Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter and Pennslvania governor Ed Rendell spoke before Barack Obama, and said, Lynn Sweet reports:

“I gave Sen. Clinton $1,500 in the primary so I thought just for old-time sake I’d give Sen. Obama $1,499,” Rendell said, sparking scattered boos from the crowd. The governor calmed them by saying “that was before I drank the Kool-Aide.” He said that he has a check for $2,300 to give the Obama campaign.

Sweet then reports that this is what Barack Obama said immediately afterwards:

“We’re going to make sure this doesn’t bounce,” Obama said as he took the podium.

This is such a rude, classless remark, I am nearly left speechless.

What other descriptions can we come up with?

Tacky?

Tasteless?

Insulting?

Most of all, there wasn’t a word of thanks in that statement for the donation of the full amount that Gov. Rendell gave to this candidate even though the governor had worked his tail off for Hillary Clinton.

Well, we can look at Obama’s next remarks about Gov. Rendell:

He then said it was a “relief” to have Ed Rendell (”a man who has no shortage for words”) on his side. “How many cable shows can you be on at one time?” Obama asked Rendell, adding that he is “one of the finest governors in the country.”

Obama said Rendell’s presence was a “relief”? And that he wanted to know, from Rendell, “How many cable shows can you be on at one time?”

In other words, acknowledging Gov. Rendell’s affable and intelligent presence on numerous cable shows were a great asset to Hillary Clinton, Obama wanted to know how much he could use Rendell to do the same for him.

What can you do for ME, Governor Rendell?

Then, finally, he made a generic positive remark about him being “one of the finest governors.” After the insults about the check not bouncing, after the odd remark that Rendell’s presence was a “relief” to him, and after asking Rendell just how useful he’d be to Obama.

It’s just not the kind of class I expect in a candidate for the presidency, and almost all of it was said in the context of what Rendell could do to help him with only the slightest acknowledgement of Rendell’s considerable abilities as a governor, not any recognition of Rendell’s past fine works for the Democratic party or for Hillary Clinton.

Or any humble appreciation for Governor Rendell appearing at a weekend event after his own exhausting schedule as a superb surrogate for Hillary Clinton or his own personal sacrifice in not being with his own family that night, but instead sacrificing a weekend evening to help an ungrateful candidate solely interested in himself and what everybody else can do to make him more powerful.

(Does my disgust show? I hope so.)

Now, here’s the video of Tom Daschle — from South Dakota and now an inside-the-Beltway D.C. lobbyist — lecturing Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter about the people of the state of Pennsylvania:

Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter has been one of Hillary Clinton’s most staunch and effective surrogates in Pennsylvania. He is a highly able mayor and leader, which makes former senator Tom Daschle’s treatment of Mayor Nutter today, from my viewpoint, particularly condescending and presumptuous. Here’s one portion of the transcript that infuriated me — you’ll hear the remarks about half way through the above video of the interview this morning on Fox News Sunday With Chris Wallace:

WALLACE: Senator Daschle, Obama already had a problem reaching out to white working-class Democrats, the so-called Reagan Democrats. Aren’t these comments going to make it even harder?

DASCHLE: Just the opposite, Chris. I really think Mayor Nutter ought to go to his own emergency room. He ought to go to the unemployment lines today in Philadelphia where people are standing in line without the hope of a good job.

They ought to worry about the jobs being displaced and being sent overseas. You know, obviously, people are — want to be hopeful, and that’s really the message of the Obama campaign, why the Obama campaign has such traction, because he talks about hope.

But you know, if things are so rosy, why change? Let’s just have a third Bush administration. That’s really what…

Yesterday, Mayor Nutter gave a terrific interview on Fox News’s Saturday show, Fox Online and made strong arguments for Hillary Clinton and against Barack Obama’s statements that labeled Pennsylvanians as bigoted and small-minded … video below:

And don’t miss No Quarter’s stories on the strength of Mayor Nutter’s resolve in standing up for Hillary Clinton, despite numerous attacks from Obama supporters.

Fleaflicker wrote, on April 1st, in “Obama Thugs Force Mayor Nutter to Shut Down his E-mail Server“:

As I wrote yesterday, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter’s office was flooded with angry calls from Obama supporters after he came out in support of Hillary. Some people doubted my statements but those that bothered to call Mayor Nutter’s office confirmed everything that was written. But, as Hyper Educated Uppity Woman reports, his e-mail server was overwhelmed and had to be taken down.

I’ll let her describe the well deserved contempt so many of us have.

As part of NoQuarter’s encouragement campaign, many readers emailed Mayor Nutter in support of his courage under harrassment. His email was returned by Mailer Daemon. The poor guy had to shut down his email address, so you can just imagine how badly he was harrassed by these savages. My God, these people are fear mongers and race baiters. What’s next? Coming to your home and beating the crap out of you? Lining us up and shooting us dead until there are no more Hillary voters left?

We all know how passionate those Obama cultists can be. And they have the Obamedia wrapped around their scrawny little fingers. So we cannot back down, however often they threaten us. We represent the heart and soul of the Democratic party. They represent the far left wing radical wing of the Democratic party. Yet they are so determined to take over the party that they aren’t afraid to destroy the party if they can’t. …

Read more of No Quarter’s stories on Mayor Nutter.

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Read the full transcript of the today’s interview. Special thanks to C.S. for grabbing the video this morning.

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UPDATE #2: That’s Hillary with Mayor Nutter yesterday, and they’re both dancing. This is strictly a “for the fun of it” video.

Special thanks to Patrick Henry for sending me this video clip.

I’ll let her describe the well deserved contempt so many of us have.

