Obama adviser cuts into interview after candidate disses Hillary 
Barack Obama appears headed for a photo-finish in his race for the Democratic presidential nomination against Hillary Clinton, and in an interview with liberal talker Ed Schultz the Illinois Senator accused his opponent of tactics that wouldn't even fly on elementary school playgrounds.
Schultz asked Obama to "be very direct" on his view of the Clinton campaign's push for delegates from Michigan and Florida to be seated at this summer's Democratic convention. Clinton won uncontested primaries in those states, which were stripped of their delegates after scheduling the contests earlier than party rules allowed.
"I think even a six-year-old understands that you don't change the rules of the game halfway through," Obama said.
An aide then immediately tried to cut in and end the call, but Schultz managed to get out another question, asking if Obama would like a "do-over" in Michigan and Florida.
"I'm sure that we can work something out," he said. "But I think the main thing is just to make sure that the delegate results coming out of two contests that were not contested and were not supposed to count, that they don't somehow start counting now."
The exchange came about 10 minutes into a pre-taped interview with Obama on the Ed Schultz Show Monday and was the final topic discussed.
"Ed, the senator actually has to get running now," the aide said after Obama's do-over response.
A show representative told RAW STORY Schultz didn't believe Obama was being prevented from answering any questions.
"We pretaped the interview. We went over our allotted time," James Holm, who works on Schultz's show, said in an e-mail. "Ed didn't feel like Obama's people were trying to keep him from answering any question. We would gladly treat Senator Clinton the same way if she bothered to do Progressive talk."
Obama had a full slate of campaign activities in Ohio Monday after campainging in Wisconsin, which picks its candidate Tuesday. Obama is on an eight-for-eight winning streak for primaries and caucuses, not including the belated New Mexico caucus result from Super Tuesday which went to Clinton, and he hopes to continue with more victories Tuesday. Clinton is campaigning hard in Texas and Ohio, two big states that vote March 4 where she currently leads by wide margins.
The Clinton campaign views Texas and Ohio as must-win states, but Obama's camp has said she would need victories by nearly impossible margins there to regain the lead in pledged delegates. The razor-thin margin between the two historic candidates has thrown the party into flux and refocused debate on what to do with Michigan and Florida.
"I want the delegates from Michigan and Florida to be able to participate in the convention," Obama said earlier on Schultz's show. "But they can't make a determination in terms of who wins this nomination because we all promised, including Sen. Clinton, not to campaign there. We said that these delegates wouldn't count."
The liberal host, who has been sharply critical of Clinton throughout the primary season, did not seem concerned by the abrupt ending to the Obama interview.
"Now you wonderful listeners know how it works; they always have somebody on the line that's listening to make sure there's no misquote or mischaracterization of what is said or how it is portrayed out there, after the interview," Schultz said, "which I have no problem with at all."
This audio is from The Ed Schultz Show, broadcast February 18, 2008.
A partial transcript follows
ED SCHULTZ: ... Michigan and Florida: Where do you stand on that, and be very direct on this Senator?
BARACK OBAMA: I want the people, I want the delegates from Michigan and Florida to be able to participate in the convention. but they can't make a determination in terms of who wins this nomination. Because we all promised, including Sen. Clinton, not to campaign there. We said that these delegates wouldn't count. My name wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan. The notion that somehow we're going to reverse ourselves, and let them be part of deciding who the nominee is. I think even a six-year-old understands that you don't change the rules of the game halfway through."
ADVISER: UH..
SCHULTZ: Would you be in favor of a do-over?
OBAMA: I'm sure that we can work something out, but I think the main thing is just to make sure that the delegate results coming out of two contests that were not contested and were not supposed to count, that they don't somehow start counting now.
ADVISER: Ed, the senator actually has to get running now.
SCHULTZ: Senator, I appreciate you time. ... Now you wonderful listeners know how it works. They always have somebody on the line that's listening to make sure there's no misquote or mis-characterization of what is said or how it is portrayed out there, after the interview, which I have no problem with at all.
 
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