A controversy that wasn't

Posted: Friday, May 02, 2008 11:15 AM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
With the Indiana and North Carolina primaries less than 96 hours away, making its way around the pro-Obama blogosphere is a clip in this video of former prominent Clinton administration official Mickey Kantor appearing to call Indianans an expletive. It is an excerpt from the movie "The War Room" about the 1992 Clinton campaign. Kantor, James Carville and George Stephanopoulos are reading over results from various states, including Indiana, when Kantor says:

“Look at Indiana, wait, wait, look at Indiana: 42-40. It doesn’t matter if we win. Those people are [expletive]. Excuse me."

Kantor is a supporter of Hillary Clinton's, listed on the Clinton campaign Web site as one of several former Clinton administration officials backing her candidacy. He is also reported to be an informal adviser to her 2008 campaign.

*** UPDATE *** Huffington Post quotes Kantor on what he meant by the expletive: "Indiana was not even on our radar screen," he said, "And I was talking about the polling and not the people... If you look at The War Room, this is not the way Carville or George interpreted my statement. This is frankly libelous."

[EDITOR'S NOTE: We've adjusted the language in the first paragraph, because it's not clear Kantor is referring to Indianans.]

*** UPDATE 2*** The director of The War Room tells Ben Smith the film is doctored. One portion of another produced clip -- not included in this post -- making its rounds, is certainly doctored. We are in the process of checking the original film to see about the first expletive.

*** UPDATE 3 *** We've checked the original film, which we link to above. Quietly, you can hear an "-ing" on the end of the expletive. Then Kantor adds "...in the White House." He was NOT referring to the people of Indiana.

EMAIL THIS

Comments

So why was a faked video from 1992 posted to damage Clinton's campaign?

Beetle Bailey (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 2:12 PM)

Person who made that doctored video is now in some legal trouble. I hope its one of those Obama's supporters. It will hurt Obama that his people are so desperate.

TJ, Raleigh, NC (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 2:45 PM)

From ABC news:

When "The War Room" came out other folks interpreted Kantor to be impugning Indiana residents.

In The Washington Post's review of the film in 1993, critic Desson Howe referred to "a Mickey Kantor comment about the people of Indiana (when it looks as though Clinton's ahead in Dan Quayle's state)."

And a 1995 story in the Sydney Morning Herald said that "As for the good folk of Indiana, they are still recovering from the 1993 documentary War Room, which revealed the grim truth behind the Clinton election campaign. It showed Mr Kantor bursting in on election night to tell other campaign staffers that incredibly, Mr Clinton was doing well even in Republican Indiana. 'And those people are s---!' he declared breathlessly."

AK, SF, CA (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 3:04 PM)

I didn't like Clinton or her campaign (staff and all) before this story.

I don't like Clinton or her campaign (staff and all) now.

Seems from the posts that folks who did like Clinton and her campaign (staff and all) before this story, still like her, and are offended that old film was used.

The story itself made no difference in voting preferences.

Given that Chuck Todd (staff and all) are clearly bribright and well versed in analysis, it seems the most logical conclusion that they did not put the story up in any kind of lame attempt to manipulate votes for one candidate or the other.

There are real, serious problems with the media. But, EVERY time that a piece makes one campaign look bad, the supporters of that campaign yell that Chuck Todd is biased for the other one.

Don't you think it's possible that Chuck Todd is *not* personally biased toward either campaign??? That he puts up what he is presented with and then gives analysis.

Sometimes I totally disagree with the analysis, and sometimes see that facts have been omitted from the pieces . . . but, I don't think I've seen anything that is evidentiary of a Chuck Todd or FR bias toward any particular candidate.

(even though I kind of wish he'd be biased for my candidate . . . just joking.)

lizzy,seattle,WA (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 3:04 PM)

Having listened to this clip like 50 times, I'm not sure now what exactly he is saying. But certainly people should be able to make up their own minds. Youtube sucks for yanking this video!!! If Hillary forces this video underground, it will only encourage more people to believe it's true . . .

Ben (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 3:12 PM)

Thanks for weighing in on this video. You addressed it and that takes guts. BUT .... sure would have been fair if you had taken the time to do the same analysis and interpretation with the Rev. Wright's initial tapes or the "bitter-tape" rather than just letting them run over and over. Now MSNBC gets a conscious? Good grief.

Kathy, Pinellas Park, Florida (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 3:12 PM)

I am a middle class white female completely offended by the fact that Hillary thinks the middle class are stupid and that she can get away with all her lies. The latest is her "God Bless us rich people" followed by "We deserve all the opportunities to make sure our country and our blessings continue to the next generation." Now she's claiming she said "God BLESSED us." Just watch the tape and see for yourself. The Clintons really believe they can change reality to fit them.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/5/2/02527/84879/1020/507498

WOW! I had not see this one, I would'nt vote for that woman in any election. Why do you all not call the Indy Star to task for endorsing her, that would really get things moving this weekend. If I lived there I would be picking up the phone, writing letters and ensuring that the good people of my state were not fooled.
5/2/2008 2:02:22 PM

whitemiddleagedwoman,Indianopolis,Indiana (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 3:13 PM)

Did I miss something in this article? Doesn't it state that this was a doctored piece of fiction? Why is everyone gloating that it has finally been mentioned. It looks to me as if someone from the Obama campaign took an excerpt from a sixteen year old movie and tried to sell it as fact.

Political Addict, Aliquippa, PA (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 3:13 PM)

Well just for s--its and giggles why don't you run the tape on a 24 hour loop for a couple of weeks and let the voters see if it's real or not.

Donna, Texas (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 3:20 PM)

You are flat out lieing or you can't hear they Knator did not put a "ing" on that statement he clearlysaid SH*T . I am through with MSNBC If your afraid of Kantor you REALLY should be afarid of the OBAMA supporters we're not doen with this. It is true and your reporting is BIASED !!!!!!!!!! LISTEN TO 4:40 POINT OF THE RECORDING NO"ING" ON THIS WORD

Valeri Hughes (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 3:28 PM)

Did any of you read the title. A controversy that wasn't. Although they cannot comment on the video or show due to liable lawsuit. The other video was doctored. The guy clearly inserted the audio into the clip along with subtitles. So this comment people are hearing at the end stems from the doctored statement.

This is a pathetic attempt a reverse race baiting to gain white worker support to Obama. Shamefull. I hope they trace it back to his campaign.

Darryl, Auburn, AL (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 3:37 PM)

<< Previous

SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

Your name, city and state (John Doe, Seattle, Wash.):

Your e-mail address (jdoe@msnbc.com):

Your website (it's okay if you don't have one):

Remember me? (We'll keep it private) Remember me?

TRACKBACKS

Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=972175