Hillary Crossed the Line

It may be true that an untidy cat box could beat sad sack John McCain this year.

But.

Senator Clinton, please shut up.

Every charge you angrily hurl at Barack Obama gives the Republicans a talking point.

On yesterday's 60 Minutes, you crossed an unforgivable line:

"You don't believe that Senator Obama's a Muslim?" Steve Kroft asked her.

"Of course not. I mean, that, you know, there is no basis for that. I take him on the basis of what he says. And, you know, there isn't any reason to doubt that," she replied.

"You said you'd take Senator Obama at his word that he's not...a Muslim. You don't believe that he's...," Kroft said.

"No. No, there is nothing to base that on. As far as I know," she said.

As far as I KNOW? What if the situation were reversed?

"Sen Obama, What about those smears that Hillary Clinton is a lesbian who likes to skinny dip with her Iranian 'assistant...' and 'gal pal.' What do you think about those rumors?"

"She is a heterosexual happily married to former President Bill Clinton, as far as I know," Obama responds.

Who are you, Senator Clinton?

You are doing exactly what the Republicans do when they campaign.

Comments

[PennP]

The real question that needs to be asked here, the hard question that no one seems to be asking, is "What kind of a person finds Hillary Clinton's tactics and character admirable?" What does it say about people who support her? Has ends-justi­fy-the-mea­ns, unprincipled, sleazy behavior become "the new black"?

How is it that so many women, it seems--and I am female-- identify with someone whose hallmark is a fungible relationship with fact and reality? Are there that many women out there who have confused strength with aggression, power with bullying, and the idea of feminism with domination at any price? I see enormous anger among many of HRC's supporters, and it seems to be anger at their lot in life vis a vis their gender. How could so many women feel so hard done by, and let their resentment fester, doing nothing but passively identifying with a dissembling autocrat? The frustration must be overwhelming, but they don't seem to see that they have thwarted their own best interests by not reaching for more, for settling for the feelgood of lies that pander to that anger instead of seeking its source and dealing with it. Has the idea that someone else has to "get my back" become so au courant that the notion of personal courage, taking a stand on principle, is now outre? How can a concept of accountability mean anything to people who embrace this way of dealing with the world? And have I perhaps just answered my own question?

These are soap opera dynamics, antithetical to an enlightened electorate. It boggles my mind every time I see one of them stridently insist upon the blatant lies of her model, as if saying it made it so. I don't know whether it's "fake it 'til you make it," or simply the unwillingness to do the work of looking at the truth, and risking the discovery that their mentor's feet are made of lint. Whatever the case, it does not bode well for true progress in this country. I'm not asking for much. I just wish they--male and female supporters alike--would do their homework and run down their candidate's schtick, submit it to the sniff test, and ask themselves if they'd hire someone, or even trust someone, who'd pad their resume and run their business the way Clinton has hers. That's all.

[valleygent]

Excellent point to have made, just look at Hillary's surrogates pour out their vast right wing conspiracy model to a new level, against their own party, and against a man who is the real goods! If she really was a civIl rights activist in the true sense, she would have stepped aside with grace, knowing that the time for people of color to embrace a leader, after 200+ years of WASP dominance, is upon us. Instead we get EGO! SHAME ON YOU HILLARY CLINTON.

[johnl22]

Are you kidding me? This is absolutely ridiculous that this has even become an issue. She clearly answered the question with an emphatic "Of course not" when asked if she believed Obama was a Muslim. If you watched the video, she seemed taken aback that Steve Kroft would follow up with the same question. She again aggressively asserted that no, she did not believe he was a Muslim. The "As far as I know" comment added to the end was high pitched in tone - she was not trying to probe further into the matter or leave open the question in voters minds, but rather seemed confused and surprised she would be asked the same question again when she clearly answered it the first time.

Give me a break. Let's talk about real issues here, and not probe into every one of Clinton's words looking for every opportunity to attack her.

[Interested01]

It is widely believed that Senator Obama is Muslim. Senator Clinton knows that, and her answer takes advantage of that fact. She, unlike most American voters, knows what the word "disingenuous" means, and her recent campaign tactics reflect both her understanding of voter ignorance and gullibility and a willingness to say things she knows to be distorted or simply untrue. She isn't above feeding the rumor mills on national television.

Remember when she said she wanted to "start a conversation" with the American people? Did that charade make any more sense than her current campaign of belittling and dismissal? All but her deluded partisans know her words are not to be trusted. As a registered Democrat who voted for Obama in the primary, if by some twisted path she does get nominated, I'll vote against her in November. This incident on 60 minutes sealed that decision.

