What’s the dirt?
Over the weekend, conservative columnist Robert Novak reported that "Agents of Sen. Hillary Clinton are spreading the word in Democratic circles that she has scandalous information about her principal opponent for the party’s presidential nomination, Sen. Barack Obama, but has decided not to use it. The nature of the alleged scandal was not disclosed."
Obama hit back hard. Clinton denied the charges.
On GMA this a.m., we took a look at that and other dirty tricks on the trail. Watch it HERE.
Or read about it HERE.
What do you think?
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I don’t believe a word of it. Bob Novak is trying to sway voters not to vote for Hillary Clinton because he is an underhanded republican columnist who likes to plays dirty pool trying to get candidates to argue with each other and change the voters minds. Look what is happening to Romney? Is that the work of Bob Novak because he likes Giuliani?
He definately is scummy from the word go.
Posted by: Mariann Pepitone | November 19, 2007, 9:49 am 9:49 am
Robert Novak’s report is very intriguing. First of all, why in the world would Mr. Novak even care? If the information was relevent during the general election that might make sense (whether one agrees with the tactic or not). But to spring it up during the primary campaign is strange. Republicans and Democrats should stay out of the other’s process for determining their party’s nominee for president. Secondly, I seriously doubt that Mr. Novak just created this out of thin air. Whether there is actual scandalous information or not, Mr. Novak truly believes that agents of Sen. Clinton are trying to give the impression that the Clinton campaign is not going to sling mud. And to prove it, they claim to have mud and are not going to use it. BUT this is nothing more than claiming the high-road by way of the low-road. It is still dirty politics. And Mr. Novak has now become the messenger. While the Clinton campaign says that Sen. Obama has fallen into a Republican trap, it appears that in reality, Mr. Novak has fallen into a classic Clintonian trap.
Posted by: James Danley | November 19, 2007, 9:52 am 9:52 am
Mariann,
Don’t just consider the source, consider the timing. It is intended to impact the Democrats in general, but is it intended to take elevate Obama or Hillary? If Novak can get the electorate to buy into the idea that politics is politics, republican or Democrat, he wins. The thing I’ll watch is to see if Hillary does the right thing and steps up and says there is no dirt. If not, the label will stick to the Democrats all the way through 2008.
Novak is Rove’s scummy, front man. DO we really want another Rove tailored election?
Posted by: BooMan | November 19, 2007, 9:58 am 9:58 am
The media is doing a disservice to America by not focusing on issues and not on mud. For example, the media could focus on the emergency on emergency rooms and on public health.
I believe we should focus on keeping crowded emergency rooms clear in case of a big emergency or terrorist attack. Many people go to emergency rooms first for their health care since they are uninsured. We should find ways to cover people to see their doctor at no or low cost to keep emergency clear.
Secondly, we have an atmosphere of get tough on illegal immigrants. I believe, this talk will keep illegal immigrants “underground.” The price to pay, if some of these people have TB or Staff infections, is to continue them to infect the public. They will not see a doctor for fear of being deported. Then they will eventually show up at emergency rooms. Waiting for hours at emergency rooms infecting others.
I realize having a forgiveness policy to encourage illegal immigrants to see a doctor is not politically popular. But let us debate the wisdom of not allowing such policy.
We need to have the media concentrate on issues and not on mud.
Posted by: David Thelen | November 19, 2007, 10:03 am 10:03 am
It is so easy to say I have “dirt” on someone. Without a reference we are simply rising to the bait. The press will have Obama with illicit affairs, pushing drugs, or investigation as a pedophile within 48 hours. All with nothing but inuendo. Sure smells like Rove.
Posted by: BooMan | November 19, 2007, 10:04 am 10:04 am
Anybody with a modicum of intelligence knows that NOVAK is a discredited hack who participated in TREASON with scooter PIE libby and his WHITEWASH HOUSE handlers. The MAINSCREAMS who were taken will never admit it. The fun of this campaign is the republicans and NOVAK need HILLARY to run so they have a chance of avoiding the landslide election to end the era of republican lawlessness that NIXON spawned. Many republicans are pouring money into Democratic hands so republicans can win????? Read between the lines because the MAINSCREAMS failed you …
Posted by: daddy | November 19, 2007, 10:40 am 10:40 am
Why is ABC News Senior National Correspondent Jake Tapper giving serial liar and smearer Novak a platform? Could it be that Tapper has a bias against Hillary – and wants to dump on her as often as ABC will let him? Jack – this is getting old real fast – could we have real news from ABC News Senior National Correspondent Jake Tapper – and not just have him phone in a Hillary smear.
