Hillary in Midair

[Beacool]

Last edited Sun Sep 22, 2013, 11:25 PM - Edit history (2)

She’s learned from her mistakes. Three years before November 8, 2016, she’s working hard to be relaxed, calm, easy. But, all the while, the old Clinton gears are whirring.

By Joe Hagan
Sep 22, 2013



For four years, Hillary Rodham Clinton flew around the world as President Barack Obama’s secretary of State, while her husband, the former president Bill Clinton, lived a parallel life of speeches and conferences in other hemispheres. They communicated almost entirely by phone. They were seldom on the same continent, let alone in the same house.

But this year, all that has changed: For the first time in decades, neither one is in elected office, or running for one. Both are working in the family business, in the newly renamed nonprofit that once bore only Bill’s name but is now called the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation, which will hold its annual conference in New York next week.

............

Of course, if Hillary’s future were to be an author, or a pundit, or a retiree, learning from mistakes wouldn’t be an issue. But other outcomes, where executive talents are prized, seem more likely. I ask Clinton the question that trails her like a thought bubble: Does she wrestle with running for president?

“I do,” she says, “but I’m both pragmatic and realistic. I think I have a pretty good idea of the political and governmental challenges that are facing our leaders, and I’ll do whatever I can from whatever position I find myself in to advocate for the values and the policies I think are right for the country. I will just continue to weigh what the factors are that would influence me making a decision one way or the other.”

http://nymag.com/news/features/hillary-clinton-2013-9/

Hmmm, maybe she will choose to run. Let the games begin.

[msanthrope]

1. She's running. nt

[Beacool]

2. I may be in the minority on this board, but I'm hoping that she does.

[msanthrope]

4. Me too. nt

[nolabear]

6. I'll be delighted if she runs. She has a good chance of winning.

[MADem]

30. I want her to run, too--and I'll work my tired old ass off for her if she does! nt

[brooklynite]

57. I doubt you're in the minority in the Democratic Party

[Beacool]

58. You're right, the Clintons are very popular within the party.

But on this board they are often treated as persona non grata. It's just crazy.

[sufrommich]

7. Yep. I can't wait to vote for her.

[DURHAM D]

3. Fareed Zakaria interviewed President Clinton on today's show - GPS.

It was a good interview. It is probably available somewhere around here.

Whenever I see an interview with Bill I am reminded of how important it is for a political party to actually have a President or Party leader who can articulate the party's agenda, something currently missing.

[Beacool]

12. I wanted to watch it, but I had to go somewhere.

I only got to see the first 5 minutes or so.

Bill always gives good interviews because he can explain even the most complex issues in a way that most people can understand.

[pscot]

5. No more Clintons

[newfie11]

8. +1

[tularetom]

10. I could vote for Hillary but I don't want Bill Clinton within 100 miles of the White House

And it has nothing to do with interns, blow jobs or blue dresses.

But it has a lot to do with him doing more than anyone else to fuck over the middle class in this country.

[DURHAM D]

11. lovely drivel

[JDPriestly]

34. Clinton signed NAFTA, removed a lot of protections that the poor need in times of economic

crisis with his so-called "welfare reform," and signed away Glass-Seagal.

Those were among the most important of the attacks on the middle class since the Gilded Age in the 19th century.

He is a "nice guy," and Hillary talks the talk, but I live in an area in which 30% of the population and 45% of the children live at below poverty levels. Clinton really hurt the people who live in my area, and I do not want another Clinton in the White House.

No, thanks.

Hillary Clinton was raised a Methodist and writes, correctly, that it takes a village. Unfortunately, far too much was done to destroy my village during Bill Clinton's presidency.

I liked him, and worked to elect him, but overall, Bill Clinton's presidency harmed, seriously harmed the Democratic image.

The Clintons helped bring about the great recession -- were part of the Reagan revolution in that sense. If you live in a more prosperous part of the country, you may like the Clintons. But where I live, I see the harm the Clintons did.

No, thanks to the Clintons, either Hillary or Bill.

Their foundation does a lot of good. But to raise the money, Bill and Hillary mostly hang out with a lot of extraordinarily rich people. The 1% of the 1%. They have lost touch.

No, thanks to the Clintons, either Hillary or Bill.

[closeupready]

44. +1000 - and as a US Senator, she voted for the Iraq War Resolution.

That is probably the biggest reason I do not want her to run. But your post points out all the other reasons why I do not want another Clinton.

But if she runs and somehow wins the nomination, I will hold my nose and vote for her.

[SunSeeker]

18. Were not not alive when Reagan was in office?

I was. Reagan started the war on unions; that is what decimated the middle class. I lived throught the Clinton White House years. Things went pretty damn well for my middle class family. Things really went south once Bush got into office. Were you not there for that?

