Ben Smithâ€™s Blog: Political News about Democrats and the 2008 Election - 11/2007

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November 30, 2007
Category: Hillary Clinton

Clinton's statement

You can watch the video of Clinton's sober statement over on WMUR's site.

It was, she said, "A difficult but a very gratifying day."

I don't think it's too soon to start analyzing the politics of it. It was a television story, dominating the day in the medium from which the vast majority of Americans get their news. So does it change the race in any way? Does it make her look tough, or ready? Or does it heighten the atmosphere of drama around her in a negative way? Or is it just a random blip?

Tonight, she flies to New Hampshire to meet the hostages and to talk to the press.

I don't have a clear take, but I'd be interested in your thoughts.

The text of her statement is after the jump.

» Continue reading Clinton's statement

By Ben Smith 08:52 PM

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November 30, 2007
Category: Hillary Clinton

Hillary going to New Hampshire

Hillary Clinton is going to New Hampshire following the hostage-taking at her campaign office in Rochester, which ended less than an hour ago.

Wrapped up against the cold, she announced she would be meeting the volunteers who had been held and thanking the law enforcement officers involved in the standoff.

Did you see the statement? A colleague of mine said she looked "presidential." So, good day for Hillary?

UPDATE: Not such a good day for her website, incidentally. It has gone text-only, presumably overwhelmed.

By Richard Allen Greene 07:01 PM

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November 30, 2007
Category: Hillary Clinton

Police take HRC office suspect into custody

Police have taken into custody the man who took hostages at a Hillary Clinton campaign office in Rochester, N.H.

The man came out of the office and laid down on the ground before being arrested by police, pictures showed. He may have placed an object on the ground before surrendering, reporters on the scene say.

A young person — apparently the final hostage — left the campaign office shortly before the suspect surrendered.

The standoff lasted about five-and-a-half hours. There were no reports of injuries. News reports named the suspect as Leeland Eisenberg.

By Richard Allen Greene 06:15 PM

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November 30, 2007
Category: Hillary Clinton

Hostages released

The hostages have reportedly been released from Hillary Clinton's office in Rochester, N.H., leaving only the hostage-taker — who claims to have a bomb — inside.

UPDATE: It is still unclear how many hostages have been released. Some reports are saying one, not two, which could mean there is still a hostage in the building.

By Richard Allen Greene 03:32 PM

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November 30, 2007
Category: Hillary Clinton

Clinton statement

The campaign sends out a statement:

There is an ongoing situation in our Rochester, N.H., office. We are in close contact with state and local authorities and are acting at their direction. We will release additional details as appropriate.

Also, WNBC reports that the hostage-taker is demanding to speak to Clinton, though neither I nor WMUR have been able independently to confirm.

By Ben Smith 02:54 PM

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November 30, 2007
Category: Hillary Clinton

Watch WMUR live

Here.

By Ben Smith 02:43 PM

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November 30, 2007
Category: Hillary Clinton

Reports of hostage situation in Clinton field office

News outlet are reporting a "hostage situation" at Hillary Clinton's office in Rochester, in a working-class area of New Hampshire, near the coast. None of the presidential candidates is in New Hampshire today. Here's the early report from a Boston TV station:

BOSTON — Police are responding to a hostage situation at a Hillary Clinton presidential campaign office in New Hampshire.

The incident happened at about 1 p.m. Friday at 28 North Main St. in Rochester, police said.

It was unclear how many people were being held at the facility. Clinton, who is not in New Hampshire, is attending a National Democratic Committee meeting in Virginia.

The St. Elizabeth Seton School and other surrounding buildings have been locked down.

UPDATE: Barack Obama's campaign has evacuated its field office in Rochester, a spokesman said.

"Our office has been evacuated, as has the surrounding area. Our staff are safe," said Obama spokesman Reid Cherlin.

UPDATE: The AP reports:

ROCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — A man claiming to have a bomb was holding one or more hostages at Hillary Clinton's campaign office Friday, police said.

Authorities were sending a tactical bomb unit to assist local police, and the area was evacuated, said Maj. Michael Handbrook of New Hampshire State Police.

