More Fine Work from the Politico

by publius

Hillary Clinton apparently joined the Politico staff this week, writing a longish (for the Politico) piece attacking Obama as – wait for it – too liberal. This devastating, devastating piece is based on a single questionnaire provided to a random voter group in Illinois in 1996 (the famous “Independent Voters of Illinois — Independent Precinct Organization”). To top it off, it was written by a then-campaign manager.

If Clinton, err, I mean Mike Allen and Ben Smith wanted to do something other than water-carrying for oppositional research teams, they might, you know, provide some other public statements corroborating the wild communist positions in the questionnaire. They provided, however, exactly none.

Regardless, the blunt statements of his earlier views, preserved on a questionnaire he filled out for an Illinois voter group that later endorsed him[trigger Psycho music], would allow a Republican opponent to paint him as being way to the left of the nation’s electorate on questions that have historically been potent wedge issues.

That’s all you got? Just the questionnaire? I assume if they had more they would have said “preserved on a questionnaire and several other public speeches,” etc. Clinton’s got some crack oppo researchers in Chicago it seems.

But the more ridiculous part of the story is how Team Allen uses this slender reed to launch a hackneyed “too liberal” narrative that is apparently scalded on DC journalists’ minds. I mean, far be it from me to belittle such penetrating insights as “Republicans will call him too liberal” and “Grover Norquist will say mean things about him.”

Pretty weak stuff - but nonetheless, it's the "TOP POLITICAL NEWS."

Comments

[Sebastian Holsclaw]

"would allow a Republican opponent to paint him as being way to the left"

Because heaven knows a Democratic opponent of Obama in the primaries wouldn't try to do that. ;)

[Jammer]

Wow. Thin skin. After all the crud I have had to read about Hillary Clinton, at this point mainly from Democrats, I find this article positively tame. Oh...wait....you turned this into an attack on Clinton too.

[Greg Greene]

For my money, I love the story on how Obama deprives voters of the useful wisdom that he's -- horribile dictu! -- black. (What -- you think I'm joking?)

[Incertus (Brian)]

Huh. If anything, my current beef with Obama is that the policies he's putting forward and the talking points he's made on Social Security haven't been progressive enough.

[Susan]

In other words, Obama might not be Republican Lite© like Senator Clinton and the other DLC fifth columnists.

[Gus]

Gee, who would have expected it from the Politico?

[Steve]

It's silly to think that a questionnaire where Obama supports a gun ban would not be relevant in a general election. Oh no, I guess the Republicans won't use it, it was an obscure voter group and everyone knows candidates lie to obscure voter groups all the time!

As a Democrat, I'd certainly prefer this sort of thing come out now rather than next September.

[Luke]

More to the point, Tucker Carlson needs to be talked to; between the "I gay bashed some faggot who tried to service me in the men's room" and today's piece that was to the right of Fox News about Obama and this questionnaire, he's vomitorious.