Clinton Gets an Instant Chance to Wield a New Weapon

[Herman Munster]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/09/us/politics/09clinton.html?ex=1352264400&en=d8424e0ab4c93587&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 — It used to be that when a campaign had an argument with a news report, it put out a mass e-mail message disputing the offending item. That was a huge technological leap from the fax machine.

Now even e-mail may be growing quaint.

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign on Thursday introduced a Web site dedicated exclusively to the instantaneous rebuttal of charges or news reports it deems offensive or wrong.

And the day offered a perfect opportunity for the campaign, with a potentially embarrassing mini-scandal: a waitress’s report that Mrs. Clinton had failed to tip after eating at a Maid-Rite diner in central Iowa, an assertion that ricocheted around the Internet on Thursday.

After NPR broadcast the report, Mrs. Clinton’s campaign responded by saying the candidate and her aides had in fact left a tip: $100 on a $157 check at the diner. The restaurant manager, Brad Crawford, confirmed in interviews, including with The New York Times, that Mrs. Clinton, of New York, and her retinue had indeed left a tip, though he did not say how much.

NPR later included Mr. Crawford’s and the campaign’s versions of events in an editor’s note attached to the online version of its report.

But by then the story had been picked up and expanded upon on by, among others, the Drudge Report, which included a link to a report about a tip that Mrs. Clinton neglected to give in 2000. The Web sites of NBC News and ABC News also carried the story.

Mrs. Clinton’s rebuttal site, The Fact Hub, posted an item with the headline “Fact Check: Bill Paid, Tip Left At Iowa Maid-Rite.” It included details of the NPR editor’s note and Mr. Crawford’s statement.

[rinsd]

1. The other candidates should launch similar sites immediately.

If only to get ready for the general when rapid response to GOP smears is going to be key.

[Lucinda]

12. Yep. This kind of thinking will serve her very well in the general

if she's the nom. And it's exactly why I felt she was best prepared for the onslaught, even before I switched to support her.

They should all do it. Might make everyone a bit more careful what they try and spin as well.

[emilyg]

20. Agree.

[MethuenProgressive]

21. Why was "no tip" such a HUGE!1!!!1 story in the first place? See below:

(cuz they got nuttin else)

[gateley]

2. I saw this -- what a BRILLIANT idea! And I agree, rinsd, that the others

would do well to follow suit.

As much as I like to poke at some of Hillary's advisors, she obviously has some VERY sharp people in her group. Kudos to her for this.

[Dr Fate]

5. Kerry's website debunked the SBVs too. Problem is, Wolf Blitzer et al never logged on.

Or if he did, he "forgot" to repeat the info therein.

I'm not saying she shouldnt make an effort-but just b/c factual info is available on the internet doesnt mean that the GOP owned media will repeat it (See WMDS, SBVs, etc, etc,etc, etc)

[gorekerrydreamticket]

6. Exactly, what if people don't log on to the special website?

Analogous to a tree falling in the forest with no one to hear it...

[Dr Fate]

10. Not unlike those DEM "press releases" or "conferences" that are supposed to impress us.

Memos and press releases are great, but they dont work if you sit around and wait for reporters to repeat what was said- you have to go on TV and say it yourself.

The best way for Hill to show me that she can fight the GOP/media is to go on TV herself and confront the liars head on.

[rinsd]

8. I'm not so sure. Drudge was reduced to rerunning a Moonie Times story from 2000.

While I agree MSM may not repeat it, having it available in a single spot makes debunking/counterattacking that much easier for her supporters. Its about the internet fight.

[ronnykmarshall]

11. and some DU'ers are happy to spread it.

[Dr Fate]

13. Well I AM sure that Kerry's web debunking did not work. He lost.

We won the internet fight on that one too.

I agree that it's a great tool for bloggers but hell, we win all the internet fights. It only works if what the bloggers are saying is repeated on TELEVISION.

The fight we need to win is the TV fight- the one that effects moderates & swingvoters. Those voters will probaly NOT log on to a pro Hillary site for news.

I hope this is not Hillary's showcase plan to fight GOP/media spin after the primaries, in the event that she wins.

