Obama staff mum on Tiffany's purchase with campaign funds

[ElsewheresDaughter]

Sunday, March 23rd 2008, 4:00 AM

Barack Obama's campaign tossed around nearly $600 at Tiffany's last month - for a trinket that remains a secret.

Obama's team tapped his flush campaign bank account to pay the $572.25 tab at the famed jeweler last month, recently released federal fund-raising records show.

When asked about the curious expenditure, campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, "That was mistakenly charged to a campaign credit card and the money has been refunded to the campaign."

Psaki insisted that the senator did not make the purchase himself but she refused to say whether the gift was in any way connected to him or his family.

Psaki declined to release any details about what precisely was purchased from the store, who received the purchase, or how the charging error occurred.

"That's all we're going with this," Psaki insisted, shutting down questions from the Daily News. "We're done talking about it."

.

Will this be the same attitude when Obama's people tap into the National Treasury?

[YOY]

1. Anything and everything you can get, huh?

Really, it's not working.

[BOSSHOG]

2. How could that be a mistake?

Obama is the perfect human. Would he not have only perfect people working for him? Perfect people don't make mistakes. Nor do they lie.

[ellacott]

8. Silly

[roguevalley]

152. GOSH! CALL OUT THE MARINES! I think a better take would be

to check out the four star restaurants, five star hotels and first class travel that Hillary's campaign did up to Super Tuesday when they thought it would be put away. Burned through 100M$ by being arrogant. Compare that to an accidental 600$ trinket that was reimbursed. Perhaps Hillary should reimburse 100M$ if we are going to be this childish.

[endarkenment]

3. $600 at tiffanys is the tip for the doorman.

You really need to grow up.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

5. Will this be the same attitude when Obama's people tap into the National Treasury?

[Fearless]

85. I guess you can start worrying about that when there's actually money left in this nation's treasury

[juajen]

10. Let it sink! LOL

NT

[zulchzulu]

122. As soon as I saw $600 being spent as Tiffany's, I thought the same thing

$600 at Tiffany's gets you a pair of nylons, a croissant and a cup of herbal tea.

OFMG! THIS IS HUGH11!!!!

[wileedog]

4. Tax returns?

[redqueen]

19. Clearly an exponential rise in income in recent years is nowhere near as important as this.

:crazy:

[VolcanoJen]

6. Would $600 at Tiffany's even buy one of those blue boxes?

A keychain? A charm? A picture frame?

Sounds like some staffer screwed up and pulled out the wrong credit card to buy a Valentine's Day gift. :-)

[emilyg]

13. Yes it would.

[VolcanoJen]

25. Here's a link of stuff at Tiffany and Co. that's under $500.

Not exactly extravagant.

Gifts between $250 and $500

It's a gossipy story, but I wouldn't wring my hands over it, or anything.

[Tatiana]

24. Well... it could get you a cupcake charm bracelet

http://www.tiffany.com/Shopping/Item.aspx?sku=GRP01861&mcat=148204&cid=288158&search_params=s+5-p+1-c+288158-r+101424821-x+-n+6-ri+-ni+0-t+

[rodeodance]

35. oh yeah---just a wittle mistake.

[Fearless]

42. Yes SHAME on Obama, SHAAAAMME!!!

:rolf:

I smell the last vestiges of a failed campaign.

[rodeodance]

49. :-)

[Cheap_Trick]

70. what you smell are those turds that are circling the bowl

time for one last flush

[Fearless]

72. She reminds me of a cornered chipmonk, hissing and lashing out at everyone in sight...

Hopelessly dividing herself from her own base who continuously have begun to see her for what she is, a powermonger and a sore loser.

[rodeodance]

94. Personal atacks and namd- calling other DU members in not allowed-very IMMATURE

nothingtoofear (1000+ posts) Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list Mon Mar-24-08 02:50 PM
Response to Reply #70
72. She reminds me of a cornered chipmonk, hissing and lashing out at everyone in sight... Updated at 3:03 PM

Hopelessly dividing herself from her own base who continuously have begun to see her for what she is, a powermonger and a sore loser.

[Fearless]

96. The HER I was talking about was Hillary Clinton... which is allowed.

However, telling someone you're blocking them is not allowed. If we're going to play the rules game too.

