Obama Hamas Smear: Clinton Says It Shouldn't Be Taken Seriously

Hillary Clinton appeared on the Situation Room today to weigh in on the state of the race. Below are a few highlights.

On Hamas' Obama endorsement:

BLITZER: Here is what McCain said about Barack Obama and I want to get your reaction. He said, "I think," this is McCain, "I think it's very clear who Hamas wants to be the next president of the United States. I think people should understand that I would be Hamas' worst nightmare. If Senator Obama is favored by Hamas, I think people can make judgments accordingly." McCain was referring to a statement by the North American spokesman for Hamas endorsing, in effect, Barack Obama. Is McCain right?

CLINTON: No, I think that that's really an overstatement, an exaggeration of any kind of political meaning and I don't think that anybody should take that seriously.

BLITZER: Do you have confidence that Barack Obama as president would be a strong supporter of Israel?

CLINTON: Yes, I do, I believe that that would be the policy of the United States and it's been our policy for 60 years.

On her reference to an AP story about Obama's support among white voters:

BLITZER: Now, your great friend and supporter Congressman Charlie Rangel said and I'm quoting now. "It's the dumbest thing you could have said."

CLINTON: Well, he's probably right.

BLITZER: Explain.

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CLINTON: Well, absolutely. I was referencing an AP article and obviously I have worked very hard to get the votes of everyone and I have campaigned hard, I understand that we've got to put together a broad coalition in order to win in the fall. We've got to get to that 270 electoral vote margin and I know Senator Obama has worked hard to reach out to every community and constituency.

On remaining in the race:

BLITZER: So you're staying in at least through May 31st and June 3rd...

CLINTON: That's right.

BLITZER: ... which is the last -- you're not going anywhere.

CLINTON: I'm not going anywhere, Wolf...

BLITZER: All right.

CLINTON: ... except to Kentucky and Oregon, and Montana, South Dakota, and Puerto Rico.

Comments

[pilgrim7]

What a relief. Clinton and Obama are to be commended for heeding the DNC's message to tone down the personal attacks.

"Beware the Ides of March," said the soothsayer to Julius Caesar.

[rubicon101]

This site really ought to be ashamed of itself but I believe that Huffpo is so steeped in it's discrimination that it can't see out of the 'forest'..Here's is an article from the Washington Post that spells it out better than I can describe it..

"Misogyny I Won't Miss"
Washington Post

By Marie Cocco
Thursday, May 15, 2008; Page A15

Something HuffPO should read!!

[abby4ever]

Hillary has drawn me in---and Huffington too--- once again, only to make a fool of me. When I first saw the headline to this article, I thought: "At last Hillary is doing something decent, defending Obama against a really foul move by McCain." But then I saw the words 'overstatement' and 'exaggeration', rather than something like "McCain's insinuation that if Hamas favors Obama then Obama must favor Hamas, is fallacious, it's just plain false." Or something like, "That is just absurd." But she opted for different words.
Words like 'overstatement' and 'exaggeration'---which imply that there is SOME weight to it, though not as much as one might think. And Hillary knows that---she is a lawyer and knows just which words to use or not use.
I am disappointed but not surprised; with Hillary there is usually always a sting in the tail when she gets to being kind to Obama. I hate to be a cynic but with Hillary I have learned to be one. I think she is just being kinder lately to make herself more attractive to undecided superdelegates, voters, and even Obama, trying to portray herself as a champion of unity, which is all very sudden and a little suspect---I hope all of them will not be as gullible as I was a moment ago when, again, I saw the headline.
Am I being too hard on Hillary? Unfair? Taking cynicism to new heights?
Open to suggestions.

[northeast73]

Yes, you are being a moron.

Maybe OBAMA shoudl be the one fiercly defending himself instead of her.

Her answer was FINE. Just liek her answer on the muslim question was FINE.

You're just desparate for SOMETHING to hate.....

[abby4ever]

Oh, thanks---you sound like a really reasonable person, calling someone a moron rather than just disagreeing. Then saying I am desperate for something to hate, this after I asked if I was being too hard on her, which doesn't sound like deperation, or hate, to me.
You are the one that sounds desperate and hateful---just looking for something to jump on.
As for her answer on the muslim question, if you mean her "Obama isn't a muslim...as far as I know," if you think that was 'FINE', you are in the minority.

[jah2008]

No, you're not being too hard on Hillary. Hillary has given us enough reasons to doubt her. I feel the same way. Because of her behaviors during the past primaries, I no longer trust anything Hillary says. She has fooled the "blue-collar" white voters to believe that she was one of them while speaking in faux-southern accent. She's more than capable of fooling anybody. I welcome the fact that she has softened up, but I will reserve my gratitude until she drops out of the race for good. Until then, I will sleep with one eye open as long as Hillary is around.

[lennix]

this how we are going to win in november by covering each others backs that was a good thing hillary did now i feel a little bet batter that we be as one

[MikeP33477]

Of course Hillary is going to be kind. This is the year that the democrats will take over the White House and have controlling power in the house and senate. With Obama/Webb leading the ticket, the republicans will loose any power they have now, however, we as voters cannot let them become lazy! We have to ensure they end the war, push health care reform through the system, and end legislative hate.

[stepintothelight]

Don't fall for it people. Even the Asp Viper will play dead to get in a fatal blow!!!

[jpcline004]

I am confident once the last vote has been counted she will do the right thing. This is the start

[condew]

I am happy for this first ray of hope that Democrats can be united, and agreed that the oponents are McCain and the Republicans, not each other.

[YvonneH]

Had Clinton figured out how to behave like a lady a long time ago she might have had a fighting chance against the gentleman that Barack is....

