http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/06/clinton-backing.htmlI was surprised Jake Tapper was even reporting it considering how much he avoided race but for those important white voters this primary season. He has been pretty harsh most of the time and felt that Obama would not be able to capture his native Pennsylvanian voters.
I'm a Maryland native and thought Obama was going to have a SERIOUS problem there. I've been to many parts of PA repeatedly and didn't think he'd be able to overcome the Western PA voter. The divide Clinton sparked was not conducive to local identity divides.
Sometimes familiarity breeds contempt. Jake is usually dead on when it comes to regional politics and I think his blog was right most of the time (especially when I didn't agree with him).
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/topstories/index.ssf/2008/06/andrews_says_he_heard_racist_s.html "There have been signals coming out of the Clinton campaign that have racial overtones that indeed disturb me," Andrews said at his campaign headquarters in Cherry Hill Tuesday night after he lost his bid for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination.
"Frankly, I had a private conversation with a high-ranking person in the campaign ... that used a racial line of argument that I found very disconcerting. It was extremely disconcerting given the rank of this person. It was very disturbing."
Andrews said the phone call came after he angered the Clinton camp by making some positive comments about Obama. He would not disclose the caller's name because of the private nature of the conversation.
The Obama camp declined to comment. Clinton's campaign issued an angry response to Andrews, who once was charged with lobbying other members of Congress to support her.
"Comments like these, coming so soon after Congressman Andrews' crushing defeat, are sad and divisive," said Clinton's chief national spokesman, Phil Singer.
Andrews stood by his statements and said: "I would hope that all Democrats can put this divisiveness behind them. I'm glad the Clinton campaign is finally about to change its tone." He said he made his comments only after his primary loss to Sen. Frank Lautenberg because "I didn't want people to think I was trying to win over Obama supporters in the primary."
I look forward to hearing other Clinton delegates say what was real during the primaries so that we can all CLEAR THE AIR within the Democratic party. Nothing less than the unvarnished truth will do.