Clinton camp on Obama's delegates

Posted: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 12:48 PM by Mark Murray

From NBC's Mark Murray
"We have not, are not, and will not pursue the pledged delegates of Barack Obama," Clinton communications director Howard Wolfson said in a conference call with reporters, in which the Clinton camp was discussing the upcoming contests in Texas and Ohio.

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Comments

Were it not for the biased press, the Clinton camp would not have to be defending themselves on this one.

A HRC supporter, NC (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 12:55 PM)

That's the best laugh I've had all day! Keep 'em coming Wolfson!

Paul - Omaha (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 12:57 PM)

and you can trust anything Howard Wolfson says......

Kind of stupid for Team Clinton to leak that kind of unethical behavior

How many of the Clinton supporters have defended this tactic on this blog ?

What do you say now ????

Sierra, SF (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 12:57 PM)

So, in other words, OB's camp made up this whole thing. What a bunch of liars and hypocrits. Who is that will do anything to get elected? Wake up folks. Don't wait until after the election to look behind the curtain. There ain't no Wizzard back there and he can't do anything anybody else could do just as well or better.

wake up and smell the hypocrits now (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 12:57 PM)

Sounds like there's a real split within Team Clinton on this issue.

Why wouldn't they go after pledged delegates? They're willing to bend the rules with FL/MI. They're willing to have superdelegates override voters. Not sure why they would change their strategy with pledged delegates.

JD, Boston, MA (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 12:57 PM)

It will soon be over. the Bee's and the Sierra's of the world will have the candidate that makes them feel good about themselves. They will go down in the flames just like in 68, 72, 80, 84, 88, 00, 04 but at least they will feel good. LMAO

Jerry/Corpus Christi Texas (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:09 PM)

So much for the Clintorovian test. MAYDAY MAYDAY the public will not stand for us stealing votes so lets disavow our intention to do so....oh and as soon as I find the leak I will fire her.

Stacy, Virginia (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:10 PM)

"We have not, are not, and will not pursue the pledged delegates of Barack Obama," Clinton communications director Howard Wolfson said.

unless it becomes necessary of course, the hillary people that wear the trench coats and dark glasses are coming to a super delegate near you

MK,MO (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:10 PM)

This is just like they agreed not to seat the Florida and Michigan delegates, the Clinton campaign can really be trusted.

NLG, Denver, Co (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:12 PM)

AT least one side is respectfull. You know the obama camp IS NOT.

I think they are so full of themselves they would try to steal anything and say it was alright to do because it is for our idol obama.

Give Hilliary her MI and FLA delegates NOW. Do not let their votes not count.

Vote Hilliary 08

Dawn, Pittsburgh, PA (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:14 PM)

This is not my first barbeque.I've been voting Democratic since the candidacy of George Mc Govern.And if Hillary Clinton's tactics remind me of anyone,it's McGovern's then-opponent,Richard Nixon

Ariel,Jupiter Florida (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:14 PM)

Ever heard the term "trial balloon"? I think (hope)the Obama camp shot it down quickly and decisively.
(To those suggesting it came from the Obama campaign, I think you have to consider Roger Simon and his journalistic standing. He does know who works on which campaign, and Phil Singer - who is definitely with Clinton campaign - initially admitted that it had been 'considered' although he didn't say it was a definite plan.)

Elizabeth (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:15 PM)

wake up and smell the hypocrits now - A senior Clinton official told a reporter. Now the Clinton team is saying that their official is incorrect. But of course you didn't bother to look into the correct information, before you just assumed that Obama started it all, right? The diffence I have noticed with people who like Barack from those who like Hillary, is that at least, I am willing to say I don't agree with everything Barack stands for. I don't believe illegal immigrants should get driver's licenses and I think he should stand behind his pledge to accept public funding if McCain agrees. But it seems to me like the Clinton followers are unable to say their candidate does anything wrong!!

New Independent (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:16 PM)

Per the Politico's Roger Simon who broke the story:
"This strategy was confirmed to me by a high-ranking Clinton official on Monday."

Howard Wolfson has proven himself willing to say anything! Hillary is proving herself willing to do anything. Anyone who has a respect for fairness and honesty in our democracy should be worried about Clinton!

Mark Morris, Cupertino CA (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:16 PM)

If it's true, blame politico.

But wait... we all know the Clinton tactics, don't we? They put out a feeler, sent out a leak, and it went terribly bad for them. So, of course they deny it. Do anything to win. That's the Clinton motto. They've shown it again here.

Andrew, Lamar, MO (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:21 PM)

Anyone else wondering how whoever posted as "wake up and smell the hypocrits now" feeds himself/herself?