[ecstatic]

7. Almost as bad as when Hillary spent 2,500 on her hair

despite her campaign being broke!!

[rodeodance]

59. yeah---there goes your donations on trinkets.

[CountAllVotes]

9. you never give up do you

n/t

[rodeodance]

62. WE are proud supporters of HRC. She is strong and we stand with her.

[Fearless]

74. The captain is supposed to go down with the ship, not the passengers

[redqueen]

11. Wow.

Scraping the barrell for all it's worth, I see.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

23. ~*~

I just bet the Obamas supporters that are struggling to pay for gas and pay other bills and are yet willing to send money consistently to his campaign are going to totally understand trinkets at Tiffanys. I have to give them one thing, they are learning fast on how the system works.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

27. A Clinton supporter mentioning blowjobs?

Interesting.

[VolcanoJen]

28. Except that the $572 was already returned to the campaign by the purchaser.

Therefore, Obama's supporters/donors did not pay for any such trinket.

You're nuts.

[Cheap_Trick]

71. you just HAD to go and blow their pathetic attempt

to make something out of nothing didn't ya? HRC supporters rival * when it comes to cherry picking intel to get the desired results.

[rodeodance]

123. oh come now . stop craying. Look at the board--9-1 are BO fan pathetic posts

[Fearless]

127. And yet... still no one provides a link to verify the story?

[rodeodance]

148. odd you have time to type sev. times asking but your fingers are broke when it comes to GOGGLE

[Fearless]

29. Oh yeah, I forgot blowjobs! Of course, now a Clinton would never go there...

:rofl:

[redqueen]

30. Did you miss the part where it was refunded? Did Clinton's campaign refund

the money they accidentally charged to some donor's credit card?

That was under $1000, right?

Right?

[rodeodance]

81. Why not go find out instead of asking? You don't know do you? just spreading smears

[Fearless]

84. Ditto.

But wait, we already knew that nothing happened, that the mistake was corrected, and yet you keep smearing. Go figure. That's a mighty big double-standard.

[rodeodance]

86. too bad. The boo boo is seeing sunlight.

[Fearless]

89. Ditto.

Re: Clinton Campaign...

God: Come into the light... come into the light my child...


:rofl:

[redqueen]

106. I don't know... and I don't care.

I was trying to make a point.

[Fearless]

31. Got rid of the blowjobs remark huh? Edits are fun...

:rofl:

[Forkboy]

33. ED does lots of editing like that.

This isn't the first time.

[Fearless]

36. ...

:evilgrin:

[Johnny__Motown]

40. Have you seen what Hillary spent money on? 5 star hotels among other things

[yardwork]

64. Did you read the part in your own post where it says that the campaign was refunded?

[rodeodance]

69. after the boo boo .. nice it was refunded

[yardwork]

145. This could happen to any campaign - I'm sure it does.

As you know, I know of lots of reasons to support Hillary Clinton's nomination, but this is not one of them. If this had happened to the Clinton campaign, I'm sure you would agree that it's nothing.

[Fearless]

12. It's really not that hard to believe someone pulled out the wrong card.

And it was refunded to the campaign before it came out in the news. This tells me that it was likely just an honest mistake by a hurried staffer. Sorry to rain on the piss parade.

[ourbluenation]

38. I've done it myself. grabbed the work cc by mistake. easy to do in a hurry. n/t

[rodeodance]

39. Always making excuses for the BO camp. When can you allow them to admit mistakes?

[Fearless]

57. This administration does seem to have a problem admitting mistakes... Iraq...

Guess it would just be four more years of the same with her.

:(

[Kber]

129. Admitting is nice (which it appears they did)

Correcting is even nices (which it also appears they did).

[The Doctor.]

146. Ummm.... they're "making excuses" by saying it was a mistake?

No one's making excuses... it was a mistake. Now just what does it mean if a campaign staffer even did do it on purpose?

Not much. And it doesn't even reflect on the campaign. One person screwed up, and whether intentional or by accident, it was a mistake that has been fixed.

Seriously, this doesn't even rise to the level of stealing from your own people like the Clinton campaign did.

When you find something of that calibre, get back to us.

