Feingold tells Obama fans to 'cool it'

[undeterred]

The fight for the Democratic nomination for president has gotten personal in recent days, but U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold is urging calm.

"I'll tell some of the (Barack) Obama supporters here today: Cool it," Feingold, D-Middleton, said Wednesday to a group of about 50 people at the University of Wisconsin Marathon County. "Take it a little easy."

The campaigns of Sens. Obama of Illinois and Hillary Clinton of New York have exchanged blows in recent weeks, and aides to each campaign have resigned after making controversial statements. At UWMC, Feingold aimed his censure at Obama supporters, saying their purpose should not be to "crush" Clinton, but at other times, he seemed to take aim at both campaigns' rhetoric.

"People are frustrated by the length of this political season," Feingold said. "When that starts to get personal, it is to the benefit of the Republican candidate. I believe there's plenty of time for this to be over. But it needs to stop pretty soon."

Feingold has said he voted for Obama in Wisconsin's primary and that he is "highly inclined" to support him as a superdelegate at the Democratic convention. Following the constituent listening session, he told the Daily Herald that he thinks Democratic party leaders should try to influence the tone of the campaign, but that it is not yet time to step in to force an outcome.

"The more leaders say, 'Look, this (tone) isn't welcome,' ... I think people hear me say that, and I hope they'd say, well, you know, maybe he's right," he said.

Feingold said he still does not think superdelegates will decide the nominee, implying that the contest will be wrapped up before the Democratic convention in late August. Discussion at Wednesday's listening session ranged from constituent concerns about veterans benefits, central Wisconsin plant closings and the possibility of war with Iran. Feingold holds listening sessions in all 72 counties in Wisconsin each year.

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080327/WDH0101/803270649/1581/WDHnews


Well, I just wrote him and told him he should PUBLICLY ENDORSE SENATOR OBAMA RIGHT NOW so I need to start smokin' whatever it is he smokes to keep so calm!!!!!


:beer: :banghead: :beer:

[Cooley Hurd]

1. "Obama fans?" It's the Clinton supporters who are trying to strong-arm the process...

:shrug:

[MonkeyFunk]

2. Not from where I'm sitting

I see Obama supporters calling not just for Clinton to lose the nomination, but calling for her utter defeat and humiliation. People want her destroyed. That's what Feingold's talking about.

[bunnies]

6. People want her destroyed?

If thats true... she brought it on herself. Bill wants a fight. Or havent you heard.

[MonkeyFunk]

8. That's the attitude I'm talking about

I don't view everything she says and does through a lens of hate, like some do. From my perspective, Obama has played dirty and has done severe damage to the Democratic party. You guys like to think your opinion is objective truth, but it really isn't.

[bunnies]

12. How has Obama damaged the party exactly?

Serious question.

[lumberjack_jeff]

15. He hasn't. You have. n/t

[bunnies]

18. delete. dupe. nt

[bunnies]

19. Hows that praytell.

Since you seem to think you know me so well.

[lumberjack_jeff]

29. Because you want the other democrat destroyed

"because she brought it on herself".

This isn't Obama talking - it's all you.

[bunnies]

53. um. I never claimed to speak for Obama. For One.

And I never said I want anybody destroyed. Thanks.

[movonne]

27. I would like to know exactly how Obama has destroyed the dem

party...

[MonkeyFunk]

32. by playing the race card,

accusing the Clintons of being racist with no basis whatsoever. Pitting gays against african-Americans.

[stillcool]

41. that is so not true..

and I am sick of it. I have posted apology after apology made by the Clinton Campaign for their own comments, or surrogates comments regarding race and religion. You can not turn this around. It will not work. And what you are doing just inflames the issue more. I don't understand why it is you want to do this. What can possibly be accomplished by constantly pounding home this race shit. Is this your winning strategy?

[MonkeyFunk]

67. And as angry as my claim makes you....

the same claims made against the Clintons make me just as angry.

[stillcool]

69. these are not 'claims'..

December 10, 2007
Third Clinton Volunteer Knew Of Smear E-Mail
A third volunteer for Hillary Clinton's campaign was aware of a propaganda e-mail alleging that Barack Obama is a Muslim who plans on "destroying the U.S. from the inside out. "Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential Candidacy," the email reads. "Please forward to everyone you know. The Muslims have said they Plan on destroying the U.S. from the inside out, what better way to start than at The highest level."

