Obama: Nearly forgetting Hillary
http://weblogs.newsday.com/news/loc...g/2008/07/obama_nearly_forgetting_hillar.html
Nothing is more important in Obama's effort to mend the party than helping Hillary pay off her debt. So what did he do at the pair's $1000 a ticket fundraiser last night at the Grand Hyatt?
He almost forgot to make his pitch for Hillary, finishing his speech without mentioning her debt -- before catching his mistake at the last second as the exit music began to play.
NYPost: "I was getting a little carried away. Senator Clinton still has some debt, and I would have had some debt if I hadn't won. So I know the drill."
Helpfully, the GOP provides excerpts from nine different media accounts of the gaffe last night.
RNC list of media reports on Obama’s near-gaffe at the fundraiser last night:
Time’s Page: Oooops!!!! The Land of Lincolner leaped back on stage after his final curtain call at a Manhattan fundraiser last night— he had forgotten to ask for donors’ help with Hillary’s debt.
Associated Press: After a minute or so, the music was cut short and Obama returned to the stage. ''This is not the speech part, but it is important,'' he said sheepishly, urging the group to reassemble.
New York Times: At this point, he was supposed to appeal for donations for her debt-relief fund, aides said. He evidently forgot and circled back to do so at the end of his remarks.
New York Post: The lapse fanned the flames of recent tension over whether Team Obama is doing enough to dig Clinton out from her approximate $22 million hole. … As his parting music played and reporters surrounded an Obama press aide, the music suddenly ended, and Obama said he had "one more thing" to say.
Wall Street Journal: At a Midtown Manhattan fundraiser designed to help raise cash for his campaign and help retire debt for his former opponent’s, Barack Obama offered praise of Hillary Clinton. But he temporarily forgot to make his pitch about debt retirement. … Left unsaid on Tuesday was the fact that Clinton and Obama sat on different sides of the aisle on the key intelligence surveillance bill earlier in the day.
LA Times: But what happened Wednesday night was a little embarrassing. After the two Democrats voted differently on the Senate's FISA retroactive surveillance O.K. bill, Obama flew Clinton from Washington to New York City… Oops! It seems Obama had forgotten to mention the part about giving money to Hillary Clinton in the spirit of unity, the whole reason they were gathered there in the first place.
Bloomberg: While Obama had been expected to ask supporters at the Grand Hyatt to help Clinton retire her debt, he concluded his remarks after 25 minutes without saying anything about it. Just as reporters began to ask his staff why he didn't mention Clinton's debt, Obama interrupted the applause…
Newsday: …Obama spoke to the crowd and was departing, to a backdrop of recorded music when he hustled back to the podium, and the music ceased.
New York Daily News: Obama, who held a separate fund-raiser earlier, asked his donors to pay down Clinton's debt - belatedly. He concluded his speech and was preparing to leave the stage to the music of Stevie Wonder when he dashed back to the microphone…
http://weblogs.newsday.com/news/loc...g/2008/07/obama_nearly_forgetting_hillar.html
Nothing is more important in Obama's effort to mend the party than helping Hillary pay off her debt. So what did he do at the pair's $1000 a ticket fundraiser last night at the Grand Hyatt?
He almost forgot to make his pitch for Hillary, finishing his speech without mentioning her debt -- before catching his mistake at the last second as the exit music began to play.
NYPost: "I was getting a little carried away. Senator Clinton still has some debt, and I would have had some debt if I hadn't won. So I know the drill."
Helpfully, the GOP provides excerpts from nine different media accounts of the gaffe last night.
RNC list of media reports on Obama’s near-gaffe at the fundraiser last night:
Time’s Page: Oooops!!!! The Land of Lincolner leaped back on stage after his final curtain call at a Manhattan fundraiser last night— he had forgotten to ask for donors’ help with Hillary’s debt.
Associated Press: After a minute or so, the music was cut short and Obama returned to the stage. ''This is not the speech part, but it is important,'' he said sheepishly, urging the group to reassemble.
New York Times: At this point, he was supposed to appeal for donations for her debt-relief fund, aides said. He evidently forgot and circled back to do so at the end of his remarks.
New York Post: The lapse fanned the flames of recent tension over whether Team Obama is doing enough to dig Clinton out from her approximate $22 million hole. … As his parting music played and reporters surrounded an Obama press aide, the music suddenly ended, and Obama said he had "one more thing" to say.
Wall Street Journal: At a Midtown Manhattan fundraiser designed to help raise cash for his campaign and help retire debt for his former opponent’s, Barack Obama offered praise of Hillary Clinton. But he temporarily forgot to make his pitch about debt retirement. … Left unsaid on Tuesday was the fact that Clinton and Obama sat on different sides of the aisle on the key intelligence surveillance bill earlier in the day.
LA Times: But what happened Wednesday night was a little embarrassing. After the two Democrats voted differently on the Senate's FISA retroactive surveillance O.K. bill, Obama flew Clinton from Washington to New York City… Oops! It seems Obama had forgotten to mention the part about giving money to Hillary Clinton in the spirit of unity, the whole reason they were gathered there in the first place.
Bloomberg: While Obama had been expected to ask supporters at the Grand Hyatt to help Clinton retire her debt, he concluded his remarks after 25 minutes without saying anything about it. Just as reporters began to ask his staff why he didn't mention Clinton's debt, Obama interrupted the applause…
Newsday: …Obama spoke to the crowd and was departing, to a backdrop of recorded music when he hustled back to the podium, and the music ceased.
New York Daily News: Obama, who held a separate fund-raiser earlier, asked his donors to pay down Clinton's debt - belatedly. He concluded his speech and was preparing to leave the stage to the music of Stevie Wonder when he dashed back to the microphone…