Are there any other Obama supporters who are willing to give Hillary the benefit of the doubt?

[EmilyAnne]

I don't trust Matt Drudge. Let's not throw Hillary under a bus because of his claim. The picture won't matter either way, but a divided Democratic party will. We need to understand that the HRC supporters among us have their reasons for supporting her. We should respect them, even if we disagree. As Democrats, we all want, essentially, the same things. We just happen to read the records and words of these two people differently. Of course, the HRC supporters will be hurt if she doesn't win the nomination just as we will be hurt of BO doesn't win. How will any of us ever recover if we continue to lash out at each other?

Deep breathes, calm down, kumbaya and all that.

[annabanana]

1. I am voting for the Democrat in the 2008 election. . . . .n/t

[fenriswolf]

2. after they tried to float the idea that pledged delegates were fair game

I won't put anything past her campaign.

[gravity]

3. Not after Maggie Williams

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.

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

[tabatha]

6. That is BS.

Obama addresses the issues every day.

[gravity]

That's my point

[cali]

4. The Clinton campaign needs to issue and unequivocal denial

so far, they haven't. and in any case, she's already lost. there's virtually no way that she can get the nomination unless Obama does something disasterous.

[JackORoses]

5. Not when her own Campaign refuses to deny that they sent the photo out.

All they have to do is deny it. They cannot because they are responsible.

Why ignore such stark reality?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

7. After the plagiarism charges... the terrorist charges...

No.

[NightWatcher]

8. the "photo" is just more of the same tactics from Hillary (and Mark Penn)

surprised- no
shocked- no
this is a big week for Hillary and her supporters and surogates, there is no telling what may come out.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

9. It's Drudge.

The man is a known liar. He also one of the bigtime purveyors of the bizarre right-wing hate/obsession with the Clintons. That said, he does occasionally publish something that isn't bullshit. The problem is that with Drudge there's no way to tell the difference.

[AtomicKitten]

10. Since her campaign pushed "Muslim! Cocaine! Plagiarism! Snub!" I'm fresh out of benefit of the doubt

[scheming daemons]

11. See my other thread... I'm an Obama supporter that thinks this is a GOP smear...

...of BOTH of our candidates.

[Tyler Durden]

23. Good Luck.

[EmilyAnne]

29. I'll look for your thread. I guess I am looking for any way to believe the best about Hillary.

I supported her for so long. I don't want to believe that she's some conniving monster.

[shraby]

12. Judging from her other actions, I hesitate to

give the benefit of any doubt. She's not exactly been all sweetness and light, now has she?

[tpsbmam]

13. She's not my choice for the nomination but.....

I'll most certainly vote for her if she's the nominee. It frustrates the bejesus to hear and see all of the Dems who say they won't vote for one or the other. I need no other persuasion to vote for the Democratic nominee than these two words: Supreme Court.

[Faygo Kid]

14. I did until Maggie Williams spoke out. That clinched it.

She not only failed to deny that the Clinton campaign was the source for sending it, she spoke like there was no harm intended - absurd on its face, and in light of the smears against Obama. (And the Hillary supporters here know it, too, despite their "who, me?" protestations.

I held off until after that. Now, no benefit of the doubt. Scorched earth policy now in full gear by the Hillary campaign.

Unless Hillary comes out with a complete denial and apologize for Williams' remarks, I must conclude this was a campaign tactic consciously engaged in. And react accordingly.

[HeraldSquare212]

15. After the attempted 'radical' smear last week, it's hard to just dismiss it out of hand.

Given the history, I'd have to say it's more likely that it was done and done with malign intent. I suppose that's the risk when you engage in things like the radical smear - no one will believe your denials if you are falsely accused of doing the same thing again.

[oviedodem]

16. I know that she did not "release" it BUT it looks like her campaign

is circulating the trash and that is reprehensible.

[DemzRock]

17. Yes, I am willing to give HRC the benefit of the doubt...

For the Obama-newbies Drudge has been publishing anti-Clinton stuff for years...

Also Maggie's statement does not prove they did it. It just proves they know that Hillary has played dress up too and they know that others have those pix. And maybe they think Obama is part of the Drudge setup.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

18. I really couldn't care less about "the photo"

Anyone whose opinion of Obama would be swayed by that photo is not going to vote for him anyway. It is a complete non-issue.

[Metric System]

26. That's my view too. Also, it seems more like a smear on Clinton given the way the

the headline is framed on Sludge's site.

