Dowd Exploits the Obama-Clinton-Geffen Triangle

Who knew that there would be this much drama this early in the Election 2008 season?

We're not talking about issues or something of substance. We're talking about money and hurt feelings.

Those crazy, shallow Dems!

The dustup became a dust storm with Maureen Dowd's Wednesday column, "Obama's Big Screen Test."

She gave Bill Clinton's former Lincoln Bedroom guest David Geffen a forum to vent.

He lashed out against his one-time allies the Clintons.

Who better to help Obama supporter Geffen relay his message than queen bee Dowd?

No one does petty and bitter better than Dowd.

WASHINGTON -- The rival presidential campaigns of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama traded accusations of nasty politics Wednesday over Hollywood donor David Geffen, who once backed Bill Clinton but now supports his wife's top rival.

The Clinton campaign demanded that Obama denounce comments made by the DreamWorks movie studio founder, who told New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd in Wednesday's editions that while "everybody in politics lies," the former president and his wife "do it with such ease, it's troubling."

The Clinton camp also called on Obama to give back Geffen's $2,300 contribution.

Campaigning in Iowa, Obama refused.

"It's not clear to me why I'd be apologizing for someone else's remark," the Illinois senator said.

For her part, New York Sen. Clinton sidestepped questions, leaving the issue to her aides to discuss.

"I'm just going to stay focused on my campaign and I'm going to run a positive campaign about the issues that affect the people in our country," she told The Associated Press in an interview in Nevada. She was participating a candidate forum in Carson City.

The Clinton team seemed eager to continue the attack. With Obama in Iowa, aides arranged for former Iowa attorney general Bonnie Campbell to criticize him in a conference call with reporters.

In the newspaper interview, Geffen also said Bill Clinton is "a reckless guy" and he does not think Hillary Clinton can bring the country together during a time of war, no matter how smart or ambitious she is.

Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs added another criticism of Clinton.

"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,'" Gibbs' statement said.

This feud is pretty juicy.

Of course, it's not as if Hillary shaved her head and got a couple of tattoos.

Obama didn't put on a diaper and hit the road, driving cross country to confront Hillary in Iowa.

Still, Geffen's sniping and Hillary's anger and Obama's stubbornness make for a rather entertaining sideshow.

What caused Geffen to blow a gasket and turn his back on the Clintons?

It's more personal than political.

Dowd writes:

Once, David Geffen and Bill Clinton were tight as ticks. Mr. Geffen helped raise some $18 million for Bill and slept in the Lincoln Bedroom twice. Bill chilled at Chateau Geffen. Now, the Dreamworks co-chairman calls the former president “a reckless guy” who “gave his enemies a lot of ammunition to hurt him and to distract the country.”

They fell out in 2000, when Mr. Clinton gave a pardon to Marc Rich after rebuffing Mr. Geffen’s request for one for Leonard Peltier. “Marc Rich getting pardoned? An oil-profiteer expatriate who left the country rather than pay taxes or face justice?” Mr. Geffen says. “Yet another time when the Clintons were unwilling to stand for the things that they genuinely believe in. Everybody in politics lies, but they do it with such ease, it’s troubling.”

Was Geffen thinking that just because he raised $18 million for Bill that he could actually influence a U.S. President to pardon someone of his choosing?
Apparently, he did.

I don't think Dowd intended to draw attention to that in her column, but she does reveal that Clinton's wealthy donors were expecting favors. Big ones.
I call that troubling.

Within the span of just one week, Dowd has devoted her column to Obama twice.

She seems to be personally invested in him, but not where he stands on issues. Her schoolgirl interest is undeniable.

Remember back in December when Obama asked Dowd to be nice to him?

He wasn't happy that in a column she wrote that his "ears stick out."

Obama's light-hearted, pretty please approach didn't work with the lib queen bee.

"I just want to put you on notice," he said.

"I was teased relentlessly when I was a kid about my big ears."

Said Dowd, "We're trying to toughen you up."

I don't think Dowd was trying to toughen Obama up.

I think she's obsessed with this new kid on the block.

Can you picture her scribbling "Mrs. Maureen Obama" in her pathetic, tear-stained diary?

How convenient for her that Geffen wanted to rip Hillary!

Another reason to write about Obama.

Take the Obama-Clinton-Geffen triangle, add Dowd, and you have a story worthy of People magazine's cover.

It's superficial, fluff stuff.

Geffen's hissy fit belongs on the pages of a tabloid.

D.C. Confidential.

The bickering, the back and forth insults -- it makes the Dems look very shallow.

Actually, it's not just that. They look shallow because they are.

Shrill Hillary is a panderer, lacking conviction and principles.

Inexperienced Obama is a pretender, purveying platitudes.

Geffen is a big donor scorned.

And Dowd is a headcase.

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Presidential wannabe Bill Richardson has weighed in on the bout between the Obama and Clinton campaigns.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson sided with Clinton and called on Obama to denounce Geffen's comments. "I think these name-callings are not good," he said. "I don't know Mr. Geffen. I don't know what was said. . . . But we don't need that. We Democrats should sign a pledge that we all be positive. That's what the American people want."

Richardson also said, "I believe it's best if Sen. Obama apologizes for the comments made by David Geffen. This is a small blip. It will be over soon."

Translation: "I want to be Hillary's running mate."

I'm not so sure that this is a little blip and I don't think it will go away soon.

Obviously, Geffen is capable of holding a grudge for years, and the Clintons don't exactly forgive and forget.

It's in Obama's best interests to keep the hard feelings from softening. He wants to reap the benefits of the dissatisfaction of past Clinton allies, raking in their cash and their high profile support. It's necessary if he wants to win the nomination.

Obama must divide to conquer.