about Rezko? The mud in the Clinton's closest is amazing.

I'm just saying (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:59 AM)

Certain people on these blogs can scream and yell about Obama and Rezko, but you put in Van Natta, Norman Hsu, Mauricio Celis, The billionaire from new York that tried to buy an earmark from Hillary Clinton, the guy from INFOUSA who had Bill Clinton on his payroll; a company that sold lists to crooks to clean out the bank accounts of Alzheimers patients.....Hillary Clinton is the pacific Ocean of sleaze compared to Obama and his Lake Michigan problems.

I'm sure more stories about how sleazy the Clinton's are will be coming out sooner then later.

Mr. Nazarbayev walked away from the table with a propaganda coup, after Mr. Clinton expressed enthusiastic support for the Kazakh leader's bid to head an international organization that monitors elections and supports democracy. Mr. Clinton's public declaration undercut both American foreign policy and sharp criticism of Kazakhstan's poor human rights record by, among others, Mr. Clinton's wife, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York.

Nothing that the almighty dollar can't fix. Bet Hillary must be upping her Rolaids take every time a story about Bill and his sleazy business world comes out to play.

Just months after the Kazakh pact was finalized, Mr. Clinton's charitable foundation received its own windfall: a $31.3 million donation from Mr. Giustra that had remained a secret until he acknowledged it last month. The gift, combined with Mr. Giustra's more recent and public pledge to give the William J. Clinton Foundation an additional $100 million, secured Mr. Giustra a place in Mr. Clinton's inner circle, an exclusive club of wealthy entrepreneurs in which friendship with the former president has its privileges.

Just like the Lincoln bedroom, the Clinton's motto:

IT'S MONEY THAT MATTERS.....

Mr. Clinton has vowed to continue raising money for his foundation if Mrs. Clinton is elected president, maintaining his connections with a wide network of philanthropic partners.

Ahhhhh.....
More chances of people bribing the Clinton's in the White House.....

Records show that Mr. Giustra donated the $31.3 million to the Clinton Foundation in the months that followed in 2006, but neither he nor a spokesman for Mr. Clinton would say exactly when.

Haven't you people learned by now?
Never ask a Clinton for paperwork, that is why they are looked at as so dishonest....

Both Mr. Clinton and Mr. Giustra at first denied that any such meeting occurred. Mr. Giustra also denied ever arranging for Kazakh officials to meet with Mr. Clinton. Wednesday, after The Times told them that others said a meeting, in Mr. Clinton's home, had in fact taken place, both men acknowledged it.

Ahhhhh, caught Bill Clinton at a lie...
But of course this is not the first time that has happened.
Was Hillary at this meeting?

I have never seen a President that lies with such boldness and not caring what the public thinks about them as the Clinton's.

And the funny thing, people are gullible enough to want them back in the White House.

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:08 AM)

Let's hear more about Rezko!

Martin (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:09 AM)

As far as I am concerned,

HILLARY CLINTON = RALPH NADER

for the democrats. It's unfortunate that the democrats are about to vote for a spoiler in Hillary Clinton simply because she cannot win the general election. You Hillary-lovers, STOP !! THINK !!

Anyway, I have concluded it's going to be another 4yrs for Republicans.

Lekan Patrick, MD (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:09 AM)

The interesting thing is that Bill was praising the govt of Kazakhstan at the same time the mining deal was reached while Hillary and others in the government were critical of its government for their plethora of human rights violations.

chuck (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:15 AM)

I'm disgusted by the arrogance of both Clintons.. Americs is fatigggggued with them. This will only be the beginning of a tonnnn of dirt that will surface if HRC gets the nod..

We the people do not deserve to go through this.. We need our issues heard and to be inspired..

OBAMA has got the get the nod for the Dems or we are in serious trouble w/ ol HRC vs ol McCain.. Back to the same politics.. It's sickening to me..

Terry, Indianapolis IN (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:17 AM)

Billary, Billary, Billary. What did you promise this guy? The Clinton's politics are soooo dirty! The republicans are lying in wait to destory the Clinton's. Are only chance to take back the White House is with someone that brings everyone togeher.
A unifier! A great man with a vision. Barack Obama!

