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

[Nyland8]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/comment/policy/

8

[faretheewell]

PA, do your duty, put a spike in the heart of this campaign! This campaign has been amoung the undead for months now. Kill it before it infects and destroys more and better campaigns!

[thirteen13]

Let her continue into oblivion.

[anney]

I thought bin Laden was dead. Is Hillary trying to scare up votes for herself with a dead man?

[robodweeb]

Nah, he's doing quite well in his Bush-McClone approved sanctuary, plotting the next attack, recruiting new talent.

[smartcookienyc]

If bin Laden is indeed dead, who is the guy in the pictures and who took them?

[meanguy]

so, suggesting that a candidate has more experience and testicular fortitude to handle crises and threats to our nation(and yes, bin laden IS a threat)is somehow 'out of bounds?' puh-leeze...the whining and wailing of the obama camp over a campaign ad PROVE hillary's point; he CAN'T stand the heat. i wouldn't trust obama to be able to break up a spat between two girl scouts, let alone protect the country

[NoMoreHawks]

She ran a campaign based on experience and the American public has repudiated her.

She came from way ahead to lose the nomination because her campaign based on experience was laughable.

Hillary - Let me snatch defeat from the jaws of victory!

[c1ee]

Indeed. What experience?? Experience in weathering the vast right wing conspiracy when she was the drama queen in the WH??

[AnotherTry]

Obama and the media have already accomplished what they were set up to do - make hillary so weak, she could lose in November.

I support Senator Hillary Clinton because of the people who hate her. If she is hated by the far right, the media, white men and young women, she must be doing something right.

[NoMoreHawks]

Hated by the far right? She IS the far right!

[killlthekingg]

Obama & Sen.Clinton have an almost identical voting record. She voted for the war at the getgo but later in time started voting against it.HC & BO voted the exact same way over the war when he entered the senate. So if she is far right (even though is isn't considering she is trying to be the DEMOCRATIC nominee) than Sen.Obama must be too.

[MiddleRoad1]

:)

[KRYSTY]

No wonder Hillary lies about the 3 am fear mongering phone call because all her followers stay up here to answer her dumb phone, while she sleeps. Clintonians, you need to get over Hillary. She is not going to win. The only reason she's still around is because she thinks that Obama might make a mistake. About 60% thinks she is a BIG LIAR, DO OR SAY ANYTHING TO WIN and A REPUBLICAN.

[ruthinking]

I 'hate" her too. (Hispanic woman, over 50,).

[Tropiholic]

I can't stand her and i'm a middle aged white woman. I defended her for years but her behavior in this campaign has been revolting. She's an embarrassment to ALL women.

[unenrolled]

I Hate her also, White Women, 65.

[Nyland8]

Well, it's finally here. The day Rodham has been waiting for. After 15 years of campaigning for the presidency and after winning not one single day since this grotesque burlesque started back on January 3rd, she may finally win her first day at the polls - albeit far too late and for far too little to make any difference. She may finally be able to edge closer to Obama's earned delegate total, instead of simply watching him just move farther and farther ahead.

One can't help but wonder what spin will emerge from her camp, no matter what the result. Few things are certain, but this seems assured. No matter what the count at the end of the day, it will probably be a sign to her to continue. Just like Bush's steadfast denial about the catastrophe that has been his Iraq policy for the last 5 years, she, too, is not likely to be able to admit that she has lost the nomination. She cannot overtake him in popular votes, she cannot overtake him in earned delegates and she's already lost in number of States a month ago.

The people have spoken, Rodham. You've lost.

8

[KQuarksSuperCollider]

Hillary fans last time to get off the HMS Clintanic before all the life boats are gone. The HMS Clintanic hit the iceberg when Hillary lost 11 contests in a row and has been sinking ever since. There is simple no path for her to win the nomination with $15MM in debt the HMS Clintanic is taking on water fast and is listing badly. In two weeks the HMS Clintanic's bow will be under water when Obama smokes her in NC and IN is a virtual tie. HMS Clintanic passengers if you don't watch out you'll be the last ones clinging to the stern before going under for the last time.

[markusmarkus]

HMS Clintanic passengers will learn how cold the "water" really is. But, in the end the cold water and ice will make them true blue dems.

[jubo]

For you, Madame:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVmDcAqI_PU

[jubo]

oops, this one is live:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3_zF2lmvZQ&feature=related

[Uselessboy]

Obama best be spending cash.

No time tolouse.

[jubo]

Hey, where is my Lautrec?

[Nyland8]

Show me the Monet.

8

[BlueStateMan]

At the Moulin Rouge.

[dotmafia]

Why isn't Huffington Post reporting on the SPP/North American Union meeting in New Orleans between the USA, Canada and Mexico?! I mean, this is extremely important news which the mainstream news media is purposely blacking out.

[jubo]

There is no information anymore, just formation.

