Hillary staffer says states that voted for Obama "sip lattes" and only care about "feelings."

[NYCGirl]

From John Aravosis at AmericaBlog:

http://www.americablog.com/2008/03/hillary-stafer-says-...

I'm not sure what to make of this. Sounds like a bit of gay-bashing, a bit of yuppie-bashing, and a bit of overall liberal bashing to boot. And of course, it continues Hillary's theme of bashing any state and any constituency that favors Obama (like she did when said that Mississippians have a problem with women):

One Clinton aide yesterday derided Mr Obama’s victories in “boutique” caucus states rather than the hardscrabble terrain of the rustbelt, saying: “Obama has won the small caucus states with the latte-sipping crowd. They don’t need a president, they need a feeling.”

Actually, the Clinton folks are dissing all of Obama's states. Not only are the caucus states "boutique" (wonder what that means), but none of his victories were in the "hardscrabble terrain." I guess that means that Obama never won any manly-man states. So which sissy Obama states are we talking about? His primary victories in: Missouri? Illinois? Maryland? Georgia? Alabama? Wisconsin? Virginia? Louisiana? Utah? South Carolina? Or the caucus states of: Nebraska? Alaska? Idaho? Kansas? North Dakota? Iowa? And soon-to-be Texas? (There are more primary and caucus victories, but these were the "manliest" ones I could think of, off the top of my head.) Obama has won far more than just caucus states, and the caucus states he won are far from latte-drinking San Franciscans (let's face it, that's what Hillary's campaign meant).

Seriously, which of those states does Hillary think are just a bunch of latte-drinking airheads? Wow, that is amazingly dumb, and amazingly Republican. Not to mention, now we can expect an ad from John McCain in the fall telling those states' voters that this is what Democrats think of them. Way to go, Hillary. Now whose staffer needs to be fired?

Original article referred to:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_amer...

[bigtree]

1. He's an idiot for dissing voters, anywhere.

I've NEVER heard Hillary Clinton say this, or even hint that she feels this way.

[MidwestTransplant]

21. He Campaign always disses the "non important" states. She dissed MS about never having

a woman gov.

[cali]

39. It's her campaign and SHE is responsible for this continuous

bashing of states and voters that didn't vote for her. And yes she's made comments herself- or are you forgetting what she said about MS?

[mrreowwr_kittty]

71. She uses surrogates to say it.

And this is not the first time this kind of sentiment has been casually expressed by her staffers. There was the "hip black friend" comment a staffer made, there was that speech by the union guy where Obama supporters were called "Birkenstock wearing latte drinking trust fund babies". (I wish!) When people in your organization are sounding alike, it's a sign that the message is coming from the top. Not that it's that big a deal. Campaigns always define their opposition. And frankly, I'd rather be a latte-sipping feeler for Barack than a bitter old uneducated racist geezer for Hillary!

[Carolina]

72. why doesn't she fire that staffer

[TwilightGardener]

78. She won't say this--her campaign trots out surrogates to insult the voters instead.

[JVS]

79. that has been the campaign line

[Red Zelda]

2. Latte-sipping, eh.

Ever been to Maine? People there will chew the freckles off your Billary-loving nose.

[Adelante]

33. I was thinking of Maine, too

Pretty hard scrabble.

[maddiejoan]

3. ???

How does this sound like 'gay bashing"?

WTF?

[JAbuchan08]

87. the subtext is that only effeminite liberal types like Obama

it might be a stretch to call it gay-bashing, but in some people's minds that's exactly what it means to be a "latte-sipping elitest."

[maddiejoan]

89. I see

so is it your contention that "effeminite" equals gay?

[EmilyAnne]

90. I think homophobic people like to make that claim, yes. Come on. You know that is a common

stereotype used by ignorant people to rally ignorant people.

Remember that John Edwards fixing his hair made him gay? And Hillary Clinton in a position of authority as first lady meant that she was a lesbian? Anti war liberals? They're gay, too. Real, tough, straight have the stomachs for war, they don't eat quiche, they don't sip lattes...

Its all bullshit, but you know that it's used over and over again.

[maddiejoan]

94. I find the OP to be homophobic in and of itself

[JAbuchan08]

106. That is not my contention at all, but some people (not myself)

would have that perception.

I believe, however; that it was you who made the direct connection between effeminite and gay. If you look at what I wrote I didn't "contend" that at all. I merely said that "latte-sipping liberals" was code for "effeminite," which (to bigots) is one and the same thing as gay.

