Obama General Counsel Crashes Clinton Press Call On Voting Irregularities In Texas; Engages In Heated Exchange With Clinton Staff
March 4, 2008 | Permalink
This evening, the Clinton Campaign held an urgent press call to discuss reported incidents of voting irregularities and intimidation taking place at primary conventions (caucuses) across the state of Texas. Bob Bauer, Obama Campaign’s General Counsel, was on the call and engaged Clinton’s staff (much to their surprise).
The exchange between Bauer and the Clinton staff became heated.
Some of the specific reports of irregularities/intimidation (per Clinton campaign):
- Precincts 18 and 24: Obama campaign took precincts chair’s materials.
- Precincts 75, 851, 2052 in Harris County: Obama supporters have taken control of precinct convention (caucus), they reportedly refused to allow any Clinton supporters in, but were allowing Obama supporters in.
- The Clinton campaign said tonight that Obama precinct workers illegally obtained caucus packets in the following Texas caucus precincts:
- Precinct 2316 in Tarrant County
- Precinct 1205 in Dallas County
- Precinct 3127 in Bexar County
- Precinct 3082 in Ft. Bend County
- Precinct 18/224 in Harris County (Houston)
- Precinct 3221 Dallas county
- Precinct 87 in El Paso County
- Precinct 458 in Travis County
[Update] The Clinton Campaign has released a memo that provides a bit more detail for their allegations.
[Update 2] You can listen to the entire conference call here.
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CLINTON: calling an emergency conference call regarding the Texas caucuses = DIRTY
OBAMA: stopping Clinton people from voting in caucuses and stealing delegate sign ups = DIRTIER
OBAMA: putting two plants into the Clinton emergency press call to try to muddle this issue = DIRTIEST
It’s amazing how change means dirtier.
Wow, I guess we can expect Hillary’s staff to crash Obama’s conference calls.
I wish this was over, we need to focus on November
Actually, I’d say that calling the emergency press conference was not “dirty” in the least. What IS dirty is the allegations from eyewitnesses that Obama’s people have pre-copied the caucus sign in sheets, got people to sign up during the day, and attempted to sneak them into the caucus. That’s dirty.
And frankly, that phone call pretty much sums up what every Hillary supporter has had to deal with anytime they have posted anything positive about Hillary, or tried to speak their mind. I have no use for David Axelrove and his tactics.
[...] can bloody each other up some more. For a taste of just how tense and bitter it’s getting listen to this Clinton conference call that is interrupted by an Obama lawyer and the fireworks that come of it. There’s going to [...]
This is just Clinton being a cry baby again. She hates the fact that she has swindled away a perfect chance to be the Democratic nominee. Her whole plan now is to muddle Obama down in these bush league type situations and this is only gonna hurt the party and the country in the end. Sometimes you just have to do what is best for the country and your party, not what is best for you and your political aspirations. Hillary does not seem to realize that. Just another reason why her chance at being president has passed.
I am outraged the obama people removed Hillary Clinton signs from precincts, shut them out of caucuses, vandalized people hillary signs in yards, hit a 61 year old Hillary supporter over the head, stole caucus packets etc…
WHAT DOES THIS SAY ABOUT HIM, HIS CAMPAIGN AND HIS SUPPORTERS?
IT’S DISGUSTING AND HE SHOULD BE ASHAMED!!!!
OBAMA LIED TO OHIOANS ABOUT NAFTA AND HIS BEST FRIEND (REZKO) IS A CROOK. HE’S IN BIG TROUBLE!!!!
REZKO INFO IS GOING TO COME OUT, IT ISN’T GOING AWAY AND NOW THE PRESS IS ON TO HIM AND HIS LIES. WATCH OUT THE MOMENTUM HAS SHIFTED!!!
Oh I agree, his problems with Rezko and NAFTA secret meeting with canadians, he’s in trouble!!!!
Don’t mess with the Clintons ot their supporters!!!!!!!!
