Newsweek: Obama's campaign is peeling off former advisers to Bill Clinton

[Colobo]

Sept. 17, 2007 issue - They were devotees of the cult of Clinton. Greg Craig was Bill Clinton's lawyer, defending him on TV against impeachment charges. Susan Rice was a protégée of Madeleine Albright, the 42nd president's secretary of State. Anthony Lake was Clinton's personal foreign-policy consigliere, his first-term national-security adviser. Now, however, Craig, Rice and Lake are all top advisers to Hillary Clinton's main rival, Barack Obama. In an increasingly bitter fight for the best and brightest policy advisers of Clinton's presidency, these defectors are aggressively recruiting junior- and midlevel officials from his administration.

That's provoked anger in Hillary's camp—and, Obama aides charge, threats of retaliation if she wins the nomination. "The word some people are hearing is, 'You're making a big mistake. If Barack Obama wins, he'll welcome all into his administration. But if Hillary wins, that's not going to be the case'," says a midlevel Obama adviser who would speak about infighting only on the condition of anonymity. The main Hillary enforcer has been Richard Holbrooke, Bill Clinton's former U.N. ambassador (and an aspiring secretary of State), says a senior adviser to Obama, who would also discuss personnel matters only anonymously. "I have had at least two people directly tell me they had been told by Holbrooke if they went with Obama, the Hillary people would not forget and forgive," says the adviser, refusing to identify them.

<...>
Younger former Clintonites are gravitating to Obama for many reasons. They like him because he doesn't seem to represent the old Washington, D.C., game—and because they admire his strong opposition to the Iraq War, in contrast to Hillary's early support. They are also wary of what one describes as Hillary's "closed circle," including her husband and a triumvirate of senior officials from his presidency—Holbrooke, Albright and former national-security adviser Sandy Berger. "There is a sense, consciously or subconsciously, that we don't want to just go back to the same team: Holbrooke, Sandy, Madeleine ... the same people having the same arguments about who's going to be in the room," says the midlevel Obama adviser. The Obama campaign has played on those fears, telling recruits they can rise faster with the Illinois senator. "The Obama pitch is, 'You'll never be in the inner circle' with Hillary," says Gene Sperling, Senator Clinton's top economic adviser.

More at:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20657194/site/newsweek/?from=rss

[sandnsea]

1. That's what they call "experience" n/t

[Bitwit1234]

2. The must have been worthless as crap else they wouldn't have

been let go from Hillary Clinton's campaign. So it shows Obama doesn't care that he hires crap.

[MannyGoldstein]

3. Yes. They Were Slaves Purchased By Obama.

Or do you mean something else?

[Forkboy]

4. It's too bad she retains so many obnoxious and arrogant supporters.

[movonne]

16. Ditto....

[Adelante]

5. Let go?

It sounds like they are where they are by choice, actually.

[Inuca]

8. What an unbelievably idiotic comment! n/t

[Cha]

13. Oh, can't you get a better argument

than making shit up?

[BeyondGeography]

6. Meet the old boss...same as the old boss

Some good people are choosing to go to a promising start-up company because the best seats are already taken at the pre-existing corporation...No surprise there.

[jillan]

7. So the people that advised Clinton now advise Obama and

he says he is the candidate of change.

Ok, got it!

[krkaufman]

37. Read the article.

It says they left the Clinton campaign *because* they viewed Obama as more amenable to change, less of the "old Washington, D.C., game" and because they're "wary of what one describes as Hillary's "closed circle," including her husband and a triumvirate of senior officials from his presidency"

[WCGreen]

9. That happens all the time...

The white house employs a lot of democrats who may have been appointed or selected for their position because of political payback...

And again, they may have been loyal to Bill but not loyal to HRC...

Look at Richardson, a member of the cabinet running...

It's politics and I bet these folks who are not supporting HRC feel they have no chance at the top jobs so they are going elsewhere...

No big deal either way...And remember, working for Clinton in the 90's was the only game n town since the GOP had control of the Congress and took away most, if not all, extra staffing from the minority...

[Adelante]

11. Well said, WCGreen, it's politics

Almost all of the campaigns probably have some ex-Clinton staffers, as in 2004.

[Colobo]

10. I notice that Obama detractors

do their best to diminish any kind of success Obama might have, but they are completely unsuccesful in the process.

Why are they so lame?

[Missy M]

12. They are no different than the Hillary detractors....

which there are plenty of.

[illinoisprogressive]

14. lol!!!!! I love that picture on your post, Katz. Awesome

[illinoisprogressive]

15. Many, who are loyal to Bill, refuse to work with Hillary. Says alot.

[ariesgem]

18. and that smirk she's giving him is priceless!