Posted by: William Chirolas | November 19, 2007, 11:04 am 11:04 am
Remember Obama’s dirty trick with the Punjab Memo.
What happenend to that? Isn’t this the pot calling the kettle black – obama.
David Axelrod is a dirt bag – follow him and he us buddies with Novak.
Posted by: Navin | November 19, 2007, 11:23 am 11:23 am
Daddy, I kind of agree with you. Anyone who has a modicum of intelligence believes “that NOVAK is a discredited hack who participated in TREASON with scooter PIE libby.” But anyone who keeps up with the news should now know: (1) Joseph Wilson outed his own wife — his own biography published in Who’s Who, named his wife as “the former Valerie Plame” — long before Mr. Novak’s column appeared. (2) Mr. Novak and Mr. Wilson actually met at a party a couple of days before the column appeared. Mr. Novak TOLD Mr. Wilson about the article and that it included naming his wife as “Valerie Plame Wilson.” Mr. Wilson only said that she goes by the Wilson name. No outrage or concern that his wife was about to be outed.
Posted by: James Danley | November 19, 2007, 11:24 am 11:24 am
How convenient is this right after Rove wants to give Obama tips on how to win the Democrat nomination. We all know Rove has a lot of tricks up his sleeves and this is probably one of them. Obama should be smarter than this and stop listening to hearsay. Obama needs to check the source and stop letting the Republicans dictate the Democrated primarlies when the war and other issues are so important. I wish they say on the issues and not on hearsay and gossip.
Posted by: Kardasia_Prime | November 19, 2007, 11:33 am 11:33 am
my guess is that there’s some sort of uncorroberated story that Clinton could capitalize on if she had no scruples. But since she has a few, but not a lot, scruples, she capitalizes by leaking to Novak that she’s taking the high road. And of course, by publicizing the high road she is in fact taking the low road.
Still don’t know Novak’s agenda. I thought that conservatives wanted Clinton to get the nom. Did Novak think this would help her?
Posted by: cordelia525 | November 19, 2007, 11:34 am 11:34 am
Hillary-corp actually delivered an implied threat to CNN moderator Wolf before the Vegas debate–and got softball questions. But it was reported. Now Hillary’s aides are spreading the ‘dirt on Obama’ threat. And it’s been reported. Obama is taking it seriously enough that he has called for Hillary to put up or shut up. The last time Hillary-corp ran a Presidential campaign, the internet was in its infancy. Hillary plays traditional ‘hardball’ politics that most Americans have grown tired of. Her strong-arming and threat-making were not so apparent last time with the mainstream media more in control of the news. But this time, there are Liberal and Conservative talk radio, and an active internet blog community. Making her campaign tactics public will, I think, confirm her image as vicious and devious. She has huge negative poll numbers already–a bigger problem for her than Obaama or Edwards could dream of being.
Posted by: SteveW | November 19, 2007, 11:45 am 11:45 am
This sounds like something a Clinton would do..
Posted by: Dan Fisher | November 19, 2007, 11:48 am 11:48 am
Clinton is getting desperate. She is a liar. Her husband is a liar. I’m a Democrat, but I will never vote for a Clinton again. I do not believe any of this. She is going to get a very big surprise when voters weigh in. If Clinton is the Dem nominee, get ready for 4 more years of a Republican in the White House
Posted by: PJ | November 19, 2007, 11:59 am 11:59 am
Since when did politics become a High school class President race where all the children spread rumors about the other so the possible candidates wouldn’t get elected? How about we the candidates act like adults and focus on the real issues at hand and how to better this country!
Posted by: Brandon McMahon | November 19, 2007, 12:18 pm 12:18 pm
How about the media either watching the news or talking about Hillary’s staged debate last week on the Clinton News Network — this is childish — and if this speaks for the Clinton campaign we all want it over with — we have moved on from Highschool.
Posted by: Paulet | November 19, 2007, 12:33 pm 12:33 pm
Obama is getting DESPERATE… No one with a smart brain will ever listen to a Conservative Columnist….. Those people are the worst liars in the country…. Yet, Obama chose to listen to those people who tried to pick fights between Democrats.. How naive can he be! I will NEVER VOTE for NAIVE candidate like Obama.