[RIBassist]

She also knows that Obama is a Christian. I have watched the interview, saw it when it first aired and have seen it several times since. Her hemming and hawing and flustered "as far as I know" were exquisitely Nixonian.

If she didn't want this to be an issue (and saying "This is not an issue" don't make it so, folks), she should have answered "Well, I know that Barack Obama is a Christian. So your question, Steve, is stupid." She would have looked like a hero, and nobody would have questioned her response.

[akhinaten]

she really has no redeaming quality. she is a thug a fighter that is it. like a fight dog you cannot do anything else with her

[Melissa]

It's about time she started fighting back. Sadly, I think the democratic party will never come together in this election. I think there is to much anger between both candidates supporters.

[valleygent]

I am an independant voter who finds the latest remarks and actions coming from Hillary Clinton and her militant surrogates utterly disgusting. What part of denounce and reject represents affiliation?
Hillary Clinton is a divisive and destructive element in modern politcs, she is a dinosaur from the past.
She has reintroduced Arkansas political tactics and race baiting to her national campaign.
She lies every single day to the American public, and she changes her positions from one side to the other on national television, she is a complete hoax. She claims "35" years of experience, but her resume is largely corporate as she spent most of her professional career with the Rose Law Firm in Arkanas. Obama has more years experience in PUBLICLY Elected office as he spent 8 years in the Ilinois Senate and his years as US Senator. Her only true experience with anything of great political consequence was her husband's Health care program. She FAILED miserably to bring about any changes in this important matter, and alienated herself from the American public, ushering in 12 years of Republican dominance in congress and subsequent impeachment. Wake up Democrats, the Repubs have her ticket, they want to run against her, they know they can beat her easily. I will vote for Obama in November, unless the Dems nominate Clinton, then I will vote for McCain, gladly.

[anotherbozo]

Glad someone in the media picked up on that. scandalous: "as far as I know." Just disgusting. As bad as her saying re: a willingness to bomb Osama in Pakistan, if we knew of his location, that a reasonable abount of "collateral damage", i.e., civilian DEATHS, would be justifiable. The real Hillary freezes my blood.

[scrts13]

Have the Clintons taken dirty money from dubious sources and is that why they are stalling releasing their tax returns. No. At least not as far as we know....

[susieq1001]

Oh, please . . . I watched the clip and you should too.

Steve Kroft is the one we should be condemning here, not Hillary.

She VERY clearly stated that she did NOT believe these things about Obama. Steve Kroft insisted, and insisted, he pressed. Did he not believe her? Couldn't he just take her word the first time she said it? I think she said that just to get him to shut up about it already.

And, by the way, who cares if Obama IS a Muslim? It's not a crime. It's a perfectly reasonable thing, to be a Muslim. I certainly don't care either way. I'm betting she doesn't either.

The whole reaction to her words is a tempest in a teapot.

[candlewax]

Steve asked the question because he wanted to get to the bottom of who was spreading the smear campaign. It was a defensible question, but the answer he received was indefensible. She kept qualifying her answer over and over again. She knew exactly what she was doing.

[susieq1001]

"A smear campaign is an intentional, premeditated effort to undermine an individual's or group's reputation, credibility, and character.­" (from Wikipedia)

I see the problem . . . I don't think being a Muslim would undermine anyone's reputation, credibility, or character. And apparently you do.

[kittybitty]

But, but, but her 35 years of experience should've taught her how to handle the question properly.

[DrRJP]

Oh, and one more thing:

"Will you please shut up, Tom D'Antoni?"

Steve Kroft asked Hillary Clinton THREE TIMES if Obama was a Muslim, and she answered him THREE TIMES that he wasn't."

However, devilish D'Antoni takes the discussion out of context and focuses only on the final thing that Hillary said, "As far as I know," which was a totally honest reply.

Only Obama knows whether he is, or is not, a Muslim, and that is true for every religious and spiritual belief of every living person on Earth. No one can make statements of faith about another without getting into their hearts and heads.

[candlewax]

He kept asking her because she kept qualifying her statement.

[DrRJP]

Obama was born to a Muslim father and when he was two, his parents divorced and his mother married another Muslim.

It does not matter AT ALL that Obama's first father "was a Muslim" who became an "atheist" (as some have claimed) or that his stepfather "was a Muslim" who became a "non-practicing Muslim ."

What does matter is that there is no such thing as an "atheist" Muslim or a "non-practicing" Muslim in Islam. If you were born to a Muslim father, you are a Muslim regardlesss of whether he was once a Muslim. Same thing for his stepfather who was born a Muslim father. Once a Muslim, always a Muslim, and any Muslim who strays from Islam, regardless of the means, methods, or reasons, is forever labeled an apostate and will be sought out and killed.

