(CNN) – John McCain’s campaign seemed to accuse Barack Obama of pressuring Hillary Clinton to withdraw from appearing at a rally with Sarah Palin, and pushing the group to disinvite the Alaska governor – but did not provide reporters any evidence to back up the claim.
Late Tuesday, an organizer of the September 22 “Stop Iran. Now!” rally announced that Clinton, Palin and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel would be appearing at the event. Hours later, Clinton’s office announced that had changed her decision, and would not attend.
“Earlier this week Governor Palin accepted an invitation to join Hillary Clinton in speaking to a nonpartisan rally organized by groups dedicated to halting Iran's nuclear program,” said McCain-Palin spokesman Michael Goldfarb said in a statement. “Senator Clinton has since withdrawn from the engagement, presumably at the behest of the Obama campaign, and according to news reports, Senator Obama's campaign may be leaning on organizers to disinvite Governor Palin as well lest the rally appear partisan.”
But the Politico story cited by Goldfarb in an e-mail sent to reporters does not include any sources making that charge. One anonymous source – who is identified only as someone “familiar with the talks” – seems to reference debate among organizers over whether or not an Obama-Biden representative was needed if Palin attended the rally in New York over Iran’s nuclear program, to avoid the appearance of partisan politics. It does not mention any request of this kind coming from anyone connected to the Obama-Biden campaign, including Senator Obama himself.
“This issue is too important to fall victim to partisan politics,” Goldfarb also wrote. “Instead of pressuring Senator Clinton to withdraw and pressuring the event's organizers to disinvite Governor Palin, we hope Senator Obama will consider lending his own voice to this cause….”
There has been no mainstream media report or public claim by anyone in Clinton’s camp that she received any pressure from the Obama campaign not to appear at the rally, as Goldfarb implies. Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines said early Wednesday that Palin’s presence at the event and the appearance of partisan politics was the reason for Clinton’s withdrawal.
"Her attendance was news to us, and this was never billed to us as a partisan political event,” said Reines. “Senator Clinton will therefore not be attending."
The McCain campaign has not yet responded to a CNN request for the source of the apparent allegations.
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
The media is just now paying attention to Obama's ground game, which has been in play since day 1. These subtle yet significant moves are going to be the shock and awe of this election!
The republicans are full of it. They want the public to see Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin together to sway women democratic voters point blank. They want Sarah Palin to feed off of the national respect and admiration Hillary has worked tirelessly for and that Sarah Palin has done nothing to earn yet. Hillary Clinton is too smart to fall for these republican shenanigans. She made this decision to drop out on her own because she knows that this election is too close and that she would rather have 8 years of solutions than rally one day with the opposition and help them win an election and have 8 more years of failure. The repulicans don't have any proof at all that Obama's team told her not to go they are just throwing a bunch of garbage out there. Hillary Clinton can do whatever she wants to do.
They are so D-E-S-P-E-R-A-T-E these days. Are they going to blame Mr. Obama for the tainted baby formula in China? How about hurricane Ike? Is Mr. Obama also responsible for Ms. Palin and Grampy avoiding the press for weeks now? Get a grip, McPain/Pablum.
I think we can all agree that Hillary Clinton is a woman who makes her own decisons.
The McCain campaign is really reaching today.
But then again, they are in it pretty deep right now.
HERE WE GO AGAIN PUTTING THE BLAME ON OBAMA SINCE MCSAME TACTIC FAILED
no pressuring at all she just doesnt want to be seen on stage with someone who has nothing in common with her or shares her beliefs. Also if i remember correctly Palin called her a whiner! You cant backtrack on that, nor back track on saying our economy is strong!
Only in America could someone like Palin be considered for this type of position! So why are people surprised when people disregard us? And why would any woman in 2008 vote for someone that reflect where we were and not where we hope to be? I just don't get it
Wow...the McCain camp is really making stuff up now. Why not name your sources of this information if they truly exist???? I'm pretty sure Clinton withdrew on her own. She's no dummy!
what the heck is wrong with McSane. He need to quit talking about Obama and what Obama is doing and start tell the American people what the heck he is going to do for this country. McSane is very very pitty.
There go the McCain folks again, in a dire need to get Palin back in the news. Hillary can make up her own mind and keep her own schedule. So, thanks but no thanks it is.
They haven' t responded CNN because this is petty!
The US in drowning in forecloseures and job losses!..Please let this rest!
McCains motto...When in doubt start lying.
No doubt.... although it's hard to pressure a Clinton...
Besides... you just know Hillary LOVES PALIN...
McCain 08 – Hillary 2012
Grasping at straws...Let it go McCain!
Wait for the debates.
Every other story about the campaign says "McCain accuses..." grow up you crybaby. You're giving Vets a bad name with all your lying and whining.
Does Sarah Palin even know where Iran is on a map? Probably not since she cannot see if from Alaskas shores....
John McCain makes me sick! He's become in my eyes a disgusting old man. And Sarah Palin is viewed in my eyes as a lying greedy woman, using her gender to try to woe voters. Combined, they form the worst possible fit. Go back to Alaska sarah. Here in the real America, we dont take kindly to your kind! Outsider
This report has no credibility until Tucker Bounds weighs in.
"Evidence"? "Proof"? "We don't need no stinking proof!"
Give me a break. If Clinton doesn't want to be there, she doesn't want to be there. She does have a brain of her own and I truly believe that she uses it, unlike others who are told what to do and what to say. She IS her own woman.
It sounds like the McCain campaign tried to sneak Palin in on an event that Clinton had already confirmed. When Clinton learned about Palin coming she canceled. End of Story. If the lame McCain campaign would try to be original instead of parroting Obama's cry for change...the world might think they were at least a little genuine. The McCain campaign have proven themselves to be BIG FAT LIARS!
I hope the Obama camp will use some of the money raised by Barbara Streisand to pay Hillary's debt. After all, she and Babs are friends. It would be a nice gesture.
Was for Hill, now voting for Barack.
IF YOU SUPPORT HILLARY CLINTON AND WANT HER TO BE PRESIDENT IN 2012 THEN VOTE FOR MCCAIN IN 2008
HILLARY 2012
T O O---B A D--– H I L L A RY--–D O E S N' T---F E E L-
S H E-–C A N---S H A R E----A --–S T A G E
why do they lie?