The Desperation of Hillary Clinton

This is just so utterly silly and insulting. Yes, Hillary Clinton is saying "shame on you" to those who point out the historical record showing she strongly supported NAFTA.

Oh, and I love this:

"Bill Clinton has told me personally that Hillary was not in favor of Nafta when it passed,'' Strickland, 66, said on Bloomberg Television's ``Political Capital With Al Hunt,'' airing this weekend."

Ah, I see. Despite Hillary Clinton's public praise for NAFTA, we are now supposed to believe that no, she really opposed it, because in recent days as Hillary's campaign has tanked, Bill Clinton personally told Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland that behind closed doors she opposed it.

I know I linked to this yesterday, but I'll link to it again - it is my column this week that documents all the praise she lavished on NAFTA just a few years ago. Here's the key paragraph:

During Clinton's 1996 visit to Texas, United Press International reported that she "touted the president's support for NAFTA." In her memoir, Clinton trumpeted her husband's "successes on the budget, the Brady bill and NAFTA." The Buffalo News reports that in 1998 she "praised corporations for mounting 'a very effective business effort in the U.S. on behalf of NAFTA.'" And last year, her lead Wall Street fundraiser told reporters that Clinton remains "committed" to NAFTA's "free" trade structure.

Yes, the stuff from her memoir and from the Buffalo News are direct quotes. But we are expected to simply ignore that, as Clinton feigns outrage that anyone would ever suggest she supported NAFTA.

How many insults to the American people's intelligence can be hurled in one primary election contest? And how desperate can one candidate get?

Comments

[platopenis]

Mr. Sirota. I must again take exception to your Clinton bashing. If you are a supporter of Obama, you should just say so instead of hammering the Clintons on NAFTA. Anyone who knows about NAFTA will agree that it's "success" is a mixed bag. We should point out that in addition to being a trade agreement, it also provided guide lines for both labor and environmental standards. Many experts will agree to benefits in both these areas resulting from NAFTA. Regardless, it over simplifies the problem to blame NAFTA for the huge exodus of American manurfacturing jobs. Most people agree that it is an imbalance between the U.S. and countries such as China and India that account for this problem. How often do you see a "made in Mexico" label on trade goods?

The only reason you Obama puppets keep misleading people on this topic is because it is a weak point for Hillary. It doesn't matter that NAFTA is pretty much a non-issue. It does matter that it detracts from the real problem with China and India. It also shows that Obama is nothing new. His message of change is just the same old, cheap tactics wrapped in a prettier, cooler package.

Lastly, to you english professors who need your paragraphs. I think you will agree that the standard for electronic communication is more informal than academic writing. However, if the paragraphs are important to you. Well there you go.

[evereye3]

This has got to be the first time you have read any Sirota post. He is no Obama puppet and has been hammering NAFTA for years.

This isn't about whether NAFTA really was good or bad for America, or about blindly supporting Obama by bashing everything Hillary does. The facts are that many people feel NAFTA was a bad deal for the American working class. Quite a few of those people live in Ohio, like me. Hillary Clinton has shown her support for NAFTA many times over the past 15 years, but now when she needs Ohio votes, suddenly she was against it all along, only behind closed doors. What a crock! Pointing this out is not Hillary bashing, it is just stating a fact. If Hillary supporters can't handle the facts, that is their problem, but for the good of the party stop attacking anyone who truthfully brings up something that shows your candidate in an unflattering light. Just because someone doesn't support Hillary's candidacy doesn't make them a crazed anti-Clinton attack dog, or a brainwashed Obama disciple. Some of us care about the issues, not just our preferred candidate.

[platopenis]

If the truth be told it is Bill who said that Hillary was against NAFTA. People with a memory will remember Hillary's response when aske about NAFTA in the second democratric debate. To paraphrase her comments at that time, she acknowledged that NAFTA had not lived up to all it's expectations.

It is also wrong to blame NAFTA exclusively for the problems facing America's working class. In fact some experts report that in the period from 1993 to 2003, as a result of NAFTA, U.S. exports to Canada and Mexico combined, grew from 134.3 billion to 250.6 billion. Similarly, experts say that in the first decade of NAFTA, U.S manufacturing output soared, U.S. employment grew and U.S. manufacturing wages actually increased. Also, income gains and tax cuts from NAFTA were worth $930.00 each year for the average house hold of four.