In other words, there will be fatwas issued against Obama (if there have not been any so far) for renoucing Islam and calling for every Muslim around the world to kill the unbeliever. In the eyes of the fundametalist mullahs, Obama is every bit as guilty of apostasy as was Salmon Rushdie.

If Obama were to become President, he would be targeted for assassination before he even takes the oath of office. That's the inescapable reality

He can tell his supports, all he wants, that he's going to sit down with terrorist leaders and convince them to make peace, but he might as well tell it to a wall because you cannot reason with Islamofascists whose sole goal is to turn the entire world into a giant caliphate ruled by Sha'ria Law.

You can choose to stick your head in the sand, or whatever appropriate dark place you find, or you can confront the truth about how Islamics have been conducting a bloody, global jihad against non-Muslim governments from Indonesia to India to Africa to Eastern Europe.

There is not one iota of difference between Al-Qaeda and Hamas: they are both fundamental Islamic groups who are bent on world domination. What has made them so succssful is being able to convince the naive West that the "Zionists" in Israel want to take over the whole Middle East (or the world) instead of their only aim, which is to live ONLY in the land of Israel: land that has existed as Jewish land for 3,000 years.Jews only wish to live in the small strip of land promised to them by the League of Nations, Britain, France, and the United States. Arabs own the remaining 99.9% of the land, and they are the real usurpers and occupiers of Jewish land, not the reverse. To claim that is not true is to deny historical facts that have existed for 1,800 years before Muhammed was even born, and to replace them with 20th century, propagandist lies.

[candlewax]

This is America, Obama is an American citizen and EVERY AMERICAN has the CHOICE of what faith they will abide by, if any at all.

[candlewax]

Obama was essentially raised by his mother and grandparents all of whom are Christian and he has said he has been going to the same Christian church for 20 years and praying to Jesus every night so END OF STORY!

[shahed]

If you were born to a Muslim father, you are a Muslim regardlesss of whether he was once a Muslim.

Islam is an ideology, not a race. If what you say is true, where are the fatwas? The mullahs certainly wouldn't bother to wait now that they know about him.

[RIBassist]

My wife was born into a Muslim family, and I have to say, this is one of the goofiest things I've ever read. To be a practicing Muslim, you must study the Koran, study the life history and philosophical teachings of Mohammed, and embrace Islam with a pledge of faith. Isalm, like Catholicism, is not a gene passed at birth. You have to work at it and earn it. Many, many people born to Muslim parents do not pursue the Islamic faith or any other faith for that matter, just as is true in societies where Christianity dominates. And they are not being assassinat­ed... although many are likely disappointing their parents, just as many young Christians disappoint their parents when they stop going to church.

What you state here, Doc, may well be true for someone who professes faith to Islam and then severs their ties to the religion (although you'd think there'd be a whole lot more bodies piling up in Muslim countries if this were the case). But this does not describe Barack Obama. The only religion to which he has pledged his faith and fidelity is Christianity.

[hoodrat]

Yeah, it's true that he would become a target of the Jihadi's fundamentalists, but since there are also fundamentalists of a different kind right here in the good ole' USA, lacking the wherewithall, to effect a hit - but not to censure the vitriol uttered...­..There is evidence of the "non-practicing", and even switching religions, you're certainly not saying that your ancestors "conversion" to the "True Faith", of the ethnic peoples at the place of colonialism was a farce? Say it ain't so! And yes damn it! If I've got the most powerful Military in the world, at my back - I'll talk to anyone willing to sit at the table. That's what REAL warriors of word or deed, do. I only fear - fear itself. The Sen. knew the risks, when he first took the Oath of Office(WITH HAND ON BIBLE) in Illinois. If a mans father is an idiot, does that make him one also? You're "thesis", by its implications - does not pertain to REAL men.......­.....next!

[InformedMisery]

Oh grow up. The Clintons have bee under attack for more than 15 years. Jerry Fallwel used to peddle a tape that claimed to reveal the "truth" about Bill Clinton, claiming he ran drugs out of Mena, AK... accused him of having political rivals murdered. All of it debunked. But the right still pushed it. If this is the worst thing poor Obama has to deal with, he should do a freakin' happy dance. Hillary said he wasn't a Muslim. If that's not good enough for you, then too bad.

[Whofreakincares]

But Hillary is not a republican right? I mean media bias and fear tactics are from the republican playbook right? She is a democrat correct?

[LeftCoastLefthandedLefty]

So based on your logic if you were abused as a youth you are obligated to beat your children to toughen them up.

