The Hill's Blog Briefing Room » Rep. Andrews: Clinton Campaign Discussed Black Vs. Jew Strategy


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June 6, 2008

Rep. Andrews: Clinton Campaign Discussed Black Vs. Jew Strategy

@ 3:00 pm by Walter Alarkon

Rep. Rob Andrews (D-N.J.) said that a top member of Hillary Clinton's campaign discussed with him in April a strategy aimed at exploiting race relations to win over Jewish votes.

Andrews, in an interview with the Newark Star-Ledger, said that a Clinton official discussed with him over the phone a strategy that would use tensions between the Jewish and Black communities to Clinton's advantage. Andrews, who was a Clinton supporter, was at the time making an bid to unseat Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.). Andrews lost to Lautenberg in a primary this week.

"Frankly, I had a private conversation with a high-ranking person in the campaign … that used a racial line of argument that I found very disconcerting," Andrews told the newspaper. "It was extremely disconcerting given the rank of this person. It was very disturbing."

The Clinton campaign issued an angry response to Andrews's remarks.

"Comments like these, coming so soon after Congressman Andrews' crushing defeat, are sad and divisive," said Clinton spokesman Phil Singer.

Andrews has stood by them. He said he didn't make them public earlier because he didn't want to appear as if he was trying to win over Barack Obama backers.

"I would hope that all Democrats can put this divisiveness behind them," Andrews said. "I'm glad the Clinton campaign is finally about to change its tone."

Archived under: Campaigns, News, Presidential Campaigns
Tags: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Rob Andrews

1 Comment »

The Hill welcomes comment from anyone and will almost always post it whether it is favorable or critical, as long as it is substantive and advances debate.

Why am I not surprised? Prior to the Democratic primary I was aware of about Hillary Clinton stories depicting her as a polarizing, vindictive, win-at-all-cost person. When the campaign began I remained neutral and gave her the benefit of the doubt. I was impressed with her earlier showing in the campaign and like 68% of AA's I would have voted for her or Obama during the GE. But, before the Iowa caucus, the story broke that Billy Shaheen, a top Clinton surrogate was pushing a smear campaign against Obama's previously admitted youthful drug use. And rumors about an Obama-is-a-Muslim smear campaign linked to the Clinton campaign were confirmed by CNN's investigative unit.

After Iowa Bill Clinton's statement comparing Obama's SC victory to Jessie Jackson in an effort to marginalize him.

The Drudge Report published a photo of Obama wearing a traditional Muslim garb which Matt Drudge claimed was given to him by the Clinton campaign. Neither Clinton nor her surrogates denied the allegation. The photo was floated as part of broader effort by the Clinton campaign to smear Obama by questioning his patriotism and his trustworthiness.

Add to all of this the fact that Clinton supporters launched an anti-Obama "swiftboating wannabe" 527 against which the Obama campaign filed a complaint with the FEC and the fact that Hillary Clinton herself described her political base as working, hard working, white Americans it is not hard to believe that Rep. Rob Andrews allegations are credible.

Peter Dreier published an article in the Huffingtonpost entitled; "Sidney Blumenthal Uses Former Right-Wing Foes to Attack Obama". In the article, Drier claimed that former journalist Sidney Blumenthal who was credited with coining the term "vast right-wing conspiracy" and a current senior campaign advisor to Senator Clinton, has been exploiting that same right-wing network for months to attack and discredit Barack Obama by forwarding virulent, vicious, deceitful and injurious anti-Obama emails to extreme right-wing Web sites, bloggers and publications.

When one considers the poisonous rhetoric of pro-Hillary Web sites like Hillaryis44 and Taylor Marsh and the racist ooze of some Clinton supporters a giant leap of cerebral creativity to accept Rob Andrews' account of deliberate efforts by senior Clinton campaign official’s o to foment racial hatred in their efforts to win the primary process.

I would add however, that I look forward to reading allegations by Clinton insiders that the campaign deliberately sought to exploit gender-based biases in the Democratic Party by Clinton supporters who finally realize how much they are also held in disdain by someone they mistakenly believe to be a heroine.

Comment by Jezreel — June 6, 2008 @ 8:59 pm

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June 6, 2008

Rep. Andrews: Clinton Campaign Discussed Black Vs. Jew Strategy

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