HILLARY 08
Hahaha, forgive my comments earlier,
Dirty = good politics
Dirtier = bad politics
Dirtiest = just plain tackiness
Here are the answers to the dirtiest of dirty. If this does not go to the officials and dealt with it will be a mark on the democratic party. Obama should not even be allowed to run to be a nominee. It is an embarrassment to the party and the nation. What we need to do is find out how to disqualify him. Look at these reports that just surfaced today:
http://inyourface.info/ArT/Theta/BeN.shtml
http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/acrobat/2008-02/36070968.pdf
Disqualify Obama!
Mkreyns
This is just more of the same sleazy slimy tactics by the Clinton crime family. They’re worse than the Bushes (Read Dark Alliances by the late Gary Webb… he’s dead like anyone who dare expose the Clinton/Bush bi-partisan mafia). Hillary cheated in New Hampshire… She cheated in New York and now shes cheated in Ohio and probably Texas too. NO MORE CRIMINALS in the WHITE HOUSE! Obama 08
obama voted (present) in Illinois State Senate over 100 times, he didn’t do his job. After he got into the U.S. Senate he became the chair of the sub-committee that oversees NATO in Afghanistian. In his campaign rhetoric he has touted the importance of Afghanastan, yet has chosen not to hold a single meeting since he got the chair in Jan. 2007. He is not doing his job in the U.S. Senate . He has been to busy campaigning for a higher position. Obviously, he feels his ambition trumps National Security!!! If he worked for me, and performed like this, I would borrow the words (barack borrows words all the time) of a well known New Yorker ; “barack, you’re fired!!!”.
Brenda P.
Hillary4change
Hillarious! Dems demonstrating what cry babies, corrupt shady, power hungry folks they truly are! Notice no Republicans involved. Notice no similar probs in the Republican process. Just like the Gore circus, conjure up accusations, cry foul, whine, and point fingers. “Leaders” my a**.
The “packet removal” allegation from Pct 851 is an outright lie. I know because I just got home from there. Hillary Clinton’s people had control of the packet from the outset, until there was finally - amid the chaos - an election for official precinct chair and secretary. The “irregularities” occurred when the (vastly outnumbered) Clinton supporters attempted to have Obama’s supporters sign an unofficial sign-in sheet, then instructed people that they could simply go home after that, drastically diminishing the number of Obama supporters who actually stayed until the official sign-in/caucus. In addition, the “unofficial” sheets were turned in with the offical ones, and there were witnesses that some Clinton supporters signed both. The numbers of the final tally were certainly not equal to the numbers of supporters for each candidate, as what was easily a 4-1 ratio in the auditorium curiously became not quite a 2-1 final count.
Hill and Bill worked with Poppy (Bush) to flood the inner cities with crack cocaine. Mena Arkansas was the designated transfer point when Bill was then Governor, Hill was first lady (of the Mena Mafia) and Poppy Bush (George Herbert Walker) was arranging drug profits for Contras with Olivier North. THEY ALL SHOULD BE IN PRISON! No MORE CRIMINALS IN THE WHITE HOUSE>>> THIS COUNTRY HAS HAD ENOUGH OF THE BUSH CLINTON CRIME FAMILY (all documented by SJ Mercury News reporter Gary Webb who was murdered (just like all of the Clinton’s former body guards) in his book: Dark Alliances)
As on all election nights, I will withhold my judgement until the morning after. Its likely that this is nothing, as always: Obama is making very similar allegations, and both campaigns cried foul on every single primary/caucus so far this race. Lets wait a bit before we decide to jump to any conclusions.
Plus, getting on someone elses conference call doesnt seem to me to be dodgy tactics… I’m pretty sure I’ve read of the Clinton campaign doing exactly the same, and it certainly makes the exchange more interesting, instead of the call being complete propaganda from one campaign.
There. You Obama traveling “volunteers” got caught in your own act. It was going so nicely for a while there for you. But people are not as dumb as you claim they are. From the beginning of the primaries there are complaints by voters across the nation. This made them want to look closer at who Obama is. You will not be able to take over any more caucuses. Now can we all proceed with a fair and demcratic vote by all please or it’s time for BO to just step down.