We are possibly watching marionettes; we believe the puppetry meant to make us feel involved whereas in truth there is no such thing as a government of the people... just some people.

[dotmafia]

I know. It's amazing, terrifying and pathetically sad all at the same time, watching the complete and utter breakdown between the American people and their so-called "government".

For the last 8 years it's been like watching a train wreck in slow-motion.

[anticon]

Frightening to think what the neocon trio could be up to behind closed doors.

[killlthekingg]

Saying HC is using the bin laden card is a bit ridicules. The ad is simply implying that the commander in chief faces many issues & she/he needs to be able to handle them. If you imply the "bin laden card" logic to the entire ad than she must be oh so devilish for using the dreaded "economy card" &the "increasing gasoline price card." It is simply obamaican logic, which really is only good for sliming Sen.Clinton. Although this means that Sen.Obama is guilty of using the "change card" as if he is saying "if you don't vote for me than you don't want this country to change" or the-my favorite one he throws on the table quite often-cop out card I like to call the "political distraction card" which really is a cop-out he uses every time he is pressed with an issue. Wasn't it Sen.O who said that this kind of games are not going to help us fix whats wrong with this country?Wasn't it BOwho said this sortofnegative politics isn't helping?

[RobertAndropolis]

You defense makes their case: the only "devilish" item in your list IS bin Laden...

[killlthekingg]

clearly you didn't understand any of what I wrote. Bin Laden is in fact an issue but ONE issue out of MANY. To pick one image out of the entire thing & accuse them of fear mongering is completely stupid. Being an obama supporter I figured you of all types of people would understand the word "CONTEXT" & what I mean by that is everything that man says is somehow taken out of context as if people who are not on his side are just too stupid to understand what he really meant so Obama just sticks his snobby nose in the air. Oh by the way, I am glad you didn't respond to anything else I wrote. It proves the hypocrisy in talk of straying away from negative old politics while at the same time bashing&slinging mud at Sen.Clinton.Thanks.

[killlthekingg]

Bin Laden is ONE issue out of MANY. Being an obama supporter I figured you would understand the meaning of "CONTEXT." Bin Laden is taboo? If a candidate doesn't even acknowledge that issue than what sort of a leader would he/she be?HC is not "fear mongering" the ad is simply implying what issues face america.Watch it again but leave your bigoted anti-anything clinton views behind.Thank you & Thank you for choosing not to respond to anything else I said above .. now that proves my argument for your (obamaicans) HYPOCRISY.

[KQuarksSuperCollider]

Nice spin you are almost quoting Hillary from Olberman. This is just another Rove type scare tactic that has nothing to do with leadership and is just trying to appeal to the voters base instincts. Again she did this add last minute to get a knee jerk response otherwise she would have played this add for weeks, because by then people would see the add for what it was.

[MiddleRoad1]

Yeah, ok, whatever, That is ridiculous

[Kache]

Obama needs to run that clip of Bill all day long tomorrow in Penn on every TV station. Nothing else but that ad every hour, all day!!!!

[Nonamnesiac]

After watching the Hillary ad with bin Laden, I don't understand all of the hullaballoo. Although it's true it plays to fearmongering, it stresses her warmongering record. No one in PA or anywhere else buys her efforts to become the female incarnation of Sg't. Rock. Given her background and record as an anti-Vietnam war activist when it was her war, her warmongering has a real hypocritical edge to it -- with her sending her military-aged daughter, safe in her wealthy environment, to exhort working class citizens of PA to support her mother's policy of sending them to remain in Iraq indefinitely -- placing those working class citizens in harm's way while Chelsea ducks the battle -- as her mom and dad did when it was their time to fight a wrong war.

It's important for Obama supporters to distinguish between negative attacks on Obama and ads like this one. It is not a negative ad directed at Obama. It is a negative ad directed at Hillary by Hillary -- because it's another example of her sniper comments. Despite her comments about wanting to join the Marines and her conversion to neo-Con-like policies -- when it was her time she ducked and now that it's her daughter's time, she's having her daughter duck battle too.

Hillary the Marine wannabe. Hillary under sniper fire. She's just stressing her dishonesty.

[KQuarksSuperCollider]

Hillary is just trying to get a short time gut response to appeal to peoples base instincts. It is what it is people will not process this as a Bosnia moment even though you're right.

[yeswecancan]

This is Hillary's limbo ad -- how low can she go? Up until now, no Democrat had used Osama bin Laden in an ad, certainly not against another Dem. But hey, for a former Goldwater Girl it must seem like old times. And I didn't realize Hillary was at Pearl Harbor -- I guess that's where she learned to run under sniper fire. I only hope that undecided voters in PA gag on this as much as I did. Despicable, shoddy, despereate, venal, calculating and evil. But other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, the play was great (i had a different reference in here, but stopped myself from a Rovian response .... I have standards even if Hillary doesn't). Come on Pennsylvania ... pull a NH on us!