Clinton Calls McCain "Mimic" Of Bush

WASHINGTON — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday called Republican presidential candidate John McCain not a maverick but a "mimic" of President Bush.

Clinton made the remarks at a Human Rights Campaign dinner, where she was filling in for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's running mate, Joe Biden. Biden canceled his weekend campaign events because his wife's mother is ill. Clinton spoke by satellite from Los Angeles to a few thousand people who attended the national gay rights group event.

Clinton said Biden called and asked her to fill in for him because of the family emergency. Rather than sharing her thoughts, she said, "I want to share with you the eloquent remarks that Joe had prepared."

Clinton sought to tie McCain to Bush, saying the Arizona senator offered voters "more of the same."

"He's not a maverick. He's a mimic," she said.

She noted that McCain doesn't support extending job discrimination and hate-crimes laws to cover sexual orientation and supports the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

Clinton and Obama were rivals in a turbulent Democratic primary season as they both fought for their party's presidential nomination. She had argued the Illinois senator lacked the experience to be president, a claim the McCain campaign highlighted in its response to her remarks at Saturday's dinner.

"Senator Clinton would be more believable if she'd mimic her own statements that Barack Obama is too inexperienced and lacks the key readiness to lead," said McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds.

Clinton has since declared her support for Obama's candidacy, has urged her own backers to rally behind him and has been campaigning on his behalf in battleground states.

She said Saturday that Americans can choose in the November election whether the nation takes steps toward "securing equality and dignity for all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity."

"Or we can choose four more years of the same failed policies, four more years of the same small-minded governance, four more years that look just like the last eight," she added.

The Obama campaign has repeatedly tried to tie McCain to Bush in voters' minds, an approach GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin portrayed in a debate with Biden on Thursday as looking backward rather than forward.

Clinton's comments came as the McCain campaign stepped up attacks on Obama's character. Palin on Saturday accused Obama of "palling around with terrorists" because of an association with a former '60s radical. The Obama campaign called Palin's remarks offensive but unsurprising given news reports about the McCain campaign's come-from-behind game plan.

Comments

[arthur2008]

The claim by Hillary Clinton that John McCain is not a maverick is absurd, as his record clearly demonstrates.

When the Naval Academy tried to impose standards of scholarship and conduct on him, he refused the easy course his fellow midshipmen followed like sheep and, as a true maverick, looked to his father to tidy things up.

When entrusted with Naval fighter jets, he had the courage and imagination to fly them his way rather than be bound by arbitrary regulations, only occasionally crashing while attempting stunts and flying drunk.

When society said real men stand by their disabled wives and their children, John McCain once again refused to take the "socially acceptable" route, proving he is a maverick by pairing up with the drug-addicted cowgirl daughter of a wealthy convicted felon.

When he entered politics. John McCain once again showed himself to be his own man when he looked with scorn on artificial "rules" and stood up to support American business -- as well as a friend, a great American, and an important campaign donor in the Savings and Loan industry.

And when the American people, the world community and even his own conscience tried to pressure him to oppose torture, fight unwise tax cuts for the wealthy, or privatize Social Security, John McCain was the maverick who stood firm against fairness and common decency and had the courage to say "No!" loud and clear.

For anyone to question his maverick credentials now is the height of hypocrisy.

[sharonh]

LOL, a maverick of many causes; all for him.

[Yola]

ROFL - so true!

[GrtPyrmd]

nice job

[theplaintrutho1]

Great comment of a supposed serious article from a serious blogger.
Of course She is reporting the news of what transpired yesterday, but your snark is just as seriously justified when we really think about it.

[starfire426]

Ohhh...thi­s is rich and sooooo verifiable!!!

[loax]

John McCain and George bush, the next generation of Edgar Bergen and Moritimer Snert!

[whatsthatsound]

A mimic running alongside a gimmick.

