Obama campaign: Keep focus on winning White House, not Kilpatrick

[highplainsdem]

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080814/METRO/808140478/1410

National Convention should not distract voters from focusing on the economy and other issues in the presidential campaign.

"The focus of our convention to people back in Michigan should be on Barack Obama and how the party intends to get America back on track, not a distraction involving the troubles of one individual," Brent Colburn, the campaign's Michigan spokesman, said in a written statement.

In a surprise ruling this morning, Wayne County Circuit Judge Leonard Townsend said Kilpatrick could be released from his electronic tether and allowed to travel to the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 25-29 in Denver. But by early afternoon, another judge reversed that ruling and Kilpatrick was placed back on the tether. Kilpatrick, a delegate to the convention, had been barred from leaving Metro Detroit as part of bond restrictions connected with his criminal cases.

Prosecutors have said they will appeal Townsend's decision.

Amid Michigan's economic struggles -- which Democrats say are largely a result of Bush administration policies that McCain wants to continue --issues should remain the focus, Colburn said. "Many Michigan families are struggling as a result of the failed policies and old politics that John McCain wants to continue," he said.

Kilpatrick's presence would likely be unwelcome in Denver; the ruling came amid stepped up efforts by some Republicans to connect Obama and the scandal-plagued mayor.

Just as Republican candidate John McCain was in Michigan on Wednesday declining to comment about the Detroit mayor's legal problems, the Tennessee Republican Party was putting a video online criticizing Obama for praising the mayor during a 2007 campaign visit to Detroit. And the Republican National Committee this week included Kilpatrick on a mock Facebook page that highlights Obama's connections to unsavory characters such as indicted Chicago real estate developer Tony Rezko.

-snip-

Wouldn't it be possible for the state Democratic Party to ask Kilpatrick to reconsider, have him replaced by someone else as a delegate?

It's odd that the Tennessee GOP is involved in something that has to do with Detroit's mayor. And this isn't their first attack this year. Have they done this sort of thing in other national elections?

[SoCalDem]

1. Kilpatrick should stay home..I'm sorry, but he just should

I know he wants to participate, but he's got enough on his plate right now, and his presence will only be a distraction to a convention that will have more than enough distractions...what with the Clintons trying to grab all the "gusto" they can get their hands on...

The media loves the idea, and will sure give him all the face time on tv he wants , though.. :grr:

[Bozita]

2. new court order ... Kwame back in tether, no convention -- link

Kwame back in tether, no convention -- link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[highplainsdem]

3. I agree he should stay home. I hope he won't be allowed to leave Detroit. I just wish

he could simply be replaced as a delegate, with these legal problems.

[Barack_America]

4. The fact that his mother is Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus complicates things...

I could go off on a rant regarding the corruption and nepotism in Detroit politics (particularly city council members), but I think I'll refrain.

[MichiganVote]

5. Well I won't. That mother is as much involved in this scandal ridden pos of an administration

and the grand fuck up himself, Kwame Kilpatrick. No Democrat should support this so called public servant. True, most people did not know the extent of the corruption that resulted in the city having to pay 9 million in a civil settlement but that's no excuse now.

KK should stay home and so should his mother. All these two have done is appoint cronies into shady places resulting in no faith in this mayoral admin. in a city that is desperate for leadership.

He makes the entire state look bad. Screw you. Stay home idiot.

[Barack_America]

6. Well yeah, that's basically what I wanted to say...

Basically, members of Detroit's city council should be banned from running for higher office.

[butterfly77]

8. Exactly, as I watched Townsend..

this morning I screamed " what in the hell is going on" THis judge came out of retirement there is some more funny business going on. I am still angry that his mother won the election.

[MichiganVote]

10. I'd look mighty close at HOW she "won" that election.

[butterfly77]

12. The same with her son and Hendricks..

er um...the lights went out.

[MichiganVote]

14. You betcha!

[MichiganVote]

11. Recall. They should all be recalled. They are at best ineffective, at worst, throughly corrupt.

[Sidney J Mussburger]

7. Perfectly stated.

[MichiganVote]

9. Thank you.

[ecstatic]

13. uggh... Kilpatrick should have been forced off the scene months ago

What an egomaniac and a disgrace!