Clinton Blindsided By Scheduled Event With Palin

WASHINGTON — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has canceled an appearance at a New York rally next week after organizers blindsided her by inviting Republican vice presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, aides to the senator said Tuesday.

Several American Jewish groups plan a major rally outside the United Nations on Sept. 22 to protest against Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Organizers said Tuesday that both Clinton, who nearly won the Democratic nomination for president, and Palin, Republican candidate John McCain's running mate, are expected to attend.

That would have set up a closely scrutinized and potentially explosive pairing in the midst of a presidential campaign, one in which the New York senator is campaigning for Democratic nominee Barack Obama while Palin actively courts disappointed Clinton supporters.

Clinton aides were furious. They first learned of the plan to have both Clinton and Palin appear when informed by reporters.

"Her attendance was news to us, and this was never billed to us as a partisan political event," said Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines. "Sen. Clinton will therefore not be attending."

A McCain-Palin campaign official, speaking on condition of anonymity because Palin's schedule for Monday has not been announced, said only that Palin tentatively planned to attend the rally.

Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, did not immediately return messages Tuesday seeking comment, nor did other organizers of the rally. Other event sponsors are the National Coalition to Stop Iran Now, United Jewish Communities and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York.

Both McCain and Obama have made strong appeals to Jewish voters, particularly in critical states like Florida. Obama has emphasized to Jewish audiences his commitment to Israel's security, and has worked to dispel doubts created by false rumors that he is Muslim.

Comments

[unionave]

WE NEED HRC AS OUR AG . THEN SHE THROW THE MOOSE SHOOTER IN THE HOOSEGOW .

[BluePride]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59mOukUZNUo

everybody RUN... the HomeComing Queen's got a GUN!

[Sweetlumps]

Sarah just got UNINVITED to the rally. What does that say?

[parvo63]

It says two things:
1) Dems showed once and for all that they put party first;
2) Hillary is history.

[neweraforamerica]

Associating Clinton and Palin is so wrong because they espouse completely different ideas and rhetoric. Being women in politics is dwarfed by all other differences

http://neweraforamerica.blogspot.com/

[NevadaDem]

I acknowledge Sen. Clinton for canceling the event. Hillary does not need to be seen with Sarah. Far from it. It is a savvy political move.

If Hillary AND Sarah showed up at the same event...th­e Republicans would have had a field-day with their commercial about the event...ba­sically insinuating that ~Hillary supports Sarah Palin~. They would have TWISTED that ever so well. The reality...­it is NOT a SNL skit in real life. Hillary is a REAL A-Lister. Sarah...a Wanna-A-Be.

Like so many female voters...m­aybe Hillary does NOT agree that Sarah Palin deserves political center stage after only having (20) seconds of political experience. The real point is that Sarah needs to look like she is hob-nobbing WITH Hillary...­not the other way around!!

[parvo63]

No, the real point is that Hillary is jealous. Actually, she's mad, mad, mad.
She wanted to be the first female president, but things turned otherwise. And now, some Palin from Alaska (where was that?!), is a heartbeat from the presidency. It's not fair!!!!!!!!

Well, in politics, like in life, fair is what actually happens, while one is planning otherwise.
Like it or not, but this skall incident marks the sunset of Hillary's political career. Four years from now, few people will remember her. Eight years from now, nobody will.

You cannot be both a petty person and great politician.

[happypup]

While I am very, very far from being a supporter of Hillary CLinton, to compare her with Sarah Palin is beyond ridiculous. On her very best day, Palin looks like a pitiful, conservative Hillary wanna be - something she falls woefully short of.

[Ohiomama]

Bodo! what are you talking about. How many times do the Clintons need to shout out " We support Obama" !!! Wasnt Hillary just back from Florida where she just improved and closed the gap on MacCain?? You know, the primaries are now over. It is Sen. Obama's campaign to win or lose. I for one supported Hillary through the primaries. Without the Clinton's words of support and inspiration, I would be sitting on the fence in Nov.
I don't blame Hillary for not attending the rally. All that she worked for and stands for would be completely diminished by Palin's presence. I think the organizers should just pair up Palin with the likes of Brittany Spears. Did the organizers view the videos of Palin attending a Jews for Jesus sermon at her church.

[Maezeppa]

"Blindsided" my ass. If she'd walked out on the dais and found herself standing beside Palin, that's "blindsided". Clinton very wisely opted to not let McCain make a political spectical out of this event.

[bodo]

I sure haven't seen or heard of very many pro-Obama campaign speeches yet by Bill and/or Hillary Clinton. When, if ever, are they going to get started? There are only 5 weeks to go.

[RadhaColalurver]

Okay. Let me say a couple of things.

1) Inviting Palin to the rally was idiotic and obviously would have made a political debacle out of an event that demands for bi-partisanship instead campaign silliness. I expect that there was something sneaky about it, ergo the furious reaction by the Clinton team. It was actually a pretty disgusting tactic on part of the Republicans.

2) The ability of a photo-op was a precious opportunity for the Republicans who would have turned it into a "Hillary supports Palin" fantasy rally. Believe me. The photograph would have been disastrous.

3) NYC is Clinton's turf, and she wasn't going to let McPalin invade and pander to her constituency. Sure Hillary Clinton was probably there for political reasons, but not on the same level as Palin. Palin was there purely for political reasons -- there were plenty of more qualified people who would have been more appropriate to go on the Republican side. If Hillary had been there alone, the event would not have been politically romanticized by "let's-ign­ore-the-fi­nancial-gl­obal-crise­s pundits." Clinton showed off her raw political power by impressively getting Palin kicked out. You have to respect Clinton for that.

