During a conference call yesterday, on the heels of Keith Olbermann's tirade special comment about the seemingly covert racism that supposedly pervades Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, Clinton campaign communications director Howard Wolfson was asked for a comment. Given the nasty, unforgiving tone of Mr. Olbermann's rhetoric, Mr. Wolfson's response, which apparently amused Mr. Olbermann, may surprise you.
First, a brief reminder of Olbermann's allegations:
But in fact, Senator, you are now campaigning as if Barack Obama were the Democrat and you were the Republican.
And thus these advisers give Congresswoman Ferraro nearly a week in which to send Sen. Clinton’s campaign back into the vocabulary ... of David Duke.
Well. It sounds as if those advisers want their campaign to be associated with those words, and the cheap, ignorant, vile racism that underlies every syllable.
Voluntarily or inadvertently, you are still awash in this filth.
When Ben Smith asked for a response to Mr. Olbermann's accusations, he received the following:
"We, obviously, vigorously disagree with that characterization, although many of us remain fans of Keith and enjoy watching the show on nights other than last night," said communications director Howard Wolfson.
While Olbermann's comment may have further endeared him to Obama's supporters, it did nothing to reduce the racial tensions in the Democratic Party. It only further inflamed Obama's angry supporters and hardened the resolve of Hillary's dedicated and loyal supporters. Howard Wolfson could have responded in kind, he could have dismissed the comments as the ramblings of an arrogant above-grade sportscaster, but instead, he chose the route of civility.
Not bad for a campaign adviser just accused of using "Republican" campaign tactics.