Hillary's campaign pitching stories re:Obama so pathetic that they are "embarrassing to hear"

[Renew Deal]

From Josh Marshall

<snip>
And they seem almost incapable of even thinking straight. Through the day I got pitched, formally and informally, by various Clintonites on Obama stories, most of which were almost embarrassing to hear.

I don't use these words and phrases lightly or indiscriminately. I find it difficult to conceive of how unprepared her team was for this not-that-hard-to-predict turn of events.

What it tells me is that they never really planned for this. And they literally have no idea what to do at the clutch moment. For the now they are grasping for anything and everything.
<snip>

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/062875.php

[MadBadger]

1. Anybody who believes that the Clinton's didnt think her nomination was inevitable is lying

They have no clue what to do to slow him down.

[Yael]

15. BINGO!!!

She thought she was going to skate in Iowa. I lost count of the ancedotal posts from Iowa posters here who commented how she treated the people there -- as if they were her subjects as opposed to trying to earn their vote.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

22. lets hope no 'event' disrupts these elections

[Yael]

23. Sounds like you trust them as much as i do.

:(

[DFLforever]

2. No Plan B

Or C - which is what they may need after Tuesday.

[monktonman]

3. what kind of president doesnt have a plan B? n/t

[Renew Deal]

4. lol

I don't know if that's intentionally funny or not.

[monktonman]

5. me neither

I can think of at least one guy who didnt have a plan B though.

[Scriptor Ignotus]

13. Bush didn't have one for Iraq

kind of all you need to know, eh?

[Nailzberg]

6. Penn has been a disaster

Never saw the threat. Penn took her off message, thinking they could squash Obama and it backfired massively.

They have the research, but I don't feel they know what to do with it. We're already seeing a recycle of the "present vote". This time complete with direct mailers. And predictably it brings Planned Parenthood out to get Barack's back. Anyone who bothered to look at the 04 senate race would have seen that coming.

It's not just the oppo that's been bad. How many times have her team tried to rebrand her?
First its "Hillary Knows DC", then its "I Can Fight the Republicans", then the "Two for One Clinton Special". Experience over Change. Then Experience Creates Change.

We've seen tough Hillary. Then nurturing Hillary. Then tough again. Then the likability tour. Then tough again.

She's a great politician, and a great democrat. Don't get me wrong. I still really like the Clintons. The people they hired for this race are screwing her up. IMO, they assumed he'd never been in a tough race. But they never looked closely at the IL senate primary, where Obama managed to take out six other dems, including a statewide officer with deep party and union support, a political outsider with the best staff money can buy and $20 million in media buys, Mayor Daley's former Chief of Staff, and the Cook County treasurer. And Penn has been throwing out the same attacks that Obama turned to his advantage just three years ago.

I'm not saying it's over for Clinton by a long shot. But her campaign needs a major shakeup, and reducing Penn's role is a must if she's going to be a comeback kid herself.

[Maccagirl]

7. It really looks like the campaign has gone off the rails

Guess they're not half as smart as they think they are.

Bring in Donna Brazile! HA!

[hlthe2b]

8. I have and remain uncommitted, but I find what is happening

to the Hillary Clinton campaign and her chances to ever become the first female President very very very sad--depressing. As much as I would also welcome the first black President (and I don't leave out Edwards as equally appealing as a candidate), HRC held the hopes for many many women. I'm not defending her, her campaign, or anyone else. I just feel very sad....

[Adelante]

17. I find it sad, as well

She's not my candidate and I want someone else to win, but I understand the emotion. I would like not to have seen this happen to the extent it seems it has. Perhaps they can yet pull it back into better order. While I don't want her to win, I don't want to see her historic race shattered, either.

[iconocrastic]

20. Reality always cheers me up. There's nothing sad about a phony being unmasked

Truth will set you free.

[CarbonDate]

9. New campaign poster*

I think it'll turn the tide back for her, personally.



*Not really her campaign poster. But honestly, it's pretty much her actual campaign rhetoric.

[Renew Deal]

10. "False Hope"

I found that comment one of the most disturbing of the campaign.

[jakem]

18. i like "Abandon Hope" as her slogan-

subtle, but catchy.

[oasis]

21. Barack's "high in the sky apple pie hopes". Built on what?

:shrug:

[BeyondGeography]

11. Cluelessness starts at the top

Somebody felt inevitable..."It will be me."

[ellacott]

12. Now they are saying that he is good at "Poetry"

I was hearing this yesterday. Paul Begala is on Stephanie Miller's show this morning and he keeps saying that Obama is great at poetry.

[Nimrod2005]

14. I am sick and tired of Clinton and her stupid ass crowd!

[PATRICK]

16. And in October

when Murdoch and Scaife go for her jugular? And the election fraud? And a thousand other points of darkness? Better now than later.

[indimuse]

19. Not so fast...

Should Obama hope to continue to enjoy his free ride, he should consult his old mentor Joe Lieberman, the senator from Connecticut who used to be a Democrat. Conservative commentators and right-wing media outlets always loved Lieberman for his willingness to echo their talking points on subjects such as school vouchers and Social Security privatization. When he agreed to join the Democratic ticket as Al Gore's running mate in 2000, the Weekly Standard and the National Review, among others, suddenly discovered how despicable Lieberman actually was. Having abandoned the Democrats altogether, he is now fully rehabilitated.

But Obama and his supporters must cherish no illusions about what will happen to him if he vanquishes Clinton. He will need the same kind of armor that she has worn proudly for years. What the right likes best about him is that he doesn't seem to own any.




The Whole Article:

http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/2007/12/21/right_and_obama/

[Egnever]

24. You answer the op with a smear article?

[indimuse]

25. No. food for thought...

did you read the WHOLE ARTICLE?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

26. Why should I read the whole article?

Does it mention that Obama endorsed Lamont?