Dick Morris, political consultant to the Clintons in Bill's Presidency, has some very interesting ... and devastating ... observations on Hillary's foreign policy experience.
Well, I suppose her years Senate counts something? I am not sure how old you are. But when you get older, you will find that it is who you know not what you know that gets things done. Even if some rapports were weak, it will become strong when she is the President. People are fickle you know.
He's avoided doing this because he risks making him look like a conventional politician rather than the "change" candidate.
i don't think you asked- i think a reporter from slate asked on a conference call with Hillbilly...unless, that was you?
The bloom is off the rose here folks. Obama is in trouble. Period. Math or no math. The caucus process may very well turn out to be the biggest sham of all time. It's chaotic. It's subject to corruption and intimidation techniques. It's unruly. And it's how Obama is winning right now. Remove all cauci and his candidacy was dead in the water weeks ago. The media and Hillary have totally neutered the impact of Obama's speeches. Did you hear the tepid response to last night's sermon at the Alamo? Yawn. He was doing his usual screaming into the mic, tilting his head back, borrowing riffs and techniques from civil rights rallies, etc, and the audience just wasn't buying it. And that audience was comprised of his most ardent supporters. Trouble. His act is wearing thin. Without big media's fawning endorsements every 30 minutes, Obama is hurting. Bad. Did the democrats make a big mistake by hopping on his celebrity-inspired, empty word-inspired, media-driven bandwagon? Well folks, that remains to be seen. How'd the Rezko trial go today, btw? Anyone know? bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha BUYER'S REMORSE
It will. While he was at home... or riding around in limo's in the 90's... She was at least living in the White House, seeing the POTUS' experiences first hand. He definitely has ZERO foreign policy experience... shoot he doesn't even have experience outside of one state. Oooooobamination, meet Heeeeeeellarity! McCain '08 (Someday we'll all know who he's defeating in November.)
Hillary has been waiting for this moment with baited breath. She wants Obama to respond because in a sense that means she's in control. Her hope might be Rovian. Fight a protracted negative campaign in order to turn off the electorate and make them stay home. That would severely weaken Obama's base of support.
Really? We know she didn't attend any foreign policy meetings, or have any kind of special security clearance.
I totally agree with this. He'd better tread very, very carefully, or his whole "were above this garbage" message is going to get blown up. His supporters will happily stay home if goes to traditional politics in his message. He needs to effectively challenge for control of the message without being overtly negative about it - but it's very fine and difficult line to walk.
Obama just can't let Hillary define the argument. Be forceful, be strong and state your point of view without doubt. Americans love a good fight. Obama doesn't need to be nasty or dirty, but he does need to convince people he wants the job.
We saw a glimpse of her spin with the "Shame on you Senator Obama!" moment. She failed that time, but it really is a tight rope with statements and perceived statements.
An opening salvo... pretty well done, in my opinion, by using her own words against her and pointing out her divisiveness. http://thepage.time.com/obama-release-on-clintons-mississippi-comments/ OBAMA CAMPAIGN CALLS ON SEN. CLINTON TO EXPLAIN HER DEROGATORY STATEMENTS ABOUT MISSISSIPPI Jackson, MS – Today, the Obama campaign in Mississippi held a press conference calling on Senator Hillary Clinton to explain derogatory statements made about Mississippi. In October, Senator Hillary Clinton told the Des Moines Register newspaper that “I was shocked when I learned Iowa and Mississippi have never elected a woman governor, senator or member of Congress. There has got to be something at work here…when you look at the numbers, how can Iowa be ranked with Mississippi? That’s not what I see. That’s not the quality. That’s not the communitarianism. That’s not the openness I see in Iowa.” At a press conference at the Obama campaign’s Jackson Headquarters, Former Governor and Obama Campaign Mississippi Vice Chair Ray Mabus said, “Throughout this campaign, Senator Clinton has shown a disturbing pattern of writing off and criticizing states that she’s lost or that she doesn’t expect to do well in, including small states and southern states. Back in Iowa, Senator Clinton said: “How can Iowa be ranked with Mississippi? That’s not the quality. That’s not the communitarianism, that’s not the openness I see in Iowa.” “Now, we certainly need to elect more women to office in this state, and have more women in leadership roles like Reecy Dickson, who has taken the helm of the Legislative Black Caucus. We want to work to grow our party so we can get more excellent women into office. But Senator Clinton’s derogatory comments are exactly the wrong way to go about that. “ Mayor of Hattiesburg Johnny DuPree added, ““It’s that kind of dismissive attitude towards the south that has lead Democrats, Independents and Republicans in the south who are opposed to the Iraq war, or who agree that we should cut taxes for working families, to feel unwelcome in the Democratic Party. The last thing Mississippi Democrats need is to be told that once again, our state won’t matter in a general election. Mississippi is the next primary, and she owes voters here an explanation for her comments.” Clinton’s Comments CLINTON: How can Iowa be ranked with Mississippi? “‘I was shocked when I learned Iowa and Mississippi have never elected a woman governor, senator or member of Congress. There has got to be something at work here,’ she said. ‘How can Iowa be ranked with Mississippi?’ she asked, suggesting that Iowa is too good for that. ‘That’s not the quality. That’s not the communitarianism, that’s not the openness I see in Iowa.’” [ Chicago Tribune, 10/23/07] Clinton Supporter Calls Red State Democrats Second Class. “‘Superdelegates are not second-class delegates,’ says Joel Ferguson, who will be a superdelegate if Michigan is seated. ‘The real second-class delegates are the delegates that are picked in red-state caucuses that are never going to vote Democratic.’” [Politico, 2/18/2008] Mark Penn Minimized Obama Wins In Red States. “Sen. Obama, in contrast, won with large margins in Alabama and Georgia, two states that have been in the Republican column in the last two elections. He also won with large margins in a string of caucus states with comparatively fewer voters - Alaska, Idaho, Utah, and Kansas - and have also been in the Republican column. Of course, he won his home state.” [Mark Penn memo, 2/6/08] Harold Ickes said Idaho, Nebraska and Kansas will not vote for a Democratic president. “In response to a question from NBC’s Andrea Mitchell, Ickes acknowledged Obama has done well in some smaller contests like Idaho, Nebraska and Kansas, but said those Republican strongholds will never flip in November. ‘I agree he’s done well in those caucus states – we didn’t make as much of an effort as we probably should have,’ Ickes said. ‘But those states simply are not going to vote this year for a Democratic president, Andrea.’” [Politico, 2/16/08]
Since when did I talk about her foreign policy credentials? I was saying she travelled as a senator to foreign countries such that she met people in the foreign government. I think that's a plus when she needs to do any foreign policy related work.
Interesting. It's a solid line of attack because it puts the Hillary camp in a no-win. If they brush it off, Obama gets to keep hitting them with it while campaigning in the so-called "states that don't matter." If they backtrack and take it back, or nuance some kind of reversal- then they have to say that these states do matter... and continue losing in them. I agree that Obama is in a tight spot trying to fight back. He has tried to run an entire campaign saying he's above "politics as usual." Now we'll find out if that's true. Can he hit hard and still maintain the cool composure he has so far?
