I've never written a diary but couldn't help myself since this was too funny not to get it out. Hope you all find it as amusing as I do.
Howard Wolfson was prepping a couple of doctors about what to say and not say during the conference call but didn't realize his mike was already open and everyone online could hear his coaching.
Caught in the act, as they so deservedly deserve to be. I only wish it happened more often.
From philly.com
If we had any doubt that this campaign has gone on too long, that was amply illustrated by the the comic relief of the Clinton campaign's daily conference call to spin reporters yesterday.
First, the campaign apparently didn't realize that their mikes were open too early, so reporters could hear communications director Howard Wolfson warming up the two surrogates on the call - two doctors ready to trash Obama's health care plan, one of whom was cell-foning from his daughter's soccer game.
We heard Wolfson admonish the docs to be careful with what they say, because reporters "would like nothing more than to have us in a situation where we have something we have to go back on." We also heard Wolfson ask the operator not to take any "anonymous" calls.
After the docs droned on awhile about the nuances of the candidates' health care plans, they asked for questions, and it was clear no reporters had any. I suspect nobody cared much about the stale back-and-forth on who's plan does what, and had learned that if you ask a real question about the campaign, you don't get anything like a remotely candid response.
So after a pause, the campaign took a caller who asked if Hillary had any more muffin-tops. Wolfson quickly cut that off and took a caller who identified himself as Steve from the Reading media, and asked something about "moose-knuckles."
Wolfson put a merciful end to the thing and invited reporters to e-mail if they a real question.