The Clintons’ Patronizing Strategy

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  • Posted By: Change is a verb not a platform @ 01/26/2008 1:02:10 PM

    The media is reprehensible. They are all primadonnas that can not admit when they are wrong. They interrupt their guests, step on worthwhile comments, and act all high and mighty. If the media wants to continue this jibberish, I believe at some point in time the American People will turn them off. I guess the WRITERS STRIKE is really a bad thing. BTW Chris Matthews , I believe, was the first to interject race, when he said after NH primary, that black voters would say one thing to the pollsters (voting for Obama), but when in the privacy of a voting booth they voted for Hillary. Someone should look up his quote on that.

    And another thing - What the heck was the relevance of Tim Russert's question at the debate, about what Toni Morrison said about bill Clinton being the first Black President???? What the heck was that .....???if not to stir up the racial issues.
    NO ONE CARS what she said, and many people do not even know who she is.

  • Posted By: tomdavie @ 01/26/2008 6:04:40 AM

    HERE IS ANOTHER REPORTER CREAMING HIS SHORTS OVER OBAMA. This entire article is so SPUN for Obma its nuts. These guys try to SPIN that Obama could never tell a lie. Obama could never distort the facts. The Clintons have to break down this TEFLON COATING that guys just like the guy who wrote the article are so EAGER TO PERPETUATE.

    Way to go Newsweek. This is the second so called 'journalist' who is on the Obama payroll.

    Like trying to question Obama in ANY WAY that could hurt OBAMA is AGAINST THE RULES somehow.

  • Posted By: irsmike @ 01/26/2008 3:53:31 AM

    We keep hearing all of this talk about Hillary using Bill as her "attack dog" just like a presidential candidate uses the VP candidate in the general election. Perhaps this is just a rehearsal. We also hear a lot of talk concerning who would want to be VP in a Hillary White House with the 800-pound gorilla (Bill) always in the room. Perhaps Hill and Bill have already figured out the answer: Hillary will choose Bill as her VP running mate!!!! After all, the XXII Amendment says "No person shall be elected to the Office of President more than twice..." It doesn't prohibit a former President from being elected to the Office of Vice-President. Who but the Clintons would have the audacity to pull that Constitutional stunner? And, what better title for Bill than Vice President?

  • Posted By: Young Democrat @ 01/25/2008 7:07:42 PM

    FInally, an honest assessment of what's going on in this contest. Thank you for your eloquence and sharp political eye.

    For what it's worth, as a doctoral student and feminist under the age of 35, I will vote ONLY for Barack Obama. If Hillary Clinton is the nominee, I will refuse to vote in November.

    • Posted By: Hottline @ 01/26/2008 3:14:21 AM

      Just goes to show that a PhD does not mean that you are smart! We have a process and if Barack were to win the nomination, do you think Hillary's supporters would roll over and give up? Besides, how do you know that Hillary would not reach across the aisle...especially since Obama made it so popular in this election. If anything, think of it as a sleazy tactic Hillary would attempt...does that make you feel better, enough so to go out and vote unlike many throughout the world who cannot vote???

  • Posted By: eddiewhere @ 01/26/2008 1:46:10 AM

    OBAMA needs to remind Bill CLinton Who he is. This is the problem with the Clintons they are not guided by principles, they make decisions based on what 's best for them politically. They have played the race card, which is against their principles, but yet they went ahead and did it. That means they do not have confidence in their so called substantive plans. Hillary went against her principles and tried to cover up what Bill DID. This is why the Clinton are not entitlied to the WHITE HOUSE. THey have brought a lot of pain to the political process and I am shocked how quick people can sell their soul. If Bill only did it once then it is understandable, but he did it everyday for decades and HIllary knew but kept herself in denial. Obama needs to attack the Clintons with their own words because what they are doing is worrie me>> Here is an example
    of How OBAMA can flip the race card back onto the CLINTON"S.
    THE Clintons are ambivalent about America'ss role in the world, this was clearly highlighted in the after a September 11, when CLINTON in a speech at Gerogetown suggested that America actually bore some responsibility for the attacks on itself. In November 2001, even as the new Bush administration was launching America's military response, the former president made a speech at Georgetown University in which he admonished citizens who were descended "from various European lineages" that they were "not blameless," and that America's past involvement in slavery should humble them as they confronted their attackers. Characteristically the President took no responsibility for his own failure to protect Americans from the attacks.