I made no reference to my views at all.

[Sulawesi]

4. What is it with the HRC campaign's penchant for sterotyping millions and millions of people.

[DogPoundPup]

25. Clinton&Staff are actually ...

Raving Rove Republicans...McNoShame-ists so to speak.

[City Lights]

48. And yet *she* knows that if she someone gets the nod, most of the people

she's stereotyped will fall in line and pull that level for Ol' Hill 'cause she's the one with the "D" after her name.

I would *love* to have a reporter ask her how she intends to win the GE without the support of all the voters she's insulted during the primary.

[rucky]

5. I thought campaign staffers were paid to attract voters to their candidate?

that's a funny way to go about it.

I drink the occasional latte and support Obama, but now I feel ashamed and maybe should support Hillary because I wouldn't want to be called a latte-sipper.

[SoFlaJet]

20. I'm a coffee in the morning guy

but espresso over lattes-hard core baby-wait where do i fit in? Who should I vote for? I'm wearing sandals too this morning-not Birkenstock I AM CONFUSED

[JerseygirlCT]

38. LOL, and I love a coke, from the fountain...

Wonder what that makes me?

[SoFlaJet]

41. what that makes you is....

Jersey Girl (the bestest kind) by Tom Waits

got no time for the corner boys, down in the street makin' all that noise,
don't want no whores on eighth avenue, cause tonight i'm gonna be with you.

cause tonight i'm gonna take that ride, across the river to the jersey side,
take my baby to the carnival, and i'll take you on all the rides, sing sha la
la la la la sha la la la.

down the shore everything's alright, you with your baby on a saturday night,
don't you know that all my dreams come true, when i'm walkin' down the street
with you, sing sha la la la la la sha la la la.

you know she thrills me with all her charms, when i'm wrapped up in my
baby's arms, my little angel gives me everything, i know someday that she'll
wear my ring.

so don't bother me cause i got no time, i'm on my way to see that girl of
mine, nothin' else matters in this whole wide world, when you're in love with
a jersey girl, sing sha la la la la la la.

and i call your name, i can't sleep at night, sha la la la la la la.

[JerseygirlCT]

44. That song always makes me cry! I love it. And yes, guilty as charged!

Thanks - made my morning!

[SoFlaJet]

47. I'm in love with a Jersey girl too

me and Robbin just celebrated 25 years living together on the 5th-you HAVE heard the original Waits version JGCT? It the best version of any

[JerseygirlCT]

51. I have. But coming from where I do (the heart of Bruce country in NJ) ...

I have a soft spot for Bruce's, I'll admit.

[SoFlaJet]

54. all us Jersey musicians

do versions of the song,Bon Jovi, Bruce, and me

[catgirl]

6. The Clinton camp is dissing millions of people

and they hope for these people to vote for Hillary in the general election?

[boston bean]

7. Boomers need to get over themselves its time to turn the page.

Talk about alienating and shitting on a whole swath of democratic voters. Boomer women especially.

[Skidmore]

63. I'm a Boomer woman and it embarrasses the hell out of me that another

Boomer woman is doing her best to stomp all over the civil rights of millions, including women.

[backscatter712]

8. How dare us peasants not support the Princess! n/t

[peace13]

9. Oh that is nice.

I am sure that my vote will be needed when she comes a begging.

[Eric J in MN]

10. Who cares what anonymous campaign staffers say?

Newspapers shouldn't print campaign staffers anonymously.

If someone has evidence of government corruption, that is worth giving anonymity for. This isn't.

[hedgehog]

19. Yeah, they should out them by name like they did with Powers! nt

[terrya]

11. Well, that isn't good, to put it mildly.

Because Obama won my state, Illinois. So I guess the Clinton campaign is dissing me.

I'm not regretting my change of support now at all. Fuck that crap.

[seabeyond]

102. he won texas too. lets see her come to texas and say latte and feelings... lol lol n/t

[IDemo]

12. Yes, our state is full of latte sipping liberals, alright

Gosh!

[rug]

17. Another smear from a Pedro supporter.

[IDemo]

23. Gore/Pedro '08!

[bhikkhu]

93. My state (Oregon) is full of latte sipping liberals

I am not ashamed to say. Though I drink regular coffee myself.