Posted by: Tommy | November 19, 2007, 12:36 pm 12:36 pm
Kudos to Sen. Obama who recently reminded voters in NH I think it was of a wonderful quote by the late Sen.Moynihan…”You are certainly entitled to your opinion but you are never entitled to your own facts”…perhaps I should say this is a paraphrase as the failed republicans might point to that as they ignore the truth of the quote as evidenced here on a blog such as this…VOILA(french term)
Posted by: daddy | November 19, 2007, 12:39 pm 12:39 pm
Obama and Edward have so far been using TONEs of negative tricks to take Clinton… while she kept her cool to rise above the fray…. As far as I am concerned…. These two candidates are MORE polarized and divisive among the Democrats…. Who would want to vote for these two do-nothing-single term Senates who divide Democrats? I am sure there are those idiots out there.
Posted by: Tommy | November 19, 2007, 12:41 pm 12:41 pm
The more I think about this the more it seems like a Novak trick to stir the Democrats. CLinton can’t come out and deny it, because she probably has some negative stuff on Obama (i am sure all candidates do this kind of stuff on each other.) And even if there isn’t anything much scandalous there, Novak can through it out there as Hillary lying if there is anything. Obama can hardly let the idea of there being some scandal about there stand without comment and would continue to be asked about it ad nauseum if he did try to ignore it. I think the best thing that both candidates can do is ignore it and move on to talk about real issues.
Posted by: saintlymark | November 19, 2007, 12:43 pm 12:43 pm
Clinton’s BS about Obama being naive for even responding to the Novak column is weak.
I’m glad Obama has the sense to “nip in the bud” any nasty rumors, because the internet has changed EVERYTHING, and it doesn’t matter if you ignore it, other people won’t.
Maybe Hillary’s negatives wouldn’t be so high if she had the instinct to attack, immediatley and forcefully (and with TRUTH) the “vast right wing conspiracy” she talks of.
Posted by: julie | November 19, 2007, 12:44 pm 12:44 pm
“Since when did politics become a High school class President race where all the children spread rumors…”
Unfortunately the answer is “high school politics” learned from U. S. presidential politics. Back in 1800, Aaron Burr accused Thomas Jefferson of favoring the teaching of “murder, robbery, rape, adultery and incest.” And in 1828, John Quincy Adams was called “The Pimp,” by Andrew Jackson, apparently in reference to a rumor that Adams coerced a young woman into an affair with a Russian nobleman when Adams was the American Ambassador to Russia. In retaliation, Adams’ supporters distributed a pamphlet which read: “General Jackson’s mother was a common prostitute brought to this country by British solders! She afterwards married a mulatto man with whom she had several children of which number General Jackson is one.”
Posted by: James Danley | November 19, 2007, 12:50 pm 12:50 pm
Obama is FOCUSING on what a radical Conservative Columnist’s gossip, while flip-flopping about his Opinion on driving license to the illegal immigrants??? And then HE said YES to it during the Las Vegas dabate? Bad Choice for Democrats… Bad choise for the country…. give him another 8 years to grow up….
Posted by: Tommy | November 19, 2007, 1:06 pm 1:06 pm
This has proven that Obama and Edwards are way too polarizing and divisive for Democrats…. While Clinton rise above the fray…. You go, Woman!!! Make us proud… :-)
Posted by: Tommy | November 19, 2007, 1:08 pm 1:08 pm
What do I think? I think Jake Tapper has been taking lessons from Bob Novak and that you’re both up to your frontal lobes in muck. That’s what I think.
Posted by: B Merry | November 19, 2007, 1:13 pm 1:13 pm
Hillary, my Parents who have been Politically Conservative as long as I can remember… have recently told me that they will Vote for you during the General Election…. I am SHOCKED…. Never thought the day would come… I guess some idiots who claimed you cannot win across the party line are going to eat their own words…. Btw, I am really surprised… But I am glad my parents and I now have one more thing in Common… Go Hillary!!!
Posted by: Tommy | November 19, 2007, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm
I don’t believe (because there is no evidence) that Jake Tapper would kick a dog or trip a blind person. I’m sure he’s lovely to his significant other and gives to charity. But I can’t think of anything too trivial for this “journalist” to “report.” Not a single thing.
Posted by: dawn | November 19, 2007, 1:23 pm 1:23 pm
Is anyone really surprised about any of this from Hellary. The queen of smeer? The first lady of inconsistency? This is nothing new and she is just warming up.
They (The Clinton’s) have done this ever since they gained power. They took diggin up dirt with private investigators and delivering personal threats to a whole new level. Hughey Long had nothing on these people. When power is all you love, you have no personal bottom.