No Clinton Dynasty! (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:20 AM)

To: sg, michigan (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:43 AM)

Non of your Business, but its all in the public record. WOW!

URdumb, California (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:23 AM)

How fun. Hillary, please bring up Rezko again tonight. I can't wait for the comeback this time.

Billy, Normal, IL (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:24 AM)

Why don't you read the story and you would see, Hillary didn't agree or meet with them. She didn't except money from them. She also didn't agree with him over NAFTA but no seems to report this or make an
issue of the fact, like every other american couple they don't always agree. She does not work for him, she can compete with McCain on policy. Since the have co-sponcered bills together. She also for the record has crossed over and worked with Lindsey Graham, and other republicans. Check your facts. And slinging old shit just gets tiresome and boring. Move on attack so one else.
melissa (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:48 AM)

So is it 2 for 1 or not? Oh, thats right, its 2 for 1 when it benefits her to imply that. But its just her when Bill's bad things come up. Sorry, you can't have it both ways.

_________

What will you people dig up next - absolutely disgusting.
Go get the truth out about Obama and Rezco, that guy has been Obama's buddy for 20 years and there has been a lot of underhanded stuff going on there and Rezco is in jail right now with Obama referred to in the indictment, so investigate that and get the truth out about all of the crooked stuff Obama was involved in right here in America. Not to mention Obama's ties to the "Nation of Islam" So he says he's not a muslim, well his "racist" black church supports Louis Farrakhan and has honored him with an award in December 2007 and also Rezco is a member of the Nation of Islam.
Bill Clinton will continue his work in his Foundation and he will get donations from very rich people all over the world to further his cause, so go peddle your stupid story somewhere else.
This is just ridiculous. What next.

Lynne, LR,Ar (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:41 AM)

Truth hurt about the Clintons? Clearly it does. Otherwise you wouldn't be spreading lies to support your candidate.

BL, Cincinnati OH (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:24 AM)

Rezko = One bad decision Obama made and said it was "boneheaded". Nothing illegal was found about this land deal.

Clinton = Whitewater, Norman Hsu, Monica L., the other sex scandals, the Pardons for donation for the Clinton Library, and NOW THIS??? I don't know you people see here, but I see a clear pattern.

If Hillary gets this nomination, the Democrats will have just given the Republicans a MISSILE (not a gun) in a knife fight.

Does anyone want to challenge me on this?

VL North Carolina (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:27 AM)

There's going to be alot of buyer's remorse on the Dem side if Hillary is the nominee. Not only is there the old dirt, there is all the new dirt since Bill left office. The Republicans are just biding their time. Browse any right-wing site and you can see the anticipation to go after the Clintons again.

There is no comparison to them and anything Obama has done. Actually that's one great thing about Obama's youth. Alot less scandals to defend.

AP from IL (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:28 AM)

It just doesn't end, does it?

The Clintons have so much baggage they need a caravan to haul it.

Bill Johnson, Anaconda, Montana (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:30 AM)

Hillary and Barack = STATUS QUO
HILLARY: Lobbists and Big Coporations (100M)
BARACK: Have the support of the "OLD GUARD" AKA kennedy, kerry and PAC'S (100M)
Where's THE change?..PURE WISHFUL THINKING
TSK TSK TSK ON THE YOUTH VOTE...YOU'LL LEARN SOMEDAY.
IT'S POLITICS, KIDDOS, IT'S ALL SMOKES AND MIRRORS.

Brando, NY (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:34 AM)

Not to mention Obama's ties to the "Nation of Islam" So he says he's not a muslim, well his "racist" black church supports Louis Farrakhan and has honored him with an award in December 2007 and also Rezco is a member of the Nation of Islam.
Bill Clinton will continue his work in his Foundation and he will get donations from very rich people all over the world to further his cause, so go peddle your stupid story somewhere else.
This is just ridiculous. What next.

Lynne, LR,Ar (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:41 AM)

Lynne: If you don't want to Vote for Obama - don't vote for him. The racial Slurs are not necessary and they are not moving me in the direction of your candidate.....