Two Clinton volunteers, Linda Olson and Judy Rose, have already been asked to resign from the campaign for their roles in forwarding the e-mail. The AP reported yesterday that Olson, a volunteer coordinator in Iowa County, sent a version of the e-mail to 11 people, including Ben Young, a regional field director for Chris Dodd's campaign. Young passed it on to the AP.
http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2007/12/third_clinton_v.html

Kerrey Apologizes to Obama Over Remark
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=4031436
Kerrey's mention of Obama's middle name and his Muslim roots raised eyebrows because they are also used as part of a smear campaign on the Internet that falsely suggests Obama is a Muslim who wants to bring jihad to the United States.
Obama is a Christian.
The Clinton campaign has already fired two volunteer county coordinators in Iowa for forwarding hoax e-mails with the debunked claim. Last week, a national Clinton campaign co-chairman resigned for raising questions about whether Obama's teenage drug use could be used against him, so Kerrey's comments raised questions about whether the Clinton campaign might be using another high-profile surrogate to smear Obama.

Hillary: Sorry for Any Offense Campaign (Bill) Has Caused
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB65wJ6Rcfs

Bill Clinton Asks for a Second Chance
By Liz Halloran
Posted February 11, 2008
The morning after his wife, Hillary, was routed in three state contests by Sen. Barack Obama in their dead-heat battle for the Democratic nomination, former President Bill Clinton made his case for her before a packed Sunday service at one of the largest black churches in Washington, D.C.
But first he offered an apology of sorts for racially tinged comments he made about Obama and his candidacy that have triggered a backlash in the black community and among many other Democrats.

Clinton invoked his "worship of a God of second chances" in pronouncing himself glad to be at the Temple of Praise, which claims nearly 15,000 members. His invocation of second chances echoed comments he made early last week at black churches in California, where he campaigned for his wife before that state's
Super Tuesday primary, which she won.
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-

2008/2008/02/11/bill-clinton-asks-for-a-second-chance.html

Source: Newsday
Posted on Sunday, December 16, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Barack Obama Accepts Apology From Hillary Clinton
Washington D.C. 12/15/2007 09:17 AM GMT (FINDITT)

Hillary Clinton went straight to Barack Obama with an apology following a staffer's remarks about any skeletons that may be lurking in Obama's closet, pointing out that she had accepted the staffer's resignation over the disparaging remarks. Obama accepted her at her word, according to his campaign staff, and is moving on without letting it interrupt his campaign plans.


Obama is currently leading the polls in Iowa and New Hampshire, the two early primary states often considered key to the process, according to numbers at usaelectionpolls.com, but on a national level Clinton still holds a huge lead. The most recently posted poll results show Obama with 31 percent of the
probable voters in New Hampshire backing him with 29 percent showing support for Clinton.
http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=30629&cat=5

Clinton Camp Pushes O-Bomber Links: Ignores
Her Own Radical Ties
By: Justin Rood

ABC News - The Hillary Clinton campaign pushed to reporters today stories about Barack Obama and his ties to former members of a radical domestic terrorist group -- but did not note that as president, Clinton's husband pardoned more than a dozen convicted violent radicals, including a member of the same group
mentioned in the Obama stories."Wonder what the Republicans will do with this issue," mused Clinton spokesman Phil Singer in one e-mail to the media, containing a New York Sun article reporting a $200 contribution from William Ayers, a founding member of the 1970s group Weather Underground, to Obama in 2001.
In a separate e-mail, Singer forwarded an article from the Politico newspaper reporting on a 1995 event at a private home that brought Obama together with Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, another member of the radical group.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4330128&page=1

Bill Clinton To Apologize At LA Black Churches
Once again, Bill Clinton is ready to repent.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/02/bill-clinton-to-apologize_n_84573.html
On Sunday the former president is scheduled to visit black churches in South Central Los Angeles, where he's expected to offer a mea culpa to those who "dearly loved him" when he was their president, Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.) says. Watson, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus who has endorsed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), tells us she'll usher the former president to more than half a dozen churches in
her district where she says he needs to "renew his relationship" with congregants who were turned off by his racially tinged comments in the days leading up to and following the South Carolina primary. (Such as when Clinton compared Sen. Barack Obama's landslide victory to Jesse Jackson's wins in 1984 and 1988.)

