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Rick Horowitz On Obama-Clinton Unity Efforts
Various media outlets report that the Obama-Clinton unity talks are not going so well.
She wants him to pay her campaign debt. He'd rather use the money he raised for his own campaign.
There are also reports that while Hillary is now down with Barack, Bill is still mad. That makes sense. She's still a senator and he's....retired.
Anyway, it will all be fine in the end although Rick posits other possibilities.
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Hillary wants him to violate campaign finance laws? Somehow I doubt that...
perhaps you need new sources.
June 26, 2008 1:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
It'll be fine.
I don't think people are giving Bill enough credit, either. I know it's okay for people to project whatever they want on the guy but even if he is annoyed or hurt, he'll go back to raising money for good causes and fighting AIDs around the world before too long. His foundation is his legacy and it'll be a good one.
Or Barack can just promise to try to get him installed as President of the UN.
June 26, 2008 1:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Or, he can put Bill Clinton on the Supreme Court. I know, I like to say Hillary but Bill would be fun too. And it'd totally win him over.
June 26, 2008 1:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Apparently, at least according to an interview this morning on Public Radio, she also wants a charter jet to take her to Denver, she wants her name placed in nomination, wants her delegates recognized as hers, wants arrangements made by Obama so she can have a big reception, major slot on prime time speaking -- and that is in addition to his turning over his major donors to her to retire about half of her debt.
I think that is all a bit much. Obama has to do what is realistic so as to gain support of those who strongly supported her in the primary season, but not all these things necessarily lead to that. When he announced his victory here in St. Paul, he met with about 25 of her strongest supporters for perhaps half an hour, and started a process that eventually includes them in his campaign. He has to focus on things like this state by state.
June 26, 2008 1:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, she won nearly 50% of the vote. Why shouldn't she get her delegates, a big speaking spot and and airplane ride?
June 26, 2008 1:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Because Obama doesn't need to give her this to win over her supporters.
I think Hillary's main problem is that she's fresh out of leverage. Her supporters are flocking to Obama in the latest polls---two of which have him up by double-digits.
I'll bet she gets some of her demands, but not most. She'll get that primetime speaking slot, but I doubt any amount of pleading by Obama will encourage his donors to pony up for her debt---if only because his donors want to use that dough to take on McCain and help downticket Dems get elected. Hillary's debt is simply not a priority right---the election is. At the end of the day, she'll prolly have to take 10M of her 130M fortune and payoff the vendors she's stiffed. Cry me a river.
Hillary is done. MJ, stop posting about her.
Moving along...
June 26, 2008 4:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Enough with what Hillary wants. Who gives a fig except Beltway obsessives?
You're not doing you're preferred candidate any favors with this endless speculation, MJ.
June 26, 2008 2:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Since it would be illegal for him to pay her campaign debt out of his funds, that's not going to happen.
What he could do is ask his affluent donors who are already maxed out for the primaries to contribute a like about to her campaign. Assuming they would be willing to do that, that shouldn't affect his donations at all.
He could even ask that she reciprocate, finding a donor for her for everyone she finds for him; although if it were actually a quid pro quo, it might also be considered a violation.
June 26, 2008 5:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bill Clinton is a prima donna who can't stand not being at the center of power in this country, and who views Obama as an usurper of the throne that his wife rightly deserved...with him as the power behind that throne...
Clinton needs to get over himself and line up behind Obama...giving his full support, even if he doesn't feel it in his heart...
If Bill wants to save his reputation with Dem ranks, where there is already lots of anger and resentment at him, he needs to do the right and noble thing...
And not act like a spoiled, sullen child who's treat was taken from him.
June 27, 2008 12:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
This was my position too and then that Missori poll came out with McCain 7 points ahead and I thought, damn, is Obama out of it because all current fundraising dollars are going to Hills debt instead of the airwaves?
This has to be moved past quickly, within the next 7 days.
June 27, 2008 2:11 PM | Reply | Permalink