Remember the established coziness between Hillary and Sludge? Why would Novak be any different?

[jefferson_dem]

...especially when sludge prominently pimps Novak's story on his page...

October 22, 2007

Clinton Finds Way to Play Along With Drudge
By JIM RUTENBERG

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 — As Senator Barack Obama prepared to give a major speech on Iraq one morning a few weeks ago, a flashing red-siren alert went up on the Drudge Report Web site. It read, “Queen of the Quarter: Hillary Crushes Obama in Surprise Fund-Raising Surge,” and, “$27 Million, Sources Tell Drudge Report.”

Within minutes, the Drudge site had injected Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s fund-raising success into the day’s political news on the Internet and cable television. It did not halt coverage of Mr. Obama’s speech or his criticism of her vote to authorize the war in 2002, but along the front lines of the campaign — the hourly, intensely fought effort to capture the news cycle or deny ownership of it to the other side — it was a telling assault.

Mrs. Clinton’s aides declined to discuss how the Drudge Report got access to her latest fund-raising figures nearly 20 minutes before the official announcement went to supporters. But it was a prime example of a development that has surprised much of the political world: Mrs. Clinton is learning to play nice with the Drudge Report and the powerful, elusive and conservative-leaning man behind it.

<SNIP>

But, typical of a campaign with a reputation for exploiting every advantage and trying to neutralize every disadvantage, Mrs. Clinton’s communications team, led by Howard Wolfson, is not leaving Mr. Drudge to the Republicans. Five current and former Democratic officials said Mrs. Clinton has on her side the closest thing her party has ever had to Mr. Rhoades in Tracy Sefl, a former Democratic National Committee official, who has established a friendly working relationship with Mr. Drudge — and through whom Mrs. Clinton’s campaign often worked quietly to open a line of communication.

<SNIP>

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/22/us/politics/22drudge.html?ei=5065&en=8e8c56803a2a987c&ex=1193630400&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print

[OKNancy]

1. Some think it's icky. I think it is smart politics

A lot of the things criticized about her will be extremely helpful if she is in the general election. One thing we need is someone who knows how to turn it on the jerks.

[dkf]

2. Apparently she knows how to turn it on Obama too.

[papau]

3. There is no "established coziness between Hillary and Sludge" - just Hillary's ability to use the

media - even the right wing media.

That is a skill we need in whoever gets the nomination as not knowing how to use the media can kill any chance of election.

[earthlover]

7. Hillary does not that have much influence on the right wing media

The right wing media were relentless in attacking Bill Clinton. Hillary was not able to stop it or even slow it down.

If she has so much influence on the right wing media, why didn't she influence it to stop the Swift Boaters from getting all that free air time attacking Kerry in 04? If she did have that much influence...why didn't she use it?!

The right wing media will be helpful in getting Hillary nominated. AFter all, hillary is the one they WANT to be nominated.

This help will end abruptly if she ever has the nomination sewed up.

[ShortnFiery]

10. Wake up! The M$M adores both Hill and Bill ... endless material

and scandal to play off of while our legislators steal "the people's" money for war and oil. :(

[jefferson_dem]

13. Hillary and Sludge - - a sleazy symbiosis

Hillary Campaign Helping Matt Drudge Get Stronger -- Will Drudge Return The Favor?
October 22, 2007 -- 10:35 AM EST // //

***

What this really means, of course, is that Hillary's leak of her fundraising numbers was enormously helpful to Drudge and is the sort of thing that helps him and his biz grow stronger. It's true, as Marc Ambinder notes, that Barack Obama appears to have a pipeline to Drudge too on occasion. Nonetheless, the Hillary-Drudge relationship is the thing that bears watching. And the key takeaway is that when they deem it in their interest Hillary advisers are happy to do stuff -- like this leak -- that helps Drudge to no end.

The Hillary campaign of course can leak to whomever they want to. But we should be under no illusions as to what's really going on here. The fact that he does deliver legit scoops amid the stream of mendacity and low-comedic distortions is partly what enables him to maintain his power and status as a kind of "bulletin board" for the nation's political reporters. And the Drudgification of our media proceeds apace.

The piece, interestingly, also reports that Drudge has often said positive things about Hillary on his radio show -- and has even said that he "needs" her. A Hillary Presidency, you'd assume, would drive Drudge traffic through the roof, and for this reason I submit that it would be premature to predict, as many do, that he'd work all that hard to defeat her in a general election. At any rate, each has much to gain from the other, and neither appears to be all that shy about acting on this fact.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/horsesmouth/2007/10/hillary_campaig.php

[ShortnFiery]

14. What burns me up in an infuriating way is that WE, THE PEOPLE, are the big losers when *plutocracy*

enjoys playing us off each other for sport. Go to any of the POWER Broker's cocktail soirees, and you will hear how our rulers detest the average american voter as part of their *chattering classes.*

We, the people, need to wake up the fat and bloated political ruling class by replacing almost ALL of the "do nothing" congress critters.