[PoliticalAmazon]

50. Exactly. It happened to me at work.

I had to make several large purchases that were beyond my company credit card limit, so the general manager gave me his to use...well, that's what he thought he did. But it was actually his personal card. Since they were both MasterCards and from the same bank, both were in his name, and it was the first time I used the card, I had no way of knowing. We found out when his wife called, a little concerned about an employee using their credit card! I pointed out that if I was going to steal someone's credit card, I wouldn't use it to buy thousands of dollars of stuff emblazoned with the District's name on them...

[Perky]

14. He thought the hipwaders he needed to get through Hillary's crap

weere a legitimat campaign expense.

Ok they were diamond-studded...but they were a need item.

[powergirl]

15. "that was mistakenly charged to a campaign credit card and the money has been refunded . . "

doesn't sound mum to me. They explained it. It was refunded. This is as stupid as the Clinton sandwich tray/doughnut buy. Who cares. 4,000 soldiers are dead. We need to care about that.

[Fearless]

21. Exactly. More distractions from what really matters.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

32. Sure it was a "bonehead" mistake !

[Fearless]

34. First blowjobs and then BONEheads? Won't somebody please think of the children!!

:rofl:

[ellacott]

45. HAHAHAHAHA!!!

Thank you for the afternoon laugh. :)

[bvar22]

105. LOL!

EDs having another bad day at DU.
:rofl:

[rodeodance]

55. Lots of BO fans here on DU are OBSESSED with Bill C. penis!!

[Fearless]

61. Its not every day you get the chance...

...Well let's not go there. Just think of where it's been. After conceiving his daughter he had to go to the hospital to get treated for frostbite. No wonder they only had one. Just one thing's for sure, the man isn't a masochist.

Never thought there'd be a day I'd be making Clinton jokes... go figure.

[ellacott]

68. It was a Clinton supporter who posted these things

[rodeodance]

75. you didn't see the mocking in that post.

[ellacott]

87. Mocking on a DU post?

That sounds like an oxymoron.

[rodeodance]

90. yeah--but that poster did not grasp that concept

[Fearless]

78. ...

Stay, watch the campaign circle the drain.

[Alter Ego]

16. Doesn't sound like there's a story here--it was a mistake and the money

has been refunded.

[shadowknows69]

17. SO, they made a mistake and corrected it

False outrage at a non-story, with no source.

[rodeodance]

79. the only ones outrages are the obama folk who do not like the story seeing sunshine.

[Fearless]

88. You know, many stars expell the most light just as they die...

Ahh, the Clinton campaign circles the drain.

She's broke.
She's losing support.
Big campaign donors are tapped out.
Even Bill Richardson has jumped ship.

It's time to follow lest everyone goes down with the boat.

[rodeodance]

103. Well, then---this is the moment of the most light. so be it.--LET IT SHINE

[Fearless]

108. I thought you blocked me.

[shadowknows69]

93. Yeah, I'm outraged lol

Bwah ha ha ha ha ha

[not_too_L8]

18. Hillary is losing because of you

and your grasping of straws. Maybe you should try something that will help your candidate in a positive manner

[PoliticalAmazon]

56. Hillary is losing because of Hillary.

You can't blame her supporters for her losing. As my mother often said, "The fish rots from the head first." This type of panicked "gotcha" politics is what Hillary is doing, and her supporters are simply following her lead.

May I point out again that Hillary is following Bush Jr's campaign style, and the petty "gotcha" politics is exactly what Bush Jr campaigned with?

[Johnny__Motown]

20. No story here, money paid back before anyone asked about it. and only 572 bucks

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rodeodance]

63. see what happens when you listen to gossip!

[tabasco]

80. Gossip has more credibility than Hillary "Rambo" Clinton.

[LaurenG]

26. He didn't do it a staffer did and if she/he grabbed the wrong card or

the purchase was coded incorrectly that's what happens. Besides it's obviously an error, who would "f" themselves over a $600.00 purchase?

[rodeodance]

66. excuses!! They boo booed. Let them take responsibilty for once

[LaurenG]

77. Lol well yes, it was an error. I think they admitted that it was

so what more do you think they should do?