But what’s really sad is that there are so many gullible sheepies out there who just look right past all those glaring scandals in her past (travelgate, Chinese fund raisers), political enemies left in her wake and reputed down right nastiness that is Hillary Clinton. Oh yeah, that was her name when she lived in the southern state of Arkansas. Now it’s Hillary RODHAM Clinton. I wonder if it be just Hillary Rodham once she gets what she has always wanted…1600 Pennsylvania Ave?
Posted by: Ron Burgandy | November 19, 2007, 1:24 pm 1:24 pm
I’ve got the dirt, but I’m not going to use it? Like a good many Americans, I don’t want either Clinton back in the White House. What is past is prologue. But before you help Hillary unpack at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue – what about the incidence of Al Qaeda flight students, trained at the University of Bill Clinton? It’s an honest question. Take a minute; find one utterance, one misstatement of fact. Hillary Clinton: Positively Pandering, Definitely Duplicitous, Ultimately Unelectable:
Posted by: Peggy McGilligan | November 19, 2007, 1:41 pm 1:41 pm
I just don’t buy this crap. Coming from Novak I don’t believe a word of it – and Hillary is right – Obama is falling for it. He was right to denounce it and should move on – Hillary is right for staying above the fray. The knives are out for Hillary – that much is obvious – is she a saint?? HELL NO – neither is Obama – Obama is on the attack – he has to be – he has to win Iowa. Hillary can survive without Iowa but it will be tougher. This is just all crap. Hillary is a tough one but I just don’t buy Mr. Obama with His “Dr. Feelgood” speeches – there’s something very phoney about him.
Posted by: Don | November 19, 2007, 3:13 pm 3:13 pm
I find it funny that libs do not see tree through the Forest, People are actually saying Clinton rides above the fray, umm she starts it! Bill and Her are the King and Queen of dirty Politics! During the 90′s she used the Eshalon Program (which was a program designed to listen on Calls on American soil to American soil), not the same as what is being done today, but yet no outcry to that, she used it against her political enemies.
I would not be surprised if she has something on Obama, she has a specific group of people working for her to dig up any dirt. no matter how far back or even if it is true.
Then she will deny any part saying it is a Left or Right Wing Conspiracy, Well she is the only conspiracy out there.
What is happening to Romney and McCain is due to Clinton also, come on the lib media does not pay attention to the Republicans, thus they must be being fed the garbage from the libs.
Posted by: NoToSocialists | November 19, 2007, 4:03 pm 4:03 pm
Dirty Politics, ‘planting’ questions, refusing to release HillaryCare papers, ‘flip-flopping’ on the Iraq War and driver’s licenses for illegals, taking stolen money from Norman Hsu and now trying to ‘smear’ Barack Obama with false rumors. Using the words ‘integrity’ and ‘Hillary’ in the same sentence, requires a willing suspension of disbelief. So this is the ‘Lady’ you want to restore America’s reputation and bring ‘honesty’ back to the White House? She’s no ‘lady’, she’s a Clinton.
Posted by: WashingtonPete | November 19, 2007, 4:37 pm 4:37 pm
Right. We don’t want another election like that. Obama and Clinton both know that politics is a dirty game and Novak will do anything to get attention and to get the candidates fighting with each other. But what Obama and Hillary should do is let it go over their head and keep campaigning like they didn’t hear it. It pays to close your ears to what you don’t want to hear and close your eyes to what you don’t want to see. That’s an old saying from way back. I believe that all the candidates should take that gossip with a grain of salt and do what their suppose to do. Campaign!!
Posted by: Mariann Pepitone | November 19, 2007, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm
Obama couldn’t manage a cleaning store let alone be president of the United States. I get disgusted listening to him when the debates are on. Sometimes he hesitates when answering the questions and he didn’t know the answer to the immigration problem that he critized Hillary for. Obama should stay being a senator and forget the presidency because even if he wins Iowa, there are 50 states and what about the other 49? Hillary Clinton will win the nomination and may become president and all the people that made bad comments about her can either get drunk for days or bit their nails off. Obama and Edwards are both losers. On the republican side Giuliani may win the nomination but if Romney’s poll elevates higher he won’t. McCain thinks he’s going to win the nomination and that would be bad for the republicans.
Posted by: Mariann Pepitone | November 19, 2007, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
Read your history book about presidents and you find more dirt then than you will now. If your thinking Obama or Edwards will become president don’t take any bets on it because you will lose. Neither one of them have good experience, ability, integrity or speaking voice. What world leader would want to discuss affairs with them? Do you want them to laugh at America? They don’t have the intelligence to run the country. We’re in bad shape now we don’t want to sink.
Posted by: Mariann Pepitone | November 19, 2007, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm
Bob Novak is a big, fat liar; and a drunk. Give him all the credit he is due.
Posted by: john2978 | November 19, 2007, 5:22 pm 5:22 pm
Rhys Hovey: Hillary has the AMMO to eliminate Obama and Edwards and it will happen when she wins the nomination and they are left to drop out. And if she wins the presidency they will get drunk asking themselves what went wrong. What went wrong is they weren’t voted in and never will be.
Posted by: Mariann Pepitone | November 19, 2007, 5:24 pm 5:24 pm
All I gotta say is that Obama was a fool to respond as he did. Where has he been the last two elections??? The minute we heard the story about Novak’s report on the news we knew that it was a typical Republican dirty trick – and we are just ordinary folks. They try to divide to conquer. And Obama fell for it, hook line and sinker.
What Obama’s reaction told me was that he is emotional and too quick to respond to republican dirty tricks. He should have considered the source. Novak is 100% partisan republican and his reporting cannot be trusted. If he allows himself to be manipulated by republicans so early in the game, what will he do when they really start in on him? He should have attacked Novak and exposed his dirty tricks. They played him for a fool…
Posted by: independent_me | November 19, 2007, 5:58 pm 5:58 pm
I think that the hundred of millions that was spent mining for dirt while Billy Boy was in office is still working on the “talking points” voters. This blog is full of old lies and misinformation being stated as fact. Repeating misinformation does not make it true. Once Novak is involved, the story is tainted. All voters please study the facts, and history of your person, then vote for the good of the USA. Emotion got us in this mess.
Posted by: victor trujillo | November 19, 2007, 6:02 pm 6:02 pm
Clinton’s spokesman, Wolfson is the epitome of sleeze politics. He claims the entire issue is made up — a big scheme by Novak to force Hillary and Obama into a fight. Not likely. Novak did not get to the postion where he is by making up stories. He is considered one of the most credible political reporters out there now, albeit for the bad guys. Hillary’s camp is playing dirty politics again — they must be getting nervous about Iowa.
Posted by: bob | November 19, 2007, 6:05 pm 6:05 pm
The title of this story is “What’s the dirt?”, implying there is some “dirt”. This is yet another negative slanted story against Obama from ABC. Why do you people at ABC so desperately want Hillary to win the nomination? Pathetic.
Posted by: bob | November 19, 2007, 6:10 pm 6:10 pm
Who cares, if you like Hillary, vote for her, if you like Obama, vote for him.
Posted by: A.J. | November 20, 2007, 3:54 am 3:54 am
A vote for Clinton is a vote for Bush, Vote Obama in 2008. Its time for a fresh Start.
Posted by: Listen Up | November 20, 2007, 7:32 am 7:32 am
Hilary is Bush Lite – You got to stop drinking the koolaid, First President Bush is an excellant leader, he has made some faults such as the immigration issue, but when the people spoke he changed policy, but the dems/libs are now trying to sneek amnesty under the table, a crime.
All the Libs play dirty tricks and through mud. Hilary seems to be the best at it, come on she used the IRS, FBI and private investigators to go after the woman Bill had affairs with.
None of the libs have any experience in running anything. even their own homes. They use their spouses to defend them. The funny thing I noticed is Obama and Edwards attackes Hillary because Bill defends her, what about themselves having their wives defend them.
Oh well lets throw the Dems out in 08′
Posted by: SayNotoSocialism | November 20, 2007, 11:36 am 11:36 am
Hmmm… let’s see Kerry didn’t fight back soon enough or hard enough. Obama should not fight back at all. People, People, People.
Posted by: Karen | November 20, 2007, 12:32 pm 12:32 pm
what theatrics…
Posted by: ln | November 21, 2007, 2:43 am 2:43 am
Can anyone thing of a reason to trust Novak? His political leanings are quite clear. If you support George Bush in his crusade, it’s your duty to confound the enemy within your own abilities.
Posted by: tracy | November 27, 2007, 4:48 pm 4:48 pm
WOW OH my god,. have the TIDES EVER TURNED in this story,. WAY to much to say here,. you need to know about RADIO CONTROLLED MEGA PIRATE,. and COMMODORE,. and MR CASE,. and ROGER WATERS:RADIO KAOS,. and rockprophecy (cryptogram),. I’m getting SOLID evidence now,. lot’s even,. traced right back to forest hill elementary school, district 18,. OCTOPUS’s everywhere,. PAUL ALLEN,. ,8,8,8,8,..1984
Posted by: Rhys Paul Hovey | January 28, 2010, 1:54 am 1:54 am