Independent in CA (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:36 AM)

Does anyone want to challenge me on this?
VL North Carolina (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:27 AM)

No VL - you are 110% Correct - It would be a blood bath! :)

Independent in CA (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:38 AM)

Will the Democratic Congress investigate? Waxman is already putting together a bill for more scrutiny of presidential libraries so its an obvious angle to look at Clinton getting $31 million right after helping his pal get a deal that made the pal $3 billion in 2 years.

If she is the nominee, she could be running for president as her husband is fighting Congressional a subpoena for his records and testimony.

Karen Tamih, Raritan, NJ (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:43 AM)

....and on another story MSNBC is very conveniently not reporting on how Minister Louis Farrakahn and people of Nation of Islam fundling money through Barack Husseins spiritual Adviser J wright and his church for barack Hussein Obamas campiagn. too much hard work to do right, I guess

david the black man (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:45 AM)

My comment regarding Bill Clinton's Foundation donor, whatever his name is, I could not really tell what the New York Times article was implying and I read it twice trying to understand it.

Lynne, LR,Ar (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:41 AM

This is the Typical Hillary supporter & you wonder why the MSM calls them UNEDUCATED.

Rick,ky (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:46 AM)

Whats this got to do with Hillary? This is just dig up some dirt and see if it sticks kind of tactic. I cannot believe there are some out there who are willing to believe anything that is posted in media. She did not receive any money nor did president Clinton. I have given money to his foundation so has Bill Gates and warren buffet. Make everybody crook because they donated to some charitable cause. There are some like Jerry no matter what it is they will find some poop to throw on HRC. This is just a hit piece written as if Clintons has done something wrong. I am not sure how much Obama and Kennedy paid these reporters to write this shit.

B, Atlanta (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:47 AM)

Independent of CA - The truth really hurts doesn't it.
It is a proven fact that Obama is a member of a "racist" black church who supports Louis Farrakhan.
who is a member of the Nation of Islam as is his buddy Rezco. That is a situation that Obama created, don't call me racist.
It appears you are the one that is racist and my candidate is a christian lady who is a Methodist as am I. No I do not approve of Obama's church or the Nation of Islam and I am certain many jews and other groups don't approve of the Nation of Islam, not to mention the families of the 911 Victims.

Lynne, LR, Ar (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:52 AM)

Money and power, power and money. Isn't this what we're trying to separate from the government. This Khazak deal is on a scale that dwarfs other known scandals nipping at the Clintons' heals and I think that this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Bill Clinton, the ex-president, runs a mega consulting firm and 'the foundation' which admittedly does a lot good work, acts as a cloak in order to sequester hundreds of millions of dollars, to avoid taxes. Acting in the role of the ex-president, he was like a poor kid in a candy store, when nobody was looking. The thing I don't understand is how he could think that all of these actions would go on without scrutiny during his wife's run for the presidency.

This is not to say that Hillary is directly involved in these transactions but do we really want these people back in the White House? If you Hillary people so loved the nineties, this potential Clinton White House (if the Republicans don't bash them with all of this before November) will be the nirvana of scandal.

This is why Hillary can't possibly be the candidate of change. She is too tied-in to her husband's (and who knows? her own?) financial interests to act as an honest broker as president. This is so important.
If the office of the presidency is hampered by the financial interests of the occupiers of the Oval Office then our democracy is in peril.

Sad to say, this is what so many us have been crying about since the onset of this campaign. We want a new type of government in Washington. (Just watch Judy Holiday in the movie 'Born Yesterday'- guess what, Bill?... most of us weren't).

Maybe enough people out there will finally begin to listen so that we can finally have a government that works with the people as the primary movers and benificiaries.

Obama represents the change that we need. I hope that John Edwards recognizes this and comes forth with his endorsement in short order. Al, where are you?
(By the way, I was way off base about the guvenator).
Obama '08

Mitchell Feldman, Vestal, NY (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:56 AM)

I think it's funny that the only "scandal" the Clinton supporters can come up with on Obama is Rezko, the non-scandal and are completely blinded when you present them with -
Vince Foster
Monica, Paula & Gennifer (and probably more)
Walmart anti-union
Saudi money
Whitewater
Norman Hsu
and many too numerous to mention

If Hills is President, don't plan on anything getting done, she will be to busy trying to explain away scandal after scandal after scandal....

