Redstate

By Ralph Kettell Posted in 2008 — Comments (0) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

AsMaineGoes (link - http://tinyurl.com/yrsh6g ) is reporting that FEC reports show Maine Dem Senate candidate Tom Allen receiving $10,000 from Hope Fund, Barack Obama's PAC, while Hillary Clinton's HillPac has yet to throw funding Allen's way in this race. I don't mean to be cynical, but come on. $10,000 to an ostensible Clinton superdelegate? Nothing says 'loyalty' in Dem circles like a big fat check, and the story of Obama peeling off superdelegates with cold hard cash seems to have spread to the Pine Tree State.

(link http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/02/superd...)

Maine Democrat Congressman Tom Allen has had a long relationship with Bill Clinton. According to Clinton, they've known each other for almost 40 years. Clinton and Allen studied together at Oxford (Allen, unlike Clinton, did inhale), and also attended 'peaceful war protests' together, according to Allen. Allen has referenced his longtime affection for the impeached ex-president as a status symbol
innumerable times along the path to political ascendency. Bill Clinton came to Maine to help Allen get elected to Congress in 1996, and had this to say:

"And finally, let me say on a purely personal note, I first met Tom Allen in 1968. We were much younger then. [Laughter] He doesn't have any gray hair, and I'm fairly bitter about that. But if you send him to Congress, it will take care of it and equalize things."

During Allen's current run to unseat Maine Senator Susan Collins, the Clintons even sent their delightful former Secretary of State Madeline Albright to Maine to help him campaign. The Clintons haven't donated directly to Allen this time around, but Hillary's bagman Norman Hsu did his part, sending $1,000 directly and $1,500 bundled from the contribution racket he had going last year.

Allen's allegiance to the Clintons makes his endorsement of Hillary a no-brainer. Except- it hasn't happened. Allen remains 'uncommitted' as a superdelegate at this point. Looks like money talks, as they say.

Besides direct contributions from HopeSlushFund, another factor here is the more than $365,000 funneled through MoveOn.org to Tom Allen in Maine. MoveOn.org has put their might solidly behind Barack Obama, and a donor of that size would be hard for Allen to say no to. MoveOn affiliate groups have also spent more than $1 million in attack ads against Allen's opponent, and have helped focus the efforts of Netroot maniacs like Markos Moulitsas and Jane Hamsher.

Obama's finance chair in Maine is Bob Monks. Monks also happens to own the building that houses Tom Allen's campaign. Allen's former campaign manager Mike Cuzzi joined the Obama campaign, along with former Allen finance director Heather Quinn. And the Portland Press Herald recently reported that Allen was at an Obama fundraiser at Ben Affleck's place in Boston.

Things are looking a little strained for the Clinton-Allen relationship these days, to say the least. The cash just doesn't seem to be coming in fast enough from Hillary's camp, and it seems an endorsement from Allen will be coming Barack's way at any time.

If Allen finally does pledge to Obama, he better put a book in his drawers to keep the Clinton paddle from leaving a mark.