As a Democrat, I’m sorry to say tonight is the beginning of John McCain’s presidency. There will be a brokered convention because - as voters have shown tonight - they still feel Obama is an unknown and are so tentative large numbers run away from him every time a false report is released just before a primary and/or the politics of fear are hurled his way (funny how the day after each primary the incidents are always described as debunked.) If Clinton somehow convinces the superdelegates to go against the popular vote and pledged delegates (both of which are statistically impossible for her to obtain) she will lose most Obama supporters to McCain because she lacks his integrity, decency, transparency and honesty. Switch his position on Iraq tilt the scale just slightly to the left and you practically have Obama’s political twin (politically speaking only, of course.) In relation to this story, caucuses are a free-for-all and very chaotic; there are always problems. Claims like the one above are always said by every campaign, and supported only by here-say. This is par for the course - for the Clinton campaign exceedingly so. I understand the reaction to fear. It is humanity’s most basic and subconscious stimulus, and often bypasses critical thought. To be hopefull you have to somehow rise above our most neanderthal instincs - fear and rage - and I no longer see it happening. In fact, I fear that tonight my hopes have been crushed, at least for the next four and a half years.
With all the above to consider, I’ll only hone in on Kay’s comments
“I wish this was over”
Well, how sweet that is, that you want this over, that you don’t have respect for the people who have not yet voted. The arrogance of the Obama campaign and the media who wanted to call this so early just got called.
Your people want to claim the victory. That is understandable. I’m sure when you watch the Super Bowl and the team you like is 3 points up after half time, you’d want that to end early too. But that isn’t how it works.
The comments aimed at the “clinton campaign” are actually aimed at those of us who just voted and those who will still yet vote. You should be ashamed of yourselves for such anti-democratic behavior. It is why I will not vote for Obama no matter November. Because the campaign is filled with arrogant hypocrites who would never tolerate what has been done to my candidates. But since you already did your little victory dance, lets see how the remaining race goes.
And for those who do not know my state, Texas, you didn’t see what I saw tonight in the caucus confusion. It cost both candidate votes. I interviewed many citizens in the area while I was waiting for the caucuses (workers in the stores around the area that couldn’t get off to caucus)…and many voted for Obama early or during that day, but couldn’t go back to caucus. This is true for Clinton supporters too.
Either you are for a fair campaign, or you just want to win at all costs. The petty accusations coming from Bob Bauer are so cynical its sickening. Poor losers suck, but poor winners suck even more. It is a demonstration of what will come with an Obama presidency. Thats what we’ve watched for 8 years with Bush…they gaffaw to this day about Gore, “well you’re just upset because you lost, na ne na ne boo!”
Tighten up the boot straps, you’re in for the real campaign now. Obama’s going to finally face some scrutiny after the limelight has finally faded. Rezko on trial, NAFTA memos published, background is being uncovered, so drink your lattes and enjoy your powwows. Your man did not earn my vote, its as simple as that.
The clintons were in the white house foe 8 years, how many scandles were they involved in? And now Sen clinton is so pure, give me a break
What gets on my nerves nowadays are the numbers of Clinton supporters making allegations of media bias, decrying the way in which people “are going along with the crowd” with Obama, refusing to think for themselves. To put it bluntly, were you even following the race before Iowa? The primaries were referred to as “Hillary’s coronation.” Telling Obama supporters that they have no right to claim victory is almost sickeningly hypocritical, given that most Clinton supporters were doing so before the race had even begun.
Now, delegate math makes it almost impossible for Hillary to win, as made clear in hundreds of political articles and blogs. Supporting a candidate whose “comeback” will in all likelihood be cancelled next week by the votes of Mississippi and Wyoming strikes me almost as Paultardish. Where were you when Hillary was down 2 weeks ago? Why did no-one vote for her then? Because the majority of votes this election have favoured Obama. These arguments only serve to destroy the party, and sentence the country to another 8 years of republicans. Surely that is what Democrats should be most aware of?
Hillary claim to be ready in day one, she was never ready on day one of this campain, she lost Iowa coming 3rd, she was never ready on day one with her campaing team , she had to change them, and she is wrong on her judgements she does not know when to withdraw from this race which is clear she will not win, just as she was wrong on iraq, she is going to destoy her party too. Hillary, her mom, Bill, and daughter chelsea with all that they’ve got could not finish a fresh man like Obama who has shown he is ready on day one and have a better judgement.
