Another day, another embarrassing revelation from the WikiLeaks hack, this time involving Hillary Clinton supporter Paul Begala and his role with a super PAC that was allegedly polling then Senator Barack Obama’s negatives for an anticipated general election contest against Sen. John McCain in 2008:
WikiLeaks: Dems poll-tested attacks on Obama over father's Muslim heritage https://t.co/pmXctEF17m pic.twitter.com/UBO6j5feWZ
— The Hill (@thehill) October 15, 2016
The email, dated January 9, 2008, shows a discussion between Begala and John Podesta regarding a proposed series of poll questions that hit Obama on everything from his Muslim ties to his past cocaine use:
* 1 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) was the only candidate at a recent event not to cover his heart during the national anthem and he has stopped wearing an American flag pin.
* 2 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) benefited from a land deal from a contributor who has been indicted for corruption.
* 3 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) would personally negotiate with the leaders of terrorist nations like Iran and North Korea without preconditions.
* 4 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) voted against allowing people to use handguns to defend themselves against intruders.
* 5 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) plans to raise taxes by 180 (one hundred and eighty) billion dollars a year to pay for his government-run health care plan
* 6 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) voted repeatedly against emergency funding bills for U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
* 7 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh)’s father was a Muslim and Obama grew up among Muslims in the world’s most populous Islamic country.
* 8 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) is ranked as one of the ten most liberal members of the Senate because of his support of issues like gay adoption.
* 9 (Other)
* 10 (All)
* 11 (None)
* 12 (Don’t know/refused)
* 13 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) voted against requiring medical care for aborted fetuses who survive the procedure.
* 14 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) supports giving driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants
* 15 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) described his former use of cocaine as using “a little blow.”
Begala took to Twitter to defend the poll, saying the head of the super PAC was an Obama supporter and that they did a similar poll to gauge Hillary Clinton’s negatives:
Not Clinton team. That was a super pac led by an Obama supporter planning to defend whoever won Dem primary. Tested negs on Clinton too. https://t.co/Wh7iXUx3Rw
— Paul Begala (@PaulBegala) October 14, 2016
Begala went on to say that the super PAC didn’t coordinate with either Obama or Clinton:
Thanks. That was for an independent progressive Super PAC (run by frmr MoveOn Dc head). Didn't coordinate with either Clinton or Obama. https://t.co/BKAAbxT8xs
— Paul Begala (@PaulBegala) October 14, 2016
Our group was led by an Obama supporter from MoveOn, funded by Obama & Clinton donors.Committed to helping whoever won nom. in 08. https://t.co/sQgvmh7eyv
— Paul Begala (@PaulBegala) October 14, 2016
Do you believe him? Back in January of 2008, McCain was hardly a sure thing as the GOP nominee and as we know, the Obama and Clinton contest lasted for months.
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