Hillary Clinton's unfortunate slip about dodging sniper fire on a tarmac in Bosnia threatens to obscure the far greater dangers that she courted and braved during eight years as first lady. Though media critics have been spluttering about the frequent redactions in her recently released White House schedules, they coudn't be more off-base. Those redactions are, in fact, an eloquent testament to her modesty and courage. In those moments, Clinton slipped away to avert crises and to aid the afflicted around the globe, often at great personal peril. Only Clinton's deep humility has prevented her from recounting many of these episodes. If she would only consent to release the full schedule, the world would likely marvel at her intrepidity.
Indeed, a close study conducted over the past week by a team of investigators who drew up time-lines and contrasted the redactions themselves with world events confirms that Clinton was far more active than she has publicly acknowledged--a kind of Wonder Woman. A spider-web chart will soon be released on the internet, but for now a few examples should suffice to convince even the most skeptical of Hillary's virtues.
Take the redacted hours that were supposedly devoted to meeting secretly about healthcare. In fact, they clearly served as a cover for her daring deeds, as she slipped out to serve as peacemaker. In 1993, for example, the Clinton administration faced a moment of great peril as North Korea prepared to attack the South. Hillary moved heaven and earth to ensure that the balky State Department bureaucracy sent Kim Jong-Il a box of his favorite chocolates and a crate of champagne, thereby preventing a greater Asian land war. A secret Pentagon unit that Hillary established in the Pentagon, which consisted of students of the philosopher Richard Rorty and whose existence has gone undisclosed until now, stovepiped intelligence to her about Kim's personal predilections, including the fact that he insisted upon Lindt chocolate made nowhere but in Switzerland. It took even Dwight Eisenhower months to end the Korean war--Clinton stopped one from even starting.
Then there was Hillary's penetration of al Qaeda. Remember the Predator missiles that Clinton was going to fire to take out Osama bin-Laden? All Hillary's doing. She actually slipped into al Qaeda HQ, disguised in a Burqa, playing a kind of Mata Hari to bin-Laden. Hillary had it all set up to take out bin-Laden, but the CIA bungled the job at the last moment, failing to strike quickly enough.
And what about the Monica Lewinsky affair? This, too, was a sign of her forbearance. As the schedules show, she was in the White House when Bill was enjoying Monica's ministrations. Did Hillary know? Of course she knew. But she faithfully refrained from intervening, aware of the terrible pressures that her husband was enduring as he deal with simultaneous crises in Bosnia and Rwanda. In so doing, she demonstrated tremendous diplomacy and tact--two virtues that will be indispensable for her as president.
The record seems clear: Sen. Barack Obama may talk about saving the world, but Hillary has already done it several times over. Given her record, how can anyone wonder about this woman?
Jacob Heilbrunn, a senior editor at the National Interest, is the author of They Knew They Were Right: the Rise of the Neocons
The reason she's gained credibility regarding her experience is because it is transparent. It shows.
His? His lack of real command over the issues also shows. He's just stumbling on a host of issues. Why? Because he's not thought about those issues as long as she has. It's obvious.
He's a bright guy. But that only takes one so far. Bright folks screw up BIG time when they get in over their heads. And they do get in over their heads.
She's also as bright as he is. But she's not in over her head.
That's the difference.
Re: the Clintons when they dove into Gays in the Military, Healthcare, etc. and promptly lost the Democratic Congress.
"She's also as bright as he is."
She didn't finish at the top in the nation as a law candidate. Nor did she pass the bar exam. She's ridden Bill's coattails all the way.
"But she's not in over her head."
If she weren't, would she have had this much trouble from a black guy no one knew with a name like Barack Hussein Obama?
She voted for the War to save her electibility. It cost us enough. This campaign, on top of that, is much more than any candidate should ask of her party.
Where do you live?
Come on. The guy taught one class. You know how many of my friends teach one class? They aren't "professors," either.
You know how many people volunteer? They aren't community organizers, either.
So let's vet him. Then compare.
I can guarantee you he's as guilty of fluffing up his resume as she is.
So then we can get back to basics.
Listen.
Who is more informed?
Listen.
Wow. The 'author' must really believe that.
I guess that we're not really running out of fossil fuels, conducting wars for access to fresh water, destroying the earth's atmosphere, pushing species after species towards extinction, killing brown people that don't talk like us so that we can steal their oil, engaging in human trafficing, etc.
I guess the 'author' feels that a vote for Hillary will save the world. If this is typical of her supporters, I begin to understand their vehemence and sense of entitlement. All this time, I figured she was a cynical politician that triangulated her votes and efforts to further her own ambitions for national office. I expect as much from any prominent politician, but what I've always been most interested in is where they are willing to draw the line and stand up for principle. I guess I've been looking at it all wrong for most of my adult life. Stupid me.
yuk yuk yuk
Laugh at all your unfunny dumb jokes all the way to the day McCain (the WAR HERO) beats the ultra liberal (rated the most liberal senator in Washington) ...yes it's all so hilarious. Will you silly dreamers and hopey campers be laughing then? What will you 'change' then? Not so much.
So what if she embellished a story,they ALL do that,Obama has done that too...and fact is she DID go to a dangerous area and represented our country in a positive way,as well as many other times also. Maybe she remembered it as being pretty dangerous and the SMALL film clip of her being greeted didnt show that scary part of the trip
Nevertheless,IMO
she was a wonderful first lady and I was very proud of both her and Bill. Still am.
She has just been raking in the money from special interests so you can just forget about her doing anything about health care. We are paying now for the centerpiece of the Clinton administraion NAFTA. It was Bill Clinton that started the ball rolling for consolidation of the media.
Now their staying in the race to soothe their own egos even if they take the Democratic Party down with them. The are in up to their eyeballs with the DLC anyway- you know "the Democrats should be kinder to Corporations group" or the Democrats should be more "Repulblican. The Clinton now are about as Democratic as their DLC pal Joe Lieberman. WE DON'T WANT HILLARY- we want a Democrat!
What do you guys get out of logging on and BSing?
Log off and think you've fooled someone?
NOT.
LOL*........you're just silly.
First, how did she see the controls?
Second, what did it look like from the ground?
"There goes Wonder Woman, sitting on her ass in the sky."
Yeah, kinda does sound like Hillary.
Allright, what you need to understand at this point is that any sarcasm or snark related clinton jokes have to be Completely unbelievable because that post really did sound just like the pro-clilnton lunacy I see all over the internet these days.
or THE MESSIAH vs WONDER WOMAN