Blogger, HRC discuss bringing young kids to DNC R&B meeting

Although the relevant Clinton campaign conference call occurred on May 17, 2008, I wanted to highlight it today - given the direction coming down from the Obama campaign that no pro-Obama protests should occur at the May 31, 2008 DNC Rules & Bylaws committee meeting.

Hillary has taken the opposite approach - encouraging raging supporters to show up by the bus load, to scream and shout, and in one case...Hillary herself seemed to approve one prominent blogger's plan to bring her young children to the rowdy protest.

The audio of the conference call is here.  Hillary was on the call personally.  It was an "on the record" call, and was widely linked by blogs in both camps.

Slightly past half-way through the audio, you will hear the following exchange between Hillary and one of her prominent blogger-supporters:

Blogger:  ...And I also want to let you and everyone know that I'm planning on taking my two young children, their ages are 5 and 7, to the DNC meeting on the 31st, to let the Rules Committe know that we want our family* back in Michigan to be heard and that all of the delegates in Michigan and Florida should be counted and represented at our convention in August.  I don't really have a question, I just wanted to tell you to stay strong, and keep going, and never give up.  Okay?

Hillary Clinton: That really means a lot to me.  I cannot tell you how many people say that to me.  In fact, over the last, you know, month, it's just built into a crescendo.  I was just doing an event in a home oustside Eugene, OR, in Junction City, OR, and it was about the economy, and gas prices, and grocery prices, and home foreclosures and all the things I've been talking about consistently. And a the end of it, the woman who owns the house, with her husband who is retired, living on fixed income, and her son was there, and daughter-in-law, and children, and other people from the area, she said in front of the whole press, "I just want to say one more thing.  Please don't give up, you are fighting for me, you are fighting for everybody that I know and care about. And again, the press hasn't really covered that much. We've taken some of the press that travels with us and had them actually work rope lines with me - the intensity and the passion is so overwhelming.  Just to get a flavor of how incredibly intense people feel about this.

Blogger: You are one of the most inspiring people that I've ever seen in Washington or anywhere, and certainly the most inspiring person I've ever met.

Hillary Clinton:  Thank you, [Blogger].  That means a lot to me. And I thank you also for zeroing in on May 31st meeting. There is going to be a lot of activity around that meeting.  And it's very important that DNC members hear the voices of people from Michigan and Florida.   Every time I campaigned in northern Indiana,  I had dozens and dozens of people come from Michigan who said they were there speaking for hundreds of their friends, "Please count our votes."  And the elections were official elections, they were certified, they were legal. The issue is what we decide to do to get them the delegates they deserve to have, and we have to decide that before the convention, otherwise it will undermine the legitimacy of our nominee, and I feel that very strongly, so I'm going to keep standing up and fighting to get these delegates seated.

*NOTE: Blogger does not live in Michigan, but claims to be from there (and is milking it for all it's worth.)  

There's a lot on this call that would make any rational person's head spin (I'm leading the popular vote, the vote in Michigan was a "certified", "official" election, blah blah lie lie spin spin - rough transcript of the whole call here.)

Hillary's story about "dozens and dozens" of Michiganders  "who said they were speaking for hundreds of their friends" - clearly total BS.  Just too, too convenient and self-serving, and Hillary feels free to spew it because there's no way to call her on it.

Perhaps the most offensive part of this call -  the children in question here are 5 and 7 years old!  This is a protest.  This is not a tour of the White House.  This is not a visit to the Smithsonian.  "I thank you for zeroing in on May 31st meeting. "  For zeroing in - bringing small children?!  The first thing out of Hillary's mouth should have been, "This is not an event for children.  I appreciate your support, but I would not dream of asking you to put them in this situation."

It's so very Phil Parlock, circa 2004.  It's so very Tom Reynolds.

First, Hillary has kids selling their bikes and video games to support her.  Now she wants a 5 and 7 year old to stand on the front lines of a protest for her!  What legitimate purpose can this serve?  How in God's name is this supposed to assist the Rules & Bylaws Committee in making a decision based on facts and rules and laws.

To me, it smacks of using children for propaganda purposes, and I don't like it one bit.  It also gives the appearance of attempting to use the children to suppress any commentary from opponents - lest they be subject to manufactured cries of "My children! My children!  Look how you are upsetting them!"  (Sadly, I don't think that Hillary or this particular supporter are above this.)  

The dangers and the negative perceptions seriously outweigh any possible benefit to the children of seeing "democracy in action".

Another very good reason NOT to protest at the DNC Rules & Bylaws committee meeting.  It's very possible you could be walking right into the Clinton campaign's Parlock-style propaganda trap: "OBAMA SUPPORTERS HARASS SMALL CHILDREN AT DNC MEETING!"   "OBAMA SUPPORTERS TERRORIZED MY CHILDREN! WAHHHHH!  WAHHHHH!" Oh, the (manufactured, trumped-up) drama.

Thankfully, the Obama campaign seems to have been smart enough to see this all coming from a mile away.