When Obama failed to call, N.J. donors went to Clinton

[babylonsister]

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/when-obama-failed-to-call-n.j.-donors-went-to-clinton-2007-03-19.html

When Obama failed to call, N.J. donors went to Clinton
By Alexander Bolton
March 20, 2007

Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) presidential campaign may have missed out on millions of dollars by failing to return the calls of a small group of highly influential donors and operatives in New Jersey.

The high-rollers, having waited in vain for more than a month for Obama’s campaign to get back in contact, signed up to support Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.).

The gaffe highlights Clinton’s organizational advantage over her chief rival for the Democratic nomination. It also shows how Obama’s focus on the Internet and running an outsider’s campaign may undermine his ability to cultivate traditional political allies.

The coterie of Garden State Democrats supporting Clinton, which calls itself “The Group,” plans to hold three fundraisers in April and May and to raise about $2 million for her campaign before the Feb. 5 state primary, said its leaders.

Knowing that only three states raised more money for Sen. John Kerry’s (D-Mass.) presidential race in 2004, this year’s crop of White House hopefuls courted The Group intensely, particularly in light of its decision to switch to the early-primary date in February, a few weeks after the Iowa caucuses.

Sens. Clinton, Joseph Biden (D-Del.) and Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) each met privately with The Group. Biden even invited its members to his home in Delaware and spent six hours trying to convince them to support him.

more...

[Javaman]

1. Shy does this story smell bad? Why don't I believe it? nt

[Tellurian]

2. Denial, Maybe?

“One of Hillary’s biggest advantages is her organizational strength,” said Asaro-Angelo.

[Javaman]

3. Actually, I haven't made a choice. It just seemed to canned to be a

real story.

[Tellurian]

4. "Canned" is when names appear in a story

as anonymous sources. This article is obviously well sourced and documented.
Further, if it were untrue, BHO's camp would have released a statement refuting the claim as bogus.

[Javaman]

8. Excuse my terminology, it just doesn't read real to me.

reads like a hit piece.

[Tellurian]

10. Then you should keep reading..

until you know..

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newjersey/ny-bc-nj--thegroup0311mar11,0,3786396.story?coll=ny-region-apnewjersey

[zulchzulu]

5. So they just wanted to give money away to anybody?

I wonder what special interests these "small group of highly influential donors and operatives" represent... they just have money laying around from gambling in Atlantic City?

What would Obama have to sell out to and who wanted to buy his vote...that's the question I'd like to know... you don't just give away money without getting something in return.

[Tellurian]

9. NJ Gov Corzine to endorse Senator Clinton-

"Graham, who led Kerry’s campaign in New Jersey in 2004, said The Group was in the process of creating an executive fundraising committee for Clinton and also recruiting donors capable of raising $100,000 each, borrowing the “pioneer” fundraising model that President Bush used successfully in the last two presidential elections.

New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) is expected to endorse Clinton in a few weeks and work closely with the team of elite fundraisers now behind her, said New Jersey Democratic sources. That would give Clinton dominating support among the state’s Democratic establishment."

[rinsd]

6. I hate these stories

I hate the negative framing.

I hate the digs at each candidate.

I just hate these stories.

:mad:

[Czolgosz]

7. "The Group" sounds like a bunch of spoiled rotten bitches - last week they told a different story!

In New Jersey, presidential hopefuls court 'The Group'

The Group organized with a single focus: to find a presidential candidate to back in 2008.... Initially, they zeroed in on former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner. After Warner dropped out, The Group threw its political weight to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.... One member met privately with Barack Obama, but scheduling conflicts prevented the Illinois senator from meeting with entire group.... "I always thought Hillary was more impressive than Bill," said DeCotiis, who has known the former first couple for 15 years. "She is much more thoughtful, she is much more of a policy person. She was clearly Bill Clinton's co-president. She is really wonderful."... "She thinks like a chief executive," Graham said. "You don't win an election unless you are in the middle and you attract the independent vote. She is the most centrist candidate of the bunch."

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newjersey/ny-bc-nj--thegroup0311mar11,0,3786396.story?coll=ny-region-apnewjersey

Sounds like (1) Obama did meet with a representative of "The Group," (2) "The Group" had already settled on Hillary, and most importantly, (3) "The Group" was simply looking for a DLC/"centrist".

This swipe against Obama is just David Geffen in reverse (will the next round of news be about whether Hillary should apologize for the ever shifting facts behind the tales told by the Big Money "centrists" behind self-importantly self-entitled "The Group")?

[Clark2008]

11. "The Group" sounds soundly out-of-touch.

First, Americans don't want a chef executive - they want a leader, not a bean counter.

Secondly, most Americans don't view HRC as a "centrist."

[flpoljunkie]

12. Thanks for clearing this up."The Group" obviously orchestrated this lame attempt to smear Obama.

[Hav]

13. .

Who knows. Maybe that's how it's done, now. Not only endorsing or giving the support to a certain candidate but at the same time also making it an attack against the person who is currently the strongest opponent.
In this case, making the other camp look incompetent or whining that they don't give a damn about potential supporters.