I'm on a lot of distribution lists, for campaigns Republican and Democratic. But the following letter I received from the Hillary campaign is possibly the most negative fundraiser campaign email of the season:
Dear Michael,
I wanted to let you know immediately about reports our campaign has received about possible dirty campaign tactics in Iowa and New Hampshire -- and ask for your help.
In Iowa, we have heard reports that Hillary supporters are getting calls that tell them incorrect caucus locations. Supporters have also told us about push polls -- when they tell the pollster they support Hillary, they are given negative talking points about her and asked which attacks are the most effective.
In both Iowa and New Hampshire, we have heard that Obama staffers are berating Hillary supporters on the phone with negative attacks against her.
The letter, signed by Patti Doyle and titled "The Dirty Tricks Are Starting", goes on repeating a number of narratives passed on to them from Hillary supporters accusing Obama's staff of berating Iowa supporters, and, indirectly, of giving caucus voters wrong locations and push polling.
There's a bit of a tap dance here -- Ms. Doyle never comes out and say directly that it's Obama's people with the misinformation, although it's clear who they are accusing -- in the anecdotes that follow, it is Obama's people in the starring role, as in this sentence which is one of the few bolded in the letter:
I even had some guy call me from the Obama camp and start bullying me over the phone when I said I supported Hillary.
Like I said, there's a bit of a tap dance, but not much.
What's missing from the letter? Any credible news source for the attacks. Any named source.
Of all the emails I have got this season, none has made accusations of this breadth and magnitude of a primary opponent. Time will tell if the campaign chooses to pursue these allegations, or simply use them for fundraising purposes to slur candidates.
But this, combined with the investigation of Obama's kindergarten record yesterday point to a campaign engaged in two-fisted battle, with a surprising tone-deafness to the shrill transparency of their techniques.
Full letter below the fold. |
