BuzzFlash Dredges up proof: Clinton feeding Drudge anti-Obama Hype

[99th_Monkey]

A BUZZFLASH EDITORIAL

An International Herald Tribune story of October 22, 2007, covers the irony of the Clinton campaign feeding stories to the Drudge Report as part of its strategy. (It was a repost from the New York Times, which owns the IHT.)

And the Clinton campaign wasn't hiding their new found interest in using Drudge to get attention for stories. They had a designated "liaison" according to the International Herald Tribune:

Clinton's communications team, led by Howard Wolfson, is not leaving Drudge to the Republicans. Five current and former Democratic officials said Clinton has on her side the closest thing her party has ever had to Rhoades in Tracy Sefl, a former Democratic National Committee official. The officials said that Sefl had established a friendly relationship with Drudge and that Clinton's campaign often worked quietly through her to open a line of communication with Drudge.

Though liberals say Drudge's ideological imbalance remains plain, Republicans, who viewed the site as theirs in campaigns past, say they are noticing what they believe to be more Democratic driven, often Clinton driven, items on it.

And, as New York magazine reported recently, it has escaped no one that Drudge has sometimes mentioned Clinton favorably on his syndicated radio program, even if no one really knows whether his comments reflect admiration for her or simply a recognition that keeping her in the news is good for his business.

The International Herald Tribune story begins with a telling anecdote:

As Senator Barack Obama prepared to give a major speech on Iraq one morning a few weeks ago, a flashing-red siren alert went up on the Drudge Report Web site. It read, "Queen of the Quarter: Hillary Crushes Obama in Surprise Fund-Raising Surge," and, "$27 Million, Sources Tell Drudge Report."

Within minutes, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's fund-raising success was injected via Drudge into the day's political news on the Internet and cable television. It did not halt coverage of Obama's speech or his criticism of her vote to authorize the war in 2002, but along the front lines of the campaign - the hourly, intensely fought effort to capture the news cycle or deny ownership of it to the other side - it was a telling assault.

Clinton's aides declined to discuss how the Drudge Report got access to her latest fund-raising figures nearly 20 minutes before the official announcement went to supporters. But it was a prime example of a development that has surprised much of the political world: Clinton is learning to play nice with the Drudge Report and the powerful, elusive and conservative-leaning man behind it.

So, today's non-denials from the Clinton camp notwithstanding, it is clear that the campaign has cozied up to Drudge -- even if he trashes the senator from time to time -- in an effort to make use of his vast audience, and to use them to their advantage to the extent that they can.

That's not coming from BuzzFlash; that's directly from the International Herald Tribune, in an article reposted from the New York Times.
http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/editorblog/054

Here's a link to the 2007 Int'l Herald Tribune Article BuzzFlash is referencing:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/10/22/america/drudge.1-156891.php

[formercia]

1. The fix is in.

Now all we need is Richard Mellon Scaife to hold a fundraiser for Hill.

[Cha]

14. hilary only thinks the fix is in..

her little fixes come with boomerangObama.

[rateyes]

2. Hillary Clinton is getting ready to relearn the old adage:

Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas.

[99th_Monkey]

4. LOL - you think this revelation is going to dog her? -nt

[Cha]

15. hilary surrogates are

learning that too.

[ORDem]

3. Kick n/t

:kick:

[AtomicKitten]

5. Never doubted it for a minute.

Rumor has it Wolfson has been calling around threatening the MSM. Oy vey.

[Debi]

19. Does this mean Schuster is going to get suspended again? n/t

[AtomicKitten]

22. It seems he's been confined to commenting and reporting on the GOP

so as not to ruffle any feathers of you-know-who.

[K Gardner]

6. K&R

[roguevalley]

8. this is unforgiveable behavior. period.

[druidity33]

7. waiting

for the denials and justifications to start rolling in. My guess is, someone will bring up an Obama flaw without responding to the substance of the article.

Drudge is an ass...

[Scurrilous]

9. Kick

:kick:

[JimGinPA]

10. That Report Is Sexist!

:rofl:

[LittleClarkie]

11. What is the International Herald Tribune's editorial leaning normally

I'm not familiar with it, and that's important to know.

[99th_Monkey]

18. It's a publication of NYTimes .. I think I saw that somewhere in connection

with this story.. but couldn't swear to it or reference it. If you like I will though.

[Cha]

12. Thank goodness for buzzflash

and all the internet blogs interested in facts.

[Shine]

13. hmmm...interesting

but, in fairness to her, doesn't the Obama camp want to "play nice" with everyone too? Is that such a bad thing? :shrug:

[Cha]

16. In fairness Obama and his supporters do not

want to post any attempt at smear stories on drudge about hilary or anything.

[Shine]

17. I get what you're saying, I was playing devil's advocate, mostly

He definitely serves his best political interests by appearing to be above the fray.

[Tom Rinaldo]

20. Dated 2/24/08 Free Republic. Regarding the "Obama Photo"

Has anyone sent this to Sean, Rush or anyone else?...this needs to get out.



151 posted on 02/24/2008 3:35:12 PM PST by mystery-ak (gopachy.com)
< Post Reply | Private Reply | To 150 | View Replies >

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To: bannie
Good Job, it needs to get to Drudge,M.Malkin,Debbie Schussel etc....I want to see his explanation on this.

152 posted on 02/24/2008 3:43:08 PM PST by cmsgop ( You go to da box..... you feel shame)
< Post Reply | Private Reply | To 148 | View Replies >

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To: mystery-ak
Amen to that!



153 posted on 02/24/2008 3:44:32 PM PST by cmsgop ( You go to da box..... you feel shame)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1975275/posts?q=1&;page=151

[Tom Rinaldo]

21. The live part of the link takes you to the start of that thread

Right now the posts I copied for you here are on the page numbered 151 to 200