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KevinTheOmnivore · #1

Thought this story was funny (although a bit dated), and just a reminder that Democrats also like to buy favors...

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wn_r...l_who_b-1.html

Hil to clear 400G debt of Iowa pol who backed her

BY RICHARD SISK in Washington
and HELEN KENNEDY in New York
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Posted Wednesday, March 28th 2007, 4:00 AM
Sen. Hillary Clinton has agreed to help former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who endorsed her Monday, pay off his $400,000 campaign debt.
Clinton (D-N.Y.) will put the arm on her donor network for Vilsack, who quit the presidential race Feb. 23 citing financial difficulties.
Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said it was a normal gesture to make and called suggestions of any endorsement quid pro quo "ridiculous."
"One thing's got absolutely nothing to do with the other," he said. "They've known each other for years. If she weren't running for President, she'd be doing whatever she can to help retire his debt."
Three weeks ago, Vilsack said his main focus was closing down his campaign debt and that he would not make an endorsement until the end of the year - if then. "I think the chances are good that I'll do that, but I don't know that for certain," he said.
Clinton has already run into problems with the appearance of buying endorsements.
Right after she scored the politically important backing of South Carolina pastor and state Sen. Darrell Jackson, it emerged she had also hired him as a $10,000-a-month consultant. Rival Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) had offered him half that.
It's an old political pitfall. In 2004, Democrat Howard Dean was accused of "buying" the endorsement of Carol Moseley Braun by giving her a $20,000-a-month travel budget.
Meanwhile, in other 2008 endorsement news, Obama picked up the backing of Sheila Johnson, the ex-wife of BET media pioneer Robert Johnson, who supports Clinton. She wouldn't say if her ex's choice made any role in her decision.
And to no one's great surprise, Clinton - the front-runner to be first woman President - will be getting the official endorsement of the National Organization for Women today.
In Washington, Clinton and ex-Sen. John Edwards renewed their battle for the union vote that began in Las Vegas last weekend.
In a speech that she shouted more than delivered, Clinton brought the audience at the Communications Workers of America conference to its feet with a Wall Street-whacking pledge to fight corporate greed.
"The mood in too many corporate board rooms is that we don't have to take care of the people who take care of us," Clinton said. "We're going to get back the right balance here in America."
Edwards, who has made labor the centerpiece of his campaign, drew his own share of standing O's.
"We have to be patriotic about something other than war," Edwards said, telling the audience that "when you're out there organizing, you make America a better place."
hkennedy@nydailynews.com