Hillary Clinton Ad Features Osama Bin Laden: Campaign AdWatch

Today's polling indicated a slight upward trend for Senator Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania, with most numbers tacking above the margin for error. Still, there might be something to the rumors that tomorrow's primary is expected to be a tight contest, and the clearest sign that the Clinton campaign is taking that seriously is that they've released a new thirty-second ad called "Kitchen," which "detail[s] how tough the job of President is...asking voters who they think is ready to step in and handle it." And, hey! Look who makes a cameo appearance! None other than stock footage of Osama bin Laden, presumably on loan from the defunct Giuliani campaign.

And now, for the rebuttal, please welcome President William Jefferson Clinton:

UPDATE: And in a rebuttal to the rebuttal, we have campaign newbie, Geoff Garin, who says: "It states the reason why Hillary Clinton is the right choice to be president now...the premise of this ad and this campaign is that we're at a moment where we need a president who's got the strength and the knowledge to take on very tough challenges...To say that she is the best choice on those things, there's nothing negative about that."

Indeed, the most "positive" thing about the ad may be its efficacy. As Talking Points Memo notes, "Dropping a last-minute bomb in order to sow doubts about Obama among the late-breaking undecideds -- and doing it in the guise of an ad only mentioning Hillary -- worked in Ohio and Texas. Camp Hillary is hoping that the tactic will deliver a second time."

MORE UPDATES: And, so, this little spat escalaltes to "Defcon: OMFG!" From Obama spokesman Bill Burton:

When Senator Clinton voted with President Bush to authorize the war in Iraq, she made a tragically bad decision that diverted our military from the terrorists who attacked us, and allowed Osama bin Laden to escape and regenerate his terrorist network. It's ironic that she would borrow the President's tactics in her own campaign and invoke bin Laden to score political points. We already have a President who plays the politics of fear, and we don't need another.

So, uhm...Hillary Clinton is to blame for Osama bin Laden being at large? Really? That's what you're gonna go with, Burton? Can't wait for this primary contest to end in that bring-the-party-together "Dream" ticket!

UPDATES GALORE: The Obama campaign has produced an ad in response to today's Clinton ad. Man, when this primary is over, just think about how "bitter" all the out-of-work political ad people are going to be!

Comments

[BobBrown]

Hillary's advertisement of attacks to the US: Pearl Harbor, 9/11, etc. are not that hypothetical for her; she was the senator of NY when bin Landen attacked NY and what did she do? She hid for a whole week, while Rudy Guiliani went to ground zero to lift people's spirits. What else did she do? She backed Bush on the invasion of Iraq! The biggest distraction in the war against those who attcaked us on 9/11. So Hillary we know you are a known quantity: you are coward and you are dumb!

[IntelligentDesign]

Annie get yer nukes; thars trouble afoot.

[LesHamilton]

For Hillary - a curse and a blessing

May her polls fall back,
May her beer go flat,
May her pantsuit split,
May her Bill up and quit,
But when the snipers let fly,
May she still remain spry,
And, when her story is told,
She'll be deemed rather bold.

[NoMoreHawks]

Why is Hillary threatening a country with out any proof of a nuclear WEAPONS program (IAEA reports, NIE report on Iran, Seymour Hersh articles)?

Brave words from the Boznian bullet dodger! What a totally inflammatory thing to say in public.

Clinton is going nuts for the Zionist/neocon votes and putting America's national security in jeopardy.

[IntelligentDesign]

Well at least it’s a little more clear why Hillary refused to apologize for her 2002 Iraq war resolution, she was damned proud of that vote - if Reid is worth his salt he will move to censure Hillary for conduct unbecoming of a US Senator.

[NoMoreHawks]

"I want the Iranians to know that if I'm the president, we will attack Iran," Clinton said.

Hillary is a Neo-Con. Plain and simple. She represents nothing but War and Coporate interests.

[Turnip]

If, IF Iran ever attacked Israel and disabled her military, all 3 candidates would retaliate.

[NoMoreHawks]

Threatening a nation of over sixty million people with obliteration, presumably by nuclear weapons, which would constitute the greatest crime in history, and doing so in an official capacity, as Clinton has done, is absolutely scandalous. Such threats are forbidden under the UN Charter. She is threatening genocide on an unprecedented scale based on a non-existent threat. This shows that she has now morals and is clearly unfit to hold office. All that Iran has ever threatened Israel with is regime change. Furthermore, unlike Israel, Iran does not have nuclear weapons, has declared them immoral and unislamic and vowed never to build them. IAAE inspectors have found no evidence of any such intent. Another important point that needs to be made is that Israel has no mutual defense treaty with the USA and therefore coming to the aid of Israel in the event of an armed conflict is subject to Congressional approval and is not automatic, as would be the case if an attack occurred against a NATO ally, e.g., Estonia.

