Hillary Clinton: Exaggerator In Chief

[Bread and Circus]

On March 9th, I sent this email to the editors of factcheck.org

"Hillary Clinton is making a lot of large claims about her "lifetime of experience" somehow qualifying her for "Commander in Chief". Obama's campaign has called her to task on that.

I've noticed that her claims don't tend to match the record (take her N. Ireland visit for instance), at least in my opinion. However, I could be wrong.

I thought you would have an analysis of her foreign policy claims on your website but I can't find them.

Given you have spent quite a bit of time on matters a lot less essential in terms of picking our next President, I wonder if you could take the time and compare her foreign policy claims (and there are many) versus her actual record.

I wouldn't mind a review of what McCain has actually done as well. Being a POW, while noble in terms of the suffering incurred, doesn't necessarily lend insight on how to lead the Free World.

The Obama campaign is not making any superior claims to foreign policy claims, only judgement. But a review of his activities, positions, and policy advisors would be nice as well.

Thanks for taking the time.

Hopefully, a better educated citizenry will pick the best President"

______________________________________________________________________


To their credit (and not that I had anything to do with it), factcheck.org released this in March 13th

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/hillarys_adventures_abroad.html

Hillary's Adventures Abroad
March 13, 2008
We find some exaggerations in Clinton's claims of foreign policy experience.

On March 6 Hillary Clinton claimed that, unlike Barack Obama, she and likely Republican nominee John McCain have "cross the commander-in-chief threshold." In a CNN interview the day before, Clinton had listed five foreign policy accomplishments. We can't determine how much behind-the-scenes work Clinton did while first lady, and she certainly took an active interest in foreign policy when her husband was president. Moreover, her time as first lady plus her longer Senate career do give Clinton more foreign policy experience than Obama. But the public record of her actions shows that many of Clinton's foreign policy claims are exaggerated.

______________________________________________________________________

I want to just say thanks to factcheck.org for doing this analysis. I also want to encourage people to email the editors of factcheck.org and thank them or write up their own concerns. I don't know if what I wrote had anything to do with their pursuing the issue. But if it did, that's some encouragement that we can all play a role to help "get things out there".

[blm]

1. Demanding TRUTH is a citizen's duty. Thankyou for exercising that right.

This country needs to renew itself and can only do so with a commitment to Open Government.

[Drachasor]

2. Truly Open Government is one of the biggest reasons to support Obama

It doesn't get talked about nearly enough.

[maddiejoan]

3. Very nice

The RW went after Al Gore exactly like this!

You're a real gem!
(I'm exaggerating)

[gabeana]

6. So your saying

only Clinton and her supporters can go after Obama,you such as his percieved lack of experience, were you crying foul when Hillary was glorifying mcCain and her experience against all Obama has is a speech, or the 3:00 am ad, or Obama copying a speech, so you were against all that right?

[maddiejoan]

8. Nope

and you distort here.

But if one is going to claim that Hillary Clinton is exaggerating her record --I would certainly expect them to acknowledge that Obama is certainly exaggerating his.

[gabeana]

13. I don't have a problem

if someone from the hillary camp or her supporters points out an exaggeration of Obama thats politics, but from your earlier post it sure sounded like what the OP did was unfair and a RW wing attack. In my opinion and it has been printed in the press that hillary has exaggerated her foreign policy experience and since she is hanging her hat on that, don't you think obama and his supporters have the right to point these exaggerations out. Hillary and her camp have tried to use any edge they can. Again I don't begrudge that.

[maddiejoan]

15. correcting an exaggeration is fair game

characterizing a candidate as an exaggerator in a political campaign is as worthwhile as saying they are so "full of themselves they think think anyone cares to hear them speak."

It makes no sense --and it turns it into an attack of a personal nature.


All candidates exaggerate their resumes. Your's included.

Feel free to point out any exaggerations, but it is hypocritical to frame a candidate as an "exaggerator".

[gabeana]

16. we have both made our points

by the way i'm curious who is that as your Avatar?

[maddiejoan]

17. It's Audrey Tatou

from my favorite movie.

"Amelie"

[gabeana]

18. Okay thanks,

take care

[reflection]

30. That was a great movie indeed.

Made me feel all warm inside. :hug:

[Drachasor]

20. We cry foul when Hillary says McCain has passed the CiC test and Obama hasn't

That's endorsing McCain over Obama.

[KittyWampus]

7. Except Hillary really is exaggerating. From bringing peace to Ireland, Opening Kosovo or S-CHIP

[maddiejoan]

10. and Obama is not?

:rofl:

This is what candidates for anything do.

[saltpoint]

4. Hillary invented the printing press as well.

Also electricity. Without Senator Clinton, we would simply not have electricity.

And hula-hoops. She was essentially right in the heart of the planning for the hula-hoop -- both concept design and marketing both.

We owe her a lot.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. Beware! this may cause a hillarian hissy fit, just like on dKos

gawd forbid they march out of here, leaving us peaceful, respectful, and intent on winning in November.

[Scurrilous]

9. K & R

:thumbsup:

[BumRushDaShow]

11. They are still shilling for her.

And it's often difficult to say "we were wrong". But at least they went half-way.

The "experience" nonsense is just that. Nonsense. Clinton supporters have vociferously argued that "time in elected office" doesn't count, so that should take about 8 years off her so-called "experience".

Ironically, the fact that Obama lived overseas for 4 years in Indonesia with a mother who had become fluent in the language, seems lost on people. The fact that he was born and raised in Hawaii - starting a mere 2 years after it became a state, should also count as having lived in an area that was once a foreign land shortly before his birth and even today, it boasts a significant population of both natives and those from other South Pacific islands and Asia.

If anything, Obama has a level of worldliness that underlies his whole being, which would be a great asset in terms of his being a diplomat.

[Unbowed]

12. She's using smoke and mirrors, there isn't all that much experience to her credit as she would have

us believe. I've seen Laura Bush talking on television lately, talking to children. Is she going to use that as a basis for running for elected office at some future date?

I wonder.

[SunsetDreams]

14. wow interesting

It seems like Washington Post or New York Times ran with this too, and I know they have been talking about it on MSNBC, and CNN I believe.

Thank you for also asking about McCain and Obama. We need to know about all our candidates for President.

[cindyw]

19. I think that a Hillary/McCain race would center on this.

And let me tell you that if it worked against a sitting VP, I think it will work against her.

[Bread and Circus]

21. That's right...the Al Gore "I invented the internet" canard. Al Gore didn't even say that.

[KittyWampus]

28. Considering Hillary has exaggerated her role in so many things, it'd be pathetic.

[alteredstate]

22. Here's Bill's senior foreign policy advisor on HRC's foreign policy experience:

http://www.democraticunerground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5099705&mesg_id=5099705

[Bread and Circus]

23. your link doesnt work. democraticunderground is mispelled I think.

[alteredstate]

24. Sorry! Here's the correct link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5099705&mesg_id=5099705

[Bread and Circus]

25. Thanks!

[Bread and Circus]

26. One last night time bump for the 1 am EST crew.

[tabasco]

27. Why is Hillary so reluctant to release those White House records of hers.

I'm sure they must reveal TONS of foreign policy and other experience.

Why is Hillary stone-walling on the release of these records.

Certainly a Clinton wouldn