WASHINGTON - “Scurrilous” and “disingenuous” were among the words a top Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives used on Thursday to describe Hillary Clinton’s campaign tactics in her bid to defeat Barack Obama for their party’s presidential nomination.
House Democratic Whip James Clyburn, of South Carolina and the highest ranking black in Congress, also said he has heard speculation that Clinton is staying in the race only to try to derail Obama and pave the way for her to make another White House run in 2012.
“I heard something, the first time yesterday (in South Carolina), and I heard it on the (House) floor today, which is telling me there are African Americans who have reached the decision that the Clintons know that she can’t win this. But they’re hell-bound to make it impossible for Obama to win” in November, Clyburn told Reuters in an interview.
Obama holds a sizable lead in delegates won in state-nominating contests which could be hard for her to overcome.
The purported theory is that an Obama defeat in November against Republican presidential candidate John McCain would let Clinton make another presidential bid in four years, Clyburn said.
Clyburn has not yet declared whether he supports Clinton or Obama. But in January, he raised his concerns about the heated exchanges between the two campaigns before the South Carolina primary.
On Thursday, Clyburn took Clinton and surrogates to task, complaining that they want the popular votes in Michigan and Florida counted, even though both states violated party rules for the early scheduling of their nominating contests.
“I think it’s so disingenuous … (adviser James) Carville and Sen. Clinton were all on TV. I’ve seen them two or three times this week, talking about counting Florida and Michigan.”
Obama did not campaign in those states because the Democratic Party said Florida and Michigan wouldn’t be included in the formal tally for the nomination. “Her name was the only one on the ticket in Michigan and still 42, 43 percent of the vote was against her,” Clyburn said.
Still, Clyburn said “I don’t think she ought to drop out.”
But he added, “There’s a difference between dropping out and raising all this extraneous scurrilous stuff about the guy (Obama). Just run your campaign … you don’t have to drop out to be respectful of other people.”
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
- Photo credit: Reuters/Jonathan Ernst (Clyburn with presidential candidates at a debate in January)
Trackback
280 comments so far
Previous | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | … 1 | Next
[...] HTtp://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/2008/04 /24/top-house-democrat-denounces-clinto n-campaign-tactics/ [...]
- Posted by Clyburn Denounces Clinton as “Scurrilous” and “Disingenuous” « CrossPolemicsso he finds The Clintons campaign to be scurrilous and disingenuous, but he falls short of supporting Obama and still thinks that Hillary should remain, hmmm
- Posted by Rudwaan Amen_Ra LumumbaIf your choice is between the corrupt and the fanatic idealogue, always choose the corrupt. The corrupt wants your money and their champagne and caviar. The idealogue wants your soul and to control your every thought.
- Posted by paul hussonThe Democrat choice has to be Hillary.
Why would anybody want the Clinton’s in the White House again? Can’t anyone remember the non-stop scandals with these people? Hillary is a bitter and vengeful woman whom will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. Haven’t we all had enough of this?
- Posted by Nick PetrovichClinton agreed that the votes would not count in FL and MI. She is on the record. I have personally heard the recording. Yet the story is accurate, just listen to what she is saying now. She has no honor! How can anyone continue to support an person who does this.
- Posted by DP[...] Cowan: “Top House Democrat denounces Clinton campaign tactics“ WASHINGTON - “Scurrilous” and “disingenuous” were among the words a top Democrat in [...]
- Posted by Creeping Along the Crusty Campaign Trail at karmalisedI live in Florida. The Republican Party which controls the FL congress voted to change the date of the primary election. I have no problem with this. All of the candidates were on the ballot but none campaigned here, although debates were on national television. Sen Clinton won the majority of the FL votes. This is totally different than the MI election. The FL vote should count as cast by several million Democrats.
- Posted by Swede[...] South Carolina and House Democratic whip, mentioned in an interview yesterday that he is hearing speculation that Clinton is staying in the race only to try to derail Obama and pave the way for her to make [...]
- Posted by Hillary Clinton for President 2012 « Naked Hillary@Manny
“This guy can take Barry Hussein and Wright to his home and leave us all Americans alone…”
Last time I checked we are ALL Americans. Your racist stupidity is beyond words.
- Posted by PegWhat’s truly amazing is the speed with which those in the Democrat party are discovering what so many of us have known for years about the Clintons.
- Posted by Dan…and the democrats are surprised by the Clintons’ actions???