http://graphics.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/politics/20080112_nevada_lawsuit.pdf
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/17/a-feisty-bill-

clinton-defends-nevada-lawsuit/
CLINTON ALLIES SUPPRESS THE VOTE IN NEVADA...
On Meet the Press on Sunday, Hillary Clinton said her campaign had nothing to do with a lawsuit--written about by Nation Editor Katrina vanden Heuvel--that threatens to prevent thousands of workers from voting in the Nevada caucus on Saturday.
Back in March, the Nevada Democratic Party agreed to set up caucus locations on the Vegas strip for low-income shift workers, many of them members of the state's influential Culinary Union, who commute long distances to work and wouldn't be able to get home in time to caucus. It was an uncontroversial idea until the Culinary Union endorsed Barack Obama and the Nevada State Education Association, whose top officials support Clinton, sued to shut down the caucus sites.
The Clinton camp played dumb until yesterday, when President Clinton came out in favor of the lawsuit.
Clinton's comments drew a heated response from D. Taylor, the head of Nevada's Culinary Union, on MSNBC's Hardball. "He is in support of disenfranchising thousands upon thousands of workers, not even just our members," Taylor said of Clinton. "The teachers union is just being used here. We understand that This is the Clinton campaign. They tried to disenfranchise students in Iowa. Now they're trying to
disenfranchise people here in Nevada, who are union members and people of color and women."
Rank-and-file members of Nevada's teachers union also come out against the lawsuit filed by their leadership. "We never thought our union and Senator Clinton would put politics ahead of what's right for our students, but that's exactly what they're doing," the letter stated. "As teachers, and proudmDemocrats, we hope they will drop this undemocratic lawsuit and help all Nevadans caucus, no matter which candidate they support."
The lawsuit's opponents make a persuasive point. Creating obstacles to voting is what the GOP does to Democrats, not what Democrats should be doing to other Democrats.

Clinton adviser steps down after drug use comments
Earlier Thursday, Clinton personally apologized to rival Obama for Shaheen's remarks.
Obama accepted her apology, according to David Axelrod, the top political strategist for the Obama campaign.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/13/clinton.obama/index.html

January 6, 2008, 5:18 pm
Edwards: No Conscience in Clinton Campaign
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/edwards-no-conscience-in-clinton-campaign/
By Julie Bosman
KEENE, N.H. – John Edwards angrily took on Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton at two news conferences in a row on Sunday, saying that her campaign “doesn’t seem to have a conscience.”

COMPTON, Calif. (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton and her campaign tried to mend ties to black voters Thursday when a key supporter apologized to her chief rival, Barack Obama, for comments that hinted at Obama's drug use as a teenager. The candidate herself, meanwhile, praised the Rev. Martin Luther King and promised to assist with the rebirth of this troubled, largely black city.

Bob Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television, apologized for comments he made at a Clinton campaign rally in South Carolina on Sunday that hinted at Obama's use of drugs as a teenager.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-01-17-

johnson-apology_N.htm?csp=34

Clinton Surrogate Compares Obama Ad to Nazi March
http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20080201/cm_thenation/45278988_1
Fri Feb 1, 2:23 PM ET
The Nation -- On a media conference call organized by the Hillary Clinton campaign today, Clinton surrogate Len Nichols compared an Obama health care ad to Nazis.
----------
Accusing political opponents of Nazism is an outrageous smear. Raising the specter of a Nazi march in response to a health care mailer that evokes the insurance industry is so absurd, it would be hard to take the attack seriously, were it not launched from a high profile national campaign conference call in this crucial stretch of the presidential race. And political observers know, of course, that the Clinton Campaign regularly arranges opportunities for surrogates to launch these kind of smears, which are later followed up with apologies. (See: Bob Johnson, Bill Shaheen, Bob Kerrey, and Francine Torge, to name the most recent offenders.) For his part, Nichols did not immediately return a call requesting further comment.
-------------------------
Len Nichols, Director of New America's Health Policy Program, stated, "For nearly 17 years I have worked tirelessly to reform our nation's struggling health system. Today my passion overwhelmed me. I chose an analogy that was wholly inappropriate. I am deeply sorry for any offense that my unfortunate comments may have caused.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk1k0nUWEQg

[Tellurian]

107. Playing the "SPAM" card does nothing for your claim..

everyone just scrolls on by!

[Cooley Hurd]

56. I cannot speak for all, but I have NO doubt the Clintons are decent people...

[FogerRox]

94. Hillary was not shot at by snipers, we are watching a meltdown

[bunnies]

57. Please post a link where Obama accused the Clintons of being racist.

Or where he pitted gays against African-Americans. Obama hasnt done either of those things.

What has HE done to damage the Democratic Party?

[MonkeyFunk]

68. "Fairy tale" is racist

Noting Jesse Jackson won SC twice is racist.

Noting that LBJ was instrumental in passing the Civil Rights Act is racist.