Of course you'll still be defending poor, defenseless Hillary, victim of a vast right-wing conspiracy.

Fool me twice, never! (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 11:05 AM)

Please remember that Hillary, not Bill, is the candidate here. The William J. Clinton Foundation has absolutely nothing to do with Hillary or her campaign. These were not campaign donations. If the media or Obama pounces on her for this, she should not even dignify the accusations with an answer, other than "you'll have to ask my husband about that. After I complete my presidency, you can be sure that I will be very diligent about the donations that are accepted for MY foundation".

I will proudly cast my vote for Hillary Clinton on March 4th in the Buckeye State.

Hillary Clinton

Janice - Kettering, OH (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 11:08 AM)

And Hillary said, if she were elected, Bill would be sent around the World , dealing with Foreign Governments...THIS is NOT GOOD!!!

Bill (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 11:14 AM)

this just in another shabby donation on the obama front $102 million dollars taken from lopez who is linked to a colubia drug king pin and his cartel renews interest with the obama campaign...guess its time to go with clinton at least she's stearing clear of crooks and druggies...what does that say for our children?...don't want to associate with the obama's and kennedys there are real character issues here!!!

Sharon Stone, New York, NY (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 11:25 AM)

Oh people come on. It doesn't matter Hilary is going to win. Don't waste your vote on Obama because he is not going to win.

Obama= Inspirational Speaker
Clinton= President

we need a President

We

Jane, San Diego, California (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 11:25 AM)

what it boils down to is that obama just can't be trusted....we're going to be looking at 4 years of scandal and we need stability in the white house...hillary won't put up with the type of scandal associated with the kennedy-obama-kerry group!!!...we need to know that our president has a vested interest in our daily issues and clinton is the best one for that... she's got my trust!!!

Sharon Stone New York, NY (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 11:35 AM)

I see Obama didn't mention endorsement from republican new york paper. If you can call it that. I have been waiting for the conservative papers to bring out anything thay can about the Clintons. I read that article and I too can say it really made no sense. What is the point of the story. What does it have to do with Hillary?

cheryl, az (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 11:59 AM)

You Obama followers are hateful. Clinton has raised billions for the poor. His foundation does thing like get clean driking ater to millions of impoverished kids. Don't think the timing on this story is convenient. It was probably coordinated by a an Obam staffer. Give me a break. This is a nothing story.

tomb,minneapolis, mn (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 12:03 PM)

Rick from Ky,

Your insults are really compliments coming from a knucklehead such as you appear in your posts.
That article in the NYT isn't going to amount to much.
It is badly written, hard to understand and when I am typing a post fast, I don't want to go back and look at those hard to remember and spell names.
I am busy (and I do run a business of my own)(do you work or are you on Welfare? but I do find time to sometimes post and look at some of the posts on here. The diatribes that people post I don't read but the short ones that have substance I do.
You should yourself go to the Chicago Tribune and look at just today the articles written on it about
Obama and Rezco - Senator Clinton is not part of the William J. Clinton Foundation and that Foundation is not part of the Clinton Library.
You guys need to get your facts straight.
Obama won't win - just wait and see - I for one would vote for any of the republicans over him.
I personally cannot even stand to look at him.

lynne, LR, AR (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 12:18 PM)

I was reading about Hillary and her famous temper and I found this interesting.....

In 1993, White House aide Rahm Emanuel — now a Democratic House member from Illinois — planned an event inviting prominent Republicans to a White House dinner as a way of garnering support for the North American Free Trade Agreement. He assumed he would win praise for a clever tactical maneuver. Instead, the first lady was infuriated. "What are you doing inviting these people in my home?" she said, according to people familiar with the episode. Nearly sobbing with anger, she told him: "These people are our enemies. They are trying to destroy us."

It was on health care that her early instincts to regard compromise as weakness had the most consequential effect. By the middle of 1994, it had become apparent to most of the White House political team that what the president had announced as his non-negotiable goal — health insurance for every citizen — was unattainable. He was eager to signal a willingness to settle on a lesser but still considerable target — 95 percent of the population covered. But she argued that anything less than 100 percent coverage would not represent an intellectually coherent solution to the problem.