So I guess she won't be coming here, and the reason she will lose is lined out already.

[zulchzulu]

13. Wisconsin voters drink plain coffee and go vote when it's 5 below zero

Oh, did I mention it was a LANDSLIDE!

[SoCalDem]

14. Just another divisive snarky comment by another staffer..

It's odd to me too that a lot of the "bad" stuff from the HRC campaign impugns the VOTERS...not the candidate

The SC voters
The small states are not important
BHO's voters are latte' sippers.
there are others too, but it's early

[mculator]

15. Heh not quite a monster quote... but keep digging through the trash

That's what the rest of BOs camp is doing, Ken Starr.

[Kittycat]

28. By demanding transparency - he's Ken Starr?

Give me a break. She was all over her opponents ass in 2000 for him not releasing his returns fast enough for her liking.

[Kittycat]

30. dupe

dup.

[Carolina]

73. touche, Hillbots and their situational ethics

[seabeyond]

103. IF that were the case i expect praise. i am told by hillary supporters dirty politics is good stuff

no down faces, should be a wooooo good one.

[MidwestTransplant]

16. Yup, IA, SC, AK, AL, GA, MO, LA, NE (MS and WY to come), etc. all latte sippers.

No latte sipping in NY, MA, NJ or CA of course.

[Madam Mossfern]

81. My county in NJ went for Obama

So I guess all Essex people are latte drinkers.......
Remember, we are the county of the "Sopranos".

[npincus]

18. Fire the Witch/Warlock!

NOW!

[charlie]

22. Theme du jour

"Latte-sipping" is used often enough around here, too. Latte-sipping, college-age, cocooned from working-class realities --- the old chestnuts from the Birch Limbaugh Right are the new hotness in Camp Hillary.

[roseBudd]

24. Sounds like an RNC ad against Dean, fact most people who drink coffee have had a latte at least 1X

[hobbit709]

26. "Latte-sipping, etc."-in TEXAS????

Now that is funny!

[Warren Stupidity]

49. You can get an excellent latte in Texas.

In fact I am wondering which state does not have access to an espresso serving coffee shop.

[charlie]

57. Christ, there's a Starbucks every 10 feet in this country

Hillary's campaign war rooms are no doubt littered with latte takeout cups. Their latching onto that old rightwing trope isn't just stupid, it's banal and unimaginative.

[MidwestTransplant]

27. I demand a resignation for these ad hominem attacks against millions of Americans

[Benhurst]

29. Unnamed sources. This kind of article says more about the

the reporter than it does about the subject. An unnamed "senior Democrat." An unnamed "Clinton aide."

Please. There is too much of this kind of crap circulating about both the Clinton and Obama campaigns.

[Eric J in MN]

36. It could be someone who volunteered for one day...

...for all we know.

[Kittycat]

31. Well, I usually prefer Tea, but just because of this - I'm going to run out and buy a Latte

this morning.

[RBInMaine]

32. Same thing said by that bigmouth Hillary union guy in OH.

The Hillary people have made these nasty, silly, biased, rotten, personal attacks Obama states and Obama supporters time and time and time again. And yet these Hillary supporters refuse to answer for it !And why the hell won't that horrid corporate MSM talk about THESE ATTACKS for a few news cycles???? It makes me sick !

[Hissyspit]

34. Anybody who "latte-drinking" as a meme is an idiot. Dunkin' Donuts has lattes, McDonald's has

lattes, or something that they call lattes. Sonic Drive-Ins have some new coffee dessert. Burger King has iced coffee! They're all over the fucking country. It's a tired, stereotyping catch-phrase.

It's like the new Dunkin' Donuts commercials. The people standing there singing the jingle that they can't say all these foreign words for the drink sizes. Is it French? Is it Italian? Is it Fritalin? And the commerical ends with 'Dunkin' Donuts now has lattes and cappuccino!' WTF? Well, I think Carlyle owns Dunkin' Donuts, so it is no surprise they would use xenophobia and appeal to shared ignorance as selling points.

[Crunchy Frog]

35. Well, she sure doesn't need to worry about my vote then. n/t

[JerseygirlCT]

37. I've been hearing that one often lately. Wonder if they're using it

in e-mails or something.

For a non-coffe drinker, I've been accused of being latte-sipping quite a lot lately!

[Hissyspit]

40. Use my post #34 above to respond

to anyone who pulls that one on you.

