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November 08, 2007
Both Clinton's Draw Criticisim ~ Yippee!
Bill Clinton draws criticism as Democratic campaign grows ever more caustic
WASHINGTON
Bill Clinton was hit with caustic criticism Tuesday from his wife's Democratic rivals, who accused the popular former president of falsely comparing questions about her candor to smears of past campaigns.
In a presidential nomination fight growing more intense by the day, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama also criticized the former first lady for having voted in the Senate against incentives for ethanol production and higher fuel efficiency standards. And 2004 vice presidential nominee John Edwards challenged her to spell out what she would do about Iraq.
The week after Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign accused her rivals of “piling on,” those foes showed no sign of easing up. They even went so far as to criticize the former president, a strategy that comes with risks in a party filled with voters who admire him for resurrecting the party in the 1990s.
On Monday, in defense of his wife against political critics, Bill Clinton cited the “swift boat” television ads of the 2004 presidential campaign that questioned John Kerry's patriotism and the campaign commercials in 2002 that suggested Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia was soft on terrorism.
Obama told The Associated Press he was “stunned” to hear Clinton make the comparison. Both Kerry, who commanded a Navy swift boat in Vietnam, and Cleland, who lost three limbs in that war, are decorated veterans who were defeated by Republicans.
Obama said Hillary Clinton contradicted herself at the end of a Democratic presidential debate last week when asked whether she supported a plan by the New York governor to issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. This week, the Illinois senator and former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina have repeatedly reproached her on that subject.
“How you would then draw an analogy to distorting somebody's military record is a reach,” Obama said.
Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, another candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, called the Clintons' response to the debate “outrageous.”
“To have the former president come out and suggest this is a form of swift boating ... is way over the top in my view,” Dodd said in a telephone interview.
A senior adviser to Sen. Clinton's campaign, speaking only on condition of anonymity, said the former president's remarks were not part of campaign strategy and in fact were considered counterproductive by the her advisers.
But Bill Clinton is a powerful advocate in the Democratic primary, and he is returning to the all-important first-voting state of Iowa Thursday to campaign on his wife's behalf. Roughly half of respondents to recent polls say they approve of him, and even more say looking back they approve of how he ran the White House.
The morning after last week's debate, Sen. Clinton's campaign issued a video called “Pile On” that featured each of her male rivals calling her name the night before. Then, at Wellesley College, she joked about presidential politics being an “all-boys club,” and campaign surrogates suggested that sexism was behind the criticism.
Only then did Clinton herself say it wasn't her gender but her lead in the Democratic race that had led to the intensified criticism.
Said Dodd on Tuesday:
“If elected to the presidency, there will be a lot of tough questions, and if you can't handle it in a debate without accusing everybody who has an issue with you of piling on or a sexist attack, somehow, first of all that's unwise and, secondly, it's false.”
Sen. Clinton acknowledged Tuesday that she could have done better in the debate, but denied that her stance on illegal immigrants has been unclear.
“I wasn't at my best the other night,” Clinton said on CNN. “We've had a bunch of debates, and I wouldn't rank that up in my very top list. But I've answered probably, I don't know, more than 5,000 questions over the last 10 months and I have been very clear about where I stand and what I want to do for the country.”
“If they want to use their energy attacking me, that's their choice,” she said. “I'm going to use my energy focusing on a new energy policy and so much else.”
In fact, her energy policy was the focus of criticism from Obama, with his campaign accusing her of voting 13 times against ethanol from 2002-2006, including measures to increase the amount of ethanol to be used as an additive in gasoline and to give liability protection for ethanol manufacturers.
“I think it is important to look at who has been a consistent champion on these issues,” Obama said. “I think I can make a legitimate claim that I have been consistent even when the politics is hard.”
Clinton's campaign said she has backed tax incentives for blending ethanol into gasoline, tax credits for installing ethanol pumps and a mandate that the nation's fuel supply contain 36 billion gallons of ethanol by 2022.
“She has always been a supporter of ethanol except for a time when there was evidence that New York would be hurt economically,” said Clinton spokesman Phil Singer. “Apparently, Senator Obama thinks misleading the voters about his fellow candidates' records is what the politics of hope is all about.”
