Clinton Responds To Obama

Sen. Hillary Clinton responds to Sen. Barack Obama in an interview to be aired later on CNN.

SEN. CLINTON: “Well, this is getting kind of silly. I’ve been called a lot of things in my life but I’ve never been called George Bush or Dick Cheney certainly. We have to ask what’s ever happened to the politics of hope?

“I have been saying consistently for a number of years now, we have to end the Bush era of ignoring problems, ignoring enemies and adversaries. And I have been absolutely clear that we’ve got to return to robust and effective diplomacy. But I don’t want to see the power and prestige of the United States President put at risk by rushing into meetings with the likes of Chavez, and Castro, and Ahmadinejad.”

Comments

Isn't this exactly the same policy that Bush-Cheney have followed all these years? She is no different than them. We have ignored Iran, North Korea for so many years. What exactly is wrong with face-face meetings if you're confident in you ability to send a clear message to any rogue leader? Unless it's fear. Well, we need bold leadership for a change. And that's why Barack Obama position is consistent with a change agenda.

The Politics of Hope begins with a Politics of Change. Hillary represents the status quo. Vote Change in 2008.

Posted by wheelbarrow | July 26, 2007 4:07 PM

I think that calling an open dialogue about our foreign policy "silly" is telling. To be annoyed at the American people demanding a clarification of exactly where our candidates stand makes me wonder what better things she feels we ought to be discussing?? How we choose to approach our relationships with other countries around the world is one of THE most critical and sensitive topics that could possibly be discussed during this election and beyond. How sad that she wants it limited to a sound byte exchange that can occur between fundraisers.

The 'Carl Rovish' tricks of distraction to another subject, taking things out of context and playing a card of moral or intellectual superiority in order to win an election are paper thin at best. This is a turning point for her campaign - new hairstyles and polishing by pollsters can't hide a power-hungry heart.

Posted by Shawna V | July 26, 2007 4:22 PM

She's backpedaling. And still trying to say he's for rushing into talks. Where did he advocate rushing into talks? And what constitutes rushing, exactly? This is where an actual debate, between the two, would be nice. Now it's just playing out in the press, via soundbite.

Posted by Phoebe | July 26, 2007 4:34 PM

I often wonder when it was that the likes of Chavez and Ahmadenijad became rogue and any kind of threat to the United States?
I don't remember hearing either of these individuals names when Pres. Clinton was in the White House say, as often as I do now.
She's right, she is nothing like the fear-mongering disciples of Bush and his GOP bully boys, she is distinct in her ignorance of world politics.
I've never met an Iranian who hated me for being an American but hated what this country represents when it comes to foreign policy.
Hell, I hate our government for it's imperialist posturing!!!

Posted by Razor Ray | July 26, 2007 4:35 PM

Who is afraid?. More than 30 million died in goulags from the soviet union empire. But there is a lot of photo shots of FRD and Staline, Eisenhower or JFK and Nikita Kroutchev, Reagan and Leonid Brejnev or Bush I and Mikhael Gorbatchev. Saudi Arabia is a ruthless dictatorship where women have no right. But we sure will not loose our prestige by meeting with them. Bill Clinton met with Hugo Chavez at a UN summit, Pope John Paul II met with castro. These two leaders were so confident in their abilities that they were afraid of a PR photo shot.
I've seen on CNN that Mitt Romney who wants to double the size of Guantanamo agrees with Hillary.
So if we want a new direction in this country, we'll look somewhere else. Hillary is talking about vigorous diplomacy, How is that different from what Condie has been doing ? Iran helps us in 2002 to fight the Taliban, so i think there has been no shortage of low level talks between this administration and Iran. Can we imagine the change it would have made in Lebanon and Iraq if Bush II would have met with the young Assad like his father did with the old Assad before the first gulf war?
If something bad happened to this president and the vice-president, the executive power goes to Nancy Pelosi. She went to Damascus and met with the young Assad. It amazing than Hillary is using the same words that right wing commentators used against Nancy Pelosi to criticize senator Obama.
I'm leaning towards Senator Obama, I was even thinking that i could vote for Senator clinton if she is the party nominee. I can just say now that i can not vote for her in the general election. I just hope that a lot of americans are aware of how we are perceive in the world right now. I spent more than 8 years in England for my studies. For my job, i've been in latin American and Africa. I don't know if there is much prestige left with so much arrogance, with Abu Grhaib, our advocation of torture, images of our mighty army bogged down in Iraq, Osama Bin laden may be smoking cigars in his cave in Pakistan six years after 9/11. We have to be smart and tough in our foreign policy and learn to be less arrogant.

Posted by john | July 26, 2007 4:38 PM

The Republican strict father model has failed miserably.

It is time to turn the page to open government, open dialogue, open diplomacy and an open mind.
I would rather vote for change than the same old dysfuntional Bush mentality that has created enemies faster than we can kill them.

Obama is the right man to unite our country and mend our reputation worldwide.

