Big Donors Aren't In Unity

[Bianca]

                                                     Big donors aren't in Unity






                            Insiders tell Fineman that there's tension between Clinton, Obama funders






Howard Fineman
WNBC NEWS
 
UNITY, N.H. - I know this is supposed to be a marriage, but behind the scenes, it feels more like a divorce.

There's a lot of sadness and hurt between the Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton camps, with both sides fighting over money and loyalty.

Before the unity fest to began here in Unity, N.H., I was on the phone with some top Clinton supporters who attended a big gathering of major donors in Washington, D.C. last night.

It was hosted by Clinton's team, and to many in attendance, it didn't feel like a reunion. It felt like the arrival of a repo man.

"Hillary was sad, even pitiful I have to say," said one of her top donors.

"It was like, this guy is coming to take my family away."

But most of the right things were said.

Obama expressed a determination to help with Clinton's whopping campaign debt.

Clinton praised Obama in an earnest, if undramatic fashion. Most of the donors seemed minimally satisified.

But no one was thrilled, and the body language was odd.

Pregnant pause.

Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe was responsible for the introductions, leading to one of the more awkward moments of the evening.

Welcoming Clinton to the stage, he said, "And now, the next...speaker!" It seemed as if the word "president" was on his tongue — and the pause was just long enough to raise some eyebrows.

 
 
Clinton and Obama came out separately. They took only three questions. One was about whether Obama would consider Hillary for vice president.

She whispered in his ear, and he didn't answer the question — apparently at her suggestion.

"A lot of us were upset that she was making things easy for him," said one donor.

But it's not the only evidence of some underlying tension between the camps.

Obama has made two phone calls in recent days to a good source of mine who is also a top Clinton supporter and fundraiser.

Neither call went particularly well.

Obama's message was clear: He wanted this person to join his campaign and get her donors to "max out" to him.

You see, even though some funders have given all they can to the Clinton effort, they are still free to donate another $4,600 to Obama's presidential campaign.

Her answer was guarded and angry: I'll help you, she told him, but only if you help Hillary erase her campaign debt.

Clinton, she told him, will absorb the loss of the $12 million she loaned to her own campaign, but she will need help with the other $10 million in vendor debt.

'Cool with that'
My source found Obama to be haughty.

She asked the candidate whether he would reach out to former President Bill Clinton. Obama reacted positively — sort of.

"I'm cool with that," he reportedly told her.

She found that outrageous. "'Cool with that?' Are you kidding me?"






Pageant of togetherness



As for me, like I mentioned, I'm here in New Hampshire, a witness to the ironically named "Unity" event.

Here, Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton performed in a pageant of Democratic togetherness in the damp backyard of a local school.

In a town that some Granite Staters can’t find on a map, Obama and Clinton tried to convince the world — and, more importantly, each other — that their clans can play nice.

But despite the talk of unity in Unity (where Obama and Clinton each got 107 votes last in January’s primary), things have proven rough and emotional behind the scenes.

The phone calls and fundraisers really speak to the post-nomination tension.

[Bianca]

                                             Tensions Remain Among Clinton Donors






 ABC News
 Share June 27, 2008 7:40 AM

ABC’s Kate Snow reports: 

The crowd's mood was but strained but supportive at Thursday’s meeting between Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and about 150 of Clinton’s top donors at a Washington hotel.



The former rivals appeared upbeat and spoke supportively and enthusiastically of each other in their 30 minute meeting. They were warmly received by the crowd, but several attendees said they couldn’t help but feel tension, even while they were likely to play supportive roles in Obama's race against Republican John McCain.



One major Clinton donor described it this way:  "This felt like when your mom forces you to go visit
your Aunt Ida and she has to pinch your cheeks and you're sitting there in an uncomfortable suit and you can't wait to leave."



Another Clinton-leaning person who was in the room said after the meeting wrapped up that there is still "a lot of anger" toward Obama among Clinton's wealthiest fans.



"It was pretty bad," this source said.  He said donors were joking that the scene was like "an Irish wake" and that you "could cut the air with a knife" it was so tense in the room.



"He better go back to the internet," said one donor about the Democratic nominee’s fundraising tactics.



"Most people left there feeling he didn't connect," said the person who was in the room. However, when asked if the donors still might write a check to Obama, he conceded that it was entirely possible.



But some Clinton backers told ABC News the evening was a success in that Obama asked the Clinton backers for their support in his race against Republican John McCain and ‘it worked.’



Lester Hyman, a Washington lawyer, said: “It worked. You bet.”



Judith Barnett, also a Washington lawyer, added, “It worked and we’re going to raise money because there’s too much at stake. This is not a rehearsal.”



When Clinton spoke to the crowd, she acknowledged the tough primary battle but urged her supporters to rally behind Obama and the party’s campaign to win the White House in November.



"This was a hard-fought campaign," she continued. "That's what made it so exciting and intense and why people's passions ran so high on both sides. I know my supporters have extremely strong feelings, and I know Barack's do as well. But we are a family, and we have an opportunity now to really demonstrate clearly we do know what's at stake, and we will do whatever it takes to win back this White House."


When Obama spoke to the crowd he complimented Clinton on the race she ran and tried to pump up the crowd about the chances of Democrats winning additional Senate and House seats and winning the White House this fall. 



"I recognize that this room shared the same passion that a roomful of my supporters would show. I do not expect that passion to be transferred. Sen. Cinton is unique, and your relationships with her are unique."



But he added, "Sen. Clinton and I at our core agree deeply that this country needs to change."



Obama made a direct appeal for support as he closed his remarks.  "I'm going to need Hillary by my side campaigning during his election, and I'm going to need all of you."



Obama did address one of the major elephants in the room -- Clinton's enormous campaign debt, a source of remaining tension between the two camps.



Obama told the crowd that he has told his top financial backers "to get out their checkbooks and start working to make sure Sen. Clinton -- the debt that's out there needs to be taken care of."



That vow drew a standing ovation from the crowd.



Many Clinton donors are anxious to hear more about Clinton's future role in the Obama campaign.  For example, will she have her own campaign plane to use for appearances?  Will she speak at the Democratic convention in late August and when?  They also want to know if Clinton's delegates will be allowed any kind of symbolic vote on the convention floor.



Asked tonight if there would be a roll-call vote at the convention in Denver, Clinton and Obama exchanged looks, with Clinton smiling, and said that was still being negotiated.

[Volitzer]

Like they along with McCain aren't on Team Bilderberg.

You're only insulting AO members' intelligence with this drivel.