[PoliticalAmazon]

37. Say, where are Hillary's tax returns, anyway?

I want to see the receipt for the bullet-proof vest she had to wear when she went to tea parties in foreign countries.

[bobbert]

41. I'm glad I don't have you on ignore

Sometimes I really need a laugh

[wileedog]

43. Even if this was true

Obama supporters got better use out of a $600 donation to Tiffany's than Hillary's did from $6 Million to Mark Penn.

Which was the bigger waste of campaign dollars?

[rodeodance]

44. SO THIS IS WHERE YOU donations are going Obamafolks.~~~~

I love paybacks.they are so sweet

[bobbert]

47. You obviously did not read the story. nt

[Fearless]

51. Where do you donations go then?

Paybacks is so sweet.

:rofl:

Give me a break. Clearly it was a mistake and you're just trying to grasp for a way out of the grave Clinton has continuiously dug for herself as her lead slipped aways.

:rofl:

[rodeodance]

46. Thanks

[Starbucks Anarchist]

48. Peanuts compared to Hillary's BS expenditures:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/22/us/politics/22clinton.html?ex=1361422800&en=0b1adfa253568fd8&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Nearly $100,000 went for party platters and groceries before the Iowa caucuses, even though the partying mood evaporated quickly. Rooms at the Bellagio luxury hotel in Las Vegas consumed more than $25,000; the Four Seasons, another $5,000. And top consultants collected about $5 million in January, a month of crucial expenses and tough fund-raising.

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s latest campaign finance report, published Wednesday night, appeared even to her most stalwart supporters and donors to be a road map of her political and management failings. Several of them, echoing political analysts, expressed concerns that Mrs. Clinton’s spending priorities amounted to costly errors in judgment that have hamstrung her competitiveness against Senator Barack Obama of Illinois.

[rodeodance]

52. This is funny--look---they think this matter is closed. ha ha --

"That's all we're going with this," Psaki insisted, shutting down questions from the Daily News. "We're done talking about it."

[Fearless]

67. This is funnier --- hey Paul come look -- the Clinton campaign is drowning...

Clearly this debate behooves the Democratic Party. There's nothing like disorganization to promote a candidate for the general election.

Here's a good tip... if McCain likes what you're saying... STOP SAYING IT.

It's a wonder any Democrat gets elected since we continuously throw each other under the train.

[book_worm]

53. You wasted one of your posts on this garbage?

[rodeodance]

58. You are HRC how many I can post POLICE person for day??

[rodeodance]

54. REC

[yardwork]

60. The money was refunded. What's the problem?

It sounds like someone is trying to wreck Obama's anniversary gift surprise for his wife. How low will you guys go?

[wileedog]

110. They have to renounce and reject Tiffany's too!!

[Fearless]

113. And don't forget... BO asked for extra cream with his coffee... that too!

:rofl:

[jgraz]

138. Clearly a racist move. He thought his coffee was TOO BLACK!!

[Fearless]

142. Clearly. Someone needs to call the NAACP.

[caledesi]

65. Not this time! NT

[cottonseed]

73. This is not an effective counter to sweaty Penn's millions.

That's just my opinion.

[undeterred]

76. That was his Valentines Day presnt to OPRAH- I read it in the ENQUIRER.

:sarcasm: Like Oprah would accept a present that cheap. :sarcasm:

[Fearless]

82. Didn't you hear? Why he keeps her around?

You know. Nudge, nudge. :D

:sarcasm:

[undeterred]

151. $he$ hi$ ca$h machine!

}(

[greyghost]

83. You've lost, get over it.

[Fearless]

92. And don't forget... vote for the Democrat in November.

[jenmito]

91. They "misspent" their funds.

No big deal. :shrug:

[Yes We Did]

95. HA HA HA HA HA! Now, that is desperate.

Really, I would expect more from you.

[Fearless]

104. Ahh GD:P, I remember the days when we all were on the same side

Maybe civility needs to be offically tombstoned too.


...Rest in Peace, we hardly knew thee.

:rofl:

[chieftain]

97. You guys threw the kitchen sink and now you throw the sponge.

Do you have any idea how silly the Clinton campaign has become?