WE, THE PEOPLE, are the ones being punked.

NOT either of the two parties OR their power brokers OR strategists ... but us *little people.*

I'm sick of business as usual within BOTH parties as well as the whorish M$M.

We will NOT EVER have free and fair elections as long as the mega-corporations can conspire to pull the people in varied directions by FLUFF and WEDGE ISSUES.

Yes, when you come down to brass tacks, this is nothing more complex than CLASS WAR.

[Tellurian]

11. Why repeat Hannity talking points on a Dem Forum

It sounds so lame. I don't believe Hillary had anything to do with it. Obama isn't much of a lawyer to accuse people of slander without proof! That is elementary in the law profession BUT not in the Tabloid profession. Is Obama getting so desperate he needs to go the Tabloid route in the hopes of giving his poll numbers a boost?

What happened to the Politics of Hope? Obama promised he wasn't going to go negative. Didn't last too long with that promise, did he!

[ShortnFiery]

12. OMG != "Obama isn't much of a lawyer" ?!? That's way tacky as as well as a blatant lie.

BTW while you're slinging MUD and innuendo, tell us again:

How many times did your Hillary have to take The Law Exam in order to pass?!? :evilgrin:

[Tellurian]

18. I doubt if Obama could pass it if he took the exam tomorrow!

He's not much of a lawyer. He's NEVER tried a case! Do the research. It's all fluff. He's a foot note in a Larry Tribe Appeals Court Case. A foot note for writing a brief. No more than a trivial attribution by a legal scholar who happened to like his student.

[earthlover]

19. I have to laugh Tellurian, reading this post, when you were complaining about going negative?

I suppose when hillary supporters not only go negative it is ok?

Your post on Obama is indistinguishable from the hateful rhetoric one reads on far right posts. Your post would do Rush proud!

[Tellurian]

25. Lovely, when you post inaccuracies, expect to be called on it!

My candidate is NOT going negative in her campaign. Nothing saying I can't defend her against the BS posts from Obama and Edwards supporters endorsing and promoting their candidate's propagandist lies.!

[MBS]

21. give me a break-- he was a professor at U chicago law school n/t

[Tellurian]

23. NEVER! His Curriculum Vitae lists him as a Guest Lecturer..

Try to keep up!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

22. She Failed The Bar Exam In DC- The Toughest Jurisdiction In The Nation

John Kennedy Junior failed the Bar exam in NY , which also has a tough test, three times... Maybe we should disinter him and flagellate him for that too...

[Tellurian]

26. Come over here..

Don't you remember how it was when you were young?

Romance and creativity?

[ShortnFiery]

9. Yes, our new "ideal" is a cross between a used car salesman and P.T. Barnum.

I don't recognize this country ... no standards worth truly caring for and nurturing ... nor can I view what passes for TV news without vomiting. :eyes:

No, we have lost all semblance of morality ... we idolize the smarmiest of personality and sly character traits. Well <sigh> ... count me OUT. :thumbsdown:

[incapsulated]

4. Oh, Drudge was spreading rumors for Clinton?

No, unless tipping him off about your fund raising is an ugly rumor.

[BeyondGeography]

5. Ms. Sefl is in charge of Drudge Love Development

Another embodiment of the soulless In It To Win It mission statement.

[hijinx87]

6. it's called media management

and her campaign does it well.

[earthlover]

20. the hillary campaign is good at using fancy words to make shit smell better

[hijinx87]

24. better get used to it

she is going to be around for a while.

[ClarkUSA]

8. Clinton accepts money from Murdoch, feeds stories to Drudge; why not plant a rumor with Novak?

Hillary will do anything with anybody if it helped her be the Democratic nominee. And Chris Lehane, Mark Penn, and
Harold Wolfson know damn well that Novak is an inveterate gossipmonger par excellence who will spread maliciious
stories in the blink of an eye without question (see Valerie Plame).

F*ck them for trying to swiftboat a good Democrat!! Kudos to Obama for calling her out on it immediately and forcing
a tellingly ingracious, nasty non-denial swiftboating denial.

"Politics is a blood sport." ~ Bill Clinton

[itsrobert]

15. CLINTON,>CARVILLE>CNN> NOVAK> DRUDGE>FOXNEWS>HILLARYBOTS

????

[ruggerson]

16. Do you actually read Drudge?

He LOATHES Clinton. He loathes everything about her. Drudge's best gal pal is Anne Coultergeist. They both despise anyone and everything pro choice. Obama doesn't get treated much better, but he REALLY despises Hillary.

[ShortnFiery]

17. Nope, those within the political ruling classes, all stripes, get along well within

the beltway ... especially during those frequent socials that are constantly being hosted to woo those within "the plutocracy."

To the Power Elite Politicos within the media and the government, it's all just ONE BIG WALTZ of "Bread and Circuses" because the fix is already in ... just time for us "little people" to be duped along to agree with our rulers. :evilgrin: