Friday, May 02, 2008

Obama Campaign Denies Link To Doctored YouTube Clip

A YouTube clip appeared and then disappeared from the Internet today appearing to show Clinton political advisor Mickey Kantor referring to Hoosiers as "white niggers." The clip was taken from the 1993 documentary on Bill Clinton's first presidential campaign, "The War Room." Kantor denies he made the racially offensive comment, and "The War Room" director, D.A. Pennebaker, says the clip from the documentary had been doctored. The Star's Mary Beth Schneider and Erika Smith report:

The video, uploaded to the popular video-sharing site YouTube and spread via blogs and e-mail, showed former Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor describing Hoosiers using a racial epithet.

The clip was taken from the 1993 documentary “The War Room,” about Bill Clinton's 1992 winning race for the White House. Kantor had been national chairman of that campaign. Kantor immediately denounced the footage as false. “Never in my life have I said such a thing,” he said. “I have never in my life — ever, ever, ever — mentioned the ‘N’ word in any context whatsoever. It’s totally outrageous and false.”

D.A. Pennebaker, who directed “The War Room,” posted a transcript of the scene on his Web site this afternoon. He said one of the clips was doctored, while another, in which Kantor used profanity was just misinterpreted.“The film’s been out for 15 years,” Pennebaker said. “And now people are saying here’s a scene in this film that people have seen 15,000 times.”

It's still not known who posted the YouTube clip, but the Obama campaign and its supporters were very quick to orchestrate an effort to use it to undermine Clinton's campaign push in Indiana through various blog postings and e-mails. “We have no idea” who created it, Kevin Griffis of the Obama campaign said. “We absolutely did not have any role in this. We have no idea where it's from.”

11 comments:

Chris Worden said...

You state that nobody knows who posted it but Obama is "using" it to stop Clinton's surge. In what way have they used it? Please refer to my earlier comment.

Gary R. Welsh said...

Almost every liberal-leaning, pro-Obama blog I visited today had posts touting the video. Obama's campaign staff and supporters were inundating area listserves with links to the post and editorial comments. I had at least a dozen e-mails alone today from the same people who have been posting all the pro-Obama propaganda on the blogs and list serves in Indiana.

Brenda said...

Is it really surprising that Obama's campaign would deny posting on You Tube something defaming? That is how Obama has won every campaign. That's how he won in Chicago for his state seat and then the US Senate seat. He is one dirty politician, and I hope he gets exposed for what he is. However, the MSM doesn't have the gonads to tell all Obama's past and lies. He is their "golden" boy.

drjune said...

Hillary is the candidate that can beat McCain. The Obama's are to controversial, to inexperienced and obviously connected to many wrong people. We must take this country back. Can we afford to continue to gamble on Obama and loose the election to McCain? It is clear that Obama will not will in the general election. How many more homes have to be foreclosed upon, jobs lost, lives lost? Inflation is growing 5-10x faster than the average paycheck. Obama supporters are mostly white collar workers. Why? Because they are idealogical, well educated, had very few difficulties in life. Even Obama, who is 1/8 black and 1/2 white, has not had it too bad with his ivy league education. The work force of this country are loosing everything and they are not the white collar workers, ie: business execs, lawyers, doctors.
Voters and Superdelegates get out and vote for Hillary and due what is right for this country.

Brenda said...

Please go to the following website--you might find it interesting. http://savagepolitics.com

elme said...

Obama claims 7 years experience in the Illinois legislature - Working Across the Aisles, Bringing people together to get good CHANGES passed -as exemplified by 26 good bills with his name on them.

A Chicago reporter says all 26 bills were passed in ONE Year.

http://wweek.com/editorial/3418/10516/

EXCERPTS:
But what’s interesting, and almost never discussed, is that he built his entire legislative record in Illinois in a single year.

Republicans controlled the Illinois General Assembly for six years of Obama’s seven-year tenure.

Then Emil Jones Jr. (became the Senate Majority leader), He became Obama’s kingmaker.

Jones appointed Obama sponsor of virtually every high-profile piece of legislation, angering many rank-and-file state legislators who had more seniority than Obama and had spent years championing the bills.

During his seventh year in the state Senate, Obama ... sponsored a whopping 26 bills including many he now cites in his presidential campaign when attacked as inexperienced.

Working Across the Aisles/
Making CHANGES = ZILCH

Taking Credit for Other People's Work/ INTEGRITY = ZERO

HONESTY = ZERO

artfuggins said...

Drjune, your math is almost as bas as your obsession with race...if Obama is 1/8 black and 1/2 white as you claim..inyour illogical mind, what is the other 3/8 of Obama that you did not mention.....sometimes when I read or meet people like you, I wonder just how far we have come in the last 150 years.

Bart Lies said...

Guess the guys in black suits have taken over youtube today. The lights are off and nobody's home. How long do you suppose it'll take to scan a billion videos to make sure all copies of this one are expunged? Wink, wink.

Chris Worden said...

Were any of the e-mails from Kip Tew or anybody who is actually a part of the Obama campaign? If not, you can't wrap him in the fact a bunch of people got duped and spread it on the internet.
You can't fault Obama that people are gullible. Do you know how many e-mails I get forwarded to me by people who actually believe someone had their kidney taken out after being drugged at a bar? This is what I've been blogging about for weeks now. A campaign can't be responsible for everything that somebody who supports it does, unless they are "in the organization" and can be fired or replaced.

Unknown said...

http://www.jedreport.com/2008/05/hillary-clinton.html

he said it and he called indiana voters white sh#t and how would you like to be white N words

I feel sorry for people who buy into the obama and clinton stategies and by the way it was a republican that posted the video first losers

Unknown said...

Elme, you actually believe solar power is more ready as an alternative energy source than atomic energy? Please tell me you're not serious. If you are, you're the most clueless person on the planet.