[rodeodance]

99. IT was BO camp who paid 600$ for a trinket. ha ha

[Fearless]

109. Sorry, but I don't see how this proves anything.

[PetraPooh]

98. Where's the link? Where's the source? Even so, he paid it back, what's the issue?

[rodeodance]

100. I like see this stuff in daylight.

[Fearless]

116. Still no link.

[rodeodance]

154. too bad

[AzDar]

101. Sooo, did we ever get a look at Hillary's tax returns?

[rodeodance]

107. you ARE wondering. Please pay attention to the topic of the OP

[Fearless]

111. Well you talk about deception, so does anyone who questions

where Hillary amassed the fortune she now sits on... especially as she refused to disclose her returns. What's she afraid of? Saudi backers got her in a vice grip?

[rodeodance]

119. REspect the OP. Start your own thread if you if want another topic.

[Fearless]

121. The point was valid and on topic... the topic being monetary dishonesty

[AzDar]

112. Actually, I believe that would be 'wandering'.

Hey, is THIS that attack y'all have been planning?

[Fearless]

114. Actually I've heard they're waiting until after BO gets the nomination

so that she can be McCain's VP... so long as we're trading rumors...

[rodeodance]

118. Thanks or the correction. You been listening to gossip.

[Fearless]

120. Well as there is no link about this Tiffany's story either... you would be too.

I on the other hand was being sarcastic.

[rodeodance]

125. ask the OP

[XemaSab]

102. I hope it was something nice for Samantha Power

She deserves a little treat on campaign funds FAR more than Penn deserves 6 million in Clinton's campaign money.

[saracat]

115. Funny. No explanation was acceptable to the Obamites for the Edwards haircut

but this is acceptable and excused? I don't give a rats ass really about the "purchase" but the double standard disgusts me.

[Fearless]

117. The difference is this...

1. Obama didn't buy the thing.
2. They paid it back before the story was known.
3. We can't even prove the story true without a link of some sort, so this could very well be BS from a tired HRC supporter.

[saracat]

126. Here is a link. Also in Daily Sun, Huffpo and Politico

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/03/23/2008-03-23_obama_staff_mum_on_tiffanys_purchase.html

[Fearless]

130. Thank you, at least someone tries for legitimacy

[saracat]

134. I provided a link and the campaign "refuses to say" whether the purchses was

related to Obama so it sounds as though it was.Otherwise they would deny it.And paying it back "before" the story was known doesn't justify it. Edwards paid back the campaign as well, as soon as he was aware it had traspired.The hairdresser was theone that sent a bill to the campaign.Whatever. St. Barry can do no wrong. All others are held to different standards.Posted link agin just for fun.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/03/23/2008-03-23_obama_staff_mum_on_tiffanys_purchase.html

[Fearless]

136. You're right, he can do no wrong.

See you in November.

Cheers!
NTF

[PetraPooh]

155. Y'all are going to feel real stupid if/when you find out if was a charm for one of his daughters or

somehing equally stupid. And for the record, I was for Edwards and never harassed him over his haircut.

[rodeodance]

128. It was so terrible for that to happen to Edwards.

[Fearless]

133. Yes, but just wait, he'll be VP yet.

It's the only way to solidify the party for certain.

[waiting for hope]

156. Double Standards will lose the Dems

the WH in the fall. KKKarl is just getting a little tingly feeling, he hasn't even warmed up yet.

[Fearless]

124. A link? You know... proof.

[rodeodance]

131. Refs is in OP --goggle it. This is not LBN

[Fearless]

135. Perhaps I will google it, perhaps not. No one's made a convincing argument yet.

Just mudslinging.

[rodeodance]

149. too bad

[RoadRage]

132. I've done this twice in the past year..

pulled out the corporate AMEX instead of my personal one. They're both green.. and both have my name on it. One also says my company name... but both times I was in a hurry and didn't look closely.

So, i write a check to AMEX out of my personal account, and problem is resolved.

Wow.. the media really is trying to hunt for a story if this is a big deal. Obama didn't even do it.. one of his staffers wanted to buy his girlfriend a pair of earings for Valentines day, and this makes front page news? Pathetic.

