In an email to her campaign mailing list, Hillary Clinton asks for contributions to clear away the campaign debt. But she specifies that this is for the vendors only.
As you know, I had to loan money to my campaign at critical moments. I’m not asking for anyone’s help to pay that back. That was my investment and my commitment because I believe so deeply in our cause.
But I do need your help paying the debts we accrued to others over the course of this campaign.
Yes, it’s still going to gall me to write a check knowing that part of the money will go to pay Mark Penn. (Though as an Obama supporter I suppose I should be grateful to him for performing so badly.) But the fact that HRC herself is willing to suck up a $12 million financial hit is something that her critics — including the undersigned — ought to take notice of.
No, Sen. Clinton isn’t going to miss any meals as a result; the one I feel sorry for is the kid who sold his bike to contribute to her campaign, and I’m still hoping that Barack Obama will personally buy that boy a new bike. But 12 million after-tax dollars is still a hefty sum to walk away from, and her willingness to do makes Obama’s road that much easier to walk.