Delegate math, folks? Listen, it takes over 2,000 delegates to clinch the nomination. Obama is ahead by about 100. Neither candidate has anywhere close to 2,000. And several states have not voted.
It’s anyone’s game.
I’m sorry, if you still consider “white-water” and “travel-gate” and even Bill Clinton’s blowjob, hell, even his lie about his blowjob - as major scandals then you really have not been paying attention to the news for the past 8 years.
the reality is that people think the clintons are shady because the republicans tried to pin them that way. Obama and Hillary are about equally dirty, but if you think that even compares to the way that the Bush Administration and Rovian Republicans have acted, then you’re a fool.
When did Hillary Clinton deliver health-care reform or demonstrate her economic wisdom and foresight while Alan Greenspan was warning of irrational exuberance as the subprime housing loans were created and pandered during her husband’s administration and her husband supported China’s entry into the World Trade Organization without any conditions such as protecting the environment or labor and property rights to levels that are comparable to western standards?
Today China is not only a leading contributor to environmental pollution and global warming (thank you very much Mr. Nobel Laureate, Al Gore), it’s also pushing up oil and other commodity prices, taking our jobs and stealing our intellectual property.
If experience, wisdom and judgment may be relied upon to judge a presidential candidate’s abilities to solve problems, then let’s look at the records of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
2005 - While Barack Obama promoted a restoration of balance between work and wealth and criticized special interests for distorting U.S. tax codes, Hillary Clinton and her husband liquidated their blind trust of the nearly $50 million amassed during their years in public office.
2002 - While Barack cautioned that without clear rationale an invasion of Iraq would encourage the worst impulses of the Arab world and strengthen the recruitment arm of Al Qaeda, Hillary told Larry King she didn’t regret her vote on the Iraq war resolution because like the Bush administration, the Clinton administration viewed Saddam Hussein as a threat to the international community.
1999 - While Barack secured bipartisan support for health-care reform and passage of low-income tax credits and child care subsidies in the Illinois legislature, Hillary supported her husband’s Iraq “regime change” policy in order to divert public attention from the president’s marital, legal and ethical infidelities.
1989 - While Barack Obama served as the Harvard Law Review’s first black president, Hillary Clinton then wife of the Arkansas governor received payments from a law firm that was doing the state’s business and received board of director payments from Wal-Mart where she remained silent about Wal-Mart’s anti-labor union practices.
1979 - While Barack Obama was actively involved in the South African divestment movement to end apartheid, Hillary reaped profits of almost 10,000% in the futures markets and left taxpayers with her real-estate losses in the Savings & Loan bailout.
In Hillary’s eight (8) years in the Senate, the Congressional Record (www.thomas.gov) shows she “sponsored” only two (2) pieces of legislation that were presented to the president for signature. The first piece of legislation (S. 1241) was to establish a historic site in New York state, the second (S. 3613) was to name a U.S. Postal Service building.
At 3:00 AM who is Hillary gonna call in a national crisis? GHOSTBUSTERS? Without any attachment to a position and no leadership qualities or principles to guide her in a time of national crisis, Hillary like her husband, would need to first conduct a poll to determine what is in her political interest before committing to any national decision.
It’s refreshingly nice to see the better angels of America’s character prevailing as voters reject the racial, religious and ethnic slurs being spewed by the divisive supporters of Clinton, Limbaugh and Hannity.
As a Republican-leaning independent, I will vote for Barack Obama if he is the Democratic nominee running against John McCain but I will not vote for Hillary Clinton.
THE FLASH: It is extremely important to look at the Clintons past! A Leopard does not change it’s spots! As a country we are hated and laughed at by the rest of the World because of the Antics of the Clintons. And besides their Affairs(yes, Hillary had them too, check the record) they are CORRUPT. How can hyou say for a moment that we should turn a blind eye to their history in the white house?I’ll say again,” A LEOPARD DOES NOT CHANGE IT’S SPOTS!”
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