[tularetom]

19. Actually I was alive when FDR was in office

So I've seen a lot of misguided policies embraced by ambitious Democratic politicians anxious to suck up to what the media calls the "makers" (the 1%) at the expense of the "takers (the rest of us)' In my lifetime, Bill Clinton was without question the elected Democratic president who tried hardest to be a republican. And he's only gotten worse since he left office.

As far as prosperity during the Clinton years is concerned I won't deny that it was there. We all rode the dot com bubble (helped along by Clinton appointees and Wall Street thieves Larry Summers and Bob Rubin) to dizzying heights and then watched it crash just about the time Clinton left office.

And you didn't even mention the end of welfare as we used to know it or media consolidation, both attempts by Clinton to convince republicans he was one of them.

If you are a middle class American, Clinton is not your friend. He's a glib speaker and he's good at sounding concerned about the plight of the middle class but he's a card carrying member of the 1% and happy to be there.

[SunSeeker]

22. He did not "do more than anyone else to fuck over the middle class."

Not by a long shot. And you know it, since you were around for a lot worse.

[Democracyinkind]

27. Among Democrats, he must surely be a top contender.

Among democratic presidents, it's simply undeniable, but maybe an unfair comparison.

[JDPriestly]

35. Three programs: welfare reform, NAFTA and the repeal of Glass-Seagal.

All huge blows to the middle class.

The first, welfare reform, reduced the social safety net for the poor to nothing. Any heretofore middle class person who fell into poverty due to foreclosure, job loss, physical disability, etc. was harmed by welfare reform.

NAFTA and the loss of jobs that followed in its wake. Mother Nature's earthquakes, floods and fires could not have cost the US jobs the way NAFTA has. That's the lifeblood of the middle class drained with the flick of a pen.

The repeal of Glass-Steagall set the stage for the meltdown in the banking sector. We are still paying the price for Clinton's huge mistake.

The Clintons had no clue. They are socially gifted people (at least he is).
Everyone loves Bill Clinton.

But he tore at the heart of the middle class. Nice guy. But that does not make up for his poor judgment and susceptibility to bad influences -- like Larry Summers and Robert Rubin and the whole crowd.

[antigop]

54. and the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodity_Futures_Modernization_Act_of_2000

[MythosMaster]

60. Give credit where credit is due

Bill had nothing to do with this. This was a republican bill passed overwhelmingly by the republican controlled Senate.

It passed with 90 votes, a veto proof vote count.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gramm-Leach-Bliley_Vote_1999.png

[Shemp Howard]

33. Clinton signed NAFTA. NAFTA destroyed the unions.

You're right, tularetom.

People, don't just look at Clinton's words. Look at his actions.

NAFTA destroyed the unions. And by extension, NAFTA destroyed the middle class. Bill Clinton was a huge proponent of NAFTA. He wasn't NAFTA's originator. But he readily signed it into law.

I'll say it again. NAFTA destroyed the unions. NAFTA destroyed the middle class.

[thatgemguy]

36. Don't forget Media deregulation

That allowed the corporate take over of TV and Radio.

[MythosMaster]

59. That started under Reagan

[closeupready]

45. +1,000,000.

[Beacool]

13. Well, we'll see.

Last edited Mon Sep 23, 2013, 01:40 AM - Edit history (1)

[bigwillq]

14. I'm with you on that one.

Just say NO. To Hillary.

[Ruby the Liberal]

9. I am an early O'Malley backer but she has my vote if nominated. nt

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

15. She's absolutely stunning here!!!

[Beacool]

16. Yeah, it's a great photo.

[Whisp]

21. It's a nice photo but it's not real.

This is Hillary under the photo shop knife or a much earlier pic of her.

Why do they do that?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

24. Didn't think about that, either. Hmmmm...

[Thinkingabout]

17. She has experience of which few others have ever had. She is intelligent and strong.

She is well connected and this would be valuable to the US, we would be winners.

[kelliekat44]

20. As for me, I'll support Hillary. AND I will be delighted when Chelsea pick up the mantel.

I think Chelsea is poised, smart, and compassionate. I think she will make a great Congresswoman or Senator and after that...President. You heard me. Just hold on for 6-8 years. I think we are going to see and hear a lot from this young lady.

[longship]

51. First of all, in the USA the Presidency is not a birthright.

Or something one can pass to ones spouse.

Second of all, the "first of all" is all you need to know.

[Warren DeMontague]

23. I will be surprised if she does NOT run.

I don't know if I'll support her in the primaries, or not, but she will be a formidable candidate.

[Flying Squirrel]

25. This post useless without pics..

(... are there any pics of her in mid-air?)

[Beacool]

29. Now THAT would be funny.

Imagine if she sprouted wings and took flight like in Angels in America.

