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

[bygollymissmolly]

Wow, once again Hillary Clinton comes through with a non-answer to a loaded question. She is asked about her racist comment about "hard-working white Americans" and her answer, other than the "he's probably right" had absolutely nothing to do with her racist comment. The one thing Hillary is a master at, the non answer answer.

[Charmed]

It's hard for me to buy into this because she keeps saying the number is 2210 instead of 2025. I think it was nice of her and she would make a great cabinet member.

[justobserve]

Obama said the number is 1890. (No, joke!)

[eej]

He was talking about the pledged delegates. The superdelegates are another group.

Check it out. http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/

[Donnat]

Too little, too late. Unless you're angling for the VP spot, in that case, you better be nicer to him than John Edwards.

[LazarusLong]

Clinton has stated that she will do whatever is necessary to help elect a Democrat in November. She has finally realized (took long enough!) that she can't get the nomination and if true to her word, has to bring along as many of her reluctant supporters as possible.

Baby steps.

[luvthelaw]

You've got to start somewhere. When you're in the middle of a campaign, it's really hard to get over the "bitterness". I'm willing to let her try, but she really has to be kept on a short leash until she can consistently be gracious toward him.

[JackLivigni]

I am grateful to Senator Clinton for saying what she did and changing her tune. I think it is essential now for her to do so.

This is actually a signal to her supporters that THE WOMAN YOU SUPPORT CARES MORE ABOUT HER AGENDA THAN HER BEING PRESIDENT. If she wanted to win at all costs she would continue trying to hurt Obama as she did in the past. Now that she knows she can't win, she is putting her weight behind Obama so he can win.

Clinton supporters should take that signal and do the same. Its not about ego, its about winning the White House and bringing a new direction to the Country. If you care more about your ego than bringing change then by all means stay home or vote McCain, and then you can continue to whine about Iraq, about having your library account monitored, about having your emails searched, and about the disintegrating middle class... when you wake up and find the country is in a deeper shit-hole than it is now, you will be able to pat yourself on the back and bring your shame to the grave.

[the964kid]

Hillary has tried to perpetuate other slanders against Obama this entire campaign season. This is too little too late. I'm so glad she's on her way out...

[AMJordan]

The defense was kind of lukewarm but maybe she's beginning to see that there might actually be room for her in the Obama cabinet. Secretary of State perhaps.

On the other hand, it could be that she could see that nothing could be gained by another attack.

The Redemption Watch begins anew...

[HumeSkeptic]

Hillary is beginning to sound like a Democrat again. That's encouraging.

[DinOhio]

This answer just shows how intentional her smears were against Obama over the last few months. Nothing she or Bill says is by accident - including in this interview.

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

I agree. She now understands.

[SFreeborn]

When I was a kid my mom taught me to say thanks for a gift, even if I didn't like the gift or the giver. Perhaps that's what we can do here. I am not saying that I don't like Hillary, I'm just sayin' "Thanks." Now let's get on with getting Obama elected.

[SensibleAmerican]

Obama launched his IL senate candidacy at the door-step of Bill Ayers the underground terrorist
One of his best friends in the Chicago elite circle was a fella named Rashid, an Iraqi with Hamas connections
Wright ... well we all know his Farrakhan, Libyan/Gaddafi connections and his longstanding relationship with Obama. Not to forget his inflammatory, racist, bigoted and seperatist speeches
Michele Obama claims America is a mean Country and she never had any reason to be proud of the Nation she is clamoring to be the first lady of!
Lack of lapel pin as a protest against patriotism
Crotch salute to the flag during the rendering of the National Anthem!

Well, no wonder Obama is the hero of all the far-left-l­oons-Ameri­ca haters!!!

[AMJordan]

Will someone please poke this badjur! He's boring!

[skip4Obama]

are you sean hannity???

[MizLiz]

Aha, someone woke up and smelled the coffee!

[Bluejay00234]

Bwhaha oh please gal, I'm not falling for it. Now you chose to defend him? Gee where was that iron clad defense when he was unfairly proclaimed to be a Muslim? Lets not forget all that love you express for John McCain, so is this is a way of bargaining? Boy you and that Randell make a great team!

[genia]

Come on.....log­ic here folks...lo­gic.!!
Isn't she meeting with supporters and super delegates. tonight?

[lizr]

And your point is?