[VivaZapata]

if you look at the creeps she surrounded herself with (mark penn, howard wolfson, etc.), she was made into a harder image than people could tolerate. She had very bad advice all along, but her biggest problem was her hawkish position on foreign affairs. People are through with all that. I hope anyway.

[debwarot]

But shouldn't someone with the experience and judgment to lead on day one also have had the judgment to surrond herself with strrong advisors instead of , as you have termed it, "creeps"?

[Softnsweet]

I was very impressed with Hillary. I must admit to softening my feelings towards her.

[ebbtide]

Hillary and Bill will soon drop out. I cannot find much to say that is complimentary to them. I do not believe one word out of Bill or Hillary's mouth. When anyone considers the way they behaved as acceptable and just "politics" is slipping into an ethical and moral morass. I don't think they should ever in any way set a precedent for any Democratic campaign in the future. The notion, as some are saying , that Obama won because Hillary "helped" him by performing like a shrew, is absurd.

I think at this point she is being shunned in the congress because of her outrageous conduct and now is looking to , once more, change her personna for the umpteenth time to be Ms. sugar and sweet. I think this is because she senses she might be thrown out of town by the Senate, if she continues to be her nasty despicable self. I cannot take anything she says seriously and I wish she and Bill would just leave and enjoy the rest of their dysfunctional married life together. I believe she, and he, would knife Obama in the back, first chance they get, while continuing to "support him" and campaign for him.

[BlackmaninAmerica]

Reading the Nation of Islam papers does not MEAN YOU AGREE WITH EVERYTHING IN THE PAPER. I have read it on occasion and consider myself Christian. Articles on empowerment and success is a positive thing in ANY NEWSPAPER (even the Nation of Islam paper). People are so one sided sometimes. Some Americans act as if all Muslims are evil and creepy. That is an insult to them and these are the Americans who call themselves Christians. I wonder what God they are serving?

[skytrader]

well, there is absolutely no reason to apologize for that....

look what bigot and disgusting games these politicians play.

here is a top supporter of FRC who fooled and delivered the people of PENNSYLVANIA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXum_-8I1TA

[BlackmaninAmerica]

I am convinced she will campaign hard for Obama in the fall as he would for her. This notion of her sabotaging his chances is kinda far-fetched in my opinion. She made him a better candidate and for that I can't knock her.

[kempis]

Thank you. As a Hillary supporter, I truly appreciate it when Obama-supporters manage NOT to demonize her. I sincerely appreciate your rationality and your generous spirit.

We don't talk enough in our culture about the importance of being good winners. Thanks for modeling that behavior here. I hope you start a trend. :)

[BlackmaninAmerica]

I think at this point most Obama supporters like myself want a unified democratic party. Yes, some will still bash Hillary but it happens on both sides. Many Hillary supporters bash Obama. The Hillary Clinton we saw today was the one we say before she won NH. I have always believed she would do the right thing in the end. She isn't the devil, like some make her out to be.

[jah2008]

I wish I could be as optimistic as you, but I can't. Because I have seen how capable Hillary is in fooling the blue-collar white voters that she's one of them, I'm convinced that she's more than capable of fooling anyone, including some Obama supporters. I still believe that she will do and say anything to save her own behind. I don't think she's defending Obama out of grace, but because she has to or else she cannot survive within the Democratic Party.

[Breni]

How long will this 'praise' for Hillary last from the Obama followers? Until next week - when she beats Obama AGAIN by a large margin in Kentucky?

[chronic]

And she will still be behind!!

[BlackmaninAmerica]

I think Kentucky is going to be closer than WV. Obama got the message after that defeat in WV. Kentucky is a mixed bag unlike WV which is heavily Clinton country. Kentucky is a mix of the Carolinas and Ohio.

[condew]

It will last as long as Hillary's goodwill toward Obama.

[jpcline004]

Well he will return the favor in Oregon so it doesn't matter. I think the hardball has been put away and they are just gonna toss the ol nerf around now.

[Binxy]

We all know, and have known for quite awhile, that Clinton is going to win KY. The NARAL endorsement won't change that fact, the Edwards endorsement won't change that fact. Clinton will win KY, and Obama will win the nomination.

[whizkid]

In his autobiography he talks about reading the Nation of Islam newspape with their anti-semetic editorials about the late Howard Metzenbaum.
Michelle and Barrry hate the best friends they ever had.
Creepy.

[laborgrunt]

Stop being a victim.

[nacilbuper]

clinton dead-enders can't help themselves.

it's pathological.

[Bonobou]

It seems to me that if a person read different views from different sources, they would have a better perspective on situations.

I'm sure the Nation of Islam isn't the only newspaper he has read. I'll bet Dogs to Peanuts he's also read the National Review!

Duh!!

[skytrader]

wake up, here is one of the top supporters of hillary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXum_-8I1TA

i mean, that is disgusting and pandering.

rendell definetly does not represent my view on islam culture. the way lowr educated people live the islam is a shame. and rendel praises it in that video.

wake up hilay supporters.

those mor **** would say and do anything....

[BigBen]

Weah wake up Hillary supporters; you low life who could not afford college education like us.Have a college student explain why you are such failures .Digging coal for a living. Just like the stupid people in Pittsburg doing that dumb steel stuff. Go to college and be smart like us and avoid the army.

[Binxy]

You would condemn someone for what they READ?!

For goodness sakes that's one of the cornerstones of an intelligent, informed democracy. I want my elected representatives -- and all of my friends for that matter -- to read widely and to not take other people's word for what they say unpopular author's writings mean.