[robodweeb]

If Iran attacked Israel and disabled her military I'd be very, very surprised.

Israel has shown that they can defend themselves.

Sounds like one of those irrational scare tactics like "Saddam has WMD".

[thirteen13]

Thank you but Israel has it's own nuclear weapons. They can take care of themselves.

[dattexas]

bullshit. that's not what she said. lie much?

[CTmom13]

BOMB BOMB BOMB, BOMB IRAN - when people post this we will never know if they mean senMcCain (R-AZ) or Sen Clinton (R-NY) .....Serio­usly her stand on Iran is WORSE and farther left then McCain. SHE IS NOT A DEMOCRAT

[natasyenehc]

Unbelievable !

Hilary gave Bush the excuse to wage a false war in Iraq by supporting him with her vote. That distracted the USA from geting the real bad guy Bin Laden holed up in Afghanistan / Pakistan.

Bin Laden got even more entrenched during Bill Clinton's reign - and one major reason was because Bill Clinton got so compromised due to his liaison with Monica - that it made him incapable of launching a full out war against the Taliban / Al Qaeda; as it would appear as ploy to dstract from the sex scandal.

That "personal" scandal ended up costing big time. 9/11, thousands dead, and a dumb war in Iraq - and we are not any safer - on the contrary the world is a much scarier place.

Bush takes the blame - sure.
But so do Bill and Hilary!

[partyofone]

If Hillary succeeds in overturning democracy to secure the Democratic nomination, Americans will we will have a Republican in the White House, whether its Hillary or McCain. Hillary assumes that she would get all Democratic votes, so she is now campaigning as a Republican. Now good buddies with Rupert Murdoch, Richard Mellon Scaife; the oil, banking, defense and health/drug industrities; and a discipile of Bush's warmongering and Rove's campaign style, she would govern as a Republican.

I cannot believe loyal Democrats and honest people who love their nation could possibly support her.

[sniperfire]

if it is hillary vs mccain she doesnt stand a chance, johnny boy will clean her clock

[DFnashuaNH]

Clinton has a CHANCE to beat McCain. Obama has NO chance. He's too nice. GWB beat Kerry despite his lack of popularity, even though the arguments, debates and rhetoric of the day was and should have been in Kerry's favor. The map favors Republicans on election day until you fac†or in a democrat who take on a Republicans in areas that are viewed 'conservative' such as foreign affairs and defense. Democrats cannot win if their only card is they're 'inspirational" Nice guy Obama can't beat McCain in that arena. Hillary has a CHANCE because she will fight the game that politics really is, not the game Obama thinks poltics ishould be in an ideal world. The founders of this country never meant for a system where everyone agrees and legislation - even well intended legislation - should sail through as we all sing cumbayha. Clinton v McCain is a normal contest where she has a better than average chance of beating him. Her difficulties with Obama have litte to do with a lack of ability and leadership on policy and politics and more to do with personality - Those things will matter, but real problem solving will matter far more in the general election.

[MissinAmerica]

Well said.

[blackrome]

If Obama had lied multiple times about being under sniper fire would he still be in the race.

If he admitted he lied multiple times knowingly in a debate would that have been the big story.

I guess Hillary has shown she takes on the values of those close to her.

Like Liar in chief Bill Clinton.

If Obama really wanted to play dirty all he had to do was run a commercial showing her lying and telling the story multiple times and then ask.

Is this the type of person you want for your next President.

[sniperfire]

you are correct, and i wish he had run a bosnia ad, then the fat lady would be singing

[GhostOfSchlesinger]

Fear mongering, lying, smearing . . .

Disgusting.

And yesterday's poll that noted that the very voters that DON'T believe Hillary's smears and distortions are STILL TRANSMITTING them to friends because "that's what it takes to win" is a sign of a deep cynicism.

[dawlishgal]

The really cynical thing is to do what a former friend of mine is doing...sh­e claims that Hillary is behaving this badly because she has to in order to win because of (you guessed it) *MEN.*. And (get this) my "friend" also insists that after she is inaugurated, Hillary will revert to some kind of decent honorable core that has always been lurking somewhere deep inside of her (but, apparently, is invisible to the naked eye, especially since she took the right turn to Roveville).

Yeah, right. Almost immediately after Bill was inaugurated, before the confetti was even out of their hair, they broke their promise to labor to oppose NAFTA, and rammed it through congress to please their corporate pals. No matter how much she denies it now, her schedules show how she flacked it. .

I used to think of my friend as basically a decent person, but her condoning of Hillary's awful behavior is way beyond what I will accept and still remain friends with the enabler.

[blackrome]

neocon43

Who cares about a national poll.That has no relevance at all.State polls are all that matters ans Hillary is going to put a whipping on the empty suit tonight!

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A Hillary supporter using there real name. What is this world coming to.

[Smartey]

Careful with the racial slurs, pal.

[victoriajubilee]

My fellow Obama supporters ,whether Hillary, the -un-dead ,wins today's Pennslyvania primary or not I want volunteers to swoop down in North Carolina to register and educate thousands of new voters. North Carolina also has same-day registration so whomever wants to volunteer on primary day that would be awesome. Lets not just concentrate on the major cities in North Carolina,we should go to those near coast towns such as Washington , Smithfield and others the rural parts. Remember ,North Carolina is an extremly friendly place .very polite, mannerly people,no doors will be slammed in your face,I guarantee you,I know the place. I want Senator Obama to win by more than 30% . I also want Obama to win Indiana big ,so we need volunteers there too. Lets do it now,starting this weekend and nextweek. This thing can be ended if we win these two states. regards.

[NoMoreHawks]

Geez Hillary, bomb them all to hell!

She was clearly threatening Iran with an overwhelming nuclear response on Countdown. That's a very risky thing to be doing.

If you don't believe me, go look up the term "massive retaliation". It is a cold war military doctrine that disproportionate force should be used in response to a conventional attack, including the nuclear possibility.

This is no laughing matter. It is rather shocking that she is threatening nuclear annihilation against Iran so overtly in this primary.

100 years of war with McCain or nuclear war with Clinton? Hmm choices...

[sniperfire]

she said she would nuke iran if the used nucular weapons on isreal

[sniperfire]

they

[gadfly55]

From Ireland I saw on the BBC, a clip of the interview in which she said she would annihilate Iran if they attacked Israel. ABC also completely dismissed Jimmy Carter's statement that Hamas would accept a Palestine at the 1967 border and declare a 10 year ceasefire. The ARMAGEDDON Christians may get their wish if Hillary is President, although Israel would annihilate Iran ten times ten, before the Iranians could put together a device of any description. The US is completely incapable of operating in the middle east at any level other than payoff.

[KELLI2L]

Many wonderful (peaceful) ancient civilizations were decimated by waring factions - why? Because they weren't ready or able and willing to defend their country. Hillary's comment was a good thing, IMO>

[TakeSake]

Somehow I would expect both from McCain.

[dawlishgal]

Even after reading Bernstein's HC bio , I am shocked at this ad.. Let's hope Cleland comes forth and denounces it.. There may not be time in PA, but there is Indiana and super-delegates who jolly well better see the sleaze behind this latest cynical and destructive move.

There are filing cabinets of material locked away ( to keep "attorney-client privilege" secrecy) for both her Whitewater dirty dealings and Bill's philandering, and plenty of evidence that she used her role as governor's wife to pretend to be doing work for (and billing ) clients at the Rose law firm. But, "her" work was probably done was by associates and clerks. She operates almost totally out of greed and narcissism. Her healthcare plan failed because she hired her cronies, then refused to take their advice AND she refused to seize the moment when Dole and a few other Republicans had lined up enough votes for a reasonable compromise to pass congress.

She is largely to blame for the investigatory mentality that allowed Gingrich and his thugs to take congress. And after the congressional loss, she ceded her power over Bill to DICK MORRIS!

But, most of all, way past the time when everybody else knew Bill was lying about Monica, she continued to believe him. What other lies is she going to be that gullible about? And she has the gall to show us PEARL bleeping HARBOR and Osama bleeping Bin Laden.

[dykalg]

Hillary has taken Pennsylvania to the mountaintop in her Sunday tv-ad and shown them a vision of what they can expect in a neo-clinton presidency: pearl harbor, osama bin laden, and cold war renewal. yes, she is a fighter. and since this is her identity, her persona, she will invent and provoke ad infinitum those fights she needs to feel alive.

By contrast Barack Obama has shown us a scene of spring blooming and America's children playing happy, innocent and confident that President Obama is taking care of them .

Which picture is your picture of the America you want ?

[KELLI2L]

Hillary Rodham Clinton will make a wonderful president>

[eej]

I honestly think she would govern ok, although much too far to the right to be calling herself a Democrat. She would be slightly better than McBush.

But Hillary has dragged this country through exactly the same divisive crap the last administration has destroyed the nation with. Hillary made herself part of the problem. Hillary made it impossible to move into the light in any scenario that has her as part of the national dialogue. Hillary did this to us and to herself. She destroyed her candidacy and she hurt America in the process.

Hillary no longer deserves to be president, if she ever did.