by Christi Parsons, updated
One notable thing about the release of former First Lady Hillary Clinton's daily schedules from the Clinton administration is how much of them were blacked out -- or, in the parlance of government censors, "redacted."
Of the more than 11,000 pages, the National Archives blacked out information on 4,746 pages, generally to hide Social Security numbers and contact info.
Staffers on Sen. Clinton's presidential campaign say much more would have been hidden, if not for the intervention of the president's lawyer. Bruce Lindsey actually went to the archives and asked them to "unredact large sections of information" in the former First Lady's schedules.
But now that the information is on the record -- after months of complaints that the Clintons were dragging their feet -- the Clinton camp asks why their Democratic opponent won't do the same thing.
"Eleven thousand pages of the former First Lady’s schedules are now part of the public record," communications director Howard Wolfson said today. "And I believe that is approximately 11,000 more documents than the Obama campaign has released up until this point, relating to any part of his service especially as a state senator."
Aides to Obama say the Clinton camp should have done some research before making that request.
“Given the amount of time and money the Clinton campaign has already spent combing through Senator Obama’s kindergarten papers, we think they would have tried Googling ‘obama’ and ‘state senate records’ before demanding the release of records that news organizations reported months ago don’t exist,” said Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor.
Actually, that's not exactly what Obama said about the records.
Here's what Obama said in an interview with the Tribune, when asked about his state Senate records in November of last year:
Q: What about your stuff, though? What do you have?
"I have no idea. I mean [muffled on recording]. I really don't. Again, I did not have at my disposal. I wasn't preparing for the Obama state senatorial library."
Q: You must have kept some stuff. Correspondence, calendars?
"The problem is whatever remaining documents I have are inevitably incomplete. And then the question's going to be, where's this or where's that. Once I start heading down that road, then it puts me in a position that could end up being misleading. I don't want to mislead people. I don't know the extent of the records that I have as a state senator."
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Comments
"hide Society Security numbers"
what?
Posted by: gosee | March 19, 2008 3:41 PM
RELEASE YOUR TAX RETURNS, HILLARY!!!
Posted by: huh? | March 19, 2008 3:47 PM
What the heck is Monster Inc talking about? Obama has already released all of his records.
And where are the tax returns, the clinton foundation and clinton library donor lists?
Why does anyone even bother with the redicules press releases of the Clinton campaign?
Posted by: nisleib | March 19, 2008 4:14 PM
I think the press indulges too much in self-abuse.
Posted by: Titus | March 19, 2008 4:21 PM
Enough mirrors and smoke Hillary, where are the Tax Returns?b
Posted by: Bill | March 19, 2008 4:35 PM
release your tax returns, hillary!
Posted by: maz hess | March 19, 2008 4:36 PM
Why is she so reluctant to release her tax returns? Typical Clinton move, trying to point out the thorn in her opponents eye while neglecting the plank in hers.
Posted by: Blake | March 19, 2008 4:37 PM
Hillary is releasing her tax returns on April 15. Traditionally, candidates have released them after gaining the nomination.
Obama HAS NOT released the schedules from his State Senator years.
Posted by: jjl | March 19, 2008 4:46 PM
This is not a fight Hillary and her supporters want to pick. She still hasn't released her tax returns. And these records have only come out due to a two-year court battle.
Posted by: Cletus | March 19, 2008 4:47 PM
Howard Wolfson is a moron. Hillary has boasted her experience in the WH as what makes her qualified to do the job. Turns out, most of that is a LIE.
So all you Hillary supporters who have blasted Obama for lying about a sermon he may have went to, should really look at Hillary for lying about her experience in the WH.
According to some of the documents released, she took a bunch of kids on a hill with the former PM's wife and released balloons. Balloons? What the hell is she going to do if a crisis comes to America's shores? Open a lemonade stand?
Give me a break.
Posted by: Elliott | March 19, 2008 4:48 PM
Release my redo-vote Obama!
Posted by: Samuel, MI | March 19, 2008 4:53 PM
Another political game. Release what's to your benefit, do not reveal what's to your diadvantage and call out your opponent on the first.