As part of NoQuarter’s encouragement campaign, many readers emailed Mayor Nutter in support of his courage under harrassment. His email was returned by Mailer Daemon. The poor guy had to shut down his email address, so you can just imagine how badly he was harrassed by these savages. My God, these people are fear mongers and race baiters. What’s next? Coming to your home and beating the crap out of you? Lining us up and shooting us dead until there are no more Hillary voters left?

We all know how passionate those Obama cultists can be. And they have the Obamedia wrapped around their scrawny little fingers. So we cannot back down, however often they threaten us. We represent the heart and soul of the Democratic party. They represent the far left wing radical wing of the Democratic party. Yet they are so determined to take over the party that they aren’t afraid to destroy the party if they can’t.

This is the time to come together and gather up whatever hidden strength you have. Because the next few months are going to be a tough battle. Expect the worst and prepare to fight back with everything you have.

I give Hillary Clinton a lot of credit for doing the right thing during all this fear-mongering. She is surrounded by party cowards who have even helped Obama blame her every time he is in trouble. Reverend Wright is even her fault. This is downright surreal!

My personal thanks to Hyper Educated Uppity Woman. And an extended thanks from everyone at No Quarter. Let her example be a guiding light for the battle onward.

As she says so eloquently:

Give me the “Politics of the Past” any day of the week. At least I felt safe. Barack Obama is like a frightful nightmare upon America. I’m even afraid to publish this post. Where did America go? I thought George Bush was frightening. He is comfort next to the fear being generated right now.

….Shiver….

For more information on Mayor Michael Nutter please visit:

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/03/31/the-courage-of-your-convictions/
(with phone number for Mayor Nutter + his e-mail address, which no longer works)

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/03/29/history-doesnt-pay-the-bills/
(with the story of his endorsement and a video of Mayor Nutter)

Let’s show Mayor Nutter that he has many friends that support his decision. Would you please call his office today and express that support? The number is: 215-686-1776. (You may also send him an e-mail at mayor@phila.gov.)

Please do your part to stand up for this wonderful man who is standing up for Hillary. And for you.

For more information about Mayor Michael Nutter see my story about his endorsement of Hillary Clinton: History Doesn’t Pay the Bills

Mayor Nutter believes that Barack Obama has made a huge mistake in not completely disassociating himself from his friend and spiritual mentor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright.

“Philly Mayor Would Quit Obama Church,” ABC News:

“I think there’s no room for hate, and I could not sit and tolerate that kind of language, and especially over a very long period of time,” said Philadelphia’s newly elected mayor, Michael Nutter, in an interview with ABC News’ David Muir.

“Philly Mayor Would Quit Obama Church” continued:

“If I were in my own church and heard my pastor saying some of those kinds of things,” he added, “we’d have a conversation about what’s going on here, what is this all about, and then I would have to make my own personal decision about whether or not to be associated or affiliated.”

Asked by Muir if he would he have quit Obama’s church, Nutter said, “Absolutely.”

The mayor of Philadelphia, the city in which the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were signed, the mayor of the heart of our nation completely agrees with Hillary: “You don’t choose your family, but you choose what church you want to attend.” To Nutter, Obama offered an inadequate defense for his reason not to disown Wright. The “angry black” defense might play well in Peoria but it isn’t playing very well in Philadelphia.

“I think there is a big difference between expressing the pain and anger that many African Americans and other people of color may feel versus language that I think now crosses the line and goes into hate.”

In supporting Hillary, Nutter has imperiled his political future. He is hearing from a lot of Obama supporters that thought he would endorse Obama because they have so much in common. Some people even refer to him as Philadelphia’s Barack Obama. But taking stands for things he believes in requires the courage of a real leader and that is exactly who Michael Nutter is.

The mayor acknowledges that some voters have approached him and asked, in his words, “Why not support a brother?”

“Somehow, someway, for some people there’s an automatic assumption that a mayor who is African-American or some other elected official has to support another African-American,” Nutter said.

“I thought that when Dr. King said that he wanted people to be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character, I thought that’s what he was talking about,” Nutter added.

To Nutter the “making history” argument falls on deaf ears to. Because this election, while historic, is a lot more important for a number of reasons. And competency to lead our country out of its morass is a much higher priority.

“Certainly the opportunity to demonstrate to my 13-year-old daughter that there is a bright future for her, that a woman could get elected president of the United States, is equally compelling,” he said.

“I think that we are at this historical moment,” Nutter said. “Either candidate will clearly make history. But you only get to vote for one. The most important thing is winning in November, putting a Democrat in the White House.”

He added, “I’m a great fan of history. I don’t know that when people are struggling to pay the bills, that they ultimately conclude that, ‘Well, if we can just make history with this vote, then all of my problems will be solved.’ It still, for me, always comes back to performance [and] track record.”

Exactly. That is why Hillary is the clear choice above all others. Competency. Vision and a long record of Achievement.

And as to Hillary’s decision to press on with the campaign and to speak up for the disenfranchised voters of Michigan and Florida, Nutter grasps it’s full significance.

“Think about who we are in the Democratic Party and the country we are in,” Nutter said. “That we would somehow leave out any of our citizens in this process, I think, would be an absolute disgrace. We need to be a bit smarter about it.”

And even though he knows that his decision to back Hillary isn’t the most popular thing he could do, he believes strongly that giving and keeping one’s word is important, whether someone is up or down.

Nutter endorsed Clinton back in December, when she was the clear front-runner. Now she is struggling. But Nutter is having no second thoughts.

When asked if he would endorse Clinton again, Nutter said, “Absolutely. Same endorsement. Never a hesitation.”

I am going to go out on a limb and predict that this man has a bright political future ahead of him. We need more leaders that understand what is really important and know how to make the right choices in difficult times. Michael Nutter, you are a fine American. Philadelphia is fortunate to have you. And so is Hillary.