US congressman says Clinton campaign sought to exploit tensions between blacks, Jews

[DogPoundPup]

News story from http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/06/america/NA-POL-US-Clinton-Congressman.php


A Democratic congressman accused Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign of trying to exploit tensions between Jews and blacks as her partisan rival Barack Obama sought to become the first African-American U.S. president.

Rep. Rob Andrews, who supported Clinton, said in a newspaper interview that he received a call from a top member of Clinton's organization shortly before the April 22 Pennsylvania primary who explicitly discussed a strategy of winning Jewish voters by exploiting tensions between Jews and blacks.

"There have been signals coming out of the Clinton campaign that have racial overtones that indeed disturb me," Andrews said, according to a report in The Star-Ledger in Newark, New Jersey. "Frankly, I had a private conversation with a high-ranking person in the campaign ... that used a racial line of argument that I found very disconcerting. It was extremely disconcerting given the rank of this person. It was very disturbing."

Andrews, who represents New Jersey, declined to disclose the caller's name. Clinton spokesman Phil Singer denied the accusation, according to the Star-Ledger.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/06/america/NA-POL-US-Clinton-Congressman.php

[DevonRex]

1. Wow. IHT picked this up. nt

[City Lights]

3. But, but, it's *just* an Internet rumor, don'cha know! nt

[blm]

2. No surprise to those of us DISGUSTED at the time. Clintons knew she lost after SuperTuesday and

seeking to divide the Dem party was useful only to a plan for Hillary2012 to replace a President McCain.

[billyoc]

4. Psst-- Howard Beach was 15 years ago.

Oh, that's right, so were you.

[genna]

5. It had to be a coordinated campaign for it to come out and slap AAs as a whole around like this.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/06/clinton-backing.html

I was surprised Jake Tapper was even reporting it considering how much he avoided race but for those important white voters this primary season. He has been pretty harsh most of the time and felt that Obama would not be able to capture his native Pennsylvanian voters.

I'm a Maryland native and thought Obama was going to have a SERIOUS problem there. I've been to many parts of PA repeatedly and didn't think he'd be able to overcome the Western PA voter. The divide Clinton sparked was not conducive to local identity divides.

Sometimes familiarity breeds contempt. Jake is usually dead on when it comes to regional politics and I think his blog was right most of the time (especially when I didn't agree with him).

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/topstories/index.ssf/2008/06/andrews_says_he_heard_racist_s.html

"There have been signals coming out of the Clinton campaign that have racial overtones that indeed disturb me," Andrews said at his campaign headquarters in Cherry Hill Tuesday night after he lost his bid for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination.

"Frankly, I had a private conversation with a high-ranking person in the campaign ... that used a racial line of argument that I found very disconcerting. It was extremely disconcerting given the rank of this person. It was very disturbing."

Andrews said the phone call came after he angered the Clinton camp by making some positive comments about Obama. He would not disclose the caller's name because of the private nature of the conversation.

The Obama camp declined to comment. Clinton's campaign issued an angry response to Andrews, who once was charged with lobbying other members of Congress to support her.

"Comments like these, coming so soon after Congressman Andrews' crushing defeat, are sad and divisive," said Clinton's chief national spokesman, Phil Singer.

Andrews stood by his statements and said: "I would hope that all Democrats can put this divisiveness behind them. I'm glad the Clinton campaign is finally about to change its tone." He said he made his comments only after his primary loss to Sen. Frank Lautenberg because "I didn't want people to think I was trying to win over Obama supporters in the primary."

I look forward to hearing other Clinton delegates say what was real during the primaries so that we can all CLEAR THE AIR within the Democratic party. Nothing less than the unvarnished truth will do.

[MasonJar]

6. Why would he come out with this now when the party is trying to unify?

[genna]

8. Clearing the air on race baiting and sexism is not the enemy of unification

It is like (on a much smaller scale) the nation coming together over 911, then being led into Iraq. One has nothing to do with the other.

We can chew gum and walk at the same time.

[ampad]

10. Because the party needs to know the truth to fully heal

This needs to get out there so that in can be put to end right this minute. There is no room for this in the Dem party; a party who's two front runners for the nomination were both minorities.

[blm]

11. To deal with the fallout of the TACTIC in a state where it had an effect - Pennsylvania

and any other state it popped up. Those stats about Clinton voters turning to McCain came from some of these tactics.

[kdpeters]

7. I'm certain my grandmother got the "Obama is a Muslim" memo from the Clinton campaign.

I was shocked at what I heard coming out of mouth after Obama won Iowa and I knew she wouldn't come up with something so racist and disconnected from reality on her own. Later I would read that two Clinton staffers resigned for sending the Muslim smear memos and they made the same points and used the same terminology I'd heard from my grandmother. Then it made sense. She adored both Bill and Hillary and gets a lot of stuff from James Carville. If it came from the Clinton's, she'd accept it as gospel. I'm certain that's where it came from. She's never voted or contributed to a Republican even once in all her 84 years.

[Arrowhead2k1]

9. Unity is great and all but,

We must never forget the ugly side Hillary revealed to us this year.

[rufus dog]

12. I do sense a Jewish/Obama divide.

Why is that? BenDavid was a tool, but to the other Jewish voters can you provide your thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

[Major Hogwash]

13. Did anyone really need a congressman to tell us about this?

I mean, wasn't it obvious enough at the time?