A Clinton surrogate, a Dem divide?

Posted: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:12 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: 2008, Clinton, Obama

From NBC's Abby Livingston
Oh snap! Who needs a Rottweiler when you’ve got surrogates?

Tom Buffenbarger president of the machinists' union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) was the the latest in a string of Clinton junkyard dogs unleashed upon Obama. Prior to Hillary Clinton’s speech last night in Youngstown, Ohio, Buffenbarger delivered nothing short of an Obama diatribe.

While campaign introductions typically sing the praises of the upcoming candidate, Buffenbarger's speech barely mentioned Clinton until the conclusion. It was all about Obama, and it was laced with venom and ad hominems.

VIDEO: Clinton supporter Tom Buffenbarger attacks Sen. Barack Obama during a campaign event in Youngstown, Ohio.

Buffenbarger called Obama a “thespian,” and he sarcastically referred to the junior senator from Illinois as a “wunderkind.” He compared Obama to “Janus, the two-faced Roman god of ancient times.” And he pleaded with the crowd to boo Obama’s labor record.

Early in his speech, Buffenbarger asked, “So now we have a decision to make. Will we rely on the Harvard Law Review editor? The silver-tongued orator from Kansas, Hawaii and Illinois? The man in love with the microphone?”

Taking off the gloves, he said, “Barack Obama is no Muhammad Ali. He took a walk every time there was a tough vote in the Illinois State Senate. He took a walk more than a 130 times. That's what a shadow boxer does. All the right moves. All the right combinations. All the right footwork. But he never steps into the ring.”

But it was Obama supporters for whom Buffenbarger saved his most vitriolic contempt, and he proved that the Democratic Party’s coalition is nothing if not fragile. Channeling Howard Beale from the movie "Network," he yelled into the microphone, “Give me a break! I've got news for all the latte-drinking, Prius- driving, Birkenstock-wearing, trust fund babies crowding in to hear him speak! This guy won't last a round against the Republican attack machine. He's a poet, not a fighter.”

With all this trash talk, who needs a Thrilla in Manilla?

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Comments

What SORE losers they are!!!! The Clintons and their lackies are just pitiful.

Fran, DC (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:23 AM)

Will the Clintons really tear the party apart if they don't win?

Lewis, Cincinnati, Ohio (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:24 AM)

Sorry Mr Buffenbarger, don't particularly care for latte.

Phred, NH (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:26 AM)

Now she is secretly organizing a 527 called "A.L.P."

The party elders need to throw the towel in for her . . .before she burns the party up.

Read about A.L.P. at http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/02/new-pro-clinton.html

EJ, Dayton OH (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:27 AM)

Sounds like this guy is a real piece of work. But it is in keeping with the Clinton campaign strategy of trashing the roughly 60% of the electorate that doesn't want her within 50 miles of the nomination. (Do they realize that if somehow they pulled out the nomination they would need the support of these people?)

Scorched earth. It's the only thing Clinton has left, and even that probably won't do it.

SDinIA (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:28 AM)

Let the venom begin.

This, my friends, is going to be a rough couple of weeks. Be prepared for No-Holds-Barred, Pull-No-Punches campaigning between now and March 4th.

The politics of yesterday is going to make one last stand.

Steve, PA Democrat (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:28 AM)

I've been waiting 8 years for this moment and finally those loyal members of the DLC are taking off their masks to reveal themselves to be the "closet Republicans" we all thought they were in the first place. Obama has gone 15+ rounds with the Clintons feared political machine and is making them destroy their legacies in the process. Any Hillary supporter who makes the argument that Obama will get destroyed by the Republican political machine must first admit that the Clinton political machine must be far inferior since it hasn't even put a dent in Obama. Therefore he would be best suited as the nominee and not her.

Jamie E., Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:28 AM)

It is a sad day indeed!! Do he realize that he is insulting half of the Democratic population, since half has voted for Obama. He is not doing his candidate no good and is just drawing a wedge between the two groups of supporters. That is sickening!

Dante (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:29 AM)

Just sad. As a women I thought Hillary would have more class than this.

cc, Boston, MA (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:30 AM)

Great speech, way to stengthen the democratic party... NOT!

Daren S, Fresno, CA (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:30 AM)

MSNBZZZZZZZ remember OBAMA is already the president dont worry about JUNKYARD DOGS OR HUMAN BEINGS WHO DONT AGREE WITH MSNBZZZZZZ,YOU GUYS DID IT ENJOY will the fairness doctrine be put back ?NOT ON OBAMAS WATCH GAY RIGHTS/ THE BLACKS HATE GAYS,CIVIL RIGHTS HE BANDED WITH RACIST KENNDEY CLAN NICE JOB CANT WAIT TO SEE THE CHANGE.MACAIN SPENT TIME BEING TOUTURED FOR YOUR RIGHT TO SPEAK HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE HIM LOOK BAD?

kenn (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:31 AM)

Oh, this is so rich. The Clintons are attacking the Democrat voters for being the bleeding heart LIBS they've groomed them to be! The Clintons and the democrat party in general harped on the value of emotions ("I feel your pain"-Clinton '92), and discouraged logic and reason in decision making for year. Now they're mad at these same voters for running on those hyper emotions when a smoothtalking man (Obama) comes along and plays on those emotions like a fiddle. Poetic justice.

Angela (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:31 AM)

Apparently the crowd actually booed Buffenbarger, and AFSCME President Gerald McEntee was so embarrassed that he tried to push Buffenbarger off the microphone.

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/02/20/politics/fromtheroad/entry3850647.shtml

Michael, Detroit, MI (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:31 AM)

Another pathetic surrogate that will be dump in about two weeks; obviously they are part of the system we are trying to get rid off. Having this guy learn their lesson? Obama is the future while Hillary Clinton is the past, the more the surrogate attack the more Obama is likely to win Ohio.

Obama has demonstrated over and over again that negative attack won't work on him. Negative attack is an act of desperation and frankly, it is not going to bring him down in this election.

Let me be the first person to say “The House of Clinton is finished". Not only did Obama make them look stupid but proof to be a better campaigner and strategist than the whole Clinton machine.

Bee (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:32 AM)

Classy.

Harlan Samuels, Summit, NJ (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:32 AM)

The Clinton "solution" seems to be going negative instead of defending her ideas. I guess she doesn't really want to talk about her own record. Desperate times calls for desperate actions. Telling the majority what they believe in wrong is never a winning strategy.

Tappy McWidestance (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:32 AM)

Spare me. I won't honor this ignorant diatribe with anything more than that.

Joseph Peters, Rowlett, TX (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:32 AM)

Buffenbarger should spend less time on hate speech and be sure he actually knows what he's talking about. Janus's having two faces had nothing to do with duplicity or two-facedness in the modern sense of the term. Rather, Janus's two faces -- one looking backward, one looking forward -- serve to mark her as a transitional figure who looked at once to the past and to the future, and who could usher in new beginnings (thus "January").

A. Person (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:33 AM)

So just why was Senator Clinton campaigning back in NY this morning? This that the only place she can get a crowd to cheer her? If Texas and Ohio is her firewall, shouldn't she be speaking to them?

Tappy McWidestance (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:34 AM)

Hillary - your people just don't get it. This will not be the way you win the nom against Barack. All this does is push people farther from your camp. And you really should not insult the people supporting Obama b/c "if" he doesn't win the nom and you do you will need those people to vote for you in the election.

-Don't let greed drive you!!!!-

L. Jackson Topeka KS (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:34 AM)

I guess it's a good thing his candidate won't need all those latte-drinkers and Prius-drivers to help her win the general election, huh?

He needs to go home and get his mommy to change his diaper!

chuck, richmond, tx -- where Obama puts it away (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:35 AM)

I'm sure Hillary had nothing to do with this, and quite naturally she didn't condone it, and IF she had heard them she would have stopped it. So now she's unleashed her attack dogs on the people who support Obama???

Did it ever occur to her and the idiots who approved this trash that IF by some miracle she got the nomination that she would need the support of these people?? Nevermind the list of states she's trashed after losing. Who in their right mind could vote for this woman??

She didn't even have the courtesy to thank the people who went out in single degree weather to vote for her.....although they were few.

I hope my fellow Texans see what I'm seeing. I never intended to vote for her but if they did, I'm sure this behaviour would give them pause to say the least.

Hillary is no friend to labor either while we're at it. She forced her campaign workers to work for no pay, then fired them when money did eventually come back in. If she can't manage a simple election campaign how in the world is she gonna manage the Federal Government????

observer in TX (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:35 AM)

Seems Clinton is good at talking about winning, but has lost ten fights in a row. Now she is on the attack, trying to swiftboat Obama. Luckily people are savvy to Billary's tactics, having witnessed them for eight years.

BD Knight, Durham NC (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:35 AM)

Wow. This really shows the Clinton Machine’s stupidity. They’re going to need the “latte-drinking, Prius- driving, Birkenstock-wearing, trust fund baby” vote if they have any hope of winning.

adam/NYC (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:36 AM)

Way to piss off the rest of the Democrats Mr. Barfenburger...
Nothing like party unity huh???
It's rather amusing how Obama's being critcized for doing what he's supposed to in a primary, winning over voters, creating unity, & YES winning primaries. The MSM is keeping this thing alive & the only reason Clinton is even "viable" anymore is because of super delegates. The last 10 contests weren't even close & if these Barfenburger elites had one ounce of dignity they'd congratulate Obama on a well faught contest & get out instead of destroying the Democratic party.

