First Online-Only Candidate Mashup

The Associated Press reports on the online mashup sponsored by Yahoo!, Slate Magazine and the Huffington Post....

Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday dismissed criticism from her chief rivals over her acceptance of campaign contributions from lobbyists, calling their concerns "a little inauthentic" since they accept money from lobbyists' employers and relatives.

In an interview for an online candidates' forum sponsored by Yahoo!, Slate Magazine and the Huffington Post, Clinton also announced she would release her plan to offer universal health coverage next Monday.

"I hope the headline will read, 'Hillary is back and we're going to get it done this time,'" she said.

All eight Democratic contenders participated in the so-called online "mashup," including Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards, Bill Richardson, Chris Dodd, Joe Biden, and Mike Gravel.

They took questions from moderator Charlie Rose on education, health care and the Iraq War, many of which were submitted from readers online. Comedian Bill Maher also made a surprise appearance, offering "wild card" questions on issues such as whether marijuana should be legalized.

Read more about the Yahoo!, Slate Magazine and Huffington Post online "mashup."


Watch three of the videos below...

Bill Maher To Senator Clinton: "Why Should Americans Vote For Someone Who Can Be Fooled By George Bush?"

Rose Asks Edwards About Health Care

Bill Maher To Senator Dodd: "Give Me A Good Reason Why...Marijuana Should Be Illegal?"





Rose Asks Obama If He Accepts Petraeus's Judgment

Comments

[NeoConDeath]

Meanwhile...

www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2167858,00.html

[partyofone]

Bill Maher's question for Hillary Clinton was right on the mark: Why should Americans vote for someone who was fooled by George Bush [and voted for war in Iraq]? Hillay gave a politician's answer saying, in effect, I didn't vote for the war, just gave Bush the authority to go back to the UN and send in inspectors.

Then, Senator Clinton, are you saying Bush went to war without Congressional approval? What about the Constituion? Why do you keep funding an illegal war? Why has he not been impeached?

Hillary also said, her vote for the war was informed by consultation with many experts in and outs of government and by former memembers of Bill Clinton's administration. So, based on the best advice her network could give her, HIllary voted to allow Bush to invade Iraq without sufficient planning for the aftermath?

Senator Clinton, why should America vote for someone whose judgement is so bad that they would vote to allow the nation to become involved in Iraq War, the worst foreign policy diesater in American hisotry? Who advised you to vote for the war? Are these people who will be advising you in the future?

Hillary does not have the judgement necessary to be President of the United States! Period

Thanks Bill Maher for helping to make that clear.

[Nyland8]

That has been clear for a very long time ... since about day two.

On the other hand, Hillary's "judgement" couldn't possibly be any worse than George Bush's.

8

.

[lentinelia]

Clinton's judgement was way off.

Now - Mr. Obama, who escapes any criticism and hides under the protective blanket of what he said in 2002,
has continuously voted to fund the "dumb" war.
And - remarkably - he supported and campaigned for
Lieberman's re-election in 2006 - a year he just said he "opposed the war".

People who are behind Obama are much more interested in him than they are in what he will do about ending the war.

They are not issue oriented. They are personality oriented. The last election was personality oriented as well. People preferred to have a beer with Bush. Now, a bunch of people want to hang out with Barack and Michelle.

The corporate media has won, I'm afraid.

[pmfelipe]

Bill should have asked that same question to Edwards who also voted for this war and Obama who voted to fund this war. Kucinich isthe only one who has been right all the way.

[johnnyjust]

Why should marijuana remain illegal?

Do we really need liberals to be even dumber?

[maxcat06]

Sure...we'll just allow Rush to have his oxycontin.
Long live big Pharma, huh?

[johnnyjust]

Thanks for proving my point.

Is that why they call this PuffPost?

[UNCLEJOE]

Kucinich is the MSM worst nightmare, and the savior of America with 'STRENGTH THROUGH PEACE'.
Thats one angel that will fly us into the oval office in January 2009. Hallelujah !

[lentinelia]

I agree with you Unclejoe.

It is really odd that if Kucinich continues to be denied a platform, it will be the liberal left that has done it.

Liberals and conservatives - one big knot.

We will be in Orwell's vision of continuous never-ending war with the people under the thumb of a big brother that does nothing but collect graft.

[Defyant]

Hillary was apparently fooled by Bush as well as all the people she claims to have consulted. I was not privy to the esteemed advisors she had at her disposal, and I was not fooled. I never authorized this illegal occupation.

Of course, any thinking American who is not running for president knows this occupation was predicated on lies and is fulfilling the agenda of the oil companies whom Cheney and Bush have a vested interest in.

Senator Dodd gave a very telling response. He states there is no divisiveness in government, that they all really have the same agenda. I can agree with that statement. It is the elite subjugating the non elite.

