Obama Takes on the Queen of Hearts
At one heated point in Monday night's Democratic debate, a perturbed Barack Obama finally blurted out to Hillary Clinton what millions of others have been thinking these past weeks. After Clinton said that what her husband says might be different than what she says or what her campaign says, Obama disgustedly said "I can't tell who I'm running against sometimes."
Sorry it's come to this, but this Democratic primary nominating process has, indeed, become all about Bill Clinton. Thanks to Hillary Clinton.
The ex-president has been rolled out as campaign attack dog to bark, bite, snap and tear away at Obama in a way that Hillary -- as candidate -- cannot and will not.
Hillary can't have it both ways. You can't deploy the clout of your husband the ex-president in the middle of your campaign and then not take responsibility for every word he utters, every action he undertakes. Right down to his shameful direct intervention in a crucial polling place in last Saturday's Nevada caucuses.
But there's deeper point. Who exactly is Hillary Clinton anyway if not someone who has parasitically attached herself to the legacy and record of Bill Clinton? Without having been his First Lady, if not exactly his only lady, Ms. Clinton would be but a corporate lawyer turned junior senator from New York and with a less than sterling voting record -- including her authorization of the war in Iraq, approval of a war-mongering resolution on Iran and an inglorious bill to criminalize the national epidemic of flag-burning.
"Elections are about the future," Clinton said tonight, parroting the most moth-eaten of campaign clichés. But Hillary has made it strictly about the past as her only affirmative argument for the future is to resurrect the politics of the previous decade.
In Monday night's debate, all three candidates went at each other. But Obama finally opened up some cuts on the Clintons, calling out Hillary for lecturing him about supposedly being soft on Reagan. "While I was working in the streets watching those folks watch their jobs shift overseas," he said staring at Clinton and referring to those who suffered under Reagan's policies, "you were a corporate lawyer sitting on the board of Wal-Mart."
It might be too little too late on Obama's part. But it was absolutely the right thing to do. Hillary has made Bill, his record, his approach to politics, his policies, his style and her embodiment of all the above the central issue in the campaign. The only honorable position for any opponent of Clinton's is to take her -- and him -- on.
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And as we grip about who is attacking who, let us remember that this is a primary. I watched the debates last night and I am proud to be a Democrat! What great choices we have. I would be proud to vote for any of them in the general election. I won't let my ego or feelings get in the way of changing the way this counrty is run. We need a change and any of these great candidates will be 100 times better then who is office now, or who is on the other side. and if you others out there who profess to be good democrats dont' feel the same way, then maybe you wouldn't mind having any of those running on the other side run this counrty. I would!
Vote your heart in the primaries, but when it comes to crunch time you better vote Democrat ( rather then not vote at all because "I just couldn't vote for him/her")or you'll be to blame for this counrty going another 4-8 years in the same direction.
Enough said.
Obama should feel lucky at this point, because if he gets the nomination he will be running against alot uglier attacks then what he is getting now. So, better get use to the heat Sen. Obama, it doesn't get easier. Hillary is giving back what she gets and Bill is helping her, much like the media is helping Obama.
I am so tired of people handling Sen. Obama with kit golves. Hillary has been attcked more viciously then anyof these candidates (from either party) and she just finds a way the keep going.
And one last point. Bill maybe taking a few liberties with Obama's record, but the basis of what he says is true. The primaries are a test. If Obama passes, he might win the election. But be aware, the media that loves you so now, will turn on you like a wild animal.Jus
I see in my crystal ball that the media would love to see Obama and Mcain. Then they would love to see the "old war horse" win.
Write that down.
If Obama con't figure out who he is running against now wait till the gerenal election if he gets the nominee. The media that loves him now will get the marching orders from their corporate master and with the help of the right wing smear machine, turn him into and experience african-american muslim whom you can't trust to run the country. Am sure he won't know at that point either who he is running against.
Hillary Clinton, hiding behind her husband's skirts. Nice. What a great role model for young women.
boo hoo. if obama can't take it he should get out if the race, now. the clintons are practically forces of nature - and a lot of people appreciate that. not all, but bill does enjoy an 86% approval rating among dems. obama will need to deal with that, one way or another.
If Hillary can't keep Bill on a leash now, how in the world could she do it if she became President? Oh, right. McCain will turn her fairy tale of 35 years of experience and flip-flopping on the issues into the 7 years it's been. She doesn't have a prayer.
Speaking of flip-flopping, she was a Repub and a Goldwater girl in 1964. And when did she claim to see Martin Luther King as a high school student? Oh, right. This is a girl growing up in lilly white, segregated suburban Park Ridge, Illinois and she obviously wasn't that inspired, sticking with the Repubs. When did the Democratic conversion happen? Like to hear that one.
Lying seems to come easy to Big Bad Bill.
What people do with their personal life is up to them especially if it is done between consenting adults.
But actually staring into the camera and lying to the American people about his adulterous behavior is quite another.
