Friday, May 28, 2010

EXCLUSIVE: White House asked Clinton to talk to Sestak about Senate run

Greg Sargent

Senior White House advisers asked former President Bill Clinton to talk to Joe Sestak about whether he was serious about running for Senate, and to feel out whether he'd be open to other alternatives, according to sources familiar with the situation.

But the White House maintains that the Clinton-Sestak discussions were informal, according to the sources. The White House, under pressure to divulge the specifics of its interactions with Sestak, will release a formal statement later today outlining their version of events, including Clinton's involvement.

According to the sources, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel asked Clinton and his longtime adviser, lawyer Doug Band, to talk to Sestak about the race. It's unclear right now whether the White House will say that Clinton was asked to suggest specific administration positions for Sestak, whether Clinton floated positions on his own, whether Clinton discussed other options not related to the adminstration, or whether employment even came up at all in the talks...


Update:

Nothing to See Here!

By Leah Nylen | May 28, 2010 11:33 am

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel enlisted former President Bill Clinton to persuade Rep. Joe Sestak not to run in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary but nothing improper occurred, the White House counsel said in a memo issued Friday.

According to the memo, written by White House counsel Robert Bauer, Clinton asked Sestak if he wanted to take on an unpaid, advisory role with the White House and encourage him not to challenge Sen. Arlen Specter, who had switched the Democratic party last year....

[Right...]

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