Posted by: Anonymous | March 19, 2008 5:25 PM
The Audacity of Hate; Barack Obama’s Trinity United Church of Christ’s Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A Wright with his Racist Sermons & his Racist Supporters.
Imagine if Hillary Clinton’s church proclaimed on its website that it is “unashamedly white.” The media would pounce, and Clinton’s presidential candidacy would be over. Yet that is exactly what Barack Obama’s church says on its web site — except in reverse.
"Wright on Israel: "The Israelis have illegally occupied Palestinian territories for over 40 years now. Divestment has now hit the table again as a strategy to wake the business community and wake up Americans concerning the injustice and the racism under which the Palestinians have lived because of Zionism.
For the same reason why I would not vote for any candidate that attended The David Duke Church of Christ is the same reason why I cannot vote for anyone who sat for twenty (20) years in the Trinity united Church of Christ.
Posted by: Democrats for Hillary | March 19, 2008 5:37 PM
Release the tax returns. We don't care where you were or who you were with while Bill was getting a blow-job. Show us the money, or shut up.
Posted by: Rick/Sneads Ferry, NC | March 19, 2008 5:45 PM
Obama's supporters are treating Hilary Clinton as if she was a non-democrat, but I thought they both belonged to the same party. The attacks are like the stars in the sky - endless. Is this the kind of new dawn in politics that will epitomize the USA post Bush? If so then I think the words of Stevie Wonder are apt 'heaven help us all!!
Posted by: R Singh | March 19, 2008 5:53 PM
The white house schedule I expected to be innocuous, except for instances of compromised credibility. However, regarding her earmarks, here is some previous reporting on the subject:
"...Hillary Clinton secured more earmarks for pet projects in the Defense funding bill than anyone except Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin, according to an article in The Hill.
It puts her total at 26 earmarks worth $148 million. Barack Obama has one. John McCain disapproves of earmarks, which escape normal scrutiny, and has none.
“She has learned how to play the game and to use her power on the committee to bring home dollars for her constituents,” Steve Ellis of Taxpayers for Common Sense tells The Hill.""
Posted by: tony.s. | March 19, 2008 5:56 PM
Tax returns on April 15th? Why so long?
Posted by: Tim | March 19, 2008 6:01 PM
Tax returns on April 15th? Why so long?
Posted by: Tim | March 19, 2008 6:01 PM
She is really beginning to get on my nerves.
Posted by: David | March 19, 2008 6:19 PM
Release ALL of your Tax Returns, Hillary!!
Hillary hasn't released ANY of her tax returns since 2003 and she calls herself "transparent"?
And while your at it Hillary, release all of your papers concerning:
~Whitewater
~The Presidential Pardon of felon Marc Rick
~The papers showing who donated to the Clinton library and the Bill Clinton foundation
~The papers showing ALL of your dealings with the now jailed fundraiser Norman Hsu.
If Hillary is going to take credit for her time in the White House she needs to buck up and quit hiding all the papers that are pertainingg to her time there.
This isn't going to go away, Hillary.
OBAMA 08!!!!
Posted by: Janine | March 19, 2008 7:06 PM
I agree...
STOP changing the subject and RELEASE YOUR TAX RETURNS, HILLARY!
Who cares about your schedules. Also release the records of donations to build the presidential library!
Posted by: Anonymous | March 19, 2008 7:09 PM
For the same reason why I would not vote for any candidate that attended The David Duke Church of Christ is the same reason why I cannot vote for anyone who sat for twenty (20) years in the Trinity united Church of Christ.
Posted by: Democrats for Hillary | March 19, 2008 5:37 PM
Hillary fanclub,
Smearing Obama with things that his pastor said isn't going to make your problems go away.
REALEASE ALL OF YOUR PAPERS, HILLARY!!!
Posted by: Democrats for Obama | March 19, 2008 7:24 PM
It's funny how the Clintonites focus on what Obama's PASTOR said and ignore the BS that Hillary is pulling...
How can Hillary say that Obama ISN'T transparent when he has released his earmarks and his tax returns, and she's only released schedules of her having tea with political leader's wives? How does that make her more transparent than Obama?
But I'm sure Obama would be more than happy to release ALL of his records as US Senator... unlike Hillary, Obama has nothing to hide, how come Hillary hasn't released her tax returns yet? What does she have to hide?