Chip Chapman Portland, OR (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:36 AM)

A man's character is defined in times of stress.

joe (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:36 AM)

This is one of the main reasons that even if Clinton were to somehow get this nomination, I will not be voting for her. The amount of attacking that is taking place is out of control and it is time for the Democratic party to have a talk with her about it. When have you heard Obama personally attacking Mrs. Clinton in this fashiion or her voters. Thats how they plan to win votes by waving off the 20,000 plus that pack in to see Barack Obama every night.

And by the way I am a 25 yo White Male factory worker who tends to enjoy Starbucks and I drive a Camry Hybrid.

Nicholas Columbia, SC (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:37 AM)

The clinton camp has just jumped the shark.

Dan Malloy (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:37 AM)

Sad....this is the Hillary that we all knew existed.

Grace (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:37 AM)

He sounds like any number of people on Fox News who go after any number of Democrats. And this guy is talking about one of his own. Good grief.

These are the same people we will have in a Clinton Administration in Washington DC.

Unprofessional hate and fear mongers.

Karl Rove 101.

Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:37 AM)

For unity's shake, one of the candidates needs to step down. Whoever is ahead either now or after March 4 should be given the opportunity to build strength in preparation for the Democratic Party's Nov. win. This election cycle should not be aboutpersonal ambitions but who can persuade voters to support her/him.
Voters yesterday rejected the annoying claim of plagiarism by the Clintons. In short, they rejected the "attack dog" politics and they spoke up for change.
Hillary continues to focus on her phony 35 years of experience (let me be honest: as I noted earlier, Obama has more experience than her in terms of the length of electve office held, and his experience closely resembles Franklin Roosevelt, who undertook one of the most difficult economic policy decision in addition to leading America's battle during World War II, in trms of te length of public office held). If we continue to insist that Hillary will be ready "on day one", we must remind ourselves how she managed her campaign and the tactics she used.
Our continued insistence that Hillary is better than Obama may only reflect our ignorance, our refusal to open our eyes to reality, or the bigotry of some American voters.

Democrat 101 (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:37 AM)

This is one classy organization HRC is running. And don't give me the "It's not her, it's her surrogate" BS. If she can't control her campaign, she can't control the White House.

CitizenJ (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:37 AM)

lol...what a hack.

why don't you ask him what significant legislative accomplishments clinton has spearheaded?

justin (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:38 AM)

I guess the Clinton campaign is just going back to the well. After South Carolina they reverted back to their pre-Iowa strategy, it has obviously failed so now they are going back to the South Carolina strategy of all out nuclear war on Obama.... It costed them the Kennedy endorsement and arguably the states they lost on Super Tuesday, now I bet its going to cost them super delegates and possibly Ohio/Texas.

Adam, West Orange, New Jersey (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:38 AM)

Oh, brother. Right, because Hillary learned how to survive the attacks by refusing to apologize or explain herself, and then claim a conspiracy against her, while Obama's only a community organizer from Chicago who, I'd imagine, has looked down the business end of a baseball bat or two in his time.

Michael, Plymouth, MN (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:38 AM)

Umm....dude...no lattes(regular coffee, thanks), no Prius (Mom=minivan), Definitely NO BIRKENSTOCKS ( Doc Martens, Converse, Vans), and Trust Fund? (What??)....now go run a long and play...you're giving me a headache....

D Dyson Pasadena, CA (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:38 AM)

Buffenberger - What a bunch of baloney. Obama's organization skill and the campaign that he put together despite great odds given the early "coronation" of inevitability of Clinton leads me to believe that he has her beaten on experience time and again. Her campaign is in shambles - she never considered "worst case scenario" and risk mitigation techniques. Although like all pundits say never underestimate the Clinton's. Can anyone refute the First Read blog on Obama's accomplishments in his first term? I never hear the pundits mention his record at all - Matthews, Buchanan, et. al all contribute to the accusations of lack of substance and experience flack against Obama.

Sharon Adler (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:38 AM)

I'm tellin ya, I love it. GOP has been counted out but I smell the C4 from the upcoming Donkey implosion.
Dem's, this is what you have to face once you choose Obama. I truly wish I could support him, but he's wrong on so many issues.
The following link is a good illustration of what Obama needs to overcome. He says, "Yes, we can!", but I don't think he can do it.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/113672/page/1

kyd70, SC (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:38 AM)

Now that's just rude. Attack the candidate all you like (though I don't think it'll help Clinton) but don't attack the people who you will want to vote for your candidate in the general election if she does somehow capture the nomination.

