The swift boating of the Obamas has begun in earnest now. CNN reports that “Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama defended himself and his wife Sunday against suggestions that they are insufficiently patriotic.”
Asked during a town hall meeting in Lorain, Ohio, about “an attempt by conservatives and Republicans to paint you as unpatriotic,” a questioner cited the fact that Obama once failed to put his hand over his heart while singing the national anthem.
The questioner also noted that the Illinois senator does not wear an American flag lapel pin, has met with former members of the radical anti-Vietnam War group, Weather Underground, and his wife was quoted recently as saying she never felt really proud of the United States until recently.
Of course, Obama is being baited and his challenge is to defend himself (and Michelle) without taking the bait. The attack on Michelle Obama is particularly offensive, since it is covertly racist.
Meanwhile, Senator Clinton seems to have had a bad day in Texas last Friday. Here’s the story of her Oak Cliff Rally that almost didn’t happen, courtesy of my Texas friend.
Clinton backers chill out during outdoor rally
The contrast with Obama’s Reunion Arena rally is pretty stark. I wonder if Clinton can’t afford to pay for venues like Reunion now. A couple of recent New York Times stories paint a pretty somber picture of her campaign finances.
Donors Worried by Clinton Campaign Spending
Small Vendors Feel Pinch of Clinton’s Money Troubles
Patrick Healy reports today in The New York Times that the Clinton campaign is falling apart and that morale is low as Clinton “soldiers on.”
There is a widespread feeling among donors and some advisers . . . that a comeback . . . may be improbable. Her advisers said internal polls showed a very tough race to win the Texas primary — a contest that no less than Mr. Clinton has said is a “must win.” And while advisers are drawing some hope from Mrs. Clinton’s indefatigable nature, some are burning out.
Morale is low. After 13 months of dawn-to-dark seven-day weeks, the staff is exhausted. Some have taken to going home early — 9 p.m. — turning off their BlackBerrys, and polishing off bottles of wine, several senior staff members said.
Some advisers have been heard yelling at close friends and colleagues. In a much-reported incident, Mr. Penn and the campaign advertising chief, Mandy Grunwald, had a screaming match over strategy recently that prompted another senior aide, Guy Cecil, to leave the room. “I have work to do — you’re acting like kids,” Mr. Cecil said, according to three people in the room.
Others have taken several days off, despite it being crunch time.
Today Clinton has attacked Obama for a couple of mailings about her health care proposal and her support for NAFTA, calling the mailings “false and discredited,” and challenging Obama to meet her and debate them — more obvious baiting.
Obama has denied Clinton’s assertions that the mailings were false.
“There’s nothing in that mailing that is inaccurate,” he said, adding that he was puzzled by the sudden scrutiny since the mailers had been around for days, if not weeks.
“We have been subject to constant attack from the Clinton campaign, except for when we were down 20 points. And that was true in Iowa. It was true in South Carolina. It was true in Wisconsin, and it is true now,” Obama said.
He described Clinton’s anger as “tactical” and defended his campaign.
“The notion that somehow we’re engaging in nefarious tactics I think is pretty hard to swallow.”
Here’s Clinton soldiering on today in Ohio.