Barack Obama,  Hillary Clinton,  President 2008

Hillary Clinton Watch: Looking to Obama for Payment of Campaign Debt

June 6, 2008 /

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton

In this July 19, 2006, file photo Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., speaks with Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., right, during the annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Washington. Clinton and likely Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama met privately Thursday night June 5, 2008 to talk about uniting the Democratic Party

It is ALL about the money.

In politics, money talks. And money is likely to be an important factor in discussions between Barack Obama’s advisers and the debt-saddled Hillary Rodham Clinton campaign.

Clinton will likely seek help from Obama in retiring her massive campaign debt, which has swollen to more than $30 million, including $11 million she lent the effort, advisers said Thursday.

The former first lady, who plans to bow out of the race and endorse Obama on Saturday, told donors she will raise money for Obama’s campaign, both to help the Democratic Party’s cash position and to expand the Illinois senator’s prodigious fundraising base. Her advisers estimate the former first lady could bring in $50 million to $100 million for the general election campaign — and much more if she were named Obama’s running mate.

The advisers spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Flap envisions three scenarios:

1. Select Hillary as Vice President, merge donors, pay off her debts and she releases all of her pledged delegates to Obama.

2. Pay off Hillary’s campaign debts if and ONLY if she releases all of her pledged delegates to Obama immediately.

3. No deal – Hillary keeps her debt, pledged delegates, lingers and lurks awaiting for a possible Obama gaffe or meltdown prior to the Denver convention.

Obama does NOT desire Hillary as Vice President but on the other hand he wants her and Bill out of the way NOW.

We will know soon.

If it is leaked that Obama will attend Hillary’s Saturday concession announcement then she will likely be named Vice President.

Stay tuned……

7 Comments

  • Sam (from Credit Discussion Forum)

    August 14, 2008 at 3:25 pm

    Hey Flap I know Hillary ran up a lot of debt (20 mil?) and I give her credit for doing a good job, but I don’t get how she can expect Obama to pay after some of the badmouthing she’s done about him. And now she’s adding her name to the convention is the latest. I actually like both Hillary and Obama a lot, I just don’t think some of the decisions Hillary has made the last few months were the most… what’s the word… “diplomatic” to say the least.

  • Flap

    August 14, 2008 at 5:05 pm

    All Obama can do it ask his donors to give to Hillary to help pay off her personal debt. This is usually done in campaigns to help by the allegiance of the opponent.

    However, it can be said that Hillary has never really conceded.

  • Sam (from Credit Discussion Forum)

    August 16, 2008 at 1:58 pm

    Flap, I could be wrong on this, but didn’t Hillary only have up until July 30th to raise campaign contributions to pay off her debt? I remember hearing last month, for at least a portion of her debt, she only had up until July 30th to either “pay it back, or not pay it back at all.”

    What I really wish is that so many bridges weren’t burned between the candidates the last few months, because I would have loved for them to be on the same ticket together. Of course now, I think the odds of that are slim to none.

    You’re right, it could be said she has never officially conceded. I think there would have to be some major character assassination to Obama if she were to have a shot at winning the convention.

    Sam (from Credit Discussion Forum)s last blog post..I’m a bit ticked off at American Express today…

  • Flap

    August 16, 2008 at 2:03 pm

    I believe she can pay herself and Bill with funds raised for her Presidential Campaign until Obama is nominated. The deadline then is in a couple of weeks.

    Obama can only ask his donors to help her out and cannot transfer her funds directly.

    Looks like Bill will have to be giving more speeches to the Islamofascists in the Middle East to get the money back.