Just Curious (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:21 PM)

I believe the hillary campaign 100%!

pat huntington ny (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:21 PM)

Does she want to help the American people, or she just wants to win?????

That kind of makes me wonder. She has been too desperate to WIN. You don't win like that. That is why I find her too funny to be prez.

ChiChi, Ga (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:21 PM)

Biased media? LOL<<< Yes, it is biased for Hillary - the media gave a free ride for one and half a day for nothing.
Deval gave the lines to Barack. And in fact, Deval used "yes we can" in his 2006 ad. Plagiarism? What a joke. Ask Hillary where she got "Fired up, ready to go," she stole without permission.

Must be really desperate if this is the best Hillary can come up against him. LOL

Philip, NY (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:22 PM)

"wake up and smell the hypocrits now"

go back to sleep

nuanced (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:22 PM)

Michelle Obama has benefitted greatly from this country, and should have been proud long before. To be able to speak your mind, have a happy family, security, etc. GREAT American achievements.
I guess her husband getting a free ride to the Presidency makes her proud? Pathetic.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LYY73RO_egw

dong, LA, CA (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:24 PM)

As a delegate to my county convention, I can only say "Good luck!" to the Clinton camp. I wouldn't vote for Hillary if she were the only one on the ballot (hey, sounds like Michigan!)

Mitch, Denver (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:24 PM)

Angry retort! Accusation of bias! Uncritical devotion to my candidate! Plea for attention!

Typical Posting (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:27 PM)

The claim came from Politico, not from the Obama camp. And, despite Wolfson's claim, you can bet that Clinton officials will still be trying to woo superdelegates. It's just the Clinton method.

Brian, Las Vegas (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:27 PM)

Riiight. Just like they SIGNED the agreement with the DNC saying they would not fight to seat delegates from Michigan or Florida.

Hillary is a joke. The reason the dem. turnout is so high is over half the party doesn't want her in the white house.

RW, New York City (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:28 PM)

Off topic, but I am surprised at the Media and its dismissive spinning of the blatant Obama plagiarism. Such acts of appropriation are not acceptable in academics and has set back the careers of people in the Media with lost of employment. To diminish such actions and to compare it to the use and repetition of a cliche' such as "I'm all fired up..." is inexcusable. Would such actions of plagiarism be acceptable now at Harvard? Is Obama not suspose to be this smartly educated person who should know better. Is this what we can now assume will be the guidelines for an education policy! Stop the spinning and let us deal with what this truly is. Plagiarism is plagiarism and there is now way around it.

Horrified (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:29 PM)

wake up and smell the hypocrits now (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 12:57 PM)

Obama camp didn't come up with this story, this was in Politico article today. Get your facts straight!!

Dante (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:29 PM)

As if Wolfson can be trusted to tell the truth. What would you expect him to say? This is professional politics being played here.
Anyone who thinks both camps won't go after delegates (pledged or otherwise), that have no obligation to vote one way or another, are seriously deluding themselves. Almost as deluded as believing that all posters in these forums have no connection to one campaign or another.

Ian (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:29 PM)

Here is what Chicago is saying about Obama:
http://www.obamatruth.org/

j co (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:29 PM)

The Obama camp is going after Hillary's pledged delegates. So I ask, why is it wrong for Hillary's campaign to do the same?

Further, the rules state that the Credentials Committee determines the fate of Florida and Michigan. So Hillary is playing by the rules since she is allowing that Committee to determine the voters fate. I am hoping Florida and Michigans voters (myself included) get OUR say in who the Democratic Nominee is. Anyone promoting the disenfranchisement of American Voters is a fool. This Act is truly UNPATRIOTIC.

Andrew- Miami, Floirda (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:30 PM)

The Obama campaign needs to stop manufacturing false accusations against the Clinton campaign. The media hears Camp Obama talking about what the Clinton Camp "may" do, and they turn in into something the Clinton Camp is actively pursuing. I am so sick and tired of all the lies and false accusations coming from the Obama camp. If Obama becomes the nominee, God help us. He could be a lot worse than what we have right now. And that wife of his......don't even get me started on that piece of work. This nation deserves better.

Don, Dayton, OH (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:30 PM)

Ha Ha Ha! The Clinton camp had to go back on their internal rhetoric, because going after pledged delegates would be seen negatively by the voters. Smart move by the Obama camp to get the Hillary Clinton camp to deny swaying pledged delegates.

AJ, IL (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:30 PM)

From Huff Post:

'... February 18, 2008
Rangel : 'The People's Will' Is Going To Prevail

A nice get from Newsday, which stuck around at last night's caucus weekend gala dinner, at which Rep. Charlie Rangel, a key Hillary Clinton superdelegate and surrogate, said the following:

"It's the people [who are] going to govern who selects our next candidate and not superdelegates," Rangel said last night at a dinner for the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators conference in Albany.

