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Hillary Clinton and "The Politics of Parsing"


 

Remember Hillary's double talk during Tuesday's debate?

Hillary's (and her surrogates') response was that she was piled on.Unfairly. By six men.

Damsel in the Debate

By Ruth Marcus
Friday, November 2, 2007; Page A21

My favorite photo of the week — maybe my favorite photo of the presidential campaign so far — showed Hillary Clinton, dukes up, in a pair of bright red boxing gloves. It is iconic Hillary, unafraid to take on a fight. Which is also why the almost anti-feminist subtext of the past few days — a message emanating from the Clinton campaign and its allies — has been so unnecessary, and so disappointing.

“Six guys against Hillary,” said Gerald McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, as he announced the union's endorsement and presented Clinton with the gloves. “I'd call that a fair fight.”

McEntee's remarks echoed the “piling on” theme the Clinton campaign adopted after Tuesday's debate in Philadelphia in which Clinton was pummeled by her competitors.  con't…

Unfairly “piling on” a woman or demanding straight answers and the truth from a Presidential Candidate?

You decide:

THE POLITICS OF PARSING

 

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NCDem Amy

3 Comments

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  • The Double Talk Waltz.

    Finally someone is pointing out the truth that often Clinton says two different things in the same conversation. 
    It lets people chose which answer they like, but it is not what we need in a president.

    Her defensiveness was evident when she got annoyed with a question from the audience. 
    Now she was blaming the guys instead of recognizing that she avoids making
    a clear statement of her beliefs.  This is not helpful for anyone.

    pioneer  Fri 2 Nov 12:44 PM

  • Edwards is making the Moral Test of our Generation

    John Edwards is making the case for fixing the Washington System, and putting the People back in the Driver’s Seating.

    It is not an accident that the government of the United States cannot function on behalf of its people, because it is no longer our people’s government – and we the people know it.

    This corruption did not begin yesterday – and it did not even begin with George Bush – it has been building for decades – until it now threatens literally the life of our democracy.
    …

    And in Iraq – while our nation’s brave sons and daughters put their lives on the line for our country – we now have mercenaries under their own law while their bosses sit at home raking in millions. 
    …

    It goes on every minute of every day.
    …

    Companies like Wal-Mart lobby against inspecting containers entering our nation’s ports, even though expert after expert agrees that the likeliest way for a dirty bomb to enter the United States is through a container, because they believe their profits are more important than our safety.  What has become of America when America’s largest company lobbies against protecting America?
    …

    This is not the America I believe in.

    The hubris of greed knows no bounds.  Days after the homeland security bill passed, staffers from the homeland security department resigned and became homeland security consultants trying to cash in.  And, where was the outrage? There was none, because that’s how it works in Washington now.  It is not a Republican revolving door or a Democratic revolving door – it is just the way it’s done.
    …

    Today Hillary Clinton has taken more money from Washington lobbyists than any candidate from either party – more money than any Republican candidate.
    …

    The long slow slide of our democracy into the corporate abyss continues unabated regardless of party, regardless of the best interests of America.

    We have a duty – a duty to end this.

    I believe you cannot be for change and take money from the lobbyists who prevent change.  You cannot take on the entrenched interests in Washington if you choose to defend the broken system.

    http://blog.johnedwa…
    —-

    Corporations and their Lobbyists may be “People too” —
    But our Constitution was NOT created FOR or BY these “Corporate Persons”.

    It’s time for The People, average citizens, to Take their Country Back,
    from the “status quo” Elites who would Outsource everything!
    (including their own responsibility for anything, BTW)

    It’s time to Outsource the “Status Quo”! 

    jamess  Fri 2 Nov 12:48 PM

  • The Double Talk Waltz - a night I will always remember

    I laughed through this video of Hillary dancing, but really it is not funny. I want a president to go into office with a mandate to make transformative changes in health care and energy. For that, we need someone who can articulate a position. And mean it. Hillary’s nomination would be a tragedy for a country (and world) that desperately needs to change path. I want someone as president who won’t waffle about advocating for me.  The perfect candidate for that is John Edwards, who is the sure alternative to the status quo and politics as usual.

    Also, as a woman, I find it offensive that Hillary would stoop to playing the victim (when she absolutely is not a victim) while simultaneously proclaiming what a wonderful role model she is for little girls.  That is pathetic.  Women are long past using the “poor little ole me” wiles of the 50s to get their way.  If we want to be rid of sexism, we can’t use it when it suits us.

    ashlarah  Fri 2 Nov 3:50 PM

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