[LisainNYC]

The supers don't like it when she bashes Obama. They have turned away from her when she does because she is tearing the party apart. Therefore, tonight she can say, "I just defended him on CNN."

[Gatling]

WOW...I mean...Wow­...

Nice work, Mrs. Clinton.

[SensibleAmerican]

Well, the poor fella needs a lot of defending:

Underground terrorist Bill Ayers
The looney pastor Wright
Hamas connections
Slumlord Rezko
130 "present" votes as a part-time IL senator
absent for almost 66% of crucial votes in the Senate
"Bitter" comments in San Francisco
Plagiarizing an entire campaign from Pat Duvall: another phony!!!

[AMJordan]

Bill Ayers: never convicted in court. Charges dropped.

Wright: Even Bill Moyers defended him.

Hamas: What Hamas? The supposed spokesperson doesn't exsist.

Rezko on trial but the Chicago Tribune says there's almost no connection to Obama.

"Bitter" comment blown way out of proportion

Patrick Duvall: Obama's campaign manager.

You mean he actually showed up for 33% of votes in the Senate? Heck Hillary was in Washington and couldn't be bothered to show up and vote on the "Protect Telecoms from Prosecution Bill" a couple of months ago.

You've got nothing!

[ladyfractal]

Sensible:

WHAT connections to Hamas? Please provide three, reputable sources that connects Obama to Hamas. Obama cannot control what foreign nationals say about him and the gentleman from Hamas was, in fact, stating what most reasonable, rational, educated people who are off-shore but aware of this race are saying; namely, that Obama would bring significant change and would work to restore America's standing in the world.

Now, I realize that having grown up on the pablum of American journalism (cough) you have most likely bought into the idea that the good guys are ALWAYS good and the bad guys are ALWAYS bad and anything the bad guys like must be bad. (e.g. You're screwed should someone in Hamas or Hezbollah or Al Qaeda ever say a nice thing about drinking water or respiration because you'll have to disavow those) However, in most educated parts of the world people are capable of dealing with a fair degree of nuance. The gentleman from Hamas stated an opinion about the US presidential race. That's it.

It would be astounding if a spokesman for Hamas DID NOT have an opinion about the race and since there's only three candidates, he's going to favor one of them. Does that mean that if he had nice things to say about McCain it would mean that McCain was connected to Hamas?

Breznev had kind words for Reagan and Mao for Nixon. Does that mean that Reagan and Nixon were crypto-communists?

Cheers
LF

[julescator]

Like I said, just send us the Hannity tapes and you will save yourself the embarrassment and the typing in here. Yawn - you make no sense.

[Donnat]

It's just killing you that he's going to be our nex prez, isn't it.

[Gatling]

Didn't you get Newt's memo?

GOP smear campaigns are so 2004.

Hi Mississippi!

[Jamchinadian]

Yet another misleading headline. Doesn't exactly read like a strenuous defence of Obama to me.

[Oldtt]

Why should Clinton be responsible for making a strenuous enough defense of Obama to satisfy his supporters? Let the man defend himself.

[lobear00]

And the man does it very well.

[AMJordan]

Which is why he's still the front runner.

[Gatling]

No democrat will stand alone in this election.

It's time to take the country back.

[Jamchinadian]

He would do that if they asked him!!! The problem is, these "anchors" keep asking her leading and loaded questions about him. That is an insulting and nast habit - always providing her the opportunity for an ostensively "supportive" response, but with a wink-wink.

Saying "... exaggeration of any kind of political meaning and I don't think that anybody should take that seriously" - is a tentative response. She could have said something like "that's a totally ridiculous and outrageous suggestion".

Even weaker is this response:

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

Not quite the same as "Yes, I do, Barack would absolutely be a strong ..... etc etc".

Note the similarity to the "as far as I know". She responds regarding US policy, not Obama policy. See the wink-wink?!

[AMJordan]

"..as far as I know...:" It's better than that.

[SShaw490]

At least she didn't say, "As far as I know, he's not a supporter of Hamas. To the best of my knowledge, he's not a terrorist. But you should call him and ask him. If you don't get him on his phone, try the car bomb factory, he spends a lot of time over there."

[lizr]

We're winners! Lets' start playing nice like Obama would want us to!!

Come on- go do your victory laps in private and let the Hillary supporters save some face and come back to us.