- Posted by MickeyPlease tell me excactly what the Clinton have done for blacks except…
1992 through 2006: Bill Clinton The Savior
- Posted by Emmanuell• Plays sax on Arsenio Hall
• Isn’t physically uncomfortable around black folks
• Looks good in black church and can handle the pulpit. Claps on the beat.
• Referred to affectionately as “the first black president”
• Appoints prominent black folks to positions of power
• Expands Earned Income Tax Credit
• Presides over booming economy
• Moves to Harlem. Which is about the whitest thing you can do in New York, but the rest of America doesn’t know that.
• Gets all statesmanly with global aids initiative and tsunami recovery goodness
hey, let it rip!
- Posted by surf66much ado about nothing.
In four years it will be every man (woman) for himself. democrat, independent, republican will pale in significance to surviving what will be the massive shortages in basics looming on the horizon. two more winters as cold as we had??? two more years of increases in food costs like this years??? two more years of oil prices rising? two more years of illegal immigration like we’ve had in the past two???
This is minor BS in the scheme of things, wouldnt we agree?
Now I understand why the democratic party has “super delegates”, it’s so the liberal elite can negate the votes of their uninformed base.
- Posted by TeddyPlease explain to me what the Clinton’s have “done” for black people except..
1992 through 2006: Bill Clinton The Savior
- Posted by Emmanuell• Plays sax on Arsenio Hall
• Isn’t physically uncomfortable around black folks
• Looks good in black church and can handle the pulpit. Claps on the beat.
• Referred to affectionately as “the first black president”
• Appoints prominent black folks to positions of power
• Expands Earned Income Tax Credit
• Presides over booming economy
• Moves to Harlem. Which is about the whitest thing you can do in New York, but the rest of America doesn’t know that.
• Gets all statesmanly with global aids initiative and tsunami recovery goodness
Mr Clyburn who has bizarre behavior?
http://www.ydito.com/showchannelimages/? PicNumber=3&Channel=DD-FD-PNYK-KH-FE-WW- VO-DEZZ-MM-DV
- Posted by mark7:37 pm GMT Hi Phrank,
. Obama can’t even unite Democrats. How can he “unite” the whole country? .
**************************************** ***
The best gauge may be to examine the one experience in which all three of them started from the same place: running for president. And on that account, the one with the least experience has hands down done the best.
- Posted by EmmanuellFrom money to message to campaign organizing to drawing voters, Obama has outpaced his two rivals and in fact has pioneered a number of new strategies that future candidates will dissect and study in the years ahead. His campaign has become the Apple or Google of American politics.
Consider campaign finances. Both Senators McCain and Clinton amassed considerable war chests last year as their party’s frontrunners – and both of them squandered their millions. McCain’s campaign bottomed out last summer, so much so that he had to fire key staff and take out a $4 million line of credit. Clinton spent so carelessly in the early contests this winter – $11,000 for pizza and $1,200 for Dunkin’ Donuts in January alone – that she had little left to compete after Super Tuesday and was forced to loan her campaign $5 million.
Obama started out behind in the money primary, but rather than pour all of his resources into early advertising, grand gestures, and top-heavy consultants, he did as any savvy business would do – invest in future growth, which in his case meant opening offices and hiring staff in the caucus states, starting with Iowa, which turned out to be critical in his string of electoral successes.
One has to remember, the Clintons have only their self interest in mind. There are alot of burned bridges in the Clintons wake. Doesn’t matter what race or gender their rival is…they take no prisoners. For them, it is just them and whomever else will follow (i.e., Carville, Begala, Blumenthal,etc.). It has been the case throughout Bill’s presidency.No one else matters.Winning is the ONLY thing that matters and everything else follows. They are just doing what they do naturally. Sadly, it has taken many years for some members of the Democratic Part to ‘get it’ when it comes to the Clintons.
- Posted by J HouseYou reap what you sow, folks.
again for those with short memories the CLINTONS will do and say anything to get elected. Michigan and Florida were agreed upon but now Hillary Dear is adding the votes from these 2 states to her total to give her the lead and TALKING POINTS. I for 1 couldn’t take 8 more years of the CLINTONS.
- Posted by jim nDoes anyone notice that the people who write the least relevant or important thoughts usually use the most words to express it?
I’ll keep mine short and sweet - the Clintons have run a terrible campaign and deserve to lose.
- Posted by Tom