[JerseygirlCT]

42. Ah, it doesn't really bother me

There are definitely worse things to have to admit to being, I suppose. The problem is that I can't fess up to the latte thing, though - never learned to like coffee. Coke is my addiction, and I try to keep it to one a day, lol!

[Hissyspit]

46. I love coffee, but I love Coca-Cola, too. I have tried to cut out cokes

to one every few days, and I've lost weight and my acid reflux has greatly decreased since I did so.

[JerseygirlCT]

52. I know. Bad news. That's why just the one in the am.

Seltzer or water the rest of the time.

But boy! A nice big one from the fountain, with chipped ice... nothing better!

I'm glad you're feeling better, though.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

43. Westchester County lattes anyone?

[Honeycombe8]

45. Missouri lattes? He won the TX caucus...not many lattes around here. Iowa lattes?

The Clinton campaign is running amuck, if they have gone so low as to insult their own party's voters.

[frazzled]

50. The Club for Growth strategy

Look, Clinton's "base" (at least in terms of the current and upcoming contests) consists mainly of blue-collar rust-belt workers and older voters. She seems to be trying to draw a distinction between "her" people and those who vote for Obama. To play an identity game.

But candidates aren't supposed to draw distinctions between "their" voters and their opponent's voters. They are supposed to draw distinctions between themselves and their opponents, on issues and character and qualifications. This insulting of Obama voters is very destructive: it's a Rove strategy that depends on pitting "us" against "them" and getting just enough of "us" to squeak by with 51%. This is devastating. I've never seen a Democrat insult another candidate's voters, or the states another candidate has won. It makes my jaw drop. I really have spent months and months trying not to dislike one candidate just because I prefer another. But it's getting really hard.

Obama is right to tell his people that Hillary is disrespecting them: because she is. And this is not just the words of one anonymous staffer--it's been an undercurrent to her own words for some time now (though obviously more subtly put).

[TwilightGardener]

80. Excellent post, thank you. Why doesn't the media point out what she's doing?

[skooooo]

53. And those kind of people DON'T COUNT, right Hillary?

[mitchum]

55. Fuck that noise; I don't think I'm surrounded by too many latte sippers here in Georgia...

where Obama soundly kicked the Dragon Lady's ass

[Patsy Stone]

56. They don't drink lattes in NY or CA?

Wow. Who knew?

[Berry Cool]

58. Don't drink 'em in Ohio, either.

You know us rust-belters. We like a good steaming hot cup of axle grease in the morning, with a motor oil chaser.

[Patsy Stone]

70. So I hear...

Isn't it difficult to drink a latte while one is wearing a pointed hood?

[Berry Cool]

85. Nah. We make sure the slit is big enough for our mouths to fit through.

But we don't sip lattes anyway, because coffee stains are so hard to get out of white sheets.

[Laelth]

59. Wow! She really is out to destroy the party.

The last gasp of the DLC. "It's our party or nobody's party."

Make them go away, please!



-Laelth

[joeybee12]

60. John Avarois is a fool...

...it's funny, and this flaming queen is not at all offended...I assume John figures he'll get a job in an Obama administration and is trying to find gay-bashing where it doesn't exist, since he's been trying to find racism where it doesn't exist either. He is pathetic.

[NYCGirl]

64. You Clintonites sure loved him when he was raking Obama over the coals

about McClurkin.

[joeybee12]

66. Show me a post where I said I loved him...or even liked him...

...there are lots of interesting posts there, but John has simply become part of the left-wing noise machine, making up stories, distorting them, while not at all looking at Obama objectively.

Thanks for using Clintonites...Clintonistas sounds so socialist.

[XemaSab]

61. Unlike, say, the people in California, New York, and Massachusetts

[saltpoint]

62. It's true. You go up and down Idaho, and the entire populace is chugging

lattes.

They take a couple days off in the winter to go skiing. Otherwise, it's wall-to-wall lattes.

[Not the Only One]

65. Bill Clinton didn't do much for party development in the 90s

This is just more of the same. The Clintons care about the Clintons, and that's it. You're either with the Clintons or you're against them (sound familiar)? I don't sip lattes, Hillary, and I'm not a supporter of yours because I found a better candidate.

You can choke on a rusty wrench, if you care about only that part of the country.

Obama wants to govern the entire nation.