Conclusion = Clinton not attending the event was a good idea.

[who38]

Well stated. Thanks.

[majorundertaking]

Palin had not accepted when Hillary pulled out, nor when the group chose not to have any politicians as guests. There is no factual basis forassuming Palin's attendance would have made a debacle, political or otherwise, of the rally. Her reputation among Alaska Democrats I have seen interviewed is: someone who works across the aisle, not someone who creates debacles that serve no one's interests. Obama and McCain at Ground Zero was no debacle.

Hillary has said repeatedly she is campaigning for Obama, so why the shockat another politician attending? Something sneaky? Actually a pretty disgusting tactic on the part of Republicans? What, exactly, did Republicans have to do with the invitation (the one Palin never accepted)?

Hillary supports Palin? A precious photo op? Disastrous? What incredibly evidence-free notions!

NYC Clinton's turf? I thought it was part of the US. Why should Hillary leaving have meant Palin wasn't going to pander to Hillary's constituency? Is it only politicians with an (R) after their name who pander?

Palin wasn't there and didn't go: it hasn't happened, yet. Hillary showed off her raw political power by impressively getting Palin kicked out? Was that before or after Hillary showed off her raw political power by impressively getting herself kicked out?

Radha is intelligent, but overexcited. She needs to relax a bit, realize how paranoid she sounded, and spend a bit more time sorting fact from fiction in her own mind. I look forward to hearing from her if she does.

[RadhaColalurver]

You misunderstood both my post and the facts in several ways.

The point I intended to make was that with both Palin and Clinton there, the mission of the rally would have been obscured by the media's "Hillary vs. Palin" fantasy dream come true. With just Clinton there and a less of a media magnet, yet possibly more appropriate Republican were to be there, I would see no issue with it. During an election year it is important that good causes not be heavily politicized.

Also, all politicians pander. I never said that Democrats do not pander. Both Clintons, Obama, Biden, McCain, Palin, etc. have all pandered in order to gain support. It's seemingly impossible for a politician to win without doing so. In my view it was simply inappropriate that Palin was invited. There are plenty of other Republicans who would have been more appropriate and deserving to be there. Also. Clinton was not kicked out. She refused to go after she heard, not through the event organizers but rather reporters, that Palin was going.

[parvo63]

Sick of these two-faced politicians who preach about unity until a real opportunity to be united presents itself. Afraid to be upstaged by Sarah Palin, Hillary bolts for the door instead of staying the course to protest Ahmadinejad's visit.

[TheKiddy]

No --she didn't want to be associated with end-of-days anti-woman anti-environment anti-science pro-assault rifle pro-war anti-diplomacy pro-invade Iran anti-Constitution Palin, who anyway if this is the rally I think it is, has been disinvited because over 20,000 Jews and other progressives objected strongly to her participation in writing to the organizers.

[parvo63]

Who's afraid of Sarah Palin? Well, it appears, Hillary Clinton for one. The Democratic runner-up, appears to be licking more than her wounds.

Evidently under orders from her new Boss, she has backed out of participating in a protest of the visit of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmedinejad after learning that Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin would also be attending.

The event, sponsored by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, was intended to express bipartisan rejection of the annihilationist policies and rhetoric of the petit tyrant from Tehran. But a spokeswoman for Clinton told Fox News that when she accepted the invitation she didn't realize it was for a "partisan" event.

Huh? Which part of "bi-partisan" don't you understand, Hillary: the "partisan" or the "bi"?

So much for the independent candidate who would stand her own ground and not abandon issues of principle for party politics.

[TheKiddy]

See my comment above.

[cmp]

Why did Hillary have to back out ? Why not Palin ?

[parvo63]

Clinton is a double sided coin. Obama was the excuse that her party put him into the game for the Clintons to lose the nominee. She has been stabbed in the back by the democrats and now for what reasons she is supporting Obama?

If Obama had picked her as VP chances are he would be president in November. If Clinton had been the chosen nominee at the democratic convention the democrats would be 100% in the White house in November.

And here came a beautiful lady from the far land of Alaska, and the democrats are crying fowl.

Unity is a price to pay to be a winner. America should be united against the Iran regime and yet here we see the democrats' weakness showing again!

Lets not forget that Osama planned his terrorist attacks against the USA when the Democrats were in charge!

[who38]

I thought Bush was president during the 9/11 event. Silly me. Have you been talking to McCain again?

[ydouask]

How do you know when Osama planned his attacks? Were you with him at the time? If so, I hope your ass gets hauled down to Gitmo and you are treated in the fair and equitable manner of the other detainees and our benevolent gov't. extracts every last bit of information you have about your pal, Osama. I love it when people think that their opinions are fact.
p.s. Why are the democrats crying about geese and chickens and such?

[hcbuck]

Let's not forget that a Republican was in office and he and his administration FAILED to read the intelligence and did nothing to stop the attack from taking place.

If you want to state facts (which you may have thrown one in there), then state all of them. Don't just pull out the ones that make your pathetic case.

[who38]

I thought that Bush was President during the 9/11 event. Silly me.

[TurnThePageGA]

That's another $25 for Hillary next payday. Go Hillary!

[hopefullee]

Good for Hillary. Palin's been trying desperately to ride her coattails (mentioning the "18 million cracks" she didn't earn?) I commend Hillary for not playing into that.

[ricangirl1805]

Sarah sweetie my advice to you is "go to the rally, dont speak to anybody and DONT criticize Hillary. IT WILL BACK FIRE ON YOU.