    OBAMA TAKE MY ADVICE, YOU HAVE TO FIGHT
    The same entities run both parties. CLINTON use to be what OBAMA stood for. NOW Hillary and Bill are the establishment and are now using words like slum, and insinuating that OBAMA is black and playing to the white vote. WHITE voters recognize this flip flop, this is why white men have not come out and vote for Hillary.

  • Posted By: sean2002 @ 01/26/2008 1:40:35 AM

    Bush is the best testimony to prove that at least half of the voters are dumb. Which is only part of the problem. The other part of the problem is the mainstream media's lack of imagination. They, including New York Times' Editorial Board, rather stick with the so-called "experienced" Clinton because they don't have the daring imagination to think out of the box--to envision a young, energetic leader with great intellectual capacity and without any baggage to lead the country move to the 21st century. They should be challenged with their assumption that Clinton???s more experienced. They should ask themselves what that ???experienced??? really means????a failed healthcare reform? being a wife of a politician?

    This Internet age has revolutionized many things. One of them is to show us that many of the CEO's of today's leading companies are run by people at their 30s and 40s. Their qualifications are not because they have lived long enough to have more experience.

    No wonder the old forms of mainstream media--newspapers, magazines, TVs--are on the path of becoming obsolete, because the very people who run these organizations are not forward thinking enough to envision a country being led by a new kind of leader. Plus, in this fast moving Internet age, who want to have those whose experience are deeply shaped by the 20th century, such as Clinton and McCain.

  • Posted By: eddiewhere @ 01/26/2008 12:45:15 AM

    Do you know that the Arabs have the Clinton's in their pockets. This is where Obama can gain ground on the Clintons. REmember the Clinton's sold the Lincoln Bedroom to the Chinese. We are in debt and we are dealing with it in the wrong way. Bush/Clinton are run by the same financial entities. What is good for George Sorros is good for George Bush. Obama is the only candidate can bring factions together in order to implement an economic plan that is in the best interest of the United States, NOT INDIA, NOT CHINA AND NOT SAUDI ARABIA"S best interest, AMERICA"S BEST INTEREST.

  • Posted By: "Martin Edwin "Mick" Andersen @ 01/25/2008 11:26:21 PM

    Heard at the Clinton breakfast table:

    Hillary: Gadzooks! That darn Drudge and his photo of us with Rezko makes me look like a hypocrite.

    And I already made my excuse on this Rezko mess and the press isn't buying it.

    Bill: Whaddidusay hun?

    Hillary: I told them that I did not know who Rezko is.

    Bill: Well, you could tell them now it depends what the meaning of "is" is.

    He!he!he!

    Worked for me.

    (Sic semper Dogpatch)

  • Posted By: IrishNeal @ 01/25/2008 11:20:25 PM

    I read everything I can about every candidate. Boy was this article slanted. There is probably an element of truth that every canditate truly believes in and stands for. The rest is simply to win votes and get into office. As far as the Clintons' trying to get the "dumb American" votes (if indeed they are - but there are no facts here to support that claim), that shouldn't be too hard. Look at all the people duped by the current President's war actions. I think there are quite a few sheep that want to follow. The question is, are they dumb Americans or just lazy? I think the latter.

  • Posted By: rokkinrobin55 @ 01/25/2008 10:17:14 PM

    If Americans really want "change" consider this. The Clintons, especially Bill, are engaging in "politics as usual". Isn't it time that we change that? I hope Obama continues to call out the Clintons on there smear campaign and does not sucumb to it

  • Posted By: khcsac @ 01/25/2008 9:23:20 PM

    As Romney said, with Bill Clinton going back to White House and nothing to do is scary.

  • Posted By: eXcommunicated @ 01/25/2008 3:50:56 PM

    Seems Clinton supporters like Karenn1 below fit the bill! Do they really just not understand Obama's words or do they willfully and deliberately misrepresent his words?

    But beyond that, any sane unbiased person would read Jonathan Alter's article and plainly see he is criticizing the Clintons for taking their supporters as fools. He is clearly not criticizing less educated people, who he is criticizing are ignorant people.

    • Posted By: Hottline @ 01/25/2008 8:22:11 PM

      You and Alter neglect the fact that Obama is taking his "brothers" as fools as well. He is a rookie and acts like one by turning his style from non-racial into sounding like a southern Baptist preacher.

      I'm a Clinton supporter who is big enough to laugh at Hillary when she put on that same fake accent earlier last year. Had Obama kept his cool and not pandered to African-Americans...he had them after Iowa...he could have remained above the fray regardless of any attack.