[indc]

very good.. the mimic and the gimmick Mimic-Gimmic 08

[whatsthatsound]

Johnny McCain is a mimic
whose running mate pal is a gimmick
with meanness and lies
they go for The Prize
if they win I'll be sick to my stimick!

[jazzman]

Obama and Biden are running a Presidential campaign.
McCain and Palin are running a carnival side show.

[malrubius]

Hillary Clinton? I seem to recall the name. Kinda Karl Rove-like, hails from New York or Pennsylvania or Arkansas or Indiana or Virginia or somewhere, wanted to appease liberals with a ridiculous Woodstock monument or something, maybe was self-anointed Queen of America for a while last year...hmm­m...sounds familiar but I prefer to forget.

[cobobs]

Wow, how much does McPalin pay you people for this? So transparent.

[smit9187]

malrubius = malodorous

[MalloMel]

Your troll-ness is showing.

[manwhowasthursday]

Hillary should go to her 2012 campaign war room and live there until the tides of history washes the whole ego-driven fabrication into the reefs. She could also move to Alaska and hunt wolves from helicopters instead of hunting Obama. Enough of this pathetic Clinton side show. Both of them are over.

[cobobs]

You are paid too?

[manwhowasthursday]

Paid by whom? If you are not tired by now of the Clinton spectacle, the tepid and Kafkaesque damning praise for Obama, and all the small-minded poker game treats they pull out of their political kermess bag, you are a dyed-in-the-wool something, or other.

[loveu2]

Man, you are so wrong!

[MalloMel]

Another troll.

[AlteSoldier]

David Broder: “I find Sarah Palin lively, impressive and, dare I say it, informative. Then again, I'm fluent in gibberish, and never fault Republicans, no matter how unprepared they are to govern.”

[criquet]

What is up with the Mccain/ Palin campaign? Everyday they appear more and more ridiculous.
If you are not to look back then let's throw out John Mccain's record and her record as Mayor and Gov and look at what they plan.So stop harping back to any experience either one has and look at their plans.
Oh dear they don't have any viable ones. So they will look back on their terms but the Obama campaign should not.
Twisted silly logic is what they are offering and no one should be buying their rubbish.
What is clear is that they are intellectually deficient and not the ones to steer America forward.

[Dane1911]

I love this, Biden family get sick and hiliary step in to bat......N­ow thats what you call team players...



No Marvick, just a Mimic

[mccainmakesberries]

Hillary knows...

http://tinyurl.com/4na3vz

[sharonh]

Don't go to this link above! Reactionary inventionist.

[MNmommy]

I flag it every time I see it. Nothing more than a blogpimp.

[aworriedobserver]

Obama has shown upto now that he has good judgement.
I hope he is right with the Clintons. I would have avoided them totally.
They are shameless in considering Americans stupid.

Future for Hillary in the White House? I think it is over.

That family is not trust worthy!!!

[wizardofoz]

HEY if you can only smear the clintons why dont you change parties.

[rzan1]

The Clintons don't have much further to go before they are Republicans. It is Hillary who supported McCain against Obama, and now her words are being used by the McCain campaign against Obama. People have certainly have short memories. I do not trust the Clintons. They run hot and cold, and everybody gets pulled in until the next time they undermine or screw over a fellow democrat.

[Audioman]

So are you worried about the Palin's associatio­n/membersh­ip in the party in Alaska that hates the government and wants to secede from the Union of these United States?

Are you worried about McCain's nutball preacher and the fact that he may be influencing John McCain?

Are you worried that you vice president pick is dumber than a boxcar of coal? And that she might be President of the United States cause of an older man running for president with a recurrent seirous health condition?

Are you concerned about the photogenic VP candidate who makes rape victis pay for part of their evaluation?

Are you concerned about Alaska, the welfare state, that gets back far more in taxes from the federal treasury than they wsend in - yet , I have to listen to all that rugged individualism crap and lets get the government out of the way?

