Hillary Clinton leaves door wide open for Obama and Edwards
August 24, 2007 by William K. Wolfrum
This morning, John Edwards woke up to the knowledge that his poll numbers were starting to get a John McCain like stench, as he was nearing single digits – polling’s version of baseball’s Mendoza Line – in the battle for the Democratic nomination. Tonight, Edwards goes to sleep knowing he’s not out of this yet. Thanks to Hillary Clinton making what has to be the largest gaffe thus far in the race for the Presidency.
“Clinton: Terrorist attack would help GOP”
WASHINGTON (CNN) — She says she is the Democrat best equipped to fight terrorists, but White House hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton told New Hampshire voters Thursday that another attack on the United States would likely help Republican candidates at the polls.
Sen. Hillary Clinton said the Republicans would benefit politically if a terrorist attack occurred before the ’08 vote.
“It’s a horrible prospect to ask yourself, ‘What if? What if?’ ” Clinton, a New York Democrat, told a house party in Concord, according to the New York Post and The Associated Press and confirmed by her campaign.
“But, if certain things happen between now and the election, particularly with respect to terrorism, that will automatically give the Republicans an advantage again, no matter how badly they have mishandled it, no matter how much more dangerous they have made the world.”
Clinton added that if such a scenario occurred, she is the best Democratic presidential candidate “to deal with that.”
Clinton was in the crucial early voting state Thursday to unveil her health care plan.
A Clinton spokesman, Isaac Baker, told CNN “Sen. Clinton was making clear that she has the strength and experience to keep the country safe.”
Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Connecticut, who is also competing for the Democratic nomination, issued a statement Friday afternoon calling Clinton’s remark “tasteless.”
“Frankly, I find it tasteless to discuss political implications when talking about a potential terrorist attack on the United States,” he said.
“It is extremely important for the Democrats to nominate someone who doesn’t think like a loser. And assuming that any failure of the president’s anti-terrorism policies will automatically be a political boon for the Republican party means thinking like a loser,” wrote Josh Marshall. “It also signals a lack of confidence either in your own policies or the American people’s reasoning powers. And quite possibly both.”
“This is, I think, a disaster,” wrote Matthew Yglesias.
And it is a disaster for Clinton. And a big open door for Barack Obama. And a sign that the door is by no means closed on John Edwards.
–WKW
Senator Clinton spoke about what we all know and fear: a terrorist attack and another Republican presidency. During President Bush’s second campaign, he consistiently used alarmist tactics to encourage Americans to vote for him by suggesting that if we vote for Democrats, they would not protect us against terrorists. Now what’s the difference between his approach and Senator Clinton’s comment? Clinton simply suggested what we all know; the Republicans will get a political boost from any possible terrorist attack. By the way, regarding your blog, maybe I missed it somewhere but why do we even care what bloggers think? I mean to me, bloggers are nothing more than internet lobbyists whose goal is to shape the way that Americans think.
I mean to me, bloggers are nothing more than internet lobbyists whose goal is to shape the way that Americans think.
Shawn, do you think that perhaps you should take a look at your thinking? When you see a private citizen speaking out, and you equate that with a lobbyist, it’s apparent your views on freedom of speech have been somewhat skewed.
–WKW
“internet lobbyists whose goal is to shape the way that Americans think.”
Uhmm, there was once a concept called “marketplace of ideas”. Since that has mostly been replaced by nicely prepackaged and targeted corporate and political propaganda campaigns, infused with the full cooperation of our national news media, I can see why you may be a little suspicious, Shawn. However, a good many bloggers like Bill here are just private citizens expressing their opinions.
As to Hillary’s comment, this may be the one that gets played over and over again in 08. It is certainly a candidate; we will see.
If Edwards picks up support we will no doubt have to deal with moronic commentary and statements about his hair until the end of the 08 election cycle. Because that is the important thing, that he paid someone too much for a nice haircut.
And if Obama picks up support, we will have to listen to stupid crap about how he went to an Islamic school as a child.
By the way, Al Gore was such a threat that he had multiple journalist hacks laid on his character, the most famous of which was the asinine lie that goes like this: “Al Gore claimed that he invented the internet”.