You have commented 358 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Home Front: Politix
Another one under the Obama bus
2008-07-20
Obama disinvited 'lobbyist' Cleland

Former Georgia Sen. Max Cleland was an icon of Sen. John Kerry's 2004 campaign, a badly wounded war hero who lost his seat, Kerry deplored, after a television advertising campaign questioned his commitment to national security.

But to the Obama campaign, Cleland has another qualification: Registered lobbyist.

So Cleland -- despite his iconic status -- was abruptly disinvited from appearing with Obama in Atlanta July 8, three sources familiar with the incident said.
This will go over well with veterans belonging to both parties ...
"This was a hard decision regarding Senator Cleland," said Obama's deputy campaign manager, Steve Hildebrand, in an email. He cited Obama's policy of banning lobbyists from participating in fundraising or giving money. "If we make exceptions, we will open ourselves to criticism," he said.

Cleland has told associates he was asked to appear at an Obama fundraising event in Atlanta on July 8, only to be told at the last minute that he wouldn't be welcome.

The policy has been a key symbol of Obama's outsider status, but many Democrats have also quietly questioned whether it goes too far when prominent party figures like Cleland, who an associate said has never actually lobbied in Washington, are left out in the cold on a technicality.

Cleland is registered to lobby for a company whose products are aimed at helping soldiers recover more quickly from battlefield injuries, Tissue Regeneration Technologies. "Sen. Cleland is definitely not doing lobbying work. He gives speeches and campaigns for a few friends, but mostly he's spending his time taking care of his father," said Cleland advisor John Marshall, who said that Tissue Regeneration Technologies was the only company on whose behalf he lobbies. He declined to comment on the incident in Atlanta.

In a brief telephone interview, Cleland also declined to comment on his treatment by the campaign. "I'm pretty much retired from politics," he said. "I don't really want to get into that at all."

But Cleland told others he was unpleasantly surprised when, after an invitation to the event for Obama -- whom he supports -- he was told at the last minute by an Obama aide that he wouldn't be welcome.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton also declined to comment on Cleland's exclusion from the Atlanta fundraiser. "Sen. Obama has nothing but respect for Sen. Cleland's service to our country and appreciates his support," he said.
Posted by:Steve White

#12  Maybe "under the bus" is where he keeps all his foreign policy advisonrs too.
Posted by: AlanC   2008-07-20 14:59  

#11  How many people can Obama toss under his bus before he starts violating the warranty?
Posted by: Swamp Blondie in the Cornfields   2008-07-20 14:33  

#10  It ain't englished, it's where we keeps the retaineees. Any more jokin and you finding out about soutrhon hospitality.
Posted by: Sherrif Cal Cutter ret.   2008-07-20 11:05  

#9  How many guys does he need to change the oil on that bus of his?

Does that bus have some mechanical problems?
Posted by: James Carville   2008-07-20 11:02  

#8  For no good reason he brought up the Black Hole of Calcutta, describing it as an English prison! I scolded him for that, and his excuse was that he'd gotten that information from a French book.

Really? Either it was ssome paralle reality book or or he had had so many alcohol and his French was so poor he misundestood teh sentence.

BTW: When I try to learn something over a problem either I read a book in my mother language or one in the language of the people concerned. I wouldn't read a German book when trying to learn about British India.
Posted by: JFM   2008-07-20 10:36  

#7  I've seen him speak at several IMF conferences (he was placed on the board) and... well, it's hard to be unpleasant when everyone wants to like you and you have prepared remarks, but, he managed to do it.
Posted by: mhw   2008-07-20 10:30  

#6  BTW, the French didn't inflict Bama on us; our own libs did.

Er, OK, but I was talking about the Black Hole of Calcutta, at that point, not Obama. But don't let me interfere with your little revenge fantasy.
Posted by: Angie Schultz   2008-07-20 07:34  

#5  Angie, they can take that memo and shove it in another black hole "where the sun don't shine." For some time I've been PROUD to be considered a racist, given that "racist" is now defined as "a person winning an argument with a liberal."

BTW, the French didn't inflict Bama on us; our own libs did. That's just one more thing to remember when it's payback time.
Posted by: Jomosing Bluetooth8431   2008-07-20 06:38  

#4  When do we start calling it "The Black Hole of Obama?"

Dude, guess you didn't get the memo. The term "black hole" is now officially racist.

Mostly off-topic -- once a colleague of mine was writing a popular article on black holes and asked me to vet it (for clarity, not for scientific accuracy, I hasten to add). For no good reason he brought up the Black Hole of Calcutta, describing it as an English prison! I scolded him for that, and his excuse was that he'd gotten that information from a French book.

Remember: when in doubt, blame the French.
Posted by: Angie Schultz   2008-07-20 04:31  

#3  It's getting pretty damned crowded under that bus. When do we start calling it "The Black Hole of Obama?"
Posted by: Jomosing Bluetooth8431   2008-07-20 03:32  

#2  Grenades and beer - now *there* is a recipe for fun!
Posted by: SteveS   2008-07-20 01:43  

#1  With all due respect to Senator Cleland, he was not wounded in combat. Somebody (maybe even Cleland himself) dropped a grenade while he was on a beer run. While his wounds are tragic, I wouldn't call them heroic.
Posted by: Rambler in California   2008-07-20 00:32  

00:00