If logic ruled in your world, Hillary Co. would know that insinuating untrue rumors like these is. underhanded, slimy, and unethical, but I guess she identifies more with the Republican playbook than with all of Obama's hope nonsense.

[Tankan]

Hillary being Hillary!

She washes her hands and still manages to inject her poision into the imagination!

[CitizenE]

Having heard the resposnse myself, this as much ado about nothing. The bigger issue for me, and I voted for Obama in the California primary, concerns the way in which he originally responded to all this. Unlike the flag pin flap, which he successfully diffused, by actually taking on the notion of symbolism vs. real action, in this case instead of raising the issue of the first amendment and freedom of religion, he shouted to the high heavens, "Jesus Christ." Obama could have quite clearly stated that while he was a practicing Christian, that had nothing to do with his qualifications to be President, and if in 2007, someone was still voting on the basis of religion, when Thomas Jefferson, after all, was a Deist, then perhaps he did not want that person's vote. That he was aware of the nation's current apprehension about Islam, but that right now we have a very effective and excellent Congressman from Minnesota who is a Muslim, and Jack Kennedy, who faced a fearful American electorate because of his Catholicism, is today considered one of the most inspiring Presidents of the 20th Century.
As a non Christian, myself, t find wrapping oneself in the cross one of the more offesnsive and pandering elements of Presidential politics. Clinton also punted on this, and could have merely stated that when American dignitaries visit foreign nations, it is important to respect other nations' traditions, even the clothing they wear. But that "as far as I know" only came after the interviewer repeated the same silly, trivial, and irrelevant question over and over.

[BenjitheWolfdog]

Well said, I am sick of the presses fixation on religious correctness, it doesn't belong in the discussion. This demand for religious purity is one of the main forces that is tearing apart the Republican party. Most, if not all, human conflict has arose from religious intolerance. Bush claims to be a devote christian and look at how he has conducted himself, nuf said. I'd trade what we have now for a ethical athieist, muslim, buddist or someone of any other religion in a heart beat. Come on folks, lets focus on what really matters!!!! I supported John Edwards and have decided to support Obama. Hillary lost me when she voted for the Iran resolution. I can at least sympathize with her defense of her vote on Iraq, though I knew it was a mistake at the time, but her vote on Iran convinced me that she hadn't learned anything from her earlier mistake.

[TurnThePageGA]

It does if the beer drinkers (not intended to offend) think he is some kind of Islamic Jihadist. It took almost 5 years for most Americans to realize that Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11.

[Najam]

a. Saying that the Super delegates must vote as their constituents did and the entire America is behind Obama, this logic demands that Kerry and Kennedy must vote for Hillary.

b. Barack Hussain Obama also says that the super delegates must not be alowed to change the will of the people, but wants the Florida and Michigan delegates not to be allowed to vote in the Convention. WOW, this "Incredible Intelligence" can only be palyed among the "Incredible Arrognace" of the followers.

c. He goes after Hillary about her vote for Iraq War but proudly hugs Rockefeller and Kennedy. They both voted for Iraq War, why didn't he slammed them. Obama didn't vote, BECAUSE HE WAS NOT A SENATOR IN 2003.

d. It is about, "if you are not with us you are gainst us". If you are my supporter you can do anything and I would not talk about as long as you support me, so much for change."

e. The same is true on the blogs, TV or print media. Anyone who disagrees with him or questions him, his supporters use threats, profanity, vulgar language, call names, etc, so much for change.

f. His supporters are going after Ms. Tub Jones refused to be pressured to vote on racial grounds, so much for change.

g. Sounds like the street gangs of any rundown neighborhood to me.

h. TX, RI, VT, OH now the first right of rejection to race based campaign is yours, use it or hold your peace when the promised can't be filled, dreams will be broken simply because China would not give us more money, and nothing can be changed.

i. I wish John Edwards stayed in the race, people would have definitely voted for him.

j. This rhetoric and hype may work in the begining but history tells us that there was a similar man in Germany some decades ago who brought everything to its knees.

May God save us from the "snake charmers".

Najam, NJ

[mickeyrat]

"i. I wish John Edwards stayed in the race, people would have definitely voted for him."

If Hillary and Obama continue to go at each other, and their supporters contnue to get increasingly bitter towards each other, such that the party cannot be united around EITHER of them, then doesn't a draft of John Edwards look like the best course?

At this point, especially if Hillary does well tomorrow and draws closer to Obama now that the sheen has worn off the latter, the next five months could be so divisive that people that the convention could be incredibly bitter. Can a divided Dem party succeed against McCain?