And he tossed aside gays to have Donnie McClurkin host his fundraiser.

[bunnies]

71. Obama didnt say any of that.

Not one word. He has never personally accused camp Clinton of being racist.

And McClurkin... I'll give you that one. It was a total SHIT thing of him to do. I dont think that asshole should have been given a platform upon which to preach his bullshit. I think it was a BAD decision on Obama's part. One of the worst he's made yet. I dont give him a pass on that one.

[MonkeyFunk]

75. Well if the new standard is only

words that come from the candidates' mouths can be used, we could've gotten rid of 99% of the bullshit in this forum over the last few months.

[bunnies]

76. And we'd have been better off for it.

Agreed?

but on edit: How are we ever to know whether or not the campaigns themselves put the surrogates up to whatever offensive thing they say?

It creates quite the situation.

[Bluenorthwest]

79. Bunnies, that is music to my ears!

I am a Democrat, my candidate long gone. I want to elect a Democrat. I just want you to know that your comments on McClurkin are the first to call him on it while also supporting Obama that I have read. I find it so refreshing. It really pissed me off, and yet what has been worse is the pussyfooting spin the events are still given by many. To read your words is great. It was shit, and your words for McClurkin please me greatly. Most Obama supporters act like it was not a thing. "Does he have to explain everyone who votes for him." that is common. As if he was not the host, the only speaker, etc.
Just thank you so much for seeing it for what it is. Just thanks. It is a breath of fresh air. My opinion of the supporters of Obama is greatly uplifted by your words.

[TTUBatfan2008]

96. I also remember...

him going to black churches and scolding them for their homophobia during his speeches.

[rateyes]

44. And, yours is?

Riiiiggggghhhhttttt.

[MonkeyFunk]

48. I have never

said Obama should be destroyed. I have never called for him to be thrown out of the party. I have never treated him with the contempt and disdain shown here every day for Clinton.

[rateyes]

77. And, you've never been objective about Clinton. nt

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. Does That Mean Her Supporters Should Be Destroyed Too?

I want to see Senator Obama win the presidency without the forty percent of her supporters who indicate they will vote for McCain, vote third party or stay home...

[bunnies]

13. The shoe fits the other foot as well DSB.

Especially if Hillary wins this nomination by going against the voters.

Furthermore... I dont think Clinton should be handed the nod because *her* supporters are more willing to take their ball and go home. This is the Democratic party. Not the Clintocratic party. Last I checked.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

17. I Really Don't See A Path To The Nomination For HRC

But human nature being what it is I suspect a lot of her supporters will vote for McCain or stay home out of spite...If enough of them do Senator Obama will lose the general election...There just aren't enough independents and Republicans to close the gap...

Whether you think the vilification is justified folks don't like to see people they like villified... You don't need a PhD in Political Science to figure that out...

[druidity33]

30. vile myths

often have their roots in polling.

I taste false sincerity and doubt the veracity of your claims...

:shrug:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

110. The Fact You Would Make Ad Hominem Attacks

The fact that you would make ad hominem attacks from the anonymity the "internets" provides reveals more about you than it can ever reveal about me...

:shrug:

[bunnies]

43. Hey, I live in NH. The result of vilification is still fresh in my mind.

Hillary knows this, and her campaign brilliantly manipulates the electorate. They will purposefully turn enough people off of Obama to cost him the election for as long as they think it might possibly benefit them.

And she *knows* she can't win this nomination without pissing many people off. But she doesnt really seem to care about that. It really blows my mind.

She knows she can fall back on millions of womens votes... regardless of whether or not she deserves them. So if she gets this nomination by whatever means necessary, sobeit.

[karynnj]

26. Hey - I saw Kennedy hit with Chapaquidick - here on a Democratic

board. I also saw references to drinking and other RW slurs. Why? - he endorsed Obama.

[karynnj]

20. No one has ever asked for her to be destroyed

Some have asked for her to quit an unwinnable race. I have only said that it would be better for her to attack McCain and I think the same for Obama.

You are defining her not winning as "utter defeat and humiliation" - it isn't and it happens to all but one person each election. Do you think that Biden, Dodd, Kuchinich, Edwards and Richardson were subjected to utter defeat and humiliation. In 2004, were Clark, Dean, Edwards, and Kuchininich subjected to utter defeat and humiliation. What of Kerry and Gore and Bradley?

[MonkeyFunk]

36. I'm sorry

you missed the threads demanding she be kicked out of the party, removed from the Senate, etc. etc.

