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How much nastier can this get?

James Forsyth

Tuesday, 11th March 2008

It is worth just recapping the back and forth between the Clinton and Obama campaigners and their supporters in this news cycle as it gives you an idea of how bitter things are becoming.

Today the Obama campaign sent out a memo that eviscerated her national security record, the McCain campaign will keep this in their back pocket just in case Hillary does clinch the nomination. Here are some highlights:

Hillary Clinton’s argument that she has passed “the Commander- in-Chief test” is simply not supported by her record...
Senator Clinton has said, “I helped to bring peace to Northern Ireland.” It is a gross overstatement of the facts for her to claim even partial credit for bringing peace to Northern Ireland....
Her claim to have “negotiated open borders to let fleeing refugees into safety from Kosovo,” however, is not true. Her trip to Macedonia took place on May 14, 1999. The borders were opened the day before, on May 13, 1999....
There is no support for or substance in the claim that Senator Clinton has passed “the Commander-in-Chief test.”

If this was not enough, the Obama camp also sent out a press release criticising Hillary which begins, “Proving once again that she will say and do anything to win this election”. While on a conference call with reporters, Obama’s chief strategist suggested that there is “an insidious pattern that needs to be addressed” by the Clinton campaign when it comes to racially charged remarks coming from its supporters.

Meanwhile, Team Hillary threw a few elbows of its own. In a speech,Hillary claimed that “Senator Obama’s promises and speeches are often just words… I’ve got to tell you, there’s a big difference between talk and action. But if you’re going to talk, then you ought to mean what you say so people can count on it.” While a memo from the campaign responding to the earlier one from the Obama camp said:

“Over the last few weeks, Sen. Obama has successfully undermined his credibility with a series of statements to reporters and voters that have been contradicted by the facts”.

Also in the news today was an Obama supporter being removed from their official role with the campaign for asking, in relation to that 3am ad, “Where was she when Monica was having sex with Bill?” and calling her “nasty, secretive and proven lying Clinton.” While The New York Times ran an op-ed by a Harvard academic accusing the Clinton campaign of using racist imagery to appeal to voters.

With at least six weeks to go in this campaign, one wonders how brutal this will get. Already charges of racism and lying are being thrown around like confetti. If it goes on like this, it is hard to see how the Democratic party can be put back together once there is a nominee.

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Chris

March 12th, 2008 9:15am

Isn't it all too marvelous for words? There may be divisions on the Republican side, but at least they're about the issues!

Ian C

March 12th, 2008 6:33pm

It is such good sport. If only we had this selection proces we would soon get rid of the mushy headed 'high minded' that fill up the seats in Parliament and have people who could really influence the situation because their leaders would be people they had some control over.