Mo's Your Daddy?

Mazel tov to 2nd-most-significant-Democratic-campaign-person-of-the-deacde Mo Elleithee, proud father of Sadie Isabella Elleithee, born Friday night at 9:28pm ET. Sadie's vital stats: 7 pounds, 7 ounces, 20 and 1/4 inches. Mo reports that "the proud papa is already fantasizing about taking his little girl to Georgetown basketball games." Knowing Mo, he's probably also fantasizing about being senior spokesman/strategist on the "Sadie Belle for President 2056" campaign as well! :)

P.S. Mazel tov to Sadie's mom, Tali, who also is doing well.

Mo Elleithee on "Game Change" Revelations: Hillary Clinton "deserves better than that" (UPDATED)

Former Hillary Clinton for President senior spokesman and traveling press secretary Mo Elleithee comments on attacks by his fellow Clinton staffers in the new book "Game Change" by authors John Heilemann and Mark Halperin.

1. Working for Hillary Clinton was one of the greatest honors of my career. I was proud of her as a candidate, and I’m proud of the job she’s doing as Secretary of State.

2. Unfortunately, she wasn’t served well by too many people on the campaign. We were a campaign that was mired by self-serving back-biting, and it appears that hasn’t changed. She deserves better than that.

Elleithee's comments are admirable, but they are also in sharp contrast to what other Clinton staffers had to say. As Politico writes, "The staffers and politicians who served as the anonymous sources for 'Game Change' reveal a deeply unflattering image through the eyes of the people who should admire Hillary Clinton most." In contrast, Mo Elleithee continues to admire Hillary Clinton greatly, believes she is an "an amazing woman, an amazing public servant, an amazing Secretary of State," and add that "while I fully support President Obama, I still think she would have made a great President."

Unfortunately for the Clintons, loyalty like Mo Elleithee's apparently is not common among their former staffers. Sad.

UPDATE: Peter Daou also defends Hillary, making two loyal former Clinton for President staffers. Do I hear three? :)

UPDATE #2: "Draft Hillary" founder and former Clinton campaign staffer (including as a top assistant to Patty Solis Doyle) Adam Parkhomenko weighs in as well.

Mo and Peter are right on. Working for Hillary and Patti Solis Doyle for 6 years was the greatest experience I have ever had. They were two of the most amazing individuals and I am glad I had the opportunity to work with them as well as Mo and Peter. Unfortunately there were a few bad apples that both ruined the campaign and continue to trash talk Hillary in the press (although I am sure they are just the opposite when they see her in person.) If they really believe this crap they are saying why are they so scared to go on the record?

UPDATE #3: Adam Parkhomenko adds on his Facebook page:

To suggest that Patti is the source for 80% of the book’s reporting on Hillary is comical. Over the course of the reporting for the book, the authors talked to a lot of people with very close ties to the Clinton world, and a lot of people dished. It is tragic that the same people responsible for many of the leaks over the past several years have chosen to use Patti as their foil. I guess it goes with the territory.

Mo Elleithee: Republicans "playing politics with terrorism"

Virginia's #2 most important political operative of the decade, Mo Elleithee, nails it:

There’s no question that Republicans, and especially Dick Cheney, are playing politics with terrorism.

How hypocritical and off-base are their attacks? Let us count the ways.

[...]

In 2001, following the attacks of 9/11 and the attempted shoe-bombing attack in December, Democrats didn’t criticize President Bush. We were united as a country. Everyone agreed that our security was more important than politics.

It is sad that eight years later, Republican leaders seems to have forgotten that lesson.

Yes, it's sad, but Republicans appear to be consumed with "Obama Derangement Syndrome," so it's also sadly unsurprising. (begin snark) Of course, wouldn't you be deranged if a Republican president had just saved the economy from complete meltdown and was trying to get you affordable, quality health care? Yeah, I know, it's horrible! Makes me froth at the mouth just thinking about it. (end snark)