[karynnj]

52. I saw a few

They were not the majority of the Obama supporters, but the fringe - I was hoping that you would disavow the HRC people who have repeated every RW slur against Kennedy, because of his support. They did the same to many others, most recently - Richardson.

The reason - to point out that the fringes on both sides are hurtful to the total. HRC has a Senate seat that she most likely will return to. It will likely be hard - because she was told for years that she was 20% ahead. She also will be needed as a surrogate and it is hoped that she might rise to actually give Obama a strong endorsement. (If she can't - she can't - Kennedy didn't in 1980.)

It is not just one side.

[Tellurian]

84. How do you know they are HRC people?

where are the threads you speak of Karynnj?

[karynnj]

86. Because I recognized the screen names

You can go to the threads after Kennedy endorsed Obama - I was not saying they were HRC campaign people, they were Du people who typically supported HRC - the same way I identified the Obama supporters. Could they have posted for months in support of HRC just to fool people - sure - but I doubt it.

The context of DU was obvious in the previous post - and the point was there are people going beyond what I would define as reasonable - and my guess is that you would agree with that. But, who knows?

[Tellurian]

89. You made the accusation... YOU provide the proof..

Thats how it works around here. Otherwise your words are meaningless and not credible.

We need to see examples of what you speak. Otherwise your word is untrustworthy.

If you, think I can find your accusation for you; you, then, should know just where to look to prove what you say is TRUE!

[karynnj]

106. Tellurian, get real

Everyone has seen the garbage written - and I will not resurface it. I have been at least as diligent as you have in backing things I've said. I frankly don't want or need your stamp of approval. I have never had a thread of mine locked, and very few comments removed. What I said is relatively non-controversial - that there were intemperate, unwarranted comments from both sides. I do find it strange that someone who has considered Hillaryis44.org a valid source and was proud to use it's symbol would have the chutzpah to question anyone else's credibility.

[TTUBatfan2008]

97. Ever heard of James Carville?

Just a question.

[roguevalley]

24. she's destroying herself. no one needs to help her. she's pulling

the pin herself. What a spectacle. Never in a decade of defending them did I believe something like this was possible.

[stillcool]

47. Do you know these constituents

that he is referring to? I would like to know what they had to say. Hopefully that will be reported as well.

Discussion at Wednesday's listening session ranged from constituent concerns about veterans benefits, central Wisconsin plant closings and the possibility of war with Iran.

Feingold holds listening sessions in all 72 counties in Wisconsin each year.

[Cooley Hurd]

50. No, they don't want HER to destroy the party...

...and I, CERTAINLY, as someone who has consistently voted for her as my Senator and her husband as my President, do NOT want to destroy either of them. I want them to want what ALL of us want - to rid the Executive Branch of Republicans. It MIGHT mean they should step aside to do so.

[totodeinhere]

72. It might be that the only way to stop her draconian tactics..

would be to stop her from destroying the party. Since they are going to try every trick in the book to try to get the nomination including attempting to convince pledged delegates to change sides, what else is there to do? And remember this is the candidate who is throwing a hissy fit over the so-called disenfranchisement of the voters in Florida and Michigan, but apparently it's OK to disenfranchise every voter in any primary or caucus that Obama has already won by convincing pledged delegates to switch allegiances. The unmitigated hypocrisy of the Clinton campaign is just stunning.

[greguganus]

90. Nothing wrong with destroying a monster. n/t

[FogerRox]

93. Snipergate=meltdown

[lumberjack_jeff]

5. Right. I see lots of threads saying "You lost Obama, leave now."

Like this one.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5285475

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. Dumb Thread

And yes Hillary claiming she came under sniper fire is beyond dumb...

[surfermaw]

87. Haven't I been telling the Obama the same thing for weeks?

I think I have, you can bash so long that you turn off other democrats. so play nice, it looks as if he is going to win...just act like you are democrats and stop bashing democrats!! BASH McCain?Bush

[Skip Intro]

88. I don't hear Clinton supporters screaming for Obama to drop out.

[SoFlaJet]

3. US to cool it?

that's the thing I don't get; all along, even when I was supporting first John Kerry, then Edwards and now Obama I see the Clinton people as being the biggest bunch of assholes that I think I've ever seen who call themselves democrats. It actually helped make my case FOR Obama OVER HRC. Even now I see most of the fire being FIRST lobbed from the CC and Obama camp is always in reaction with a few unfortunate exceptions via slips of the tongue

[undeterred]

7. Feingold was talking to an audience at his session

and he will probably endorse Obama but nobody twists his arm. He is asking people to be respectful of each other. Everyone has asked for his endorsement and he hasn't given it yet. When both candidates were here he gave them tips on what to talk about. I guess he just isn't making any enemies. Sometimes he makes me crazy.

