What, THAT? Negative?
Posted: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 10:46 AM by Domenico Montanaro
From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro and NBC/NJ's Athena Jones
The Clinton campaign dismissed the characterization that its latest ad in Pennsylvania -- pivoting off the Obama “bitter” remarks -- is the first truly negative ad of this campaign.
“Sen. Obama did run a negative radio ad against us in Texas,” Communications Director Howard Wolfson said in a conference call with reporters. He also cited the Texas Gen. McPeak ad (which was a response to the original 3 a.m. ad) and negative mailers from the Obama campaign. “This is not the first time we’ve seen an ad like this.”
Wolfson went further, calling this “a relatively mild primary campaign.” He added, “I am quite confident that regardless of the outcome … that the party will come together and do everything it can to support the nominee against John McCain.”
He said the issue differences against McCain are “profound.”
“Having said all that,” Wolfson continued, “the issues raised in the ad are important issues. There’s a great deal of concern about Sen. Obama’s remarks in California.” Wolfson said Obama has offered “several different explanations -- none are quite satisfying to voters in Pennsylvania.”
The Clinton campaign also questioned Obama’s “transparency,” calling on Obama to release his tax returns from 1997 to 1999, when he was an Illinois state senator.
“We’ve heard a lot of rhetoric about the need for tax return transparency,” said spokesman Phil Singer. “For all their talk, one would have thought they’d have released all their tax returns.”
He added, “During that time, he was in public life and was accepting money from PACs, special interests” and others. He cited that the Clintons have now had their taxes made public for 30 years. Bill Clinton, of course, before he was president, was the governor of Arkansas in the 1980s.
"When it comes to transparency the only thing transparent about Sen. Obama is his claim that he is transparent," Singer added.
The campaign also delivered a pre-but to McCain’s economic address today. Clinton policy director Neera Tanden called McCain’s economic plan, “Bush Redux” and an economic strategy that America cannot afford, a corporate lobbyist's dream that would benefit incredibly profitable companies like Exxon-Mobil.
“As president she’ll [Clinton] focus on restoring the American Dream for middle class Americans,” Tanden said.
The campaign also gave its “state of the race” in Pennsylvania, echoing similar comments made in previous conference calls, focusing on the amount Clinton is being outspent there and that the “road to 1600 Pennsylvania goes through Pennsylvania,” Wolfson said.
“If he fails to win [in Pennsylvania], despite outspending us massively, it will be another sign he is unable to win the large states a candidate needs to win,” Wolfson said, making sure the bar stays high for the Keystone state. He also said an Obama loss there would be evidence he is “unable to close the deal” and that it would be a “clear indication” that he has not passed the Commander-In-Chief and “steward of the economy” tests.
“If he fails to win in Pennsylvania, it would be a significant defeat for him,” Wolfson emphasized.
