What Up With Edwards

Edwards, Hillary, Obama, And Rezko

By Greg Sargent - TMP

Did Edwards tell a roomful of donors that Hillary privately told him after the last debate that there's more to come on the Obama Rezko story that has yet to be made public?

An Edwards contributor tells The New York Observer that Edwards made the claim at a private fundraiser last night. The Observer directly quotes the donor's account of what Edwards said:

He said that Hillary and Obama have true dislike for each other and that after the most recent debate Hillary mentioned to John in passing that there’s more about Obama and that “slum landlord” [Rezko] that has yet to be disclosed to the public.

The Observer notes that "the source said that Edwards gave no indication that Hillary suggested that it was her campaign that had the Rezko-dirt." And indeed it would be unlikely that Hillary would confide such a thing to an opponent even if it were true.

Interestingly, the response from the Edwards campaign to The Observer, which very generally calls the account "bungled," doesn't really deny (or confirm) that the discussion took place:

Edwards has told reporters he's not going to talk about conversations with other candidates, but based on Monday night's debate with Obama using Wal-Mart and Hillary using Rezko, anyone who thinks this is over missed Senator Clinton's statement that they're just getting warmed up.

Late Update: The Clinton campaign is denying this version of events. The Observer adds this:

UPDATE: Clinton campaign spokesman Jay Carson emailed to say Edwards’ remarks about Hillary Clinton's remarks, as conveyed by the attendee at the fund-raiser, are “not an accurate account of their conversation.”