[sallyseven]

16. How dare you call Clinton supporters assholes.

My point of view is that Obama people are all alike, whinny. crying, stamping their feet. Wait for the voting to stop then accept the verdict of the people. To stop it now disenfranchises a lot of voters. Don't care about them though do you. The Democratic Party has withstood a lot worse than this contest. Remember Kennedy and Carter. Grow the hell up.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

21. But He Expects Clinton Supporters To Fall In Line After He Called Them Assholes

That's the way to make friends; call them assholes...

[SoFlaJet]

60. no I do NOT expect it apparently from 28% of ya's

because too many Clinton supporters are ASSHOLES that say they will vote against their own better interests because Hillary won't be the nominee=ASS-FUCKING-HOLES. BE a democrat will you?

[Adelante]

31. "Obama people are all alike, whinny. crying, stamping their feet..Grow the hell up"

And you're not being an asshole? :crazy:

[SoFlaJet]

63. no Wes they'd rather our kids be sent off to an endless fucking war

just because their fucking candidate won't be the nominee. And, all the daughters that will be arrested because of Roe v Wade being overturned with McCain's 3 new Supremes? Oh yea, it'll be; Well, that's what you get so there PFFFTTTT....

[SoFlaJet]

66. ANY-BODY

who votes against their own better interests REGARDLESS of party is an ASSHOLE. Hey, I was a Kerry guy before HRC threw HIUM under the bus, oh well it's football as Bill would say. Then I wanted Edwards but he got HIS ass kicked, now I want Obama-BUT...if HRC is the nominee... guess what? I WILL FUCKING VOTE FOR HER...you know why? Because I'm a FUCKING DEMOCRAT

[Cha]

98. Maybe you should tell hilary to "grow the hell up"...miss

sally. Tell her to stop telling lies like those she told about being under sniperfire in Bosnia with her "words".."Now this is what happened"

<snips>

" Bosnia story fuels perception of dishonesty of ClintonBy Kathy Miller | The Hillary Project

By: Russell Goldman

ABC News - Sen. Hillary Clinton is dodging bullets. Not from Bosnian snipers but political opponents and pundits who have assailed her recent "misstatements" about a trip to Bosnia 12 years ago.

An apparent contradiction in statements Clinton made about a 1996 trip to Bosnia as first lady, which she claimed last week included the threat of sniper fire before later recanting, has raised the specter of dishonesty and untrustworthiness that has plagued her campaign from its beginning.

The backlash put Clinton on the defensive early this week, and not for the first time. Her campaign dealt with a perception of dishonesty long before the Bosnia trip became an issue.

In a USA Today/Gallup poll from March 16, 44 percent of Americans polled called Clinton "honest and trustworthy," compared to 67 percent and 63 percent respectively for Sen. John McCain, R–Ariz., and Sen. Barack Obama, D–Ill.

In an ABC News exit poll after the most recent primary March 11, half of Mississippi Democratic voters said Clinton was not honest and trustworthy. By contrast, 70 percent of voters found Obama honest and trustworthy votes.

Part of Clinton's perceived untrustworthiness no doubt stems from her association with her husband, former President Clinton, who was embroiled in a 1998 sex scandal with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

As the campaign season began heating up, even former supporters questioned the couple's honesty.

"Everybody in politics lies, but they do it with such ease, it's troubling," one-time supporter and Hollywood mogul David Geffen said of the Clintons in The New York Times in February 2007.

Voters may not be able to enumerate the lies the Clintons have told -- excluding perhaps Bill Clinton's denial and then admission of the Lewinsky affair -- but there is a perception that they have a reputation for lying, said Matthew Dowd, a Republican strategist and ABC News political consultant.

"There is a perception among voters that there is an honesty problem with the Clintons. In polls they both rate poorly on honesty and trustworthiness," Dowd said.

"Voters have come to a belief about them, and it matters little how much real evidence there actually is. Hillary raises people's suspicion levels because she carries her husband's baggage. People see her and think to themselves, 'are we going back to these same problems?'"

The latest flap pits Clinton's words of last week about the 1996 plane landing in the restive city of Tuzla, Bosnia, that she said involved a threat of snipers against the words of her 2003 autobiography, which describe the same trip in less than action-packed prose.