      Think of a state senator near you and give that person two years in the U.S. Senate and then replace Obama with that person...nobody around me is ready for the Oval Office, and neither is Obama. Face it, every election we complain that our choices are limited...but we usually weed out the JV players in the end anyway.

  • Posted By: jpartynski @ 01/25/2008 8:05:03 PM

    I think that it is wrong that a statesman, an ex-President of the United States should participate in negative campaigning for the benefit of this wife. They are acting like Hillary deserves the nomination and how dare Obama run against her. So why not pull out all the stops! I will never vote for Hillary, she it too divisive. To me, Obama (if only the Clintons would let him BE Obama) is the future of the Democaratic party.

  • Posted By: R.L. @ 01/24/2008 4:08:22 PM

    In reference to your January 24, 2008 article, ???The Clintons??? Patronizing Strategy:
    The Latest Attacks on Obama Insult Voters' Intelligence.???

    I graduated Phi Beta Kappa, magna *** laude from Columbia University and I am not voting for Obama, and if I were not fortunate enough to have had this education, I would still not vote for Obama. I also live in New Jersey. Your article is biased, indeed offensive, in that you assume that academia necessarily equates with intelligence and good judgment, when the average citizen is often endowed with more good sense than those ???professorial??? types. The Clintons have long appealed to a broad minority base, including Blacks and Hispanics, as well as the white working class, which are my roots, and for reasons that have nothing to do with being "gullible" due to lack of education. That this voter base is, on the whole, less advantaged and hence less well-educated, does not automatically mean that they are easily ???fooled??? into believing any political rhetoric thrown at them. (I noticed that you were careful to limit your criticism of the Clinton???s, as you claim, ???gullible??? voter base to the ???less educated white Democrats.???) Further, when one speaks of intelligence, good judgment and honesty in the context of ???Obama for President,??? consider that Obama referred to himself as a ???bonehead??? for doing business with the recently indicted, and now infamous, ???slum landlord??? and Obama campaign fundraiser, Antoin "Tony??? Rezko, while Rezko was being investigated by the federal government. Yet, when asked point-blank about his relationship with Rezko during the Democratic debate on Martin Luther King???s birthday, Obama chose to conceal the whole truth on national television to the American people, while in the same breath, claiming that ???trust [in] our leaders and what they say??? and ???[t]ruthfulness during campaigns makes a difference.??? No one running for President of the United States in any election is above scrutiny. Wait for the general election. Furthermore, Obama brought most of this on himself: You can not claim to be better than everyone else in ???politics,??? and not expect to bring on this kind of heat. I would thank you for not assuming to know what all ???intelligent??? (whether degreed or non-degreed) voters think.



    • Posted By: wyl5326 @ 01/25/2008 7:07:29 PM

      can we debate this offline.
      Here's my view:
      The Clintons smear attacks and distortions is going to come back to them
      either as we now see a gathering momentum coming from all over. There is now a
      slow but continuous drip on their dysfunctional persona that will become a
      tsunami and swept them out to oblivion. NBC just showed a picture of Rezko
      posing between the Clintons and she has the audacity to call him a slumlord
      supporter of Barack. This is a very powerful image that can be use with HIll's
      own word to attack her. No amount of dismissal can clean up their dirty
      reputation when all their shady supporters are lined up posing with the
      Clintons. Adding a YouTube video of the wagging finger and his own words
      spliced together "I did not have sex with that woman ... Hillary" would be a
      big hit that will be repeated over late night shows. The Clintons may survived
      it, but would make any restoration futile as voters are reminded of how divided
      we've become as a result of them !
      On Hill's attack of Barack's Reagan's era comment, she is actually telling
      the world that she is a stupid woman herself for actually praising Reagan
      herself. Hill has the tendency to grab airtime from rivals and future host of
      debates should have a switch to shut off offending party's microphone. That
      should be a lesson that can be captured and posted on YouTube ! She is so power
      hungry that will resort to grabbing anything, including hays !

    • Posted By: NOTBUBBA @ 01/25/2008 9:00:16 AM

      It is documented Obama spent very little time on work that came into the law office that involved Rezko....might I say White water! The house deal is documented to and nothing was illegal he said it was a mistake. The Clintons are a dysfunctional family, remember Hillary said Bills problem was only a right wing conspiracy...and who votes for a bill they were glad did not pass what does that say?
      Btw you prove your point that you assume that academia necessarily equates with intelligence and good judgment congratulations on your???.degree???..I would say education but that???s seem presumptuous on my part..