[Barack_America]

67. Wow! I've never heard Idaho described so accurately!

[NorthernSpy]

68. I'm a lumberjack, and I'm okay...

I talk about my feelings and I sip lah-tays!





Maine went for Obama, Massachusetts went for Clinton. Spin that, Hillbots!

[thoughtcrime1984]

69. Her campaign consistently tries to "dumb down" the election

I've always thought the Democratic Party was capable of handling a little bit more of thoughtful politics. We're not the black and white Republicans, everything does not need to come down to a us vs. them mentality.

[TwilightGardener]

74. For insulting me, repeatedly, I will never vote for the Bitch Is The New Black.

I will stay home or vote McCain. She's running a nastier campaign than McCain did.

[eShirl]

75. WELL WHICH IS IT? KOOL-ADE OR LATTES?

How am I supposed to know what to drink now?

[saltpoint]

76. Mix 'em together. We love it at our house.

[JVS]

77. NY, CA, MA not big latte drinkers. MN, WI, IA, GA huge latte drinkers.

We're supposed to believe this?

[blm]

82. Margaret Thatcher wearing a DONKEY MASK. Why Clintons still FOOL some Dems is

beyond reason at this point.

They are so INVESTED in the Clinton brand name they can't see past it anymore.

[Gore1FL]

83. Her campaign keeps wedging for the 50%+1 strategy

And she needs over 60% of the vote to have the remotest chances of getting the super delegates she would need.

Her campaign is run by high-priced fools.

Calling Hillary a monster off the record lost an Obama campaign worker her job.

Disparaging a majority of the Democratic turnout by labeling them as "latte sippers" will probably get someone on the Clinton campaign a raise....

[stray cat]

84. Sounds like a Bush attack on Kerry!

[seabeyond]

104. guess she is trying to be a manly gal instead of a girlie gal..... is this

sexist of me? i am soooo confused.

[FlyingSquirrel]

86. Personally I prefer Mochas and I finish mine in about 2 mins flat.

Just the way I like to do things.




On edit: Well, not EVERYTHING! Keep your minds out of the gutter.

[Bucky]

88. My state went for Clinton, but then I fucking guzzle my lattes.

People who sip lattes are those weenies in Wyoming and South Carolina.

[dave29]

91. I look at Iowa, and I think... "feelings"

LOL

[Arkana]

92. I wonder if we'll get an apology for this.

Guess not. It's ok if you work for Clinton to make blanket statements and insult huge numbers of people.

[seabeyond]

95. dupe

[seabeyond]

96. what is wrong with lattes and she better damn well care about my feelings, cause

my feelings as saying she pissed me off more. wtf....

btw, the title alone possed me off. think i will read the article now to see wtf

[Shakespeare]

97. What a profoundly dumb thing to say. n/t

[SKKY]

98. I know I've lived in Spain for a while now, but I have just one question...

... does "hardscrabble" mean?

[seabeyond]

99. some one explain "they need a feeling". really i do not know what she is saying with that

i understand all the words in that sentence, just not when they are put in that order

[seabeyond]

100. dupe again, sorry all

[fujiyama]

101. This has been their strategy all along

Insult, deride, and simply dismiss states that don't vote for her.

That's not the way to build a wide coalition of voters or bring new people into the party. That's not a way to get coattails or have reps and senators elected.

What is she running for? President of "Only the states that have voted for me"? Or President of the "big states"? This was a POOR strategy from the start. It was a divisive strategy. Why did she run a poor ground game in IA? Or better yet, why didn't she compete in the states that followed Super Tuesday? Why didn't she do anything in VA? Or DC? Or MD? Or WI? Why did she basically ignore every Western state other than AZ and NV?

Why is she trying to get delegates to count from TAINTED elections in MI where she was the only viable candidate on the ballot?

BTW, isn't a latte just coffee + milk? I never knew it was such a controversial drink...oooooh damn latte sipping, Volvo driving, NPR listening yuppies! BTW, Volvo is now owned by Ford. I see a lot of them in Ford's parking lots. And NPR is pretty moderate. Pathetic, that their campaign is using a "Club for Growth" ad's talking points...

[Cha]

105. What kind of strategy disses potential voters?

IOW, How goddamn stupid do you have to be to piss all over Democrats because they didn't vote for your fawking girl?

I'm so glad I'm backing someone with class who has principles, intelligence, grace, wit, and wisdom.

[JI7]

107. they are just going by Karl Rove's playboy