I doubt it. Hopefully, Obama does well enough today to lock it up; otherwise, I think that the superdelegates have to be very careful about deciding that he's the nominee, and have to ask whether they can afford to put him over the top if it leaves an embittered HRC faction, made up of conservative and centrist dems, who could easily be persuaded to vote for McCain over Obama in the critical purple states.

Those of us who were former John Edwards supporters have to keep in mind that although his campaign is over, his candidacy isn't necessarily so, especially if it becomes the only viable way for Dems to win in November.

[in4success]

obama isn't 'going after" hillary --- she is forcing him into the mud to defend himself...­she can't win on issues or personality and she knows it so she has chosen to do whatever is necessary.­..

that in itself should frighten the hell out of people and definitively prove she can't be trusted to lead.

[JimR]

b. Hillary Rodham Clinton agreed going in to primary season that the votes in those 2 states would not be counted. Now she does want them to be counted because she'd benefit from it. WOW. Oh, and in Michigan, she wants it to count even though her name was the only one on the ballot, and other candidates were left at a disadvantage. WOW.

c. Kennedy voted against the resolution. Obama never claimed to have cast a vote on it. As you said, HE WAS NOT A SENATOR AT THE TIME. THANK YOU FOR REMINDING US IN BIG LETTERS.

i. So you don't think Obama has enough experience, but you would vote for a guy who has only 1 term in the Senate, not even any experience in state government, which Obama does have (8 years). Well, that makes a whole lot of sense.

j. A Hitler reference? Really? Yeah, don't exaggerate or anything.

[FdeBear]

Get out of here! There is no one who could be compared to Hitler and his co-horts - ask GeorgeBush's grandpappy! Prescott Bush' profitted from the rise of the Nazis and tried to overthrow our government. America chose a man who has never been successful at anything. Even Reagan referred to GW as George Herbert Walker Bush's good for nothing son. He loves to hang out and admire tyrants. Look how he sucks on the faces of the Saudi - even though they were the ones who bombed us on 9-ll and arescrewing us at the oil pump. So whose life parallel's Hitler's?Obama is a success - creating the life he wanted. He chose public service over the accumulation of riches. He does have impressive professional and legislative credentials. Better than yours or mine.He is not frustrated or psychotic. He's never been to prison. He is not a racist. Have you heard any "hate speech"Compare his writings with Mein Kampf. and the conditions in Germany after WWI. There is no analogy.Th­ere have been lots of people who have brought "people" to their knees - some good - some evil. No doubt you could say the same thing about MLKIng or Ghandi - or Jesus Christ for that matter. And they were all crucified by petty pharasees.­. No one's declaring Obama a saint. And he has been honest enough to admit his vulnerabilities. You're looking for a loophole to dismiss him and those of us who believe in his message that Washington needs to be disenfected. Those who took the time to stand in lines and bring their children to hear his speeches. Who fainted from heat and exhaustion and not swooning over some rock star.I loved John Edwards. He too was speaking my language and I hated to see him pull out of the race. I still don't think its over for him. He and Obama have more in common than they do with Mrs. Clinton. I would resent anyone comparing him to a demagog (sic) like Mao or Castro, If the time comes for me to have to vote for Mrs. Clinton, I'll just have to hold my nose and do it. The alternative is unthinkable. If Mr. Obama wins the nomination could you make the righteous choice? You could do a lot worse - and vote for McCain or do nothing and watch our hopes and dreams get flushed down the sewer. I hope not. If so then God help us from citizens like you.

[melodgrl]

ummm, too much kool-aid there skippy ... perhaps you should "re-evaluate" the "Golden Boys" riches. His "public service" has been very lucrative and popular. He has great friends and everybody loves him ;]

[anniethena]

This is rich - Clinton crossed the line -this coming from a blogger who just had to share the opinion of Nick Tosches which ended with "But be assured that Hillary Clinton would also piss on us just as George Bush did. The only difference would be that her squatting fat ass and her shrewish cackle would be closer to our faces as she did so."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-dantoni/clinton-campaign-sets-the_b_86922.html

You followed that with your own words "I might not have put it quite like that, and I don't usually quote others at length....­but a case could be made."

Repeating another's sexist opinions is ok by you but "as far as I know" is evil, just evil.

[democratICnpround]

Are you as NUTTY as you sound saying HRC didn't do ENOUGH to respond to that moronic CBS hack for McCain on 60 Minutes?? HRC not only responded once but TWICE that she didn't believe the "Muslim" innuendo pushed by the WingNuts but that wasn't enough for Obamabots ??? You should seek out shelter and treatment facilities NOW because if BHO is our nominee this fall the Repugs will hammer and distort him and his wife unmercifully and it is safe to assume YOU CAN'T HANDLE IT !!