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.”
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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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