Insider Gossip: Obama, Edwards camps and Howard Dean

[Adelante]

Nothing here to take too seriously, but I like political gossip. :P

A Historic Tension Takes on New Importance

One smart Washington technologist recently pointed out an interesting divide between the staffs of the Barack Obama and John Edwards campaigns, which both employ a fair number of former Howard Dean staffers. There was a split at the end of the Dean campaign between those loyal to Dean, he explained, and those loyal to Joe Trippi, who memorably departed the Dean headquarters in Burlington on the heels of Dean’s spectacular Iowa collapse and second-place New Hampshire finish.

Obama got the Dean loyalists, some of whom had followed the former Vermont governor to the DNC when he took over as chair, while Edwards took on the Trippi people, including eventually Joe Trippi himself.

Should Edwards win the Democratic nomination, the observer pointed out, the historic bad blood between Trippi and Dean would lead to some interesting interpersonal dynamics, as Dean’s DNC would have to work hand in hand with Trippi to elect Edwards.

-snip

The Edwards campaign now promises to rely on the Dean DNC to defend the Trippi-advised candidate, should he win the nomination. Everyone involved is a professional and I’m sure the DNC would do everything it could, but this just seems, well, complicated.

http://thegarance.com/archives/779

[maximusveritas]

1. Yeah, this will be interesting

but I'm confident Dean and his DNC colleagues will act professionally in the unlikely event that Edwards becomes the nominee.
On a side note, however, there was a post here after the debate where an Edwards supporter was claiming that Dean didn't do enough to defend Edwards from Chris Matthews' attacks, compared to the full defense he gave for other candidates. I didn't put too much stock in that post (and still don't), but it does tie in with this post.

[Adelante]

4. I hadn't noticed it broke down this way

I saw former Dean staff on both campaigns, but didn't realize one had Trippi loyalists and the other Dean loyalists. If this is true. I agree the DNC will do the right thing to have a Dem in the WH no matter past tiffs.

[Pirate Smile]

2. I thought the drama had more to do with how the Clinton people don't like Dean and

have tried to undermine him repeatedly.

Drama, drama, drama!

[Cameron27]

3. Politics is intriguing

although who would leave Dean for Trippi lol.

[Adelante]

5. Good point!

:D

[Cha]

6. Takes all kinds..

No doubt Dean and the DNC will support whichever candidate wins.

[Debi]

7. I see Dean and the DNC being the adults in this case

I don't know WHY Edwards ever hired Trippi (and hope he's being kept on a short leash). After what Trippi did to the Dean campaign, I can't imagine ANY campaign trusting him at the helm x(

[Cameron27]

9. I never liked Trippi,

never liked his strategy, and he's playing the same old tune for Edwards IMO.

[Debi]

10. Not just that he's a one-note

and I won't go on a huge rant here, but Dean NEEDED him here in Iowa and he REFUSED b/c he feared that his position would change from National to Iowa and then he'd lose control back in Vermont. So, while Michael Whooley was in Iowa getting Kerry ready to take over - Trippi was in Vermont ordering Orange hats and fleecies for the Perfect Storm volunteers - leaving all us Iowa Deaniacs without true direction or organization.

I won't even go in to how much money he spent in Iowa - that DEAN DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT until it was too late. (but I'm sure Trippi's consulting business got it's cut :puke:)

Then he has the gaul to do that sordid radio interview as he drove home from Dean HQ. :puke:

I just hope that Edwards is aware - hasn't forgotten - and has safeguards in place so that Joe Trippi doesn't bankrupt and destroy his campaign.

[Adelante]

11. Oh, God, that radio interview

I forgot about that - horrible.

[Debi]

13. Just what Dean needed in his last ditch effort to stay in the race

Trippi in the car w/his wife and dog crying - CRYING about being dismissed :cry:

[Adelante]

17. In a raging snowstorm

The whole thing was like an earthquake hit. Terribly sad even for the rest of us, so imagine what you guys went through. Politics can break your heart. :pals:

[Debi]

18. Yeah - and it's hard to not hold a grudge

That's why I don't understand Edwards hiring the guy (Like he couldn't find another on-line fund raiser??). He saw what happened here in Iowa and in NH. What'd he do? Forget?

[Adelante]

19. I guess he hoped for a repeat of the earlier performance

Drawing a big crowd to his blog and raising the big bucks. Not that it's actually happened, but that was probably the thinking. I doubt Trippi has anything to do with spending the money, or has a fat media contract like he did with Dean, which is what Edwards might have been concerned about. It will be interesting to see, though, what Trippi has to say down the road. The Edwards campaign seems to keep a lid on ex-staffers talking out of school, as far as I've seen, but Trippi will probably break that mold, given that he's not been able to perform as expected and will have to save face, betrayal be damned.

[Cameron27]

12. Thanks, I never knew all that

but it confirms my opinion of him.

[Debi]

14. There's plenty more

but I won't bore you (or torture my fingers with pounding it all out). If you're bored some day just search it - plenty of articles about it. :eyes:

[Cameron27]

20. I think I know most of it,

just not all the specifics. Thanks though, I know it opens old wounds. (sorry, just got in from walking the dog)

[Adelante]

22. Debi, did you see this?

I just followed a link from MyDD

http://www.amazon.com/Mousepads-Shoe-Leather-Hope-Campaign/dp/1594514852

[Debi]

23. OMG! cool,

thanks for the link WesDem :hi:

[madfloridian]

26. I remember Wolf asked Dean about Trippi once about a year later.

Dean gave him a look and said "I have been very good about not talking about Joe Trippi". That was it. Clear and to the point.

[illinoisprogressive]

8. I could be a chance for trippi and Dean to patch it up. Besides,

it's Hillary and her minions who hate Dean and want to shut him down as well as all the progressives.
So, for Dean, Hillary's nomination would be a nightmare whereas, with Edwards, they would work things out okay.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

15. I take Garance...

With a large grain of salt. She has, in the past, gone for the gusto, rather than the story.

[madfloridian]

21. I agree. A very large grain of salt.

She has done her share of hit pieces.

[geek tragedy]

16. Joe Trippi is the new Bob Shrum.

He's a loser and a jinx.

[jsamuel]

24. I have no doubt that Dean will not let personal issues interfere with such an important issue.

[JI7]

25. why would anyone be a Trippi loyalist ?