Hillary campaign issues non-denial of leaking photo ... link

[Alhena]

I had been thinking this story was likely overblown, but the Clinton campaign's response makes me think otherwise- there's no denial there. Is race-baiting what the Democratic party has been reduced to?

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0208/Clintons_response_the_days_Drudge.html#comments

Enough.

If Barack Obama's campaign wants to suggest that a photo of him wearing traditional Somali clothing is divisive, they should be ashamed. Hillary Clinton has worn the traditional clothing of countries she has visited and had those photos published widely.

This is nothing more than an obvious and transparent attempt to distract from the serious issues confronting our country today and to attempt to create the very divisions they claim to decry.

We will not be distracted.

[yourguide]

1. Oh wow.

Bye bye hillary, dont let the door hit you on the ass on the way out.

[maddiejoan]

2. If Hillary's camp was behind this

Don't you think they'd have had a response already?

Why not give her more than 2 hours to find out what actually happened?

[Alhena]

6. I would assume that before Maggie Williams issued a statement ...

she would have already checked. She's had a couple of hours at least to look into it.

This is a statement from the campaign chair- don't you think that she would have denied that the campaign leaked the photo if she could?

[Bluebear]

9. And Obama didn't know about hiring ex-gays to sermonize at his events.

It was just "rogue staffers" who didn't vet him enough.

But the outrage train only travels one way, I assume.

[Alhena]

I would assume that before Maggie Williams issued a statement ...

she would have already checked. She's had a couple of hours at least to look into it.

This is a statement from the campaign chair- don't you think that she would have denied that the campaign leaked the photo if she could?

[maddiejoan]

23. No I don't

it could very well have come from some idiot staffer somewhere amongst the 'staffers' (define staffer)

If she flat out denies something that she has no way in knowing is true, than that would really bite her.

Why not give her a chance to find out before issuing an irresponsible statement? (as Ploufe has already done --based on zero facts)

[milkyway]

35. Her friend Drudge's story is dated at 6:51 AM. Politico's story is dated 11:54 AM.

Five hours is a lifetime nowadays. The Clinton campaign's non-denial (i.e., admission) does not say at all that they are checking to see if a staffer might have done it, nor do they denounce it if they did. They simply say, once again, that Obama should be ashamed of himself. They then conclude by saying they will not be distracted from the issues by the distraction they deliberately caused. Fucking pathetic.

[dkf]

3. Its not race baiting, its religion baiting.

Its similar to what happened earlier this year when Clinton staffers were found emailing the Obama is a muslim thing.

[DemzRock]

4. You link goes to an opinion ABOUT the supposed denial -

Show us the actual statement. An opinion is not the news itself. Unless your F-word News.

[bicentennial_baby]

7. it's right there in the post...

Jeez...

[Bluebear]

14. Obama denied knowing about Donnie McClurkin's anti-gay views.

As you know.

[bicentennial_baby]

16. And that is relevant to this discussion how?

Oh right, it isn't.

[Bluebear]

20. Wow...

Sorry, I forgot. I won't address you further.

[cali]

21. god, how pathetic. isn't it time for you to find something

else? this is about campaign dirty tricks. McClurkin is not related to this. You just sound frantic.

[DemzRock]

22. OH, is this their supposed denial:

If Barack Obama's campaign wants to suggest that a photo of him wearing traditional Somali clothing is divisive, they should be ashamed. Hillary Clinton has worn the traditional clothing of countries she has visited and had those photos published widely.

This is nothing more than an obvious and transparent attempt to distract from the serious issues confronting our country today and to attempt to create the very divisions they claim to decry.

We will not be distracted.



PLEASE PUT STUFF LIKE THAT IN QUOTES SO WE KNOW ITS NOT THE POSTER TALKING.

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. Any proof that the Hillary campaign had anyhing to do with this?

Or are you the hanging judge?

[Alhena]

11. Don't you think Maggie Williams would have denied it if they hadn't?

[ProudToBeLiberal]

8. Senator Obama is being divisive

He's trying to suggest that there is something wrong with wearing traditional Somali dress. For crissakes, Senator Clinton has wore traditional clothing in the past.

Why is Senator Obama being so defensive and divisive?

[Alhena]

10. You can't possibly believe what you just typed can you?

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

12. Holy Cow That's Actually A Brilliant Response. And They're Right Too.

[Alhena]

19. So why did they leak the photo today if it distracts from the issues?

And if they didn't leak it, why didn't they deny doing so?

[Occam Bandage]

24. So if it distracts from the issues, why did they release it?

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

31. Her Campaign's Response Was Brilliant, And It Shows He Could've Responded Better.

Didn't hit me till I read her response, but his campaign should've immediately denounced the photo as silly while keeping a lighthearted tone, and declaring an attitude of "so what? I'm wearing the local garb and I was proud to" etc, without the tone of seriousness. The serious tone makes it seem like he WAS doing something wrong by wearing it, when there actually of course is nothing wrong with it. Her campaign is brilliant in coming out and saying that, which implies those railing against its release are the ones being divisive and racial, since in truth it's just a benign photo.

As far as the release, I have no idea the facts behind it, who did it, why or how high up it went. None of us know that. As far as their not issuing a flat out denial? I totally see why they didn't now and find the way they did respond to be FAR more brilliant. Why deny something that is completely benign and harmless? Brilliant.

With this specific issue, Hillary 1, Obama 0.

[City Lights]

13. More lectures about shame.

Coming from the Clintons. Ha!

[jgraz]

15. Wow, they put out the photo and then they blame Obama for being divisive

If it wasn't so transparently pathetic, I'd almost be impressed.

:argh:

[ProSense]

17. Why are they acting as if it's hard to believe after "Obama meets with radical domestic terrorists"

promoted by not only her campaign, but also her surrogates

[BuyingThyme]

18. Can the Clinton team ever be honest about anything?

Goddamn those motherfuckers. If you did it, say so. If you didn't, say so.

What an ugly bunch of people. Most five-year olds are now proven more qualified to be president than Hillary Clinton. And we're about to enter the four-year-old realm.

Could you imagine these jokers running the White House? We could never trust them with a thing.

Go away Hillary people. You've got yourselves one ugly candidate. We don't need another one.

[DemzRock]

26. wow! this is called politics...

Get used to it. All pols do this, including Obama.

The GOP will tear him 487 new ones if he isn't ready for the General Election.

Remember how Kerry let himself be swiftboated?

[BuyingThyme]

30. You're exactly right about the Swift-boaters.

They're just like Team Hillary.

[NJSecularist]

25. So now the Hillary campaign isn't even denying this and the Hillbots are still defending her?

Un fucking real.

This is Karl Rove bullshit. Thanks for dragging our party in the mud, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Shame on you, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

[BuyingThyme]

28. Fool me...Never get fooled again.

And again and again and again...

[Kaylee]

27. I have no more words for her campaign...

I'm just speechless. :(

[bigtree]

29. that's as clear a denial as any. They don't think the clothes should or would be an issue

Contrary to the Drudge report in which a 'campign staffer' supposedly told him they thought it would be damaging.

[BuyingThyme]

32. You're surprised they didn't own up to playing the fear-the-black-man card?

Pretty savvy.

[HeraldSquare212]

33. They're just guaranteeing it will stay alive as an issue.

Bad move on Clinton's part - the media will now spend the time trying to figure out where it came from.

[milkyway]

34. Clinton campaign: We won't be distracted from the issues by our action of pushing a fear-mongering

photo of Obama. Just because we did something as a distraction from the issues, it does not mean we will be distracted from the issues.