Flashback: Russert Popped Lewinsky Affair Question On Hillary During 2000 Debate

Horse's Mouth:

Since the Dem debate a few days ago a lot of people have understandably been taking shots at Tim Russert for his often small-minded "gotcha" questions and his constant references to Bill Clinton. Some Hillary backers are seething about Russert; indeed, in a conference call with big donors, Hillary pollster Mark Penn and other supporters repeatedly griped about Russert's approach, with one supporter saying that he "should be shot."

It's worth noting, however, that there's a long history here.

Russert has been trying to catch out Hillary with "gotcha" questions about Bill and other things for years now -- in fact, his efforts to do this date all the way back to Hillary's first Senate campaign in 2000. And then, as now, the Hillary folks were mighty pissed off with him. The bad blood goes way back.

Read the whole story: Horse's Mouth

Comments

[Dandy12]

I hope Russert is as tough on Rudy, and the Rep. dunderheads. If anything, he pissed people off at him, not Hillary. The immigration issue by nature is a two edged sword and will cut those on either side. So, the best political answer would be to be taking all of it (the issue) as being "under consideration". Perhaps Russert hadn't eaten yet, and was frustrated, hungry, wanting to eat, belch and fart. His behavior was uncalled for!

[RuthieM]

All you fools here who are blaming Russert instead of putting the blame where it belongs -- on Hillary Clinton -- deserve to be sucking your thumb right along with her which is what she'll be doing should she land in the white house. She stands at a presidential debate for the purpose of answering questions to the American people and yet cries like a wimpy baby and wants to discredit and tear apart the moderator, and the debaters on stage with her, when she is the one who doesn't answer the damn questions. The situation here is that it is a shock to Hillary's system that she is actually being exposed for the first time, like the spoiled brat kid who is told no for the first time and then stomps and drops on the floor kicking and screaming until she gets her way -- again. It's amazing that all the Hillary backers want this kind of president. She's not presidential at all, just a woman with the name -- Clinton.

[johnnyjust]

Don't you know you can't ask a woman running for President tough questions?

She'll get all weepy.

[mrcontinental]

Tim Russert is just another two-bit bloated dickless fascist pig doing the bidding of his GOP masters.

He's disgusting in every way and totally transparent in his hatred of all things Clinton.

[jkh1122]

Tim Russet red-faced bloated bazztird. He's obsessed with Bill Clinton's zipper and is now trying to go after Hillary but will always give a pass to the immoral Republicans.

[WilliamWallace]

These "debates" are bullsh*t for the most part. They're commercials.

[nickyboy1]

I remember the 2000 debate and I will never forget it. Tim Russert was WAY out of line and worse, unkind and disrespectful to say the least. I have never since - as I used to - gone out of my way to see his program. As a matter of fact, I go out of my way not to see it. So, so disappointing. . . My father, a conservative (not a neocon) felt the same way (though he was not a Hillary fan at the time). He, like John Dean, GOT IT. He & I both will be voting for Hillary this presidential election should she win the nomination.

[Colmore]

Funny how they always go after the women, in cases of sex. Did anyone ask Rudy about his divorces? Question Gingrich about having his first wife sign divorce papers after cancer surgery? Confront Bush about Arthur Ashe??? No, it is easier to go after the woman.

[VivaZapata]

Really light weight stuff to make such a fuss about. The problem is that Russert will throw even less meaningful questions with even poorer follow-ups to the Republicans. What do you want: he works for GE. Hillary and the rest knew what they were signing up for; it's ludicrous to cry foul after-the-fact. Where was Gravel? He would have said it like it was without any griping about it.

[wanked]

Whats up with this picture of shrillery? She looks alot more like Ted Kennedy now in recent pix. Was this photoshopped?

[Scandlus]

Is it just me, or was anyone taken aback by the beginning of this headline reading "Russert popped Lewinsky"???

Interesting choice of words for the headline writers....'-)

[Scandlus]

Is it just me, or was anyone else taken aback by reading JUST the part of the headline "Russert popped Lewinsky"??????

Interesting choice of words for the headline writers.....

[KRANKY]

This is false agitprop!
Russert was not attacking Clinton, he was setting her up to be a progressive martyr, something that she clearly is not.

Russert is the water carrier for the Fascists.
There is an ulterior motive to whatever he does.

[slobone]

Oh come on. Monica is the best thing that ever happened to Hillary. If it's so painful for her to talk about, why did she rush to get out a book telling "her side of the story"? (With a million dollar advance.)

And anyway, the book was as phony as everything else she says. Are we seriously supposed to believe she thought Bill was telling the truth right up until he confessed to her?

[poopdeck]

The great fear of the media is that the so-called "race" of the Democratic wannabes is over because the media would have nothing to report on the Democrats until Convention time. Russert was out to get big headlines and he got them from the gutter estate.