Obama, is too much of a statesman. He is no Kucinich or Ron Paul.

Do not trust Hillary. Edwards is a lawyer, duh. Dodd is still a company man. Obama is naive.

[godlessclif]

Edwards is a lawyer that sues corporations, not one who works for them. I see him as a younger Nader.

[dadw5boys]

Who should ewe trust you, thompson or mc cain?
Tell the RNC YOU NEED ANOTHER SCREEN NAME.

[MAX1]

.

A L L

E I G H T

I N C L U D I N G

T H E S E

S E V E N ,

Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards, Bill Richardson, Chris Dodd, Joe Biden, and Mike Gravel...

Is Kucinich not good enough to mention? There WAS room.

Strange... NO?

.

[Dejack]

Not strange. Clinton, Obama, Richardson and Kucinich all have the same problem: they are not White American Anglo Males. Nobody who doesn't fit the "Big Daddy" mold will get a fair shot at the presidency and will have an uphill battle to overcome this country's deep seated racism and sexism.
Kucinich can speak truth until he's blue in the face -- but he doesn't fit the mold.

[Dejack]

Take a look at Congress, just a pure "visual" whenever you get a chance to see them lined up at hearings or press conferences or the like - and what do you see? row after row after row of gray haired old White American Anglo Males....hundreds of them, in control, robbing and raping this country, sending young people to die in Iraq, dooming millions of Iraqis to death and destruction, destroying the military, dismantling the Constitution (didn't Bush famously say: "Fuck the Constitution?") -- basically, fucking up the world. But, of course, they are the ONLY demographic "fit" to be president. It's astounding, really.

[Crozier]

Sad but true, for in most countries, Dennis Kucinich would be "anointed" as the leader of the progressive left in any parliamentary system.

The Corporatists have trumped Nationalism - and the Old Guard spokespersons are either marginalised and ridiculed, or ....if they gain momentum, are disposed of in any way that will ensure the New World Order.

[jvarga]

Because Clinton and Obama especially, and Richardson in this case, don't get their names ever mentioned right? Right?

[emncaity]

Are you out of your freakin' mind? While accepting your general point about race and gender in this country, you're exactly opposite the truth regarding Democrats in this race. Strictly on experience and qualifications, without regard to race or gender, probably Biden and Dodd would be the frontrunners (as I think they should be), with the sometimes puzzled and puzzling Bill Richardson close behind, if you like guys with chief exec experience. Obama wouldn't even be on the map if he were white. Do you seriously think otherwise? Hillary might be in the mix if she were a white male, just because she does have some national experience and has been in the White House for four years, but I doubt she'd be the frontrunner solely on the strength of her positions and her personality.

I do like Obama a lot, and his intelligence bodes well for any high office he holds (it'd be nice to have a president who can read and understand things), although it does bother me that he seems to feel the need to prove how tough he is when his advisers tell him people are thinking Hillary's cojones are bigger than his. I think he'd do well in the presidency, and if he's the Democratic candidate, I'll vote for him. But there is no way, none whatsoever, that a white guy with his credentials would be running as one of the top two candidates. The guys bringing up the _rear_ in this race are all white guys with tons of experience in national politics. Hate for that to get in the way of grinding your ax, but it's true.

Kucinich, I agree, gets a terribly raw deal, but it's because 1) he's not tall, commanding, and attractive, or at least a little less short and nerdy than he is; and 2) his positions are honest, which most people read as extreme; he'd actually make a difference in this country, and frankly, people don't want a difference. I'd vote for him in a heartbeat, personally.

But I'm wondering: Since when is Kucinich not a white male?

[UNCLEJOE]

Clinton has slowly revised her warmongering stance with the pols, she doesn't know any other way to get elected; she's the kind of woman who fakes climax; Edwards is a fake, nothing he said was committal as to his future presidential policies; withdrawing 40,000 troops is weakening the brother-in-arms safety of the 90,000 American Troops left behind. The safest way for troops to withdraw is all-together, protecting their backs as they board the US Navy fleets off shore with navy guns and planes covering their retreat, and get a well deserved ocean voyage boat ride home.

Any candidate who advocates and ties 'Time Table' to Funding the civil war is a traiter; "Time Tables' is a euphemism for Bush's, 'Stay the Course To Perdition'.

And I think Edwards blinks more then he stutters.

Kucinich's name should be on the end of ever patriot's blog; Kucinich !

[Defyant]

Headline - "Hillary fakes orgasm."
That's funny. If the truth be told she hasn't had sex with Bill in oh, decades.

This is where Bill really gets his rocks off.

It's a Friday night and she is home alone.
Waiting for you,
To call her on the phone.
You think she's 22 with her 38D's.
She's really forty something,
She's a middle aged tease.

