MoveOn at war with Clinton

Washington Times:

Liberal bloggers are in an uproar over the revelation that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton bashed MoveOn.org while asking donors for money at a private fundraiser.

Mrs. Clinton said the liberal group — which was formed to help her husband fight off impeachment but now backs the presidential candidacy of her rival, Sen. Barack Obama — had "flooded" party caucuses and tried to "intimidate" her supporters.

Activists wrote on the Internet that Mrs. Clinton has alienated a key part of the Democratic base in advance of Tuesday's make-or-break Pennsylvania primary, though new national polls suggest she is experiencing a rebound among primary voters after trailing Mr. Obama for weeks.

In her remarks to donors in February, Mrs. Clinton falsely said MoveOn had opposed the war in Afghanistan and said she disagrees with the group's foreign-policy stance even though she courted its endorsement.

"We have been less successful in caucuses because it brings out the activist base of the Democratic Party. MoveOn.org didn't want us to go into Afghanistan," she said. "I mean, that's what we're dealing with. And, you know, they turn out in great numbers. And they are very driven by their view of our positions, and it's primarily national security and foreign policy that drives them. I don't agree with them."

"They know I don't agree with them," she said. "So they flood into these caucuses and dominate them and really intimidate people who actually show up to support me."

...

MoveOn executive director Eli Pariser characterized the Clinton remarks as "unfounded and categorically false."

"MoveOn did not oppose the war in Afghanistan. We set the record straight when Karl Rove used that line in 2005," he said, referring to the former adviser to President Bush. "We're proud that our members have been part of the record-breaking participation in this election. ... MoveOn's dedicated to mobilizing voters and winning in November, and we're focusing our energy and resources toward those goals."

...

I think many of their members have opposed the Afghan operation like Cindy Sheehan. I also think Hillary has little to lose by attacking them because they have completely sold their soul to Obama and are providing most of the money for his campaign. It is an association that will probably be an issue in the fall campaign if he is the nominee.

All the liberal bloggers who are whining about the comment have also been opposing her. She should wear that opposition as a badge of honor.