Clinton also was the focus of criticism in New Hampshire. Edwards said she must answer questions about her plans for Iraq, including whether she would continue combat missions.
“If you believe what Senator Clinton believes, then you can support her,” Edwards said. “But if you believe that we need to bring this war to an end by getting all combat troops out and ending combat missions in Iraq, that is what I will do as president of the United States.”
Wild Thing's comment........
LOL this is the first time, really, anyone has talked back to the Clintons. Chris Dodd better watch his back and NEVER go near Ft. Marcy Park.
Now, she has cried “foul play” when faced with questions that no one helped her prepare for, there was no script for her to follow, no defensive player to run ahead for her. She used the “victim” card, of all stupid – and telling - things! Look what happened – the cracks have finally appeared to more than her advisories, and her true weakness has shown through. What next? Tears? Besides everything else vile about her, can anyone with a brain think this coommunist would make a good President or anything level of leadership in our government. Sheesh
At 61 years of age, after living a lifetime of lies, frauds, and needing others to keep her secrets, she is slipping – the mask she wears can’t hide all the ugly truths much longer.
Posted by Wild Thing at November 8, 2007 12:55 AM
Comments
Just like a zebra's colors never change, you can't teach an old cobra new tricks. - Mufasa
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at November 8, 2007 03:19 AM
I think she will still win the Democrat primary, but she will be wounded and shaky if she handles future debates like the last one. As has been noted, Senator Clinton does not do well in confrontations unless all the odds are in her corner. There is a lot of material available from her lifetime of socialist ways and criminal activities to make this presidential bid a very rocky road, if her opponents want to use it.
Posted by: TomR at November 8, 2007 04:15 AM
Why are democrats so surprised, they all know who the Clintons are. I can't believe they are even concerned about Bubba's remarks.
Maybe 'the Felon' is really trying to submarine his wife's bid for the democrat nomination.
When the real debates start, against a Republican she will not have any stooge out there to carry her water and she will have to fend for herself.
It looks like she will get the nod, but I am still not convinced of that. Agreed Obama is not the strongest candidate, but he is not a Clinton either. The whole party, democrat that is, knows the Clintons are pathological liars, Obama offers a fresh start for the dems.
So I am not totally convinced she has a lock on the nomination.
Also does anyone know how , Ron Paul raised 4.2 million dollars in a day ?
Posted by: Mark at November 8, 2007 10:40 AM
Nice try by Bill to resurrect the 'swiftboat' defense, it backfired for Slick Willie. The facts are that she can't control the forum in an open debate, she can't hide and she sure as hell can't stand on her own. Drain that swamp and all that's left is the pond scum that was floating. Back in '92 they had the full media, the internet was just an infant, well the alternative media is a double edged sword, cutting both ways, no longer do the people get only one side of the picture, the MSM side. I agree she'll probably win the nomination but she can't hide the fact that she is tainted goods.
Posted by: Jack at November 8, 2007 12:27 PM
Michelle Malkin has a great blog item about Bill Clinton accusing the other Dem candidates of swiftboating Hillary.
"Swiftboating" (v) Telling the truth about Democrats.
http://michellemalkin.com/2007/11/07/if-this-be-the-politics-of-pile-on-play-on/
Hillary Clinton like the rest of the Democrats can dish out criticism of their opponents and enemies but can't take criticism themselves and claim to be victims and cry like babies when it happens to them. Just the qualification that we need in a President and Commander-in-Chief.
Posted by: Les at November 8, 2007 07:51 PM
Darth yes and she will bite too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 8, 2007 11:13 PM
Tom, it would be great if they would use it too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 8, 2007 11:14 PM
Mark......"Also does anyone know how , Ron Paul raised 4.2 million dollars in a day?"......the only thing I can think of is money from Soros. Maybe not directly but through another source backed by him.
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 8, 2007 11:16 PM
Jack yes that was so stupid of Bill Clinton to try the "'swiftboat' defense".
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 8, 2007 11:22 PM
Les thanks, yes they sure can dish it out but look out if someone else does it back at and to them.
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 8, 2007 11:24 PM
