In an interminable conference call this afternoon with Howard Wolfson, the Clinton communications director was asked whether Hillary Clinton’s $5 million loan to the campaign was “a ploy” to gain sympathy and online contributions from supporters. (The campaign has reportedly raised $8 million since the self-loan was publicly confirmed.)
Wolfson answered that the proof that the campaign really needed the money was Clinton’s absence on television before Super Tuesday.
“If resources were available, we would have been on TV earlier,” said Wolfson.
He added, “Senator Obama had an accelerated online fund-raising through the latter part of January and into February.”
Wolfson said that Clinton “chose to lend the campaign her own money,” which turned out to be “a very wise and prudent decision,” because the victories won on Super Tuesday “would not have been possible without the money Senator Clinton loaned.”
Wolfson said the supporter response to the news of the loan was heartening.
“Frankly, a remarkable thing happened when people learned about that,” Wolfson said. “They responded tremendously.”
