More of that politics of hope from the Obama campaign! MI ballot chicanery

[rinsd]

Five individuals connected to five different campaigns have confirmed -- but only under condition of anonymity -- that the situation that developed in connection with the Michigan ballot is not at all as it appears on the surface. The campaign for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, arguably fearing a poor showing in Michigan, reached out to the others with a desire of leaving New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton as the the only candidate on the ballot. The hope was that such a move would provide one more political obstacle for the Clinton campaign to overcome in Iowa.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3600326&mesg_id=3600326

Ohh Bonoir and Axelrod you really fucked up if this gets out.

[madfloridian]

1. Anonymous

Follow the link and see they all spoke anonymously.

[rinsd]

2. Its right there in the first line MF

It also seems supported by this article

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071011/OPINION01/710110375/1035/OPINION

Though Yepsen makes no direct accusations.

[madfloridian]

3. Your OP

Follow the link

"Five individuals connected to five different campaigns have confirmed -- but only under condition of anonymity -- that the situation that developed in connection with the Michigan ballot is not at all as it appears on the surface. The campaign for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, arguably fearing a poor showing in Michigan, reached out to the others with a desire of leaving New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton as the the only candidate on the ballot. The hope was that such a move would provide one more political obstacle for the Clinton campaign to overcome in Iowa."

http://iowaindependent.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1264

I was of course referring to your OP, not Yepsen.

[rinsd]

5. Sigh.......MF, the very first line of the OP says it..

Five individuals connected to five different campaigns have confirmed -- but only under condition of anonymity

What are you arguing about?

[madfloridian]

20. Because..sigh...you guys jump my butt if I use anonymous sources.

I have to cross every t and dot every i.

[Debi]

4. Wow, hadn't seen that article yet

Yepsen does take Clinton to task later in the story thought.

[rinsd]

6. Yes and I agree with most of his critique.

Especially about engaging the local media.

[Debi]

8. I vote for more Q & A time with actual caucus-goers as well

I know it's hard to do w/3,000 people attending each event. Obama and Edwards have both had smaller meetings prior to the events so that people can have 15 minutes or so with the candidate to ask questions and gage the answers. Wish Clinton would start doing that.

[rinsd]

9. She should especially with activists.

[democratsin08]

7. more hate filled politics from obama

his constant hate filled attacks are getting old fast.

[Debi]

10. If the story is true then Edwards chose to join in.

Nobody can be considered innocent here. Each campaign made a political move for whatever reason.

[Jillian]

11. You forgot to post this part of the article - the part where he wasn't so kind to Hillary

What Clinton should worry about in Iowa is the way she conducts her campaign here.

She should worry about how she doesn't take questions from activists at every single stop, or how she lets a hostile question get under her skin when she does, or how her big caravan and security bubble often wall her off from the very people she needs.

She might also think about how she limits her access to small-state reporters. If she can't handle a loaded question from a hostile activist, or field a few pitches from us hick journalists, she probably doesn't handle the big boys and girls of the national media very well.

[rinsd]

12. I think you are replying to the wrong OP.

I assume you mean Yepsen's article that I posted here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3600409&mesg_id=3600409

DU copywright rules limits article repostings to 4 paragraphs with a link.

And this is at the bottom of my OP

"There more stuff in the article including some advice to Clinton on campaigning in Iowa"

[zulchzulu]

13. I read the article and don't see how there is anything to it...

With the flaming obvious torch in your face that Clinton not taking her name off the ballot might hurt her in the first four states that she signed the pledge to adhere to DNC rules, the rest is what...politics.

As if only Obama thought that Clinton being on the Michigan ballot was going to possibly be damaging...other candidates have made statements about it.

[rinsd]

15. Obama didn't want to look bad even in a "beauty contest"

So the campaign concocted extension of the pledge that included removing his name from the ballot.

I thought at first that it was Richardson who had thought of it first and the others just followed him but this coordination shows some ingenuity.

I'll give him this. Obama is an adept player at the game.

[AtomicKitten]

14. Anonymity coming from the other campaigns ...

Sounds like fertile ground in which to grow mushrooms and rumors.

[rinsd]

16. A less conspiratorial angle

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071011/OPINION01/710110375/1035/OPINION

[AtomicKitten]

18. more speculation from an opinion columnist ...

I find the armchair analysis of many pundits slightly interesting, but they really have no basis in fact.

Rumors are the lifeblood of elections, particularly when the candidates start to sharpen their elbows.

I could dish up nasty barbs blaming other camps for various imagined/real slights, but I don't put much stock in internet lore.

[Debi]

17. But 5 different campaigns?

:shrug: why would five different sources say the same thing?

On edit:

The story is starting to get picked up:

http://blogs.rockymountainnews.com/denver/sprengelmeyer/archives/2007/10/blog_cites_obamadrama_over_mic.html#more

[AtomicKitten]

19. The problem with blogs is they run on rumors ...

and I'm too old and don't see any point in getting my knickers in a twist over rumors. I'm sure the story will be explored or abandoned, depending on it if holds water or not.