Posted by: Mike | March 19, 2008 7:38 PM
Hillary fanclub,
Smearing Obama with things that his pastor said isn't going to make your problems go away.
REALEASE ALL OF YOUR PAPERS, HILLARY!!!
Posted by: Democrats for Obama | March 19, 2008 7:24 PM
Obama fan club,
Smearing Hillary with her papers isn't going to make your problems go away.
RELEASE ALL OF YOUR PAPERS, OBAMA!!!
Posted by: Democrats for Janine aka anonymouse aka Democrats for Obama | March 19, 2008 8:21 PM
Release your paper of your land deal with swindler and his contributions Obama. You are fried already with racist wright.
Posted by: Basant | March 19, 2008 9:20 PM
RELEASE ALL OF YOUR PAPERS, OBAMA!!!
Posted by: Democrats for Janine aka anonymouse aka Democrats for Obama | March 19, 2008 8:21 PM
OBAMA ALREADY RELEASED HIS PAPER, you dumbarse!
Quit trying to change the subject...
RELEASE ALL OF YOUR WHITE HOUSE PAPERS AND YOUR TAX RETURNS FROM THE LAST FIVE YEARS, SLIMEBALL HILLARY!!!!
Posted by: American Citizens who hate the Clintons | March 19, 2008 9:25 PM
RELEASE ALL OF YOUR PAPERS, SLIMEBALL OBAMA!!!!
Posted by: American Citizens who hate Gravel | March 19, 2008 9:38 PM
I feel better! the majority of the people posting here can see how secretive HRC is.
I'm not alone!
Ana Lucia
Posted by: AnaLucia | March 19, 2008 10:08 PM
I feel better! the majority of the people posting here can see how secretive BHO is.
I'm not alone!
Santa Barbra
Posted by: SantaBarbra | March 19, 2008 10:47 PM
Obama's supporters are treating Hilary Clinton as if she was a non-democrat, but I thought they both belonged to the same party. The attacks are like the stars in the sky - endless. Is this the kind of new dawn in politics that will epitomize the USA post Bush? If so then I think the words of Stevie Wonder are apt 'heaven help us all!!
R Singh,
Let's be fair and say that both sides have been getting blood thirsty as of late.
Posted by: phi | March 20, 2008 1:46 AM
obama has no documents to release because he does not want to mislead people...hahaha; more like he doesn't want people to see how misleading he has been thus far...
BOZObama's chickens are coming home to ROOST; americans have only begun to see what this clown is all about!
this clown will never win the presidency and I hope the DNC and superdelegates realize this before they give the whitehouse back to the repugs...
BOZObama is really good at DECEPTION!
Posted by: Muniz4Hillary | March 20, 2008 1:52 AM
obama has no documents to release because he does not want to mislead people...hahaha; more like he doesn't want people to see how misleading he has been thus far...
BOZObama's chickens are coming home to ROOST; americans have only begun to see what this clown is all about!
this clown will never win the presidency and I hope the DNC and superdelegates realize this before they give the whitehouse back to the repugs...
BOZObama is really good at DECEPTION!
Posted by: Muniz4Hillary | March 20, 2008 1:52 AM
"CHERTOFF SPEAKS"
AMERICA MEET EEVS! EEVS MEET SOCIAL SECURITY. SSN MEET "THE SECRETARY"
AMERICA, SLIMBALLS, SPITZERS OF AMERICA 'RELEASE YOUR TAX RECORDS"
I DON'T CARE IF YOUR "INITIALS ARE'
"RM" OR "HRC" OR "BHO" OR "GWB" THE 2ND OR 3RD, 4TH, 5TH, "ARCHIVES ARE STILL SEALED."
"UNLESS," UNLESS YOU ARE THE FOLLOWING:
WHITE HOUSE GOP STAFFERS FROM 1998 THROUGH 2001.
WE THANK YOU, THE 107TH CONGRESS THANKS YOU, AND THE MOST DUBOUIS COLLEAGUES OF THE 108TH CONGRESS.
*LONG LIVE NANCY PELOSI!*
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A H
Posted by: Roger Morris | March 20, 2008 2:10 AM