Democratic Party Reaction
After initial reports of suspicious contributions, prominent Democrats defended Hsu's reputation. Supporters began to distance themselves after his long-time fugitive status was revealed. After Hsu fled the California justice system again in 2007, his contributions were renounced by an increasing number of elected officials.
The general pattern of reaction has been typified by Bob Kerrey, president of the New School and former Senator from Nebraska, who originally stated that Hsu had been "a terrific member" of the New School board. After Hsu resigned as a board member, Kerrey said the university did not do background checks of prospective trustees and that he hoped that Hsu "didn't break the law." After Hsu became a two-time fugitive, Kerrey remarked, "I thought that I knew him, but obviously I didn’t."
One of Hsu's most tenacious supporters was Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, who called Hsu "one of the best 10 people I've met." Later, Rendell said, "Though Norman is my friend and remains so, his failure to appear casts a new light on his assertions regarding the original case. As a result I will follow other elected officials and donate the money he contributed to me to charity."
In comparison, 2008 Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton began to disengage from Hsu at an earlier phase of the scandal when Hsu's long time fugitive status was first revealed. After indications of additional misconduct by Hsu, the Clinton campaign then decided to refund a total of $850,000 in bundled contributions Clinton was the first major candidate to give up bundled contributions from associates of Norman Hsu. However, it is also true that her campaign ignored earlier private warnings about Hsu and that Clinton was the largest recipient of bundled donations from Hsu.
In 2006, former President Clinton referred to Hsu as "our friend Norman". After the scandal went public, Bill Clinton remarked in colloquial language, "You could have knocked me over with a straw". Democrats are continuing to try to reconcile positive personal impressions of Hsu with his criminal behavior. Mark Gorenberg, who sat on President Barack Obama campaign's national finance committee, remarked, "Despite it all, I still love the guy, despite everything you read, every experience I ever had with him was nothing but delightful, and I just scratch my head."
Hsu never appeared to want or expect anything in return for his many contributions, other than to appear in high-profile circles; indeed a West Coast Democratic fundraiser said, "He seemed so desperate to be included in every big-ticket event in California … It was a little sad." One Clinton campaign aide attempted to penetrate more deeply into Hsu's motives, remarking that Hsu's business activity "was reinforced by his efforts in politics and philanthropy; he seemed like a generous guy, but only later did you realize what he was up to."
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