      • Posted By: cookie5265 @ 01/25/2008 3:30:53 PM

        An MBA, Ph.D or any higher education from the Ivy League does not equate for integrity and honesty. Look at all those corrupt CEOs and Bush. The Clintons went to Yale and they were not immune from being seduced by power and fame. They might have wanted to go into politics to help people but now it's about them and Bill's legacy. The Clintons have shamelessly appropriated the slimy tactics of Karl Rove.

  • Posted By: ~SMT~ @ 01/25/2008 7:02:50 PM

    I'm going to vote for anyone who runs against Hillary. Do we really want Monika Lewinsky's ex boyfriend's wife to be our president?

  • Posted By: tdn0024 @ 01/25/2008 9:01:49 AM

    A huge area where Hillary is being disingenuous, and the press has yet to cover:

    Al Gore. As the VP charged with Reinventing Government, he was widely reported by the media for having unprecedented value for that job. Gore was the guy who sought to streamline and run the gov't, while Bill focused on policy. CEO (Bill), COO (Al).

    This is a big deal.

    Hilary has her facts wrong when she criticizes Obama by saying "you have to do more than just talk." She says Bill was great -- and he 'just talked.' Al managed.

    Hillary seems to be proposing a very hands on management style. Last tried by a very unsuccessful Jimmy Carter. Also, 'efficient meetings' have clearly led to weakness in the present Bush Administration, for the lack of ideas and discussion.

    Reagan had a big impact, and 'just talked.' Many of supported Bill, who 'just talked."

    Recent history shows that 'just talking' is the appropriate and efficient use of the Presidential office. Delegation to others for execution is appropriate.

    Hillary is off base on a major issue of real relevance to Presidential temperament.

    As a citizen, I would respectfully ask the press to go read its own archives about the partnership of Bill Clinton and Al Gore, and evaluatuate the Reinventing Governement role of Al Gore in view of Hillary's assertion that she has the best stuff for being president.

    • Posted By: wyl5326 @ 01/25/2008 6:45:53 PM

      I fully agree with you on this.
      Here's my view:
      The Clintons smear attacks and distortions is going to come back to them
      either as we now see a gathering momentum coming from all over. There is now a
      slow but continuous drip on their dysfunctional persona that will become a
      tsunami and swept them out to oblivion. NBC just showed a picture of Rezko
      posing between the Clintons and she has the audacity to call him a slumlord
      supporter of Barack. This is a very powerful image that can be use with HIll's
      own word to attack her. No amount of dismissal can clean up their dirty
      reputation when all their shady supporters are lined up posing with the
      Clintons. Adding a YouTube video of the wagging finger and his own words
      spliced together "I did not have sex with that woman ... Hillary" would be a
      big hit that will be repeated over late night shows. The Clintons may survived
      it, but would make any restoration futile as voters are reminded of how divided
      we've become as a result of them !
      On Hill's attack of Barack's Reagan's era comment, she is actually telling
      the world that she is a stupid woman herself for actually praising Reagan
      herself. Hill has the tendency to grab airtime from rivals and future host of
      debates should have a switch to shut off offending party's microphone. That
      should be a lesson that can be captured and posted on YouTube ! She is so power
      hungry that will resort to grabbing anything, including hays !

  • Posted By: Dominic Jerry Nardi Jr. @ 01/24/2008 1:01:20 PM

    Hillary is set to win the primaries but to lose the general election. If she runs against McCain, she is toast. All of those independent OBama supporters will flee from the Democrats because Hillary and Bill Clinton have just proven themselves to be shameless people of low character. I just hope the Democrats can still gain a few seats, despite Hillary dragging down the ship.

    • Posted By: Sam I Am @ 01/24/2008 1:15:50 PM

      A Democratic primary? It is interesting to note that Hillary says all Democrats will reunite behind the general election candidate. Obama and his supporter indicate they will not unite behind Hillary if she wins. Are these Obamaites true Democrats of just potential sore losers.

      As Democrats, we have had enough of Republican obsturcionism. Let's all pledge to unite behind whichever Democratic candidate survives the primary.

      • Posted By: BHNV @ 01/24/2008 1:55:51 PM

        Any liar, cheat, thief; any Democrat. It's not "us against them," it's honesty against lies, trust against betrayal, morality against immorality. It's who are we as a people. It's the identity of America. Are we united, open, caring, sharing, or "win at all costs?" When the right talks about character, they mean "are you wedded to the same belief system as me?" But I mean the core of a person. It's CHARACTER, stupid.