Old that is, a divorcee.

She doesn't really like it much,
But she needs the money.
For sixty bucks an hour,
You can eat her honey.

If it wasn't for the phone,
She'd have no sex at all.
Now she's blowing men,
From here to Wichita.

Kansas that is, nationwide.

She started getting really good at BJ's on the phone.
All the guys are saying,"girl you give me a bone. An intern at the White House is what you ought to be."

So she loaded up her Subaru,
And headed for D.C.

One night she broke the rules,
She met a man in person.
It turned out to be our ex-president,
William Jefferson Clinton.
She's got herself a book deal.
She's making money now,
All because she got the goods,
On the ex-pres who dropped his trou.....

[oneseye]

Why on earth are you obsessed with the sex lives of other people?

[Nitehawk]

Let's see you do one about Jeff Gannon and the republicans who allowed him access to their most secret secrets.

[CalculatedRiskTaker]

Hey, Maher you Idiot


I can remember 7 years ago you saying it didn't matter who won the 2000 election, Al or George. I guess he fooled you once too.

George had you pulled off the air! We all know the right wing machine had you in there crosshairs. That right. You didn't see that come either.

Maher, I like you but.


Peace

[Darwinita]

whoo hoo! censorship!




*dumbass*

[chefmike]

Seems like a good time to ask why the Huffpost had that ridiculous Anti-marijuana ad on their Site recently. If we legalized pot and taxed it we could probably clean up the huge deficit this Idiot Pres. is going to leave us.

[ConnieInCleveland]

Aside from the taxes, it could be a new industry. Other countries have moved ahead on hemp and it's industrial uses. Corporate America keep the discussion from being heard. Marijuana (hemp) is demonized everytime the issue is brought up.

[BlueGeneralist]

Typical behavior of conservative neocons is to blame the blamers while shouting from the rooftops their own self righteousness. Of course it is okay to pick sides, and cast aspersions at the media folly that has perpetuated the morass that has been inflicted into the national psyche. Thank God for blogs as an alternative to the propagandistic indoctrination that is difficult to tame. The best practice is to see how easy it is to fall into the trap of blaming the victims, while discarding the evidence that our own house needs cleaning.

[keemia]

With the morons in charge, you'd think we could come up with better candidates. Ugh, Hillary is JUST unlikeable! What the hell is wrong with that woman?!

[dadw5boys]

DO YOU GUYS GET PAID BY THE RNC WEEKLY OR MONTHLY TO POST STUFF AGAINST HILLARY?

[toochie]

I'd take the money and still vote for the Dems. I just won't vote for Madame Cankles. I would sit home or vote third party. Let the Repugs own the mess they created if a solid Democratic candidate isn't nominated. Shrillary is surge friendly.She won't withdraw troops because she needs to prove that her testicules are bigger than Chimpy's.

[Darwinita]

George was considered "likable," and look at what bullshit that was.

I don't care if she eats children on Easter; I'm not hiring a President whose main "qualification" is that she's "likable."

[simontherm]

Well look here as everyone blames these politicians for their problems. Look as everyone gets so emotional and picks sides.
You bitter losers are the REAL problem with this country, which is gullible people who have bought into the white/black, right/left, heaven/hell bill of goods that has been sold. Taking sides, how cute!
I wonder how many people here who post with such fervent outrage have ever bothered to write their congressman? How about organizing a petition? Writing your senators?
I thought so.
While you're all spewing venom on this site and elsewhere, sticking up for whatever your "party" does no matter what, your country is being run by people who DO get involved, and most of them run large corporations. And they are not scared, because they know you little people will just snipe each other on a meaningless stream of posts.
Get involved or shut up you whiners, your anger does not impress me. But more importantly, it doesn't impress ANYBODY in Washington!

[tbsa]

You most definitely do not speak for me, you have no idea who I am or what I've done to take back my country. Talking about snipe, and venom while using just that method to communicate is not helpful at best to get your point across. Making blanket statements about people you don't know is a republic maneuver. Oh, those of us in the grassroots don't give a rats ass what impresses those in Washington.

[ConnieInCleveland]

Amen, but if America waits too long to protest, protest will be a thing of the past. It will be like the Geneva Convention a memory of times gone by. When America could protest, when we didn't torture.

[Darwinita]

pot, meet kettle, aka "keyboard warrior."

[dryfactoidobotanoid]

Hillary got owned. classic.

[Talcott]

Hillary cackles like a witch....

...Dodd seems better and better all the time.

Gore/Obama 08

[TruthAndConsequences]

Hmm ... how did a forum ostensibly to give regular people a chance to get their questions asked turn into another opportunity for Charlie Rose and Bill Maher to ask questions, as if they wouldn't get to some other way? Mashup? More like letdown.