It is clear that since NAFTA many other trade alliances have been formed particularly with China and India that have had devastating results for America's working class. NAFTA was a treaty that provided for the removal of tariffs from goods going back and forth between it's members. What is really hurting U.S. manufacturing is cheap labor and the lack of environmental standards in Asian countries that makes it cheaper to manufacture goods and provide services.

NAFTA is a false issue that Obama uses because most people don't understand the full nature of the treaty, or the full nature of the problems facing American labor. Using the people's ignorance on subjects to manipulate their vote shows that Obama is not an agent of change. He is a master manipulator who knows no limits to what he will do or say to get the nomination.

One last point if you please. Anyone who thinks that Sirota's most recent opinions are not anti-Clinton and pro-Obama is in denial. Truth be told most media groups favor Obama. That is why Michele Obama gets an 8 minute long segment on the ABC news with Katie Kouric and why tonight ABC did a long segment pointing out aspects of Barack's political career that showed only the positives. Will they give Bill or Hillary free face time? I think not.

[treadway123]

Right now we need to focus on beating Mccain. On The late Edition sunaday morning guest Chuck Hagel Sen. from Nebrasa said this: The new President needs to engage with foriegn country's like Cuba an Iran" Followin Senator Obama's lead that change don't happen unless you talk and reach out to leaders of other country's. He also said while he visited Iraq he was full aware we were there trying to build a Nation-------Not to protect this country. That we need to be in Afganastan and along the Pakistan Border where the real problem with Alqueda is. He said Nation building in foreign countries is not what America should be doing and we need to get out of Iraq. All this is in direct contrast with Senator John Mccain who says we may be in Iraq a 100 years------------and that it's not approprate to talk to foreign leaders who means us harm. Cuba would import millions of dollars from our fields for food given a trade agreement. If we trade with communist vietnam, and china----why not Cuba? mccain has such hate in his heart for Cuba and other's from his Olden days that he can't look to the future to go forward, and this country will not talk to others if he becomes president. Nor will the War's end. this will continue to put Unlited States at risk, till we start talking and compromiseing and treating people like we want to be treated.

[Clinton]

HRC is losing it, completely.

[RealistDem]

So much for Hillary going down with class, shell tear this party apart before she cedes.

[DemandTruth]

This is a lose-lose situation for Hillary Clinton. It speaks to her pattern of hypocrisy and disingenousness. Her say-one-thing-then-do-another-style of old school politics. She either was lying then or is lying now. I guess it just depends on which Hillary Clinton you want to believe.

She tells us now that she was always secretly against NAFTA, even though she was publicly for it. So either she was lying THEN about her true feelings on NAFTA, or she's lying NOW about her true feelings on NAFTA.

Which is it, Mrs. Clinton? Were you lying to the people for pure political calculation THEN or are you lying NOW? Because your public comments in favor of NAFTA are on record. Either they were true (which means you're lying to us NOW) or they were a lie (which, of course means you were lying to us THEN!)

[GLBorchert]

Thank you for documenting what we all know to be true. The whole thing just insults my intelligence. I read three newspapers a day and have a great memory. Now she thinks that she can rewrite history by manufacturing some false notion of opposition to NAFTA through one of her political hacks.
We lived through this stuff! We remember that not only Hillary but also Al Gore and virtually every other key leader in the Bill Clinton administration lined up in lock-step to support NAFTA as a means of creating good, high-paying American jobs. They believed that NAFTA would restore America to world leadership in manufacturing. The fact that it did quite the opposite is something that was not foreseen by the Clinton camp fifteen years ago.
All this has done for me is, as a Democrat, to create a question in my own mind as to whether I could support her in a general election, in the unlikely event that she were to get the nomination. A couple of days ago I would have said that I would support her. Now I'm not sure. This gives us a picture of what a Hillary Clinton Whitehouse would look like, and I might want to opt for McCain.

