Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Clinton Jumps the Curb

Somebody call Homeland Security. The Body Snatchers have invaded Hillary Clinton's crack political staff. The real folks would've never let her to do what she did today. Apparently, in Clinton-land, John Edwards' questions about her vote on the Iran resolution are "outlandish political charges" but Obama's kindergarten ambition to become President is fair game. Is there someone who didn't want to be President in kindergarten? Is that really the most substantive thing she has to say about Obama?

Here's what she had to say about Edwards' comments on her Iran vote:


I understand politics, and I understand making outlandish political charges, but this really goes way too far," she said. "In fact, having designated the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization, we've actually seen some changes in their behavior.

This statement, on the day after the NIE report was released telling us that Iran is not, in fact developing nuclear weapons, and has not been for years, is eerily similar to what President Bush had to say in his news conference. But, if her opponents, bring up her controversial vote, that's "outlandish."

It seems like Sen. Clinton has two sets of rules: rules for her, and then the rules for everybody else. These tactics are not going to help her in Iowa where democratic voters care very much about whether we end up at war with Iran, and care very little about what the candidates said in kindergarten. Here's an example of the backlash:

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5 comments:

Don Thieme said...

Some party faithful need to have a talk with the Clintons and make sure that they do not tear the Democratic Party to shreds when they start to lose this nomination. Hillary was clearly in the wrong on the Iran issue, but she is going to take her time admitting it.

Amy Morton said...

I found that vote most disturbing, too. I sense that the Clintons do not believe that they can lose, but, in reality, this is still, literally, anyone's race.

Sid Cottingham said...

I would not assume she is going to admit anything with respect to Iran. I can understand why she did not admit she made a mistake on Iraq because she could say she relied on what the Administration reported, and in not admitting to have made a mistake, she got to have it both ways (at least until Mr. Clinton recently said he was opposed to invading Iraq all the time -- this was the campaign's first big, big mistake; the second came when she has decided to go negative in the way that she has).

On Iran, we have the usual situation where the presidential front-runners Giuliani and Clinton have cited the Iranian nuclear threat as perhaps America's No. 1 security issue, and with her vote, she endorsed the administration's coercive actions against Iran. And now this revelation. It is going to be interesting. But admit she made a mistake, I wouldn't count on it.

Amy Morton said...

I agree with you Sid. If her team are the pros I think they are, then they will change course quickly. Though, I suspect that their internal polling is driving them toward this strategy. John Edwards may be the beneficiary if she and Obama end up in a bloody battle.

Sid Cottingham said...

On a p.s., I meant to say it was "unusual" (rather than usual) to have both frontrunners on the same page. Page two.

Yeah Amy, she just about had Iran behind her until this came up. Plus Bill's comments about always having been opposed to invading Iraq have not hit mainstreet yet (Gore was vocal; we never heard a word from the former President). This, assuming it gets legs, and the new Iran report are going to hurt, and I don't think she will be able to get away from it just by changing tunes. She was the only Dem candidate to support Bush on this, and now to be wrong, and maybe have it turn out that Bush even knew he was putting out misinformation. The fat lady has not sung on this round yet.