And most damnin, are you concerned about McCain who has been almost an indetical twin of Bush in policies he supports by voting with him 90% of the time. And, that the great natural experiment of the last 8 years that was crafted, engineered, and led by the Republicans has finally come home to roost. Yet, the most convincing thing Palin/McCain have to say is essentially lets domore of the same that got us intot this mess?

Give me a break. Obama is no radical nor radical sympathizer.

[TNFarmer]

observer, this is NOT the time for this kind of stuff. There are much more pressing matters facing Obama right now, like winning an election, than rehashing past conflicts with an opponent.

[starfire426]

Amen!!!!!

[arebrown]

aworriedobserver :


morning dear. They are shameless in considering Americans stupid. THINK BEFORE YOU spit venom dear. AMERICANS ARE STUPID.. OR what the last bailout is telling you ?????

[ILOVELOSANGELES]

Bush/Cheney = McCain/Palin

[whatsthatsound]

Not quite. McCain is Bush with a bit more on the ball and Palin has a better tush than Cheney.

[Punkynsnow]

In both cases, who doesn't??

[standup2them]

Come on American! Lets takes it back. My father always told me if a man can't look you in the eyes he lying about something and can't be trusted. Vote Obama/Biden 08!! We can do state by state,brick by brick!! For the good of all Americans!!

[grantlingel]

That is great... no a maverick but a mimic... perfect!
http://grantlingel.blogspot.com

[standup2them]

Maverick? McSaine means someone who can't get along with people. And he does not like women especially if you want to know what happened to your kid that is M.I.A. He is no hero the men and women out there as we speak are the real hero's. McCain says he wants to be a Dictator! He has said that I believe two times! God help us! Palin wants to follow in the footsteps of Dick Cheney? He broke the law by not following the Constitition! Please please donate to Obama's website! Today! Our great land the land we love needs all us to help! He can't do it without us! This is serious! We don't need a dictator and a person who lies to the Americans! He's a con man and America doesn't need that! Donate today make a difference for your kids and grandchildren and get our country back!

[psue321]

Who would be willing to pay to see a debate between Hillary and Palin? Hillary would chew her up, spit her out, then wipe the floor and clean the windows with her!!!! Oh it would have been so goooood!!!!! Hillary just can't suffer fools.

[08politicaljunkie]

Again, it would be no debate. Palin would attack Hillary's past, would boast her command of her "First Dude," would recite campaign slogans and talking points.

If you look at Palin's power abuses, Hillary was Palin's role model. Palin just does not have the education and civil rights history that Hillary has.

[UrbanRube]

You're right, 08politicaljunkie, and that was the thing that always worried me about Hillary as the dem candidate this time. She and Bill have so much baggage that she would have been a HUGE target for the Rove-ian tactics. It would have been all smears, all the time.

And if the Religious Right had had the imagery of Hillary on the dem ticket right up against Palin on the republican ticket, they would have been all that much more fired up. Trust me, I'm related to them. I know.

[whatsthatsound]

First, she'd go up all cutesy and say, "Can I call you Hill?" Then she'd say stuff like "Hill, you're over the hill!" and "Hill's Bills!" And stupid people would say she won.

[jacqmac]

My Television is going to end up being a casualty of this election. So FAR I have refrained from kicking Tucker Bounds in his smug face while he parrots the talking points given to him and rudely SHOUTS DOWN the 'other side' , ESPECIALLY if they are WOMEN acting as surrogates! He's only gotten MORE obnoxious since his grilling about the Governor of Alaska on CNN.

[Ofactor]

That is so funny....I agree!!!

[DeeDeeDaGumby]

I said it yesterday and will most likely feel the need to post it just about everyday until the 4th of Nov, but here it goes TUCKER B IS A TO0L. ::sigh::: there now I feel so much better. thank you folks for humoring me , that man makes my head what to explode.

[mamala4]

I couldn't agree with you more...