CA - Ohio (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:39 AM)

Give *me* a break. I don't drink lattes, I drive an 11-year-old beat up Civic, wear boring old shoes, and definitely don't have a trust fund. I did go to hear Obama speak, and was so happy to be part of a truly diverse crowd that represented all kinds of demographics.

Can you imagine if Obama's introducer spewed some rant about Hillary Clinton's lower-income, lesser educated supporters? He'd be in all kinds of trouble over that.

I'm sick of being stereotyped as a wild-eyed cult member, or anti-feminist, or whatever label of the day the Clintons throw out, just because I think Obama would be a better President. It's ridiculous, and insulting.

I'll vote for whoever the Democratic nominee is, but this over-the-top bashing is really grating, and lessens any chance that I'd volunteer for a Clinton campaign, or donate to her cause.

KSP, Medford, MA (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:39 AM)

Oh, snap!

Matt Parrott (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:39 AM)

To all you Obama bashers, your frustration is starting to show thru. You just don't get it. Im an independent but I am tired of all the Intra and Inter party fighting. I may vote for him, just because I think he realizes that its time to start acting like Adults.The fights just don't accomplish anything. I have equal respect for McCain and Obama, Either one will do a good job running the country. I am looking to see who is best qualified to unite this great country of ours. God knows we need it. There have been too many years of partisan politics. Its time for a change.

Tom, Plattsburgh NY (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:39 AM)

Nice speech; if your candidate could do as well as you fellah, maybe we'd have a race on our hands.

By the way, is Chris Matthews out of purgatory now? I have no problem with him being tough on interviewees and holding their feet to the fire; his treatment of the Obama supporter from Texas the other was fine by me. EXCEPT THAT he has NEVER done the same to any of the Clinton hacks that show up to spit the same old "lines of the day." Chris, why don't you ask a very simple question of the Clinton surrogates (and not let them off without an answer): "She talks about her 35 years of experience getting things done and all the solutions she brings, what are the 3 most important things she has accomplished?"

Chris, we know that you got your knuckles rapped by the Clinton school-marm a couple of weeks ago. But, you're acting like a puppy who's owner just yelled at him.

Scott (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:39 AM)

I beg to differ about the allegations that all Obama supporters at rallies are birkenstock wearing latte drinkers. I make less than 20,000 a year. I don't have a college education. I am not a hippie. And I saw a LOT of older blue collar people at the rally in MADISON, WI where you'd think we'd have mostly far left liberals. Trying to downplay Obama's support by calling his supporters "too educated" and "too rich" is ridiculous. So is attacking him on his ability to properly use the English language to put his points across. "Oh, you filthy big-word user, you." Ha! Might as well laugh at him for reading books!

This kind of attack-dog mentality is going to blow up in the Clinton's face. Just because Barack Obama has not lowered himself to Hillary's level does not mean he can't stand up to Republican attack. There is one thing that is more effective than a tough fighter...and that's a SMART fighter. Barack is the most intelligent person in this race.

Megan, Madison, WI (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:39 AM)

I surely hope the press will vigorously challenge the Clinton campaign on this slimy tactic... This is no different that the Bob Johnson attack - perhaps even worse!

I am guessing we can expect their standard unbelieveable denials of involvement here... How low have they sunk?...

Manu, Pittsburgh, PA (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:40 AM)

Hillary needs Obama supporters to switch over and support her. Does she really think she'll get them to switch by insulting them?

This is testament her one true strength: galvanizing the opposition.

Adam/NYC (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:40 AM)

OJ Sipmson, Spears, and Lohan endorses Obama

Media (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:40 AM)

Dude wake up, it is not too late to hop on the Obama bandwagon? We have room? Hurry up though!!

Obama has surpassed his goal of having 500,000 donations before March 4!!!

www.barackobama.com

Crystal (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:40 AM)

This is sad. The former first lady has truly come unglued.

Think about it people, is this what we should be teaching our kids? Is this the type of country we want to live in?

It's time to hang it up Hillary. You are doing a disservice to the country you 'claim' to want to help. Now those are empty words, and the voters know it.

Colene, New York, New York (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:41 AM)

All true...And I can see this being the first McCain ad vs. Obama... brought to you by a democrat... LOL

“Barack Obama is no Muhammad Ali. He took a walk every time there was a tough vote in the Illinois State Senate. He took a walk more than a 130 times. That's what a shadow boxer does. All the right moves. All the right combinations. All the right footwork. But he never steps into the ring.”

Paavo Nurmi (Sent Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:41 AM)

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