Oops! She really MAY have done it again!

Posted on | 26 February 2008 | 3 Comments

Yesterday, in noting a few thoughts on whether Hillary Clinton leaked to the Drudge Report a picture of Barack Obama wearing a turban I was skeptical. Now, I am skeptical for another reason – “the lady doth protest too much, methinks”.

Well, ok, I just wanted to use that line. However, I’ll get back to it in a moment. Maybe she was on the attack again.

Someone told me he thought he had heard or read about Clinton using Drudge to her own advantage. It makes sense in a “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” sort of way, even your new “friend” is not all that fond of you and has attacked you and yours as well.

I began a search.

First, it led me to the Guardian’s online edition. There, from October of last year was “Hillary Clinton woos man who nearly ruined her husband“.

“A decade ago, the internet journalist Matt Drudge was very nearly Bill Clinton’s ruin, after leaking the story of his affair with Monica Lewinsky. These days, Drudge is one of Hillary Clinton’s best kept secrets.
“…The New York Times reported that the Clinton campaign had opened a direct line of communication to Drudge through a former Democratic national committee official, Tracy Sefl.”

Curious, I thought. So, let’s go looking for the New York Times article.

Bingo!

A quick search located “Clinton Finds Way to Play Along With Drudge“.

Mrs. Clinton is learning to play nice with the Drudge Report and the powerful, elusive and conservative-leaning man behind it.
“…Democrats said they noticed an occasional Clinton-friendly tone from Mr. Drudge, whom New York magazine quoted as saying on his program: “I need Hillary Clinton. You don’t get it. I need to be part of her world. That’s my bank.”

Okay, now, that quote prompted a quick trip over to New York magazine. I found what I was looking for in the lead of a story headlined – “Watching Matt Drudge“(wherein you learn much than at least I want to know about Drudge).

Apparently, even Hillary’s campaign. Drudge has a sneaker for the woman he calls “the Senatress.” When Clinton started wheezing and coughing in a speech in New Orleans in May, Drudge expressed genuine concern for her. “Hillary, dear, take care of yourself. We need you. I need you personally … Take a few days off, what’s this frenetic pace?” He added admiringly, “She was professional. She kept going. She finished the speech.” After a left-wing listener IM’d Drudge to say he wanted Hillary to drop dead onstage, Drudge said, “I need Hillary Clinton. You don’t get it. I need to be part of her world. That’s my bank. Like Leo DiCaprio has the environment and Al Gore has the environment and Jimmy Carter has anti-Americanism … I have Hillary.”

Of course, the pillpopper, felons and grabass commentators on right-wing radio could say the same, as they all compete to brand Hillary Clinton in their own twisted way. The magazine, however, seemed to think him sincere (for the moment), although no one was really betting on his reasons.

Now, back to “the lady doth protest too much, methinks”. Although the Clinton camp said it didn’t know anything about the letter, its other response was – for lack of a better word – weak. I say “weak” in that it seemed to be what a person would say if said person (or persons) had actually leaked the picture. Here’s the statement.

“Enough.

“If Barack Obama’s campaign wants to suggest that a photo of him wearing traditional Somali clothing is divisive, they should be ashamed. Hillary Clinton has worn the traditional clothing of countries she has visited and had those photos published widely.

“This is nothing more than an obvious and transparent attempt to distract from the serious issues confronting our country today and to attempt to create the very divisions they claim to decry.

“We will not be distracted.”

Now we all know why the photo is such a hit to the right-wing nutcakes out there.

“Gosh, Clarajay, there’s Obama wearing one of them Muzalem turbines*! He must be a terrorist!”

The silence of Team Clinton on that particular subject is deafening.

---

*One of the hits to the What’s driving you crazy? blog today came from the following search: “obama wearing a turbine”

Comments