In retrospect now that we can clearly see he is willing to lie about what Obama said regarding Reagan and the Republicans, he was apparently also lying to us about Jennifer Flowers, Paula Jones and Monica Lewinsky.
He appears to be trying to make up for his tawdry, unconscionable public humiliation of his wife by saying whatever he thinks will help his wife regardless of whether it is true or not.
Let us not forget how Bill and Hill promised us Universal Health Care way back in 1992; in fact it was so important to them that they were assigning the other half of the two for one package, Hillary.
After months of behind closed-door meetings with heaven knows who, they emerged with nothing.
Eight years in the white house and they failed to accomplish the issue they themselves was the most important problem of the time.
Despite her passionate claim now of how urgent this issue is why should we believe she will be successful.
If they had worked half as hard on this issue as they did to get NAFTA passed then perhaps I could support them again.
But the fact of the matter is they did nothing significant for their base and gave a real windfall to Wall Street by helping them to legally ship our jobs overseas.
Fool me once……
I guess if we are stupid enough and forget that this dance team has become deeply entrenched with the folks who progressive liberals see as standing in the way getting what We The People collective want to accomplish, like Healthcare, ending the war in Iraq and re-building the infrastructure of America, than we will have another 8 years of excuses, obfuscation and plain ole double talk.
Obama you make me proud to be an America again.
I think it is about time that Obama went after something we all were thinking. And I think he should bring up another point. If Hillary does not want to take control or responsibilty of Bill and what he says; then if she is elected, how is she going to control what he is doing while she is President? Who would we be electing? Who's thoughts and ideas?
OBAMA '08
I am undecided about whome I should vote for. I don't agree with Obama bashing as much as I dislike Hillary bashing. However, I find it quite valid to ask questions (by Hillary, Bill or anybody else) about a candidate's record including Obama's record and quite legitimate to go one layer beyond his speeches that I agree have been very inspirational. People have the right to know why he voted "present" more than 100 times while he was in his state's legislature. I was not happy with his answer to that question in last night debate. It sounded like he was trying to spin it.
Also, he has effectively (campaigning most of 2007 and hence not voting) been in the US Senate only for two years and he has voted for almost every major war funding bill. I also listened to his remarks about Ronald Reagan and they definitely came across as admiration for Reagan no matter what he really meant by them. Why did he have to even start to make comments like that and put himself in a John Kerry-like position trying to explain and clarify his remarks later? Is that how a smart campaign works?! Trying to get republican votes at the cost of losing democratic votes?!
Clinton is Nixon redux.
Rove would be proud of the Clintons.
Americans are sick of the rove/clinton tactics.
This debate will start the landslide to Obama.
Thank you for pointing out the Queen has no clothes.
Rev Caldwell sez Vote Obama!
Metanoia Ministries, Obama's idea of unity and inclusion. The list of hate preachers on board with Obama continues.
Please, explain the difference between James Dobson on the Republican side and the McClurkins and Caldwells and Walkers of the Obama campaign.
The Republicans do not use Dobson at official events. Bush has never mentioned Dobson. None of them do. Maybe the religious factions will be healthy for the DNC although they have ruined the RNC and every political party that has ever lowered itself to such alliances?
Maybe Obama's Religionists are cool with choice and sex ed and free speech? Yeah, right.
Think they are safe, for they only hate gays? Good luck with that one!
Kucinich or Edwards. The others are Republicans, and not very good ones at that.
Two weeks ago I would have been happy to vote for either Hillary or Obama next November. Unfortunately Bill's latest behavior and Hillary's campaign tactics have reminded me of the things I didn't like whil Bill was president.
When Hillary lost Iowa the Clintons reverted to type - visciousness, inuendo and even lies. I am afraid this is a preview of the way she will behave with congress and this is not what I want in the presidency for the next eight years. If Hillary is the nominee, I will stay home from the polls.
Why are they the front-runners? Money. Where does the money come from? Corporate masters. Who are the 'corporate masters'? The same people who bankrolled Bush. What will they expect for their money? No-bid government contracts. What contracts? The contracts that keep the occupation of Iraq going.
Face it, folks, no on currently running for president will deviate one iota from the 'Bush plan'. The raping of the American middle class will continue unabated. This country is over.
I've been a Huffington P reader from the beginning, but I am growing less enchanted by the decided anti-Hillary tone to the site-- from just about every contributor. Your commentary is a perfect example.
It is SO liberal to be pro-Obama. It is SO old to continue to be anti-Clinton.
I, for one, am tired of Prince Obama expecting everyone to kiss his butt, which Huffingtonians apparently are so eager to do.
If anyone has been paying attention, the MSM has consistently and relentlessly been attacking Hillary and Bill. The same MSM has treated Obama with much greater respect and almost "rock star" status, for the most part. I was a Dodd supporter and only wished that the lower tiered candidates had not pulled out so fast. Hillary is the smartest of the three, Obama needs to stop babbling and concentrate on fighting the Republicans instead of insulting Bill.Edwar
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