:rofl:

[Colobo]

34. She looks mean in that pic!

[BenDavid]

17. Well Obama throw everything at HRC

cause my brother in about 5 months you will know what the polls have been saying all along. HRC is going to become the democratic nominee....Now once she wins I would like for you to keep your lips shut. Be happy you ran the best campaign you could, but experience does count and one other thing to all the HRC supporters:

One thing I will say in closing as I have known this for the longest and it will help others in here that support HRC.Lets understand something about the polling on HRC's negatives. Many in here that support Obama and Edwards and ANY OF THE MORE QUALIFIED CANDIDATES over look the fact that HRC's negatives are clustered mainly among Republicans and Republican leaning independents who would not likely vote for her in any circumstance.....So, do not let the negatives bring you down. Know from whom they are coming....One other thing, many on the right and many in here fail to grasp the crucial role that SYBOLISM plays in politics. Once HRC wins the nomination HRC will make her bid be the first ever WOMAN president of the United States. The key is WOMAN....and folks that is a BIG DEAL. It will over shadow every other issue and image in the campaign and HRC will campaign not as a woman but as the best qualified and best experienced and the one which can and will bring back America.....That my friends is the election of 08....

I do thank you
Ben David

[snowbear]

19. Wow..

YOu sound a bit stoned tonight buddy..

[babylonsister]

20. I'm a WOMAN and that does NOT seal the deal. Try again. nt

[lostnotforgotten]

21. Many Of Us Will Never Vote For Hillary: Primaries Or General

That includes myself.

Why? She voted for Bush's war.

I'd rather see another Republican in office to teach the DLC a lesson.

If you don't listen to the Democratic base, you lose!

[MH1]

24. I hear you but I hope that's an empty threat

I won't support Hillary in the primary but if she is nominated (god help us) we all need to vote (D) - I refuse to call it voting "for" her because it won't be - for one simple reason, 2 words:

SUPREME COURT.

That is what it comes down to. That is all it comes down to, due to our electoral system. Don't like it? Work to change the system, but in the meantime, keep electing the lesser of two evils, if that's how you see it. Because less evil is still less evil.

(Oh and if you are talking about her IWR vote: that had nothing to do with the DLC; and electing a republican isn't exactly a good way to "teach the DLC a lesson" - isn't it true that many of the core DLC players will do well whichever party is in office?)

[lostnotforgotten]

25. Tired Of Being Ignored As A Citizen

You vote your way - I'll sens a message to the DLC!

[MH1]

26. Okay. But you might also want to try

working with different groups in your neighborhood until you find one that can help you get your message through in a way that will be effective.

[lostnotforgotten]

27. Volunteered 1,000 Hours In 2004 Just To Watch The Vote Stolen

Will never volunteer my time again to any cause.

[MH1]

30. There is more to political action than electing a president. n/t

[lostnotforgotten]

32. Stuffing Envelopes, Telephone Calls, Posting Campaign Signs

I've done all the grunt work and will do no more with the corruption we now have in the system.

I will no longer be someone else's grunt.

You are welcome to continue though.

[Forkboy]

31. While I share your frustration, I can never go that far.

I'd rather see another Republican in office to teach the DLC a lesson.

That's a lesson that gets taught to the whole world, not just the DLC. As useless as they are that's too high a price to inflict on my fellow humans just to see my desired results.

[lostnotforgotten]

33. You're Anger And Frustration Are Less Than Mine Then

eom

[Ethelk2044]

35. The sad part about it she does not have more experience than Obama

They are on a level playing field in that category. Also, Hillary will not win.

[The Backlash Cometh]

22. Maybe they are being sent by Hillary to make sure that Obama gets

second billing in the primaries, to beat Edwards, and to set Obama up for a potential VP for Hillary?

Oprah is supporting Obama and just had Bill Clinton on the air. Do you suppose Oprah is pro-corporatist? Don't you think that, since she now that has put her weight behind this political race, (no offense meant, Oprah), don't you think we should at least find out?

[Adelante]

28. I doubt it

The pincer on Obama is between Clinton and Edwards. It's in Clinton's interest for Edwards to move on Obama, not the other way around.

[mod mom]

23. maybe they are bypassing corporate media and understanding how many people

really feel about Hillary.

[creeksneakers2]

29. This article is slanted trash

The article starts out with the words "cult of Clinton." Do the Clintons brainwash aides and forbid them from visiting their families? Why do they call the Clinton's organization a cult?

Next stop for the piece is a description of former Clinton adviser Anthony lake as a "consigliere." So the Clintons are Mafia? Cult and Mafia. "Shave your head and wear this gown always or you'll sleep with the fishes."

The rest of the essay is based on anonymous sources alleging Richard Holbrooke is threatening former administration staff if they work for Obama. The only threat is that opponents won't be included later of Hillary wins. That's how politics always works. Newsweek calls Holbrooke an "enforcer."

Holbrooke denies all of it. The article also states, "Some key Obama advisers like Craig also deny they have been a target of such threats. "I've felt no hostility" from the Clinton campaign, Craig says."

The article goes on to name many former Clinton administration officials who advise Obama but not one is quoted saying they've been threatened.

When MSM writes these hit pieces on any Democratic candidate the publisher should receive tons of nasty E-mail.

[krkaufman]

36. "the Hillary people would not forget and forgive"

Sounds a bit too much like Rovian politics, to me. Another reason I'm ready for the Bush & Clinton dynasties to fade into history.