[GLBorchert]

Thank you for documenting what we all know to be true. The whole thing just insults my intelligence. I read three newspapers a day and have a great memory. Now she thinks that she can rewrite history by manufacturing some false notion of opposition to NAFTA through one of her political hacks.
We lived through this stuff! We remember that not only Hillary but also Al Gore and virtually every other key leader in the Bill Clinton administration lined up in lock-step to support NAFTA as a means of creating good, high-paying American jobs. They believed that NAFTA would restore America to world leadership in manufacturing. The fact that it did quite the opposite is something that was not foreseen by the Clinton camp fifteen years ago.
All this has done for me is, as a Democrat, to create a question in my own mind as to whether I could support her in a general election, in the unlikely event that she were to get the nomination. A couple of days ago I would have said that I would support her. Now I'm not sure. This gives us a picture of what a Hillary Clinton Whitehouse would look like, and I might want to opt for McCain.

[joja]

Good piece, Mr. Sirota.

In answer to your closing question, about how desperate a candidate (or, in this case, candidates -- as Bill is as much a candidate, too, as Lady Macbeth) can be -- pretty desperate.

But, that's the way narcissits react when their agenda is threatened. Nothing -- NOTHING -- stands in the way of what they're after -- in this case, power. And they will do whatever it takes, no matter how demeaning or outrageous, to fulfill their goals.

Flip-flopping on issues? Don't bat an eye -- lying is as easy as breathing -- narcissists train themselves long and well on being able to lie -- and get away with it.

Distorting an opponent's position? Nothing to it -- just throw shit at the wall and see what sticks! Once it's out there, it's out there (look what the right-wing did to JE -- they put out the pimping-his-wife's-cancer-for-contributions-bullshit, and that was the end of him!).

Why don't the guys in the MSM expose the Clintons for who they really are -- a pair of two, tired, old scam artists who don't know when to get off the stage?

And who are delighting in tearing the Democratic Party to shreds, just so they can be coronated.

[bellecloche]

Thank you for that eloquent post. It shatters all of Clinton's Rove-like hopes that the voters won't put two and two together whenever she opens her mouth about Iraq, her (failed) healthcare project of the 90's, and now NAFTA. If she spent more time talking about her tried and true accomplishments (there are a few), it would serve as a better distraction, but these accusations are only directing the floodlights onto her own bad record on the issues.

[dgscol]

The Clintons have financially gained from CAFTA, and NAFTA, and blind support of the WTO. They believe in a burgeoning world government, and the growth of industrial economies worldwide.

Obama likewise, but possibly shifting. All his legislation seems to coincide with Hillary's view.

The problems is that this ideology is impossible to implement without disrupting our country and without serious population reduction in foreign lands.

We should first worry about ourselves, then the rest of the world.

[LAShores]

I'm begging that Hillary goes out with some class and on a high note. Don't overstay your welcome. We need all the Hillary supporters to unite with us again and lets stop the evil Corporatists Repubs from winning. Obama is going to need all the help he can get to defeat these evil fuggers this fall.

[bbrown8370]

Simply, well said. As always. Keep doing what you do David.

[vernonbc]

"how desperate can one candidate get?" Very. We're seeing it every day on the campaign trail. It truly is sad to see an accomplished woman self-destruct.

[nancytheragingliberal]

David, I miss your theme song,"My Sirota," when you spoke weekly on radio with Al Franken. I always enjoyed listening to you. Thanks for all you do!

[desmirl]

One of the first thing an adult learns is TO PICK YOUR FIGHTS CAREFULLY. Hilary, or whoever's in charge of her camp, hasn't learned that lesson--and it will cost her in Texas and Ohio. Goodbye, Hilary. You were amusing... for a while.

[Spike3905]

And didn't Bill Clinton also claim that he had opposed the Iraq War from the beginning, in spite of his wife's vote?

[lisakaz]

And yet in 2003 he said something entirely different. Ridiculous.

[MPeter]

The Clintons just don't when to quit. They lie and lie until they can't just can't tell the truth from lies. They are without grace and will go to the gutter for power and money.

[lynnn]

Shame on You Hillary Clinton, for stiffing the hard working People of Iowa w/ thousands of dollars that you want pay! She even stiffed our local YMCA and A School District.


Watch the News Report form Iowa, that shows two people who haven't been payed!

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

[bauersox]

I think you'll find that the Obama campaign has been rounding these people up and packaging stories about them. Talk about dirty tricks from Senator Max Outcreditcards!

[Dap]

Dear David,

It has been a while since I last dropped in on ya, but I just wanted to say thanks for making this issue absolutely clear.

Seems the one that should be ashamed of Herself is Senator Clinton, for once again trying to pull the wool over We, the people's eyes. Agape.