[abby4ever]

For those of you who think Hillary has turned over a new leaf and is aggressively campaigning for Obama:

"It's amazing, you know, she's been thrust into the national spotlight with very little preparation and I think that, all things considered, you saw a very composed and effective debater last night." (Hillary Clinton on Sarah Palin)

http://www.breitbart.tv/html/188053.html

Oh, and Bill's new line, given on Larry King Live a few days ago, is that he doesn't think it's all that helpful to be too critical of your opponent, that it's all right to say something positive about him or her. (Very convenient, Bill, to come up with this garbage, when you don't want to campaign for Obama anyway.)

Yes, the Clintons certainly are 'campaigning their hearts out' for the dem nominee, as Hillary promised they would do.

(Forgive the sarcastic tone of this post, but I really think it's time all of us accepted the fact that the Clintons will never help Obama gain the White House. I myself was fooled into thinking they would, but never again. The bar has been set so low for them that if they so much as said 'Obama is a nice man' it would be taken as aggressive campaigning on their part. The truth of the matter is that they don't want him to win, period.)

[McChimp]

the Clintons will do what they have to do to help Obama win, as they will most certainly be blamed if he loses, and that will mean Goodbye Hillary in 2012.

[abby4ever]

But they are doing the bare minimum. Praising Palin and McCain both. We fried Hillary when she was still in the running, for praising McCain. How is it any different now? And if they do the bare minmum, they won't fool anyone. They don't impress me, anyway, because for every so-called statement of support for Obama, they undermine it with praise of his opponents.

[marrig]

If Bill and Hillary do not climb on board at this very crucial time, I vow that I will NEVER EVER support them in any endeavor ever again. I will conclude, and rightly so, that their loyalties are to themselves and most certainly not to the Democratic party. Limp, vague "support" does not count. It has to be convincing and real. I didn't see their sincere endorsement of Gore and I don't see it for Obama. They better rev it up pronto.

[PumaAnn]

*blink*...­....I think that you are revealing a lot more about you, then.

The article is about her campaigning in Biden's place for O.

What more would you have her do?

[Enlightened22]

As much as I dislike Hillary, she is the kind of bully I want on my team. Thing is, you seem to fail to understand the Clinton. Whatever they say is highly calculated. Bill and Hillary just know too well it serves nothing to attack her, she does the job herself. Attacking her would annoy independants who dislike that kind of politics and that's exactly why they focus on message.

Oh by the way, can you name one dem loser at the end of the primaries who has done as much as Hillary is doing. Let me know when a name comes to your mind.

[Audioman]

There is nobody among the losers in the Deomcratic primaries who have the stature and catche of the Clintons. Not even close.

[FACINGREALIT]

I've heard the line by Bill Clinton that Hillary has done more than any other Democratic loser but the point that they hope the electorate misses is that Hillary did more damage to any other Democractic winner than any other person in a primary as well. So in essence this is more about Hillary trying to restore some honor to the Clinton name (for a 2012 run) than it is about helping the nominee.

The Clintons are political and they never really do anything for anyone but themselves. Every word, every move is about them. Hillary gave the republicans the playbook to use against Obama.....­period and there is nothing she can say to overcome that...not­hing.

Politically, she is history for win or lose, the electorate will NEVER forget the TACTICS of the Clintons against one of their own.

[Ofactor]

I agree but I will say that I did catch Bill doing a rally for Obama...I was impressed he was really going hard for Obama...tr­y looking it up on youtube...­you will be shocked especially since at first he was very luke warm. I am not sure how many of these he did, but this was in Florida and I thought he did a great job, now if we can just get him to repeat his performance in more states it would be great...th­is was in Orlando Florida at UCF

[SusaninIN]

I don't especially like the Clintons but I think they realize that attacking Palin will not help the cause and face it, both Bill and Hillary have their own reputations to think about. Just like it wouldn't look good for Obama or Biden to attack Palin, it also wouldn't look good for a former president and first lady to attack her either. I think we need to cut them some slack.