Counterattack: Obama camp calls out Clinton over tax returns Nick Juliano

Published: Wednesday March 5, 2008



|

Print This Email This Emerging from its bruising at the hands of Hillary Clinton's "kitchen sink" strategy, the Barack Obama campaign came out swinging Wednesday with sharp questions about what could be hiding in Hillary Clinton's unreleased tax returns. After being stung with losses in Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island the night before, Obama held onto his lead in the delegate count, and the Illinois senator stressed that the math was still on his side. Meanwhile, his campaign pushed its newest line of attack: Clinton's claim that she is the more vetted candidate is hogwash because of the unanswered questions in her tax returns. "Senator Clinton has also claimed that she is too busy to release her tax returns. Given the fact she is able to loan her campaign $5 million, you would think the Clintons would be able to hire an accountant," read an Obama campaign "memo" sent to reporters Wednesday. "The reality is that she wants to keep this information hidden from voters. The people of Wyoming, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and the rest of the country should wonder why." Obama advisers continued to raise questions on a press conference call Wednesday afternoon. Their strategy seemed to echo the Clinton team's gambit in the days before the most recent elections to chide reporters into going after her opponent. "What's good for the goose is good for the gander," Obama strategist David Axelrod said kicking off Wednesday's campaign call. Axelrod contended that Clinton had faced less skepticism during the 2008 campaign than Obama had, which he noted was at odds with her reputation for secrecy. "This has been a pattern, she's been a habitual non-discloser on this and other issues," such as records from the White House during her time as First Lady, which have not been released by the Clinton presidential library. "We're going to ask you guys to do your jobs," Axelrod chided the reporters listening in. As Axelrod was talking to reporters, Clinton communications director Howard Wolfson fired back in his own e-mail to reporters. "Faced with many legitimate questions about Senator Obama's long-time relationship with indicted political fixer Tony Rezko, the Obama campaign has chosen to lash out at Senator Clinton," Wolfson said, returning to questions the Clinton campaign harped on leading up to Tuesday's vote about Obama's relationship with the indicted real estate developer. DEVELOPING...



