Las Vegas Debate

AP:

Under pressure in a caustic campaign debate, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Thursday night the American people "know where I stand" and accused her rivals of distorting her record and slinging mud "right out of the Republican playbook."

"There's nothing personal about this," countered former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, who joined Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in bluntly accusing Clinton of forever switching positions on Social Security, driver's licenses for illegal immigrants and other issues.

Read the whole story: AP

Comments

[williamg]

John Edwards needs to get medication for that blinking problem of his. America isn't quite ready for a president with a facial tick.

[Ono4Hoopono]

That line, "The American People know where I stand," is a Bush line. He says that kind of stuff all the time to great applause at HIS staged events. And it was another Hillary-Bush separated at birth moment.

I can't help but wonder if even last night was a HIllary staged event with the synchronous "boos" coming from the faithful. It was so on cue, and directed strategically at both Obama and Edwards each time they pointed out her weaknesses. She's trying to shut them down.

And the "mud-slinging" line, an ad hominem attack combined with labeling and the practice of accusing your opponent of what you are guilty of so that when they accuse you of it it seems petty. All republican tactics, all while voiding the issue at hand.

She was spraying them with "silly string," a phrase I'm coining which is also a republican tactic, which is to go on the attack with something random and off point to knock your opponent off balance.

The "America knows where I stand" line confirmed the very weakness she is trying to deny, and that Obama and Edwards have every right to point out. Namely, that she uses pablum-speak.

My child blurted out, "She's using platitudes­." I was taken aback and asked, "Where did you learn that word?"...t­he reply: "Oh, we learned that word in school this week. It means talking in cliches."

Out of the mouths of babes.

Duckbill platitudes. Silly string. More tactics than substance.­...The Clinton fog.

[underdog]

The front-runner:

http://www.counterpunch.org/cockburn11142007.html

http://www.counterpunch.org/cockburn11152007.html

http://www.counterpunch.org/cockburn11162007.html

sure, it's a hit piece, but hey, it helps explain what's behind the cackle.

[mudfiles]

In many ways, Hillary is destroying her husband's legacy. Bill, overall, did a great job in the White House, but all of that is slowly being erased by having to watch his mechanical smug wife every day and watch him squirm to defend her.

They should just pull out of the race and save Bill's reputation.

[robodweeb]

How could someone claim to support the war but not support paying for it?

[geobushono]

The missing caption: None of you are Bill Clinton.

[williamg]

I wish Wolf would have asked Hillary whether she wears boxers or briefs.

[Roafer]

Shillary is as close to the Republican playbook as any of the Dems running for the nomination, screw Shillary.

Shillary is neocon-lite and nothing even close to progressive, we don't need another Clinton, we need a progressive like Kucinich!

[Ginzaman]

They're ganging up on you because you're the perfect example of what's wrong with American politics:

You're bought and paid for by special interests. You know that the public is EXTREMELY PISSED OFF about this. But you don't care. You're arrogant enough to flaunt this in people's faces and say, screw you. That's the only way to win and I intend to get all the money I can.

You think you can ride on your husband's success and that will magically get you into the White House. I don't think so. People dare to stand up to you and it's like who the hell do you think you are? Do you know who I am? And meanwhile the MSM keeps pimping her as the nominee even before the primaries have started.

I guess she really is that arrogant and stupid.

[mellene]

For those who think that Hillary's performance last night put her in the position of "she's back", I'm sorry to say that I heard more of the same. When Barack contested Hillary's claim that lifting the social security cap on those that make more than $97.5K was hurting the middle-class, she's confused about how much they make. When she says that she wants both diamonds and pearls, well that's what the rich always want. Did you see that string of South Sea golden pearls she's worn to several TV appearances? Those were probably worth around $100K--get real Hillary.

[Maia]

KEEP THIS IN MIND:

In November of 2004, the pools looked like this:

Howard Dean 17
Joe Lieberman 15
Wesley Clark 14
Dick Gephardt 12
John Kerry 10
John Edwards 7
Carol Moseley Braun 4
Al Sharpton 3
Dennis Kucinich 3
Other/None/No opinion 15

A much more even blend of figures, but look at what happened.

[Beelzebul]

MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- "Members of a doomsday cult are refusing to leave their hideout in a cave in southern Russia"


They'll have to come out for their debate in two weeks.

[Ammobob]

I actually thought she said "Because I GIVE head", not "I'm ahead". OOOOOOO! My EYES! My EYES!

[Wiredwilly]

Ahead of what ? Some Corporate sponsored Polls ?
Lets see what happens in the Primary.
My personal choice at the moment is John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich, or bail on the Dems and Voter Ron Paul.

[CindyKay]

Biden & Webb would be Perfect!