One day in July 1994, the president was in Massachusetts when he slipped off message and announced that he would consider 95 percent coverage a victory. Hillary Clinton was at the White House when she got word of her husband's statement, and soon she was on the phone with him. "What the (expletive) are you doing up there?" she demanded, according to an aide who overheard the conversation. "You get back here right away." The next day, Clinton retracted his statement.

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 12:22 PM)

It's Hillaryious how the Clinton sock puppets are just HOPING that there's more to the Rezko issue than has already been reported by the two leading dailies in Chicago more than a year ago. They're just hoping to hang on to a "scandal" that even approaches the what seems like hundreds of such scandals of the Clintons. They want it to be a "see, you're dirty too!" sort of thing. TheClintons have already tried to bring Obama into the gutter with them and they got a 28-point spanking for their efforts. I guess it will take an embarrassing nomination loss for them to learn. This Kazakh deal is a new one for me. I can't wait to dig into it a little more.

Mark Bilingsley, Sacramento, Calif. (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 12:28 PM)

I love the same people on here day in and day out spewing the same non-intelligent, ludicrous, slimy hate and facts. & you know who you are..

Lets face it, the Clintons have a ton of dirt, a ton of money, and are anxious for more power.. This is standard when you have been in the political landscape for over 25 years as Bill has.. (We all know Hillary only has 4 years of true experience).. I mean John McCain has been trying to be president for over 12 years now! These people are addicted to the power and its the same silly cycle we've been going through since JFK left office. America has had no hope, no world credit, and its a shame...

Bobby San Diego, CA (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 12:29 PM)

So now helping the poor thru Clinton Foundation is a sin in Marbw and other hypocrites?

Typical Obama supporters. Saying hey we got money in our pocket from Rezko but you got more from someone else. So we are clean. We in this case, the money was for poor people, not to build your backyard.

Hypocrites are welcome to Obama camp!

Ex Obama Supporter (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 12:37 PM)

I can not beleive MSNBC has put this on the front pagein a negative light. The story her is, Clinton has raised billions for children who go to be with aids and no parent. That clintons raised billions for millions of kids who can not even get a clean glass of water. Some of these comments are really shallow and ignorant. Where do you think these billions to improve peoles lives coms from?

tom b, Otsego, Mn (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 12:40 PM)

I find is absolutely amazing, that MSNBC has this as news, when it was a legitimate campaign donation to President Clinton's private foundation, and yet not one line about the dirty Rezko/Obama deal...
MSNBC has now become a Pro-Obama rag and in not worthy to be called a news agency. Let's see if they even publish this on the blog....

Jay Link, Chicago, IL (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 12:42 PM)

Let me see if I've got this straight. Nothing Bill does or says has anything to do with Hillary, correct? Explain that to the voters there in South Carolina. The Clintons are, and have been connected at the hip since the day they met. I don't see how she (or anyone else, for that matter) can credibly disassociate/disconnect herself from him at this point. As the song says, it's too late baby.

Ruth,FL (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 12:44 PM)

THANK GOD MSNBC IS PLAYING UP ONE CANIDATES BAD DONOR AND DOWNPLAYING ANOTHER AWESOME JUST REMEMBER WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO GET SOMEONE ON THE RECORD OR AN INTERVIEW YOU BETTER HOPE OBAMA WINS BECAUSE IF MACAIN OR HILLIARY WIN YOU ARE IN A LOT A TROUBLE LUCY,keep an ear out for clicking on your phones and hide all your vices what comes around The next president helps go around you must think your living in camelot( fiction)KENNEDY AS A WHITE KNIGHT PRICELESS

kenn (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 12:46 PM)

NOBODY ACCEPT POLITICAL JUNKIES AND BLOGER NERDS WITH ANYTHING BETTER TO DO CARE ABOUT ANY OF THESE SO CALLED DONOR SCANDALS (CLINTONS OR OBAMAS). The NY Times Article is like trying to read "War and Peace". It hardly fits into today’s sound bite easy to grasp news headlines. Please, everyone needs to get a life. This is nonsense and even Obama won’t go there knowing that this would make him look hypocritical and small and open the doors for further scrutiny by the press over Rezco.

RJS, Phoenix, AZ (Sent Thursday, January 31, 2008 12:46 PM)

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