[DonCoquixote]

32. I doubt she would sprout wings.

If she cannot drop her love of outsourcing, benefit slashing, and middle eastern warfare, what makes me think she could fly.

[davidpdx]

26. I don't think she or Biden will run

Which will leave the field open. The last time where was an open field was 2008 and many of those candidates are too old, too ruined, or too crazy (in the case of Edwards/Gravel/Kuchinich).

Here's a recap of where the 2008 candidates are:

Barack Obama-Term limited
Hillary Clinton-?
John Edwards-Toast after joining the "I can't keep it in my pants" club
Joe Biden-?
Chris Dodd-Retired
Mike Gravel-Belongs in a straight jacket
Dennis Kucinich-Belongs in a straight jacket
Bill Richardson-Unlikely to run

If so, that pretty much means a new list of new names.

[Democracyinkind]

28. Why not use a real picture?

Hillary should not consent to these games. I like her to some extent but I have grave reservations about voting for her.

[MoonRiver]

37. I can't wait until we have President (Hillary) Clinton!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

38. Is Third Way Hillary an incarnation of Third Way Manny?

[Octafish]

39. ''We came. We saw. He died.''

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2051826/We-came-saw-died-What-Hillary-Clinton-told-news-reporter-moments-hearing-Gaddafis-death.html

Hah. Hah. It is to laugh.

[Beacool]

40. Seriously?

You're quoting a comment taken out of context and posted an article from 2011?

Please.............

[KoKo]

42. She said it about Gadaffi's death. It was all over the place captured

Last edited Mon Sep 23, 2013, 10:24 PM - Edit history (1)

in video on the news and C-Span.

That did it for me with her. She sounded like Chimpy Bush. I wouldn't trust her with foreign affairs as President. She's heavily allied with APIC and the C-Street Christian Prayer Groups who are crazies.

[Beacool]

50. Ahhhh, this place is insane.

At least get your facts straight. It wasn't Bin Laden, it was when the rebels captured Gaddafi.

[KoKo]

53. Corrected....Will Edit. However, she still said it...

and cackled....it was bizarre.

[Octafish]

43. That's when she said it.

It's been my experience that those who laugh at the deaths of others do not possess the personal characteristics needed for public office. Something else I've learned over the years, whatever the government of the United States does to people overseas, sooner, rather than later, gets practiced at home. Mark Twain noticed it during the Spanish American War:

We knew they supposed that we also were fighting in their worthy cause -- just as we had helped the Cubans fight for Cuban independence -- and we allowed them to go on thinking so. Until Manila was ours and we could get along without them. Then we showed our hand. Of course, they were surprised -- that was natural; surprised and disappointed; disappointed and grieved. To them it looked un-American; uncharacteristic; foreign to our established traditions. And this was natural, too; for we were only playing the American Game in public -- in private it was the European. It was neatly done, very neatly, and it bewildered them. They could not understand it; for we had been so friendly -- so affectionate, even -- with those simple-minded patriots! -- To the Person Sitting in Darkness

Must be old news to you. I'm sure most Americans haven't read that, though.

[Beacool]

48. So what if she said it?

What she was laughing at was at the silly question from the CBS reporter who suggested that maybe Hillary's trip to Libya (three days prior to Gaddafi's capture) had anything to do with his death. She was being sarcastic.

[Octafish]

52. It has to do with character.

As a Democrat, I believe all people are created equal, even foreigners living on top of our oil.

[KoKo]

61. Indeed...CHARACTER...is sorely lacking in the language of Politics, these days!

[Whisp]

46. seriously. Hillary says some of the Dumbest Things.

She's tone deaf.

[Beacool]

47. Seriously. Irrelevant comment that doesn't bear any truth.

Talk about tone deaf...........

[KoKo]

41. That did it for me with her. Thanks for the reminder! It was shocking.

[cynatnite]

49. I hope she runs, but if she doesn't...that's okay, too.

We've got a good field of candidates.

[rury]

55. I wish the self-important, entitled-feeling

money-grubbing, attention-seeking Clintons would go away.
No Hillary in 2016.
No way, no how!!
The de-regulating, philandering, welfare-gutting, pompous Bill who thinks he's president of the world.
The warmongering, cold, not likeable-enough Hillary.
The vapid, talentless, robotic Chelsea ready to cash in on her name.
I don't care much more for them than I do The Bush Crime Family.
She said Secretary of State was the last public office she would ever hold, and I sincerely hope she means it. I hope she's not lying this time, the way she lied about coming under sniper fire in Bosnia!

[Beacool]

56. Well, then get ready to be disappointed.

Your diatribe could fit right in at a RW site.

You're entitled to your opinion, but your description of the Clintons is off the mark, particularly with Chelsea. She's a great person, as bright as her parents and a down to earth & caring woman.

Funny how these "awful" people just happen to be the most popular politicians in the country.