Edwards Camp: AG Rumor Bunk, Hillary Worried
Tommy Christopher
Contributor
Posted:
01/25/08
Joe Trippi, senior adviser to Democratic Presidential candidate John Edwards, tells The Political Machine that a rumor floated by columnist Robert Novak today that has Barack Obama dealing an Attorney General post to John Edwards is complete hogwash. He also said that Hillary Clinton's return to South Carolina is definitely a result of his candidate's bump in the polls.
This is pretty much what I expected, but it begs the question, who's pushing the ball here? Why would Obama want to float this? Could it be the opening offer on an eventual VP nod? Time will tell, but for now, it looks like the Edwards campaign is full steam ahead.
Interesting, too, that there was no attempt to soften the impact of Hillary's return to South Carolina, which seems to suggest that the "secret meeting" after the debate was not about any alliance.
Update: Sandy Clark correctly notes that Clinton was scheduled to return to South Carolina before the primary, but according to reports, was not to do so until Friday. My question to Joe Trippi should have been "Do you think Hillary came back early..."
Also, according to the latest Zogby poll, Edwards is now half a point off the margin of error behind Hillary, at 21% to Senator Clinton's 25%. Although Edwards is pulling support from both candidates, the rate of erosion for Clinton is nearly double that of Obama.
The Political Machine: Would you care to comment on the AG rumor?
Joe Trippi: What rumor?
TPM: Robert Novak is floating a rumor that Barack Obama is guaranteeing John an AG spot in his administration.
JT: Robert Novak? He's not exactly the best source. I wouldn't listen to anything Novak had to say about this.
TPM: He cited "several Illinois Democrats" as his source.
JT: (laughs) "Several Illinois Democrats." Great sourcing. No, there's nothing to that.
(continued after the jump)
TPM: Do you think Hillary came back to South Carolina because of John's bounce in the polls after the debate?I reached him on the media bus amid a cacophony of reporters, so that was all he had time for. Actually, more than he had time for.
JT: Well, don't you? Of course that's why she came back. She's worried that we're gonna streak by her.
This is pretty much what I expected, but it begs the question, who's pushing the ball here? Why would Obama want to float this? Could it be the opening offer on an eventual VP nod? Time will tell, but for now, it looks like the Edwards campaign is full steam ahead.
Interesting, too, that there was no attempt to soften the impact of Hillary's return to South Carolina, which seems to suggest that the "secret meeting" after the debate was not about any alliance.
Update: Sandy Clark correctly notes that Clinton was scheduled to return to South Carolina before the primary, but according to reports, was not to do so until Friday. My question to Joe Trippi should have been "Do you think Hillary came back early..."
Also, according to the latest Zogby poll, Edwards is now half a point off the margin of error behind Hillary, at 21% to Senator Clinton's 25%. Although Edwards is pulling support from both candidates, the rate of erosion for Clinton is nearly double that of Obama.