        • Posted By: Sam I Am @ 01/24/2008 5:47:43 PM

          Everything and everbody is not clear cut right and wrong! If you think the Democratic primary is rough and tumble, just wait until the general election. All the slurs posted on the internet blogs will be maginified exponentially. You shuld be thankful that Obama is learning what it takes to run a campaing so that he can survive in the general election if he survives or in a future election: I know I am. I want a tough Democratic campaigner, not a weak one like John Kerry who let the opposition clean his clock. Again, I will support whomever the Democratic candidate is since I believe we are blessed with three excellent candidates who will do well against the Republicans. And if you don't think it is us against them, consider stem cell research, lying us into the Iraqi war, suspension of cvil rights, votes against SCHIP, poor treatment of our veterans . . . need I go on listing 'us against them issues".

          • Posted By: BHNV @ 01/24/2008 8:12:41 PM

            "Everything...is not clear cut right and wrong" Yeah. Sorta-kinda-almost true (ie, false) is the same as true to Clintonistas. We have a duty to make false and slanderous attacks against each other to prepare for the rough-and-tumble of the general? So now lying is being tough? Hillary at the helm would be our third Liar-in-chief in a row. Enough arleady. We don't have to lie and cheat to prove how tough we are. Watch Barack. There will be no lying, no cheating. Just toughness.

            • Posted By: ~SMT~ @ 01/25/2008 6:45:12 PM

              The Clintons have scraped the bottom of the pond. I 'll be unpopular and say.....I will vote for ANYONE who runs against Hillary. Do we really want Monika Lewinsky's ex boyfriends wife as our president?

  • Posted By: ericrsiny @ 01/25/2008 6:38:26 PM

    From Chicago Sun-Times (and NOT from Clintons or anyone else anti-Obama) back in JUNE 2007.

    During his 12 years in politics, Sen. Barack Obama has received nearly three times more campaign cash from indicted businessman Tony Rezko and his associates than he has publicly acknowledged, the Chicago Sun-Times has found.

    Obama has collected at least $168,308 from Rezko and his circle. Obama also has taken in an unknown amount of money from people who attended fund-raising events hosted by Rezko since the mid-1990s.

    But seven months ago, Obama told the Sun-Times his "best estimate" was that Rezko raised "between $50,000 and $60,000" during Obama's political career.

  • Posted By: wyl5326 @ 01/25/2008 6:13:28 PM

    The Clintons smear attacks and distortions is going to come back to them
    either as we now see a gathering momentum coming from all over. There is now a
    slow but continuous drip on their dysfunctional persona that will become a
    tsunami and swept them out to oblivion. NBC just showed a picture of Rezko
    posing between the Clintons and she has the audacity to call him a slumlord
    supporter of Barack. This is a very powerful image that can be use with HIll's
    own word to attack her. No amount of dismissal can clean up their dirty
    reputation when all their shady supporters are lined up posing with the
    Clintons. Adding a YouTube video of the wagging finger and his own words
    spliced together "I did not have sex with that woman ... Hillary" would be a
    big hit that will be repeated over late night shows. The Clintons may survived
    it, but would make any restoration futile as voters are reminded of how divided
    we've become as a result of them !
    On Hill's attack of Barack's Reagan's era comment, she is actually telling
    the world that she is a stupid woman herself for actually praising Reagan
    herself. Hill has the tendency to grab airtime from rivals and future host of
    debates should have a switch to shut off offending party's microphone. That
    should be a lesson that can be captured and posted on YouTube ! She is so power
    hungry that will resort to grabbing anything, including hays !

  • Posted By: Karenn1 @ 01/25/2008 5:09:54 PM

    It's up to the voters to decide if Obama's "Present" votes are an issue. Anything and everything about a candidate's professional record is fair game in an election. Hillary and Bill are not making up lies about Obama. Since when is it dirty campaigning to expose your opponent's record, and to hold him accountable for his statements? This is the real world, not Obamaland.

    If Obama had based his campaign on the issues instead of on personality, and the notion of being "pure" and "untouched" by ordinary politics, he would be able to handle these criticisms better. He set himself up so that if he fights back, he looks like just another typical politician, which he is anyway. So instead he's decided to whine about dirty campaigning, even though there isn't any. That way, he can still look "pure." When you base a campaign on personality, instead of on issues, it's like building a house on sand.

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