[rinsd]

17. This is merely one weapon in the battle.

Also Kerry got his website rapid response up and running after the Swifties had begun attacking him.

[Dr Fate]

23. We agree that it can only be one of many weapons.

I still maintain that it does little or nothing unless DEMS and Hillary herself go on TV on a regualr basis and repeats the info on the site.

I am assuming they would, but I've assumed a lot of things over the past 8 years of failed elections.

[sandnsea]

19. Reduced to? and DRUDGE?????

There were all kinds of rebuttals to the swift boat shit, all over the place. You think Drudge was trying to be fair? Says a lot about you.

[Dr Fate]

3. It will work if the GOP owned media feels obliged to repeat the info on her site for her...

...or if Red State swing voters decide to start getting their news from obscure websites.

I'm not saying that this effort shouldnt be made- I'm just saying that a pro-Hillary website will probably not get past preaching to the choir.

A better reaction would for Hillary to go on TV and take her rebuttle directly to the TV media-say to Wolf Blitzer's face: "The same media who sold us WMDS and SBVs is now lying about me again-oh well, it's what you guys get paid to do, I guess..."

Obscure websites are great, but AFTER the primary, I'll be suprised if the GOP owned media will go out of it's way to repeat the talking points on said website...

[Cameron27]

4. Excellent idea.

All the candidates need one.

[Dr Fate]

7. This is nothing new. Kerry's 2004 site debunked the SBVs on a daily basis.

It didnt work b/c the media refused to repeat his talking points for him.

A fact checking site is a great resource- but I dont really expect GOP owned reporters, swing-voters, or anyone besides DEMS activists to log on & repeat the info therein.

She should have a site like this- buit if she thinks that this alone will control lies about her, she is making the same mistake Kerry made.

[Cameron27]

9. Well she can't just let the info sit there,

but I expect the campaign will do a counter attack in the media too.

[Dr Fate]

14. I expect that too. I hope she does.

B/c I need to see that she really knows how to fight the GOP/media if I'm going to get excited about her if she wins the nom.

I think we agree that the site is great, but it's not enough.

[rinsd]

15. The Kerry refrence library was launched Aug 16th, Swifties aired their 1st ad Aug 5th

[cuke]

16. Hmmm

not quite as "rapid" as Hillary

[Dr Fate]

18. If true, good point. Even still, factual SBV debunking could be found all over google.

Is that correct that no Kerry or DEM website was not debunking the SBVs before then?

We are operating under the presumption that swing-voters and people who generally trust the media will double check TV media "facts" on the ineternet. I'm not sure they will.

I like the idea of a site-we agree that it's good to have this set up early- but in addition to this site- Hillary & her people would do better to blitz the TV talk shows and debunk things like thiis on TV- where people will actually see it.

[sandnsea]

24. Except he's wrong

Pete did his Debunker very early in the campaign, he is probably doing this web site for Hillary too. I don't know what reference library rinsd is referring to, I'm pretty sure Dr. Ron's library in the forum was created well before August too.

[Dr Fate]

26. Thanks for the clarification. n/t

n/t

[rinsd]

25. I agree that TV needs to be part of it.

A HUGE part of it. She need to have campaign spokespeople and surrogates on message pounding away, disputing any and all fabrication about her.

There will always be the unfortunate reality that a lie travels halfway around the world before the truth even gets its pants on.

[sandnsea]

22. No, the Debunker

It was launched very early in 2004, before Kerry even had won all the primaries.

[RogueBandit]

27. So why didn't the waitress know?

Seems like the waitress would want to know if a tip was left. Maybe the restaurant owner didn't see the necessity of informing the waitress? Usually a tip that large (really? $100?) is shared among the staff. If I was the owner or manager I'd want all the staff to know immediately. So I question that stupid owner...that's what I do...where's the money bub? And is the waitress still working there?

I don't really trust any of the candidates (well, maybe Kuchinich) but there is still a scale and Hillary ain't high on it.

[TlalocW]

28. She's very much like Bill

Her husband had an aggressive rapid-response team to handle B.S. stories like these, and that was something uncommon for democrats at the time, the previous ones who preferred to pretend they could rise above such pettiness if they ignored it.

TlalocW