"The people's will is what's going to prevail at the convention and not people who decide what the people's will is," he added....'

Rangel was under pressure to deliver his district for Clinton, and she did carry it in terms of raw votes (according to the preliminary results, at least, which may change) - but that was largely due to her wide lead among Hispanic voters there.

Because of the vagaries of the Democratic Party's delegate apportionment rules, Clinton and Barack Obama split the district's delegates, with each landing 3...'

You picked the wrong horse, Charlie
Everybody makes mistakes
You sure did
Looks like you're hedging, now

Sierra, SF (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:30 PM)

Just another stunt from the Obama camp; like the ones where they have women fainting at Obama rallys, and they're always right in front of Obama and center of the stage, how pathetic.
Just heard that Michelle Obama has never been proud of America in her adult life untill now.

John Doe (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:33 PM)

Yawn, nice try Wolfson. We caught your hand in the cookie jar.

John M., San Diego, CA (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:33 PM)

JD, Boston, MA: I'd try to bend all the rules I could if I were running for president.

Sean P, Boston, MA (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:33 PM)

If clinton is in charge I'm pretty sure this country is up for its second great depression.....let the stocks come tumbling down

John, MI (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:33 PM)

If you believe anything that Clinton says I've got some swampland in Florida that's for sale.

Clinton as the Democratic candidate is the only hope the Republicans have of retaining the White House. Of course it will be even better if she gets on the ticket by losing the primaries but gaining support from the super delegates.

John Doe (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:34 PM)

I'm not a Clinton supporter, but what's the problem. I think they are fair game for either side, although the chances of getting a switch unless one candidate feally implodes is small. The real question is what inducements, promises or threats the Clinton campign uses.
As for Wolfson's statement, I suppose it depends on what the defnition of "pursue" is.

Lester, Washington DC (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:36 PM)

Please do not blame this on Obama.

This article from www.politico.com,

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8583.html

specifically states that the information came from a high-ranking member of the Clinton campaign. So to blame this on the Obama camp is patently false.

Alex, Wilmington, NC (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:37 PM)

yeah right howie.......'cause team Clinton is above that right????? I think they are so used to spinning the media they got caught up in their own junk!!

Ike, TX (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:37 PM)

Clinton is not going after Obama pledged
delegates. yeah, right.

Ruthie (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:38 PM)

Clinton's camp and by extension the Clintons have demonstrated that they will do/say anything needed to win. Oabama's camp has steered clear of taking a negative/deceptive approach even when Clinton was ahead. The Clintons need to take a page from that new kind of polictics.

HPB, FL (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:39 PM)

Howard Wolfson is a liar....everyone must remember that he works for the Clintons. The Clintons have been liars for years and now they want everyone to believe them. Wolfson was told to tell this lie because Hillary-Bill did not have the nerve to tell another lie this week.

Eloise, Clearwater, FL (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:39 PM)

I have never seen a country where the media is full of trash and junk. They are a pack of sick people who make this country get sick each and every day.

The media gave us George Bush and is responsible for the lives of our soldiers and innocent people in Iraq, etc.

They now want to give us a man worse than Bush.
A person who cannot speak without using others inspirational words. How pathetic?

Arjun (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:41 PM)

Remember: If Billary et al take this approach, they leave themselves open for poaching by Obama.

The notion that this idea was floated, coupled with Billary breaking HER signed agreement about the Mich and FLA delegates shows all of us how much integrity the Billarys really have - zip, nada, zero.

Paul

Paul of Winston-Salem, NC (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:42 PM)

OBAMA WILL NOT DO OR SAY WHATEVER TO WIN SO LONG LOSER. MACAIN 08

kenn (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:44 PM)

To "wake up and smell the hypocrits (sic) now:"

The "OB" camp made up this whole thing? Did you bother to read the actual story on Politico that the Obama campaign's comments were in response to? Roger Simon confirmed the story with a high-ranking official in the Clinton campaign and the campaign is now disavowing the strategy.

See the original story, and might I suggest you actually read it: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8583.html

Supadindi, Los Angeles, CA (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:45 PM)

I have never been proud of america sounds like CASTRO

kenn (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:45 PM)

I would not put this far from the Clinton's camp. Moreso, the DNC said though Pledged delegates shouuld vote for the candidates that they represents, but they can also exercise their free will and vote for any candidate at the convention.

All that the Clinton's camp needs is the list of few Obama's Pledged delegates and promise them some plum jobs or some incentives and they will jump ship.

There is no smoke without fire, If I was in the Obama's camp, I will be on top of this and I will will new Pledged delegates at the last days before the Convention.

George (Sent Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:45 PM)

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