Matt Stoller: Hillary Clinton's Massive Error

[illinoisprogressive]

Obama also went after her with a clever line about how corporations don't spend billions in lobbying fees to promote the public interest (except for Goldman Sachs, of course). In one sense, Clinton is correct; lobbyists are people too, and social workers and puppies and kittens have lobbyists. But 'lobbyist' is code name for a whole culture, and she has revealed herself as tied into it completely.

There were three other moments that I think were significant. In the break-out session, she refused to answer a question about whether she'd repeal the Telecom Act of 1996, saying that you should 'ask Al Gore' since she had nothing to do with the legislation as first lady. It was a poor response, because the question was about what she would do not what Al Gore did. This was followed by a refusal on state to answer a question about media consolidation and the Wall Street Journal.

The other moment was when she was asked whether we are safer since 9/11, and she responded by saying that we are safer in the sense that Americans before 9/11 would never have consented to taking off their shoes and getting searched at airports. This unwitting revelation about her views on the increased need for artificial 'security theater', the notion that violations of our rights makes us safer, needs further examination, debate, and exposure.

Splicing all the video together, or her flubbing the lobbyist line, refusing to answer the media consolidation question, and avoiding responsibility for media policy by telling people to ask Al Gore, would be devastating.

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=595

[corkhead]

Gawd I hope you are right about Faux Nooze's favorite dem candidate

ed for spelling

[MH1]

1. Not a fan of Stoller, but the points in your excerpt are certainly worth noting about HRC. n/t

[snowbear]

2. You must not have been a Clarkie..

Matt Stoller was one of the original Clarkies who helped to launch the "Draft Clark" effort..


Matt Stoller with wax museum Bill!

[MH1]

8. Even if I was a Clarkie

(which I'm not, but I don't have any strong dislike for Clark either)

hopefully I would not support the irresponsible smears Stoller has posted against other Democrats in the past. He may be better now, or not...I don't hang out much at MyDD since I saw what drivel he was getting away with posting.

[jgraz]

3. Holy shit -- I totally misread that first line

I thought it said "Obama went after her with a cleaver" !!! :scared:

[snowbear]

4. Geez...

Things are getting hot on the trail, but if it comes down to that.. .. then we have some serious trouble.

...

[Meldread]

5. LOL. -nt-

[stillrockin]

6. all good points

I hope voters are paying attention.

[caligirl]

7. Had she said she would only take lobbyist $$ from folks who

share the same concerns and worries, ie, groups that promote universal or single payer health care, unionized labor, global warming concerns like solar and electric cars, as you and I and the dem party, I might feel differently. But she didn't say that. So the DLC and CORPORATE BOARDS still own her. That means she is out in my book of getting this country on the right track.

[dflprincess]

9. Lobbying, even lobbyists, aren't an issue

Anyone has the right to lobby an elected official. It's the bribes campaign contributions that cause the problems. I doubt that nurses and social workers have quite the same funds that pharmacuetical and health insurance companies have.