Dicker: Hillaryites 'explode' at Spitzer

by: Michael Bouldin

Mon Mar 05, 2007 at 12:06:36 PM EST

The Murdoch Post:

March 5, 2007 -- ALBANY - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign organization "exploded" last week over Gov. Spitzer's refusal to endorse her for president, according to senior Democratic officials.

And, in another sign of trouble, the former first lady's campaign has become increasingly nervous over the refusal of many of New York's African-American political leaders to endorse her for president, the officials said.

"Hillary's people were really upset by Spitzer, and they called his people - Rich Baum, Darren Dopp, Christine Anderson - to make that clear," a Spitzer insider told The Post, referring to the chief of staff and two top press aides.

Another senior Democrat said the Clinton camp "exploded, really went crazy," over Spitzer's refusal to back her during a visit to Washington last week.

"She's slipping in the polls, has a problem with blacks, [Sen. Barack] Obama is gaining, and then she has the governor of her own state equivocating on whether he'll back her. That's not good," the Democrat said.

Experience would suggest that exploding at Governor Steamroller really isn't the best way to get him to do much of anything, especially when the power balance is so clearly in his favor, as it is with the question of an endorsement. Long story short, Hillary needs Eliot at this point, but it's far from clear what he gains by committing himself. He could help her wrap up New York; what she could do for his goals isn't clear.

(Cross-posted from The Daily Gotham)

It does not make much sense for an ambitious governor already embroiled in one battle after another with the vested interests of his own party to potentially split his supporters by taking a position in the Presidential race; not to mention that an endorsement would divert focus from where it needs to be, which is solidly on Albany reform. We're already seeing that the Presidential primary is sucking much-needed oxygen from our other vital goals; going with Hillary at this stage has the potential to further split the New York Democratic caucus, especially when Obama, Edwards and Richardson are making clear that they will fight for African-American and Latino voters. It's unclear how that potential split would benefit a governor already faced with a recalcritant legislature and union opposition.

Hillary, running for President as she is, doesn't have the bandwidth to assist Eliot's goals, especially not the more controversial and contested ones such as healthcare reform. Simply put, a Spitzer Hillary endorsement now would add a layer of controversy to what is already a bare-knuckled fight over reform, with no off-setting benefit to make the investment worthwhile.

Dicker goes on to note that a Spitzer spokesperson claimed an endorsement would possibly be forthcoming, probably in the next few months; which is not what Hillary needs, simply because her campaign is - much as was George Bush's 2000 primary campaign - premised on the inevitability factor. Spitzer's calculated refusal to get on board that train for the time being leaves New York very much in play in the Presidential sweepstakes, and will hopefully give Albany reform the breathing room it needs.