Remember in 2004 how disappointed we were with Kerry's slow and creaky rapid response team. (Actually, even calling it a rapid response team is somewhat generous).
Well, it appears that with respect to at least one of this year's Presidential candidates, we needn't have any worries. Hillary Clinton launched an attack on Obama today, demanding that he disavow the statements of one of his biggest supporters, David Geffen.
How did Obama respond? With a friggen wrecking ball. And within the same news cycle to boot.
First, the Hillary attack:
While Senator Obama was denouncing slash and burn politics yesterday, his campaign’s finance chair was viciously and personally attacking Senator Clinton and her husband.
If Senator Obama is indeed sincere about his repeated claims to change the tone of our politics, he should immediately denounce these remarks, remove Mr. Geffen from his campaign and return his money.
While Democrats should engage in a vigorous debate on the issues, there is no place in our party or our politics for the kind of personal insults.
And then, practically within the hour, the Obama campaign goes medieval on Hillary Inc.:
Update: Well, the Obama campaign responds rapidly, and we’d add, pretty much just as sharply. From Robert Gibbs, the campaign’s communications director:
We aren’t going to get in the middle of a disagreement between the Clintons and someone who was once one of their biggest supporters.
It is ironic that the Clintons had no problem with David Geffen when was raising them $18 million and sleeping at their invitation in the Lincoln bedroom.
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.’"
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South Carolina State Senator Robert Ford said an African American couldn’t be elected: "It’s a slim possibility for him to get the nomination, but then everybody else is doomed," Ford said. "Every Democrat running on that ticket next year would lose because he’s black and he’s top of the ticket. We’d lose the House and the Senate and the governors and everything. I’m a gambling man. I love Obama," Ford said. "But I’m not going to kill myself." (AP, 2/13/07)
Clinton Thanked Sen. Robert Ford For His Support. At a South Carolina rally, Clinton recognized Ford’s presence in the audience and she thanked him for his support. [New York Times, 2/19/07]
Damn. That one's gonna leave a mark.
Seriously, this is EXACTLY the kind of rapid response we need from our '08 candidates. Fast, focused, and devastating. If Obama doesn't win the nomination, hopefully his rapid response team will join up with whomever does.