"I certainly do remember that trip to Bosnia," Clinton said last week. "I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base."

Portraying herself as a battle-hardened foreign policy expert, Clinton has referenced that dash across the tarmac under the threat of snipers at several campaign stops.

But after CBS News aired video Monday that showed her on the tarmac receiving flowers from young girls, Clinton dialed down her language.

On Monday, the New York Democrat told the Philadelphia Daily News that she "misspoke" about the way she was received in Bosnia and that "we had to land a certain way and move quickly because of the threat of sniper fire," but no actual shots were fired at her.

She has since referred people to a passage from her autobiography and insisted she merely misspoke for the first time in 12 years. "You know I have written about this and described it in many different settings, and I did misspeak the other day. This has been a very long campaign. Occasionally, I am a human being like everybody else," she told Pittsburgh radio station KDKA on Tuesday. "… I have written about it in my book and talked about it on many other occasions, and last week, you know, for the first time in 12 or so years I misspoke."

<conclusion>
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=108x128063

[MadBadger]

4. Thanks Russ

:-)

[stray cat]

10. Almost like Obama is the presumptive nominee - a call to be polite to the disappointed...

[flpoljunkie]

14. You might also tell Feingold to read the transcript from Hillary's appearance on Fox last night on

Greta Van Susteren's show, where she made plain she was prepared to take the fight all the way to the credentials committee in August at the convention! I would call that the "nuclear option."

[undeterred]

23. He knows who she is and what she is-

they are polar opposites on campaign financing and she once told him in front of a room full of people that he "wasn't living in the real world" because he doesn't accept soft money. I can't imagine him endorsing her in a million years; he's just incredibly gracious not to go against her yet. He's hard to predict.

[amandabeech]

73. He's too smart to make unnecessary enemies.

He'll be working with her in the Senate if she looses the nomination, and he'll be carrying her banner in the Senate if she makes it to the Whitehouse. Same with Obama.

His interest is in serving the people of Wisconsin, if he wants to keep his seat. If she's the President, he'll need her support on any number of initiatives.

He's thinking about what happens after November as well as what happens before it.

You Wisconsin folks have a real quality guy in Russ.

[undeterred]

74. He's thinking about delivering Wisconsin

to the electoral college as a blue state. Which will be harder if people are at each others throats. He is thinking about that more than about himself. People respect him, he is setting the tone.

[amandabeech]

78. Good point.

I'm from Michigan originally, and I like Russ a lot.

We need more of him. It's going to be an extremely bumpy ride for the next few years.

I'm particularly worried about the economy.

Which I why I liked Edwards, and still do.

[Olney Blue]

83. I agree with you.

[Cha]

99. hilary's a legend

in her own mind.

[druidity33]

22. uh, yeah...

I think he was just talking to a couple of rowdy college students...

"I'll tell some of the (Barack) Obama supporters here today: Cool it," Feingold, D-Middleton, said Wednesday to a group of about 50 people at the University of Wisconsin Marathon County. "Take it a little easy."


but whatever...

:eyes:

[undeterred]

33. The listening sessions are community attenders.

He goes to all 72 counties every year. It might be held at the University.

[Vinca]

25. What's with superdelegates telling us to chill but unable to muster

the courage to stand up and announce who they're supporting? Richardson is looking braver by the day.

[undeterred]

39. Wisconsin is a swing state.

We barely went for Kerry in 2006- maybe by 15K votes. So we need every single Democrat, however disappointed they are in the choice of a nominee, out there working for the presidential election this year. We don't have any other state wide races. Russ Feingold is a big picture guy. So he is thinking of that, trying not to take sides so that he can bring us all together in the end.

Feingold is brilliant and ethical. Whenever I disagree with him, I question myself. He's looking at it from a broader perspective. I trust him.

[lumberjack_jeff]

42. Cake? Eat it? I must have both.

In another thread, HRC is criticized for a letter to Pelosi asking her to back away from her assertion that superdelegates should support the winner of the pledged delegate count.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5285689&mesg_id=5285689

Obama agrees with Pelosi that they should pile on the delegate winner.

Yet, every day there's another thread cheering because another superdelegate has endorsed Obama, and now calling those who do not cowards.

Either superdelegates vote as they see fit, or they vote in accordance with the outcome at the convention.

If HRC convinces the superdelegates to vote for her, it'll validate the views you hold.

I guess the having-cake-eating-it-too view is that the superdelegates should all endorse BO because conventional wisdom just knows he's going to win.

[dailykoff]

103. Seriously.

I think Russ is a little sore about missing his opportunity to show some leadership.