UPDATE: More detail from WMUR:

ROCHESTER, N.H. — An armed man has taken two campaign workers hostage at the Hillary Clinton campaign office in Rochester, police said.

Officials with the campaign confirmed that there were two workers taken hostage in the office on 28 North Main St.. A woman and her baby told workers at a neighboring business that she was released by the hostage-taker.

"A young woman with a 6-month or 8-month-old infant came rushing into the store just in tears, and she said, 'You need to call 911. A man has just walked into the Clinton office, opened his coat and showed us a bomb strapped to his chest with duct tape,'" witness Lettie Tzizik said.

There are several police officers positioned across the street from the office, crouched down behind cruisers with guns drawn, according to a reported at the scene.

"I walked out and I immediately started running, and I saw that the road was blocked off. They told me run and keep going," said Cassandra Hamilton, who works in an office adjacent to the building.

UPDATE: Hillary has canceled her speech to the DNC in Northern Virginia today, Howard Dean just said, according to CNN:

“Unfortunately as some of you know, there is a hostage situation in New Hampshire involving a Clinton campaign staff person," he said. "The details are sketchy at this time, but understandably Senator Clinton is now dealing with this very difficult problem and she is not going to be able to join us today. And we will keep them in our prayers and hope for a resolution to this situation in New Hampshire.”

By Ben Smith 01:41 PM

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November 30, 2007
Category: Chris Dodd

Informal e-mail fundraising jumps shark

Sent to Chris Dodd's entire e-mail list:

From: Sheryl Cohen [mailto:xxxx@chrisdodd.com]
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2007 12:36 PM
Subject:

Tim,

I made a few small changes to your email draft -- you'll see them below.

Would have sent to the entire list myself, but I could only figure out how to send this test.

I know you're concerned about sending another fundraising email, but we're only $40,000 short of hitting our November goal, and that money will help keep us on the air and talking about ending the war in Iraq and the Constitution. And honestly, our supporters online are so terrific and have come through for us every time.

Plus, with votes on the war and retroactive immunity coming up, our leadership will help keep the pressure on other presidentials to keep their word.

Ask people to give at this link so we can track the goal publicly.

http://chrisdodd.com/goal

Thanks,

Sheryl Cohen
Campaign Manager, Chris Dodd for President

On Nov 30, 2007, at 10:53 AM, Tim Tagaris wrote:

>

Chris Dodd for President

Dear Friend,

Think about it for a second. Do you truly know what you'll get from the other candidates if they win the nomination?

If you really want the answer to that question, don't ask a person where they are going -- ask them where they have been.

Why do some candidates spend as much time apologizing for a career full of bad votes as they do talking about how they'll remedy the fallout if elected?

Why can't we get the simplest of answers to the straight questions from others?

And why do some just flat out skip the tough votes?

From authoring the Family and Medical Leave Act to his often single-handed efforts to restore the Constitution, you know what to expect from a Dodd Administration.

We set a goal about a week and a half ago to raise $100,000 online and we'll need your help right now if we're going to meet it.

Please get us there by contributing $25 right now.

http://chrisdodd.com/goal

Thirty-four days.

If you feel strongly about our fight to end the war in Iraq, prevent war with Iran, and restore the Constitution, we need your support right now.

Our field operation is humming along and our current "Restoring the Constitution and Rule of Law tour" is drawing larger crowds than we've seen at any point in the campaign.

But we need your help to keep it going.

Thirty-four days.

Your contribution right now will ensure we have the resources necessary to continue the fight through January 3rd.

http://chrisdodd.com/goal

You've come through for us every time.

Not much time left.

Let's get it done.

Tim Tagaris
Chris Dodd for President

By Ben Smith 01:16 PM

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November 30, 2007
Category: Barack Obama

Cartoon of the day

Washington Post cartoon apparently taking shot at Washington Post story.

I do think in covering the Obama-as-Islamist-Manchurian-candidate whispering campaign — an important, interesting and legit story — it's pretty important to clearly label it a smear.

By Ben Smith 11:52 AM

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