Why the Obama-Clinton oppo piece dustup means more than the pieces themselves

[rinsd]

I care not for the attacks but to me the larger story is the sloppiness of the Obama team letting the memo get directly to the Clinton team.

You do not leave fingerprints on hard evidence when you hit the other candidate especially when you are attempting to run a frontrunner campaign of emphasizing the positive.

What would have happened in the general election if the Obama campaign had handled their oppo hit so clumsily? I shudder to think, look how Bush escaped the drunk driving charge. Though it did him some damage it could have been a killer until the source was found to be a Democratic lawyer.

This situation is not irrevocable. But I hope Obama gets it together because if he wins the nomination he will need to be as fierce a fighter as he has shown himself to be(look how he absolutely destroyed McCain) and not theis clumsy effort that just happened.

[goodhue]

1. well, I think unchecked racism is a bigger story than campaign sloppiness

But I get your point

[rinsd]

2. I agree the attack itself is an appeal to xenophobic fears of this country

Which is also why I find arguments about NAFTA being responsible for illegal immigration because they prey upon the same hatreds and fears even though NAFTA has indeed increased illegal immigration.

But I can't conceptualize the Obama campaign as racist, just stupid in this case.

[goodhue]

3. well, whoever compiled the memo needs some training

Not all racism is intentional or conscious.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

5. I think it was both racist and stupid

It was stupid for the reasons you stated and it was racist because it is an appeal, not only to xenophobia, but old-fashioned racism.

Obama seems to have been exposed as a fraud by this. How much will this hurt him? His popularity was always based on his brand, not whatever substance he has. So much for a "new politics" and "unity."

Let's hope the HRC campaign takes full advantage of this and drives a dagger through the heart of the now fraudulent Obama campaign.

[Ethelk2044]

7. Again Obama's campaign is not racist

[draft_mario_cuomo]

9. Saying it without backing it up with any justification doesn't cut it

Please explain how exploiting racism is not racist.

[rinsd]

8. A fraud? C'mon, now.

"Let's hope the HRC campaign takes full advantage of this and drives a dagger through the heart of the now fraudulent Obama campaign."

I'm sure you do as it makes it easier for Johnny boy ;-)

[draft_mario_cuomo]

11. Isn't the campaign based on a "new kind of politics" and "unity"?

Clearly, the "new politics" is a bumper sticker for political gain, rather than a principled position for Obama. As far as "unity", "uniters" don't race-bait. These are the centerpieces of his campaign. They are now exposed as false. That makes him a fraud IMO.

[Ethelk2044]

13. Hillary Clinton makes a "senator from Punjab" joke

[rinsd]

14. Every campaign starts out like that.

And nearly everyone ends up where we are right now at some point.

I was a little surprised by how early the attack has come and indicates to me the Obama camapign thinks they have lost momentum.

But a fraud? Sorry that is beyond harsh for me.

[Ethelk2044]

4. Obama's campaign is not Racist.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

6. Race-baiting is racist, whether a repuke does it or *HE* does it nt

[Ethelk2044]

10. Hillary Clinton makes a "senator from Punjab" joke

[draft_mario_cuomo]

12. HRC touting her ethnic support justifies Obama's race-baiting? nt

[rinsd]

15. She made the joke to an Indo-American audience. Obama's was part of oppo research on outsourcing.

It was your guy's campaign's sloppy attempt at saying Hillary is giving away American (read - white people) jobs to Indians (read - brown people).

It was a dumb mistake. Simply accept it and move on. Your denials will keep it alive when it could be forgotten by Monday otherwise.

Besides there will be a point in the future of this campaign when someone is going to do a read between the lines racial hit piece on Obama. And you don't wnat to look like you have zero credibility when that happens.

[BeyondGeography]

16. Oppo schmoppo, your analysis is too inside baseball, rinsd

Obama has opened up a conversation that must be had about whether or how the Clintons' newfound riches have compromised their ability to act on behalf of the interests of ordinary Americans. If Obama didn't get around to it, the Republicans certainly would have. "Corrupt Clintons" has an all-too-familiar ring to it.

When the dust has settled, Obama will have done the entire party a favor.

[madrchsod]

17. the real problem is that there are tens of thousands of people

across the country that has lost their job to india or will in the future and they are pissed off. is there any reason why obama`s crew should not bring this up? actually i find clinton`s ties to indian outsourcing as the complete sell out to the american workers. will obama do any better if he achieves the presidency? who knows. i do know what hillary where hillary stands on out sourcing and she has`t changed her stance on it

[Tellurian]

18. Outsourcing will never go away...

but it can be regulated to keep more Americans employed. Sharpening the deals to our advantage with foreign trade can be quite beneficial, if the deal maker acts in our best interests.

And I believe, Hillary will do that after she's elected. She doesn't want to give all her ideas away early on...