[Kurovski]

28. No more two-year presidential campaigns. Please.

[Bluebear]

34. OMG you said a mouthful.

[Muttocracy]

35. agreed! nt

[still_one]

37. I have a better idea, both Democratic candidates, GO AFTER mccain!!! /nt

[Megahurtz]

38. Maybe he should tell Hillary fans to "cool it"

or hasn't he been paying attention?

[TheDonkey]

40. He should tell Hillary to COOL it.

and drop out.

[undeterred]

45. Read this: Wisconsin is a swing state

We barely went for Kerry in 2006- maybe by 15K votes. So we need every single Democrat, however disappointed they are in the choice of a nominee, out there working for the presidential election this year. We don't have any other state wide races. Russ Feingold is a big picture guy. So he is thinking of that, trying not to take sides so that he can bring us all together in the end.

He has said good things about Clinton and Obama along the way. He will endorse Obama because Wisconsin went for Obama. But he will wait till all the states have voted. He's very fair, sometimes frustratingly so.

Feingold is brilliant and ethical. Whenever I disagree with him, I question myself. He's looking at it from a broader perspective. I trust him.

[stillcool]

51. Do you know where this took place?

or if there is any other news report of it?

Discussion at Wednesday's listening session ranged from constituent concerns about veterans benefits, central Wisconsin plant closings and the possibility of war with Iran.

Feingold holds listening sessions in all 72 counties in Wisconsin each year.

[undeterred]

58. listening session in Marathon county WI

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080327/WDH0101/803270649/1581/WDHnews

You can see location on the website: http://feingold.senate.gov/listening/index.html

[stillcool]

64. thank you!!

[book_worm]

46. I'm sure he would say the same thing to Clinton fans if he met one.

[Catherine Vincent]

49. You see that, Obama fans?

Cool it!

[book_worm]

54. Yes, you poor little innocent Hillary supporters who never cause any trouble.

It's okay for Hill to endorse McCain for commander in chief/president

[stillcool]

55. I'm not one of his constituents...

My Senators have told me no such thing, but then I haven't visited either of them. He must have been getting an earful.

Discussion at Wednesday's listening session ranged from constituent concerns about veterans benefits, central Wisconsin plant closings and the possibility of war with Iran.

Feingold holds listening sessions in all 72 counties in Wisconsin each year.

[undeterred]

61. Meant for both sides.

[stray cat]

59. Obama supporters should follow Obama's lead - lets go forward

and change this country which means focusing on what needs to get done instead of grinding people into the dust or rolling in the mud with them.

[helderheid]

62. Feingold. I agree but you left out some Clinton supporters as well.

[undeterred]

65. I quoted the headline, but yes, he meant everyone.

[workinclasszero]

70. Ahh...who said this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZsYWiywdCA&feature=related :argh:

Hillary is the Tonya Harding kneecapper / scorched earth / kitchen sink gutter strategy pol.

She and her reich wing allies are the ones that need to cool it!:spank:

[NOLALady]

80. Why waste his breath

moaning at the crowd?

[susankh4]

81. Smart man, Russ Feingold.

[johnnydrama]

82. you know

the reason that he didn't tell Clinton supporters to cool it, is because there weren't any. :)

[undeterred]

92. Thats a republican part of the state

where I'm sure the dems come out just to see him. Obama won WI 58-42 but strongest in Madison. Could have been pretty close in other parts of the state. The older white women who voted for Hillary may not have been doing whatever the Obama supporters were doing to bug him at this session...

[Mezzo]

85. I think the supers are starting to realize what Obamaniacs are doing to his chances.

on the serious.

[damndude]

91. i like russ

he's one of the good guys. i like him for vp.

[totodeinhere]

95. I am happy to take some advice from a fellow Obama supporter.

[madrchsod]

100. yes i agree....russ was my first choice for president

but he did`t run...he knows what needs to be done

[cooolandrew]

101. I respect Feingold's opiniion and he tends to have sage advice

[undeterred]

109. he just wants to deliver wisconsin to the electoral college

for a democratic president so we can end the damn war

[BlueIris]

102. Thanks for that reality check, Senator Feingold. Now I remember why I liked you so much.

[dailykoff]

104. Sounds like Hillary took Russ to the woodshed.

Poor lad.

[undeterred]

108. nobody takes russ to the woodshed

he was telling constituents on both sides to cool it

[JoFerret]

105. Thanks Russ. Maybe you should post to DU also

Got some folks here who need to settle down