[grantcart]

137. Clinton campaign refuses comment on payments made for "love"

http://query.nictusa.com/pres/2008/M3/C00431569/B_PAYEE_C00431569.html

[Fearless]

139. Bwahahaha

[jgraz]

140. Maybe they were pinned down by sniper fire.

[Fearless]

141. Well they did lose Secret Service protection in Dallas a while back...hmmm?

Too bad McCain couldn't've been caught in sniper fire whilist strolling around Baghdad. ...Could've shown us first hand that waterboarding is apparently not torture again.

[americanstranger]

143. I'd be more upset if the Obama campaign was paying $275K a MONTH

for a consultant who has no idea how to actually run a campaign.

But that's just me.

- as

[madrchsod]

144. oh no!!!! another non issue!!!

[LizW]

147. Maybe it was this...

[Rubiconski2009]

150. HILLARY SUPPORTERS = COMPULSIVE WHINERS

WAAAH - Stop posting the truth about Hillary we are so comfortable with our delusions. We are mad because actual voters got in the way of the Hill/Bill coronation.

WAAAH - We don't have any real issues so we attack Obama's middle name, his heritage, his family, his religion and his church.

WAAAH - If Hillary is not the nominee we will vote McCain or Nader or we will write in Hillary's name on the ballot with a crayon.

WAAAH - FLA and MI need to count. We don't care if Hillary's name was the only one on the ballot in MI. It needs to count.

WAAAH - Obama is the Anti-Christ and his supporters are kool-aide drinkers. Why do they keep winning? Hillary has a message. What is it this week?

WAAAH- Obama is linked to Rezko. His name wasn't on the witness list at the trial but we know there is a link. If not we will invent one.

WAAAH - We don't care if Bill is a disgusting pervert who obviously has little respect for women and would once again be whoring in the White House. We love Bill.

WAAAH - The Clinton years were just the best. So what if Kobart Towers, WTC, USS Cole and 2 American embassies were blown up. So what if Bill was so busy getting a BJ from Monica that he let the terrorists into our country to train and kill our citizens. The Clinton years were just the best.

WAAAH - Hillary has the experience. So what if she has less time as an elected official than Obama. Don't confuse us.

WAAAH - Obama doesn't have the experience to be President. So what if he has more experience than FDR, Woodrow Wilson, Ronald Reagan or Teddy Roosevelt when they took office. That doesn't mean he will be great. Stop trying to reason with us.

WAAAH - All the Blacks are voting for Obama. So what if only 36% of MS is Black. We have no idea where the other 27% comes from. It doesn't matter that Iowa, WI, and all the states Obama won except HI have a majority White population. The Blacks are going to determine the nomination. We and Geraldine Ferraro are mad about that.

WAAAH - Obama has links to the Moslem world. We know it because it is on YouTube.

WAAAH - Larry Sinclair is a legitimate issue. We just know he blew coke and Obama. It's on YouTube. YouTube is the new CNN. Don't you get that?

WAAAH - We will support Hillary because she is a woman. We want a woman in the White House. Stop calling us sheep.

WAAAH - We don't care if Bill was impeached, disbarred or was the only sitting president to actually ask Americans to contribute to his legal defense fund to keep him out of jail.

WAAAH - Hillary is the only real choice. We don't care what the majority of the voters think or if Hillary plays the race or gender card. Scandals, the influence of lobbyists and lies don't bother us. We love Hillary.

WAAAH - We are proud to support Hillary and we don't care if she lied about her role in foreign affairs. She made a difference in Bosnia and Northern Ireland. Photo Ops are important.

WAAAH - We don't care if Hillary flipped on Iraq, water board torture or committed political malpractice by allowing her campaign staff to loot her presidential coffers. Those $100,000 fruit platters were necessary. She can run the country! You go girl!

WAAAH - We are tired of all the positive media attention Obama gets. Hillary is positive. Just those times when she screams, throws the kitchen sink and releases the picture of Obama in native Kenyan clothing were taken out of context.?

WAAAH - Obama can't win. We don't care what the polls say. We don't care about the popular vote, states won or delegate count.

WAAAH - Why can't those Obama supporters see just how wonderful our candidate is? After all, Cher endorsed her.

[cliffordu]

153. Say, You're not taking a duMP here, are ya??

:hurts: