Hillary Clinton probably didn't want this tape to come out:
At a small closed-door fundraiser after Super Tuesday, Sen. Hillary Clinton blamed what she called the "activist base" of the Democratic Party -- and MoveOn.org in particular -- for many of her electoral defeats, saying activists had "flooded" state caucuses and "intimidated" her supporters, according to an audio recording of the event obtained by The Huffington Post."Moveon.org endorsed [Sen. Barack Obama] -- which is like a gusher of money that never seems to slow down," Clinton said to a meeting of donors. "We have been less successful in caucuses because it brings out the activist base of the Democratic Party. MoveOn didn't even want us to go into Afghanistan. I mean, that's what we're dealing with. And you know they turn out in great numbers. And they are very driven by their view of our positions, and it's primarily national security and foreign policy that drives them. I don't agree with them. They know I don't agree with them. So they flood into these caucuses and dominate them and really intimidate people who actually show up to support me."
Now, this will prove embarrassing to Clinton, primarily because of the hoist-by-her-own-petard nature of it; I'm sure the newsmedia will find it irresistible, and we'll be hearing on all the talk shows how Hillary hates the left.
But I'm going to defend Hillary Clinton here, for the same reason I defended Obama when Bittergate got going -- because like Obama, she was telling the truth, even if it was phrased inartfully.
What did Clinton say that was false? It's not like MoveOn was foursquare behind her. They endorsed Obama, for crying out Pete's sake. So why should Clinton be warm and fuzzy about them?
I mean, I get why this won't be the Clinton campaign's favorite tape, any more than the Obama campaign is thrilled about Barack's "bitter" remarks, but it's not like Clinton was lying. Yes, she picked on MoveOn.org, which may not be the greatest idea politically, given the size and the zealousness of that organization. And I'm sure many in the anti-war left will not be thrilled about the attacks on the anti-war left. But it's pretty standard-issue triangulation, and really, are we surprised at this point that Hillary Clinton and the hardcore anti-war Dems aren't seeing eye-to-eye? Is this really news? Is there really a single-issue anti-war voter who was all set to back Clinton until this tape came out? Of course not.
Was this a bit impolitic to say? Yes, it was. But it was said in a closed-door meeting. Like Obama's off-the-cuff remarks, they weren't part of Clinton's message, and they aren't the best measure of her candidacy. No doubt, if Clinton manages to get past Obama, MoveOn and she will be best of friends by November.
Really, we have to give our candidates the right to not be absolutely perfect all the time. It's fair to jump on them if they say something truly egregious, like, say, calling someone "Macaca." I don't think Clinton will win herself many friends among the MoveOn set with these remarks, but I also don't think she was saying anything other than the truth: that MoveOn has become an opposing group to her campaign, and that they've been effective in GOTV for Obama. That's unquestionably true. And Clinton should not be pilloried for saying it.
My guess is that, just like Bittergate, this won't affect anyone's vote. And just like Bittergate, this shouldn't.
At a small closed-door fundraiser after Super Tuesday, Sen. Hillary Clinton blamed what she called the "activist base" of the Democratic Party -- and MoveOn.org in particular -- for many of her electoral defeats, saying activists had "flooded" state caucuses and "intimidated" her supporters, according to an audio recording of the event obtained by The Huffington Post."Moveon.org endorsed [Sen. Barack Obama] -- which is like a gusher of money that never seems to slow down," Clinton said to a meeting of donors. "We have been less successful in caucuses because it brings out the activist base of the Democratic Party. MoveOn didn't even want us to go into Afghanistan. I mean, that's what we're dealing with. And you know they turn out in great numbers. And they are very driven by their view of our positions, and it's primarily national security and foreign policy that drives them. I don't agree with them. They know I don't agree with them. So they flood into these caucuses and dominate them and really intimidate people who actually show up to support me."
Now, this will prove embarrassing to Clinton, primarily because of the hoist-by-her-own-petard nature of it; I'm sure the newsmedia will find it irresistible, and we'll be hearing on all the talk shows how Hillary hates the left.
But I'm going to defend Hillary Clinton here, for the same reason I defended Obama when Bittergate got going -- because like Obama, she was telling the truth, even if it was phrased inartfully.
What did Clinton say that was false? It's not like MoveOn was foursquare behind her. They endorsed Obama, for crying out Pete's sake. So why should Clinton be warm and fuzzy about them?
I mean, I get why this won't be the Clinton campaign's favorite tape, any more than the Obama campaign is thrilled about Barack's "bitter" remarks, but it's not like Clinton was lying. Yes, she picked on MoveOn.org, which may not be the greatest idea politically, given the size and the zealousness of that organization. And I'm sure many in the anti-war left will not be thrilled about the attacks on the anti-war left. But it's pretty standard-issue triangulation, and really, are we surprised at this point that Hillary Clinton and the hardcore anti-war Dems aren't seeing eye-to-eye? Is this really news? Is there really a single-issue anti-war voter who was all set to back Clinton until this tape came out? Of course not.
Was this a bit impolitic to say? Yes, it was. But it was said in a closed-door meeting. Like Obama's off-the-cuff remarks, they weren't part of Clinton's message, and they aren't the best measure of her candidacy. No doubt, if Clinton manages to get past Obama, MoveOn and she will be best of friends by November.
Really, we have to give our candidates the right to not be absolutely perfect all the time. It's fair to jump on them if they say something truly egregious, like, say, calling someone "Macaca." I don't think Clinton will win herself many friends among the MoveOn set with these remarks, but I also don't think she was saying anything other than the truth: that MoveOn has become an opposing group to her campaign, and that they've been effective in GOTV for Obama. That's unquestionably true. And Clinton should not be pilloried for saying it.
My guess is that, just like Bittergate, this won't affect anyone's vote. And just like Bittergate, this shouldn't.