[shrub chipper]

19. which Hillary

are we supposed to give the benefit of the doubt to?

the Austin debate ending Hilary?

the "Shame on you, Barack Obama" faux outraged Hillary?

the sarcastic Light from Above Hillary?

the disingenuous 'why is everyone getting upset over a little ole picture' Hillary?


Only the first one is someone I would give the time of day to.

[yourguide]

20. I gave HRC the benefit of the doubt on this...

until Maggie Williams statement.

This does matter, this is NOT a moment to kumbaya over, this is NOT good for the party, and these are the VERY tactics this party has been hit by for the past 8 to 16 years by the republicans.

this is NOT ok, it is not OK for any dem to behave this way.

[shrub chipper]

22. I agree

Democrats deserve better than this.

I thought Democrats WERE better than this.


If they're not, why are we Democrats?

[Tyler Durden]

21. I believe you have your answer.

[DJ13]

24. Not at this point

I've seen so many GOP styled smears coming from the Clinton campaign that she no longer desreves the benefit of doubt.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

25. Some Of His Supporters Here Look REALLLLLLLLLY Bad Today. Reallllllllllly Bad.

Tantrums all around. Completely void of factual knowledge, already running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

Thank you for not being one of them.

[yellowcanine]

31. And Maggie Williams? What does she look like today when she tries to justify this?

“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," Williams wrote in an e-mail to reporters. "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.”

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

33. Maggie's Response Was Brilliant, And Spot On.

It's the exact line of logic that Obama's camp should've used. Unfortunately, they missed the opportunity and succumbed to the game (from whoever it was that's playing it).

[yellowcanine]

36. Ok we will see how it plays out. Check back in a few days and see if you still think it was

"brilliant". There will be major blowback from this and Maggie Williams will get a lot of it on her. Just wait and watch.

[yellowcanine]

27. I would except the response of Maggie Williams doesn't encourage doubt.

Clinton campaign manager Maggie Williams tried to turn the tables on Obama's campaign Monday, releasing a blistering statement that did little to disabuse the notion Clinton's staffers were behind the photo's distribution.

“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," Williams wrote in an e-mail to reporters. "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.”

This is not the response of someone unjustly accused of something. This is a justifying one's actions response.

[EmilyAnne]

28. It does seem like a justification. I hate that this is happening to the party.

[cottonseed]

30. I would. The timing is a bit suspect though.

After the other day's histrionics regarding the mailer, I was pretty much expecting something like this. True Rovian politics is feigning outrage in order to lay the groundwork for your own, even filthier smear. It almost seems like we've got something like that here.

As far as the photo goes. If it's out there, it's out there. I hope this can become part of the discussion of "behavior" and "tactics" Hillary was referring to for tomorrow's debate. Better to flesh these things out sooner than later.

The inference as a sleeping muslim candidate is pretty obvious. However, this can be handled with class simply by discussing it. What I'm more disappointed about is that it's the first picture of him that really makes the guy look like a dork.

[yellowcanine]

34. A dork? Actually I think he looks rather dignified in that get up. I can think of lots of

Presidential and Presidential candidate dressups that looked far worse.
Starting with GWB in flight suit, for example.
Michael Dukakis in the tank.
Numerous presidents in Indonesian shirts.
Rudy in drag.
etc.

[cottonseed]

38. You are right.

I agree with you. I think I'm basically throwing the poster a bone on this. There's a true danger in what some would use the photo to infer. I think we both know that. What I hope happens is that we can all have an open and honest discussion of this (non-issue), so that this thing isn't floating around like some underworld covert photograph. I want it out there and handled.

[Coexist]

32. its a real photo from a real stop in his life -

photo-gate doesn't bother me.

I would just like Senator Obama to come out discussing how proud he was of his visit there.

[ClassWarrior]

35. I'll gladly give Sen. Clinton the benefit of the doubt. But I think it's...

...rotten - and tone deaf at best - that Maggie Williams chose to use the opportunity to trash Obama instead of denouncing the politics of fear.

NGU.

[JVS]

37. No. Her supporters are behaving in a way consistent with Drudge's story. This is no accident.

[alteredstate]

39. I'm in. This shit could have come from anywhere.

[donheld]

40. Not this one

not any more

[Lindsey]

41. I'm an Obama supporter but I will DEFINITELY support Hillary if she's the

candidate. And, imho, anyone who doesn't isn't a true Democrat. Anyone who thinks McCain would be better is crazy.

[Lilith Velkor]

42. Good question

kick for the sane minority :kick: