The campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton today argued over the support of David Geffen, the Dreamworks movie studio founder.
Last night, Geffen, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Stephen Spielberg organized a fundraiser for Obama in Hollywood which netted his campaign around $1.3 million.
Today it was reported that Geffen made some comments to the New York Times which incensed the Clinton team. He said that Hillary Clinton was a polarizing and ambitious figure, and that Bill Clinton was a reckless guy.
The Clinton camp hit back, with Communications Director Howard Wolfson issuing a strongly worded press statement:
"While Senator Obama was denouncing slash and burn politics yesterday, his campaign's finance chair was viciously and personally attacking Senator Clinton and her husband.
"If Senator Obama is indeed sincere about his repeated claims to change the tone of our politics, he should immediately denounce these remarks, remove Mr. Geffen from his campaign and return his money.
Then the Obama camp responded, with Communications director Robert Gibbs issuing his own statement:
"We aren't going to get in the middle of a disagreement between the Clintons and someone who was once one of their biggest supporters. It is ironic that the Clinton's had no problem with David Geffen when he was raising them $18 million and sleeping at their invitation in the Lincoln bedroom."
Gibbs then went on to refer to the remarks made by South Carolina State Senator Robert Ford, who said that if Obama was to win the nomination, the Democrats would lose the House, the Senate and the Governors, because he is black.
In his statement Gibbs said that "It is also ironic that Senator Clinton lavished praise on Monday and is fully willing to accept today the support of South Carolina state Sen. Robert Ford, who said if Barack Obama were to win the nomination, he would drag down the rest of the Democratic Party because 'he's black'."
That's not a bad point. We understand that Geffen is not the campaign finance chair, as alleged by Wolfson. Therefore his comments are those of a private individual and donor to the Obama campaign. Asking for the money to be returned is taking things a little too far.
But, as with any issue involving the Obama and Clinton campaigns, this will have a little way to go yet. Let's wait and see what Clinton and Obama have to say today during their campaign stops.
Clinton is in Carson City for the candidates forum, while Obama will be in Iowa tonight for a rally.
Obama and Clinton Argue Over Donor