Posted by Franklin | July 26, 2007 4:45 PM

She doesnt get it, does she? Mark Penn doesnt get it, does he? They dont understand that the faster this whole "stuff" is swept under the carpet the better it is for them. And going to CNN talking about the prestige of the presidency? Has someone lost all the so called political experience already?
This is going to drag on till tommorrow and the weekend 'cos Obama is going to counterpunch the use of that word "silly". I can bet he will try and differentiate between calling her Bush lite and his politics of hope. He will say by the way he used her words "irresponsible and naive" and that the fact that McCain and Romney her defending her proves him as the candidate of change.
I am black and the last 2 days have seen me become an Obamaton...u know why..I never thought he would be able to stand up to HRC and d GOP. Just wait till he replies McCain and the little smilie face from Massachusettes

Posted by samuel doe | July 26, 2007 6:07 PM

***CLINTONS FEAR OF PROPAGANDA ALREADY LOOSED WITH HER
WORDS AROUND THE WORLD***

yes thats right she has already given those so called
"axis of evil" leaders propaganda, with her statement
at the debate

Yes those leaders are ALREADY using her words against
her

Check it out for yourself

****For those who have access to those languages
please do your research.****

***My friend (an english teacher) in S. Korea told me
that many Koreans are mad as hell at Clinton for her
words. Many there wanted a president who would start
out without negative rhetoric. They had hoped to build
positive relationships with their relatives up north,
but many fear it will go backwards***

well the fear of propaganda is already out there NOW.

Hillary is now seen in Korea as another BUSH !

VOTE AT WWW.CAPITALNEWS.ORG EVERYDAY

Posted by DANIELLECLARKE | July 26, 2007 6:14 PM

Obama is right and she is Bush in an ugly pantsuit.
She wants to play republican hawk and now finds obama is kicking her a**
Go Obama

Posted by vwcat | July 26, 2007 6:21 PM

Hillary, you really are like Bush, aren't you? You think you're above being questioned or challenged on your positions?

What does hope have to do with questions about your policy positions? We're not asking you about hope, we're asking you about your foreign policy positions. You've had so many in the last few weeks and months it's difficult to determine where you stand.

The same holds true for your numerous positions on the Iraq war: 1) You aggressively voted for and supported the Iraq invasion, 2) Then you voted against the Iraq invasion, 3) You voted to fund the Iraq Invasion, 4) Then you voted against funding the Iraq war.

How is anybody supposed to know where you stand when you have so many positions?

Hillary, you didn't sound presidential at the debate going through your laundry list of you have to do this, and then you do that, and then you do this - and you work your way up to that.

You sound more like a state department official charged with background research.

Please note that Hillary had to go find a man (Holbrooke) to continue the fight she started, but didn't have the judgment, the wits, or the know-how to finish.

Lesson to Hillary: You can't go around "decking" people and think you won’t get decked back.

Advice to Hillary: The next time you decide to "deck" one of your opponents, find someone who has the "good judgment" you lack to tell you if you can finish the fight you started.

Instead of bringing out Madeleine Albright to help fight your fight, find someone who wasn’t photographed sipping champagne with one of the dictators (Kim Jong Il) you say you wouldn’t have a meeting with.

Instead of looking strong and tough you look weak and pathetic like Bush. It's never good to lose the fight you started.

Remember Bush was going to ‘smokem' out of their caves? Bin Laden is probably smoking Cuban cigars in his cave as he continues to plan "dry-runs" for their next attack over here - instead of over there.

Hillary, you want to carry the Bush TOUGH TALK mantel but we’re not going to allow a continuation of the Bush presidency.

Posted by ItsTimeToTurnThePage | July 26, 2007 6:21 PM

Obama is in way over his head here, and it shows.

Posted by JoeCHI | July 26, 2007 7:27 PM

I can't understand why Clinton started this fight to begin with? Though there's some question of frontrunner status because of Obama's fundraising and organization, she certainly has the poll numbers. And I thought her strategy was to instill a sense of inevitability.

So, why start a fight? Frontrunners don't do that. It just seems amateurish on her part.

I'd guess Obama will keep milking this mistake. And Clinton probably won't be able to help herself. If I'm right, she won't let him get the last word and just move on. It will be interesting to see how long it goes. Probably until someone she'll actually listen to tells her she'd better disengage - maybe Bill, maybe Mark Penn.

The other aspect here is that she does have a minefield of negative perceptions and imagery to avoid. At some point today, she defended her position by saying she would uphold the "prestige" of the presidency. It was one of those "ugh" moments, that unfairly to her (would have have been an effective talking point for any other candidate) brings up images of Lewinsky on her knees in the oval office.

Seems like no matter where she turns, there's a wall there. The whole "experience" candidate thing doesn't work because she's among the relatively innexperienced candidates in the Democratic field. Only Richardson and Biden can use that credibly, and I'm guessing one or both will unload on her next winter.

Name awareness and "inevitability" are all she has left, and inevitability took a serious hit with the fundraising stories.

Posted by PLM | July 26, 2007 7:59 PM

I swear by the name of everything right and beautiful, if clinton, gravel or any of the rethugs win this 08 presidential election, I am immigrating to Canada or even Mexico.

Posted by samuel doe | July 26, 2007 9:03 PM

Senator Clinton was not the only candidate to disagree with Obama. He is too inexperienced and rash to be President at this time. He needs more seasoning and he certainly needs more prepping before these debates. He is always "clarifying" his remarks the next day. He needs to say what he means and mean what he says. At this rate he will need an interpreter at each debate to correct his miscues. He obviously is not good at thinking on his feet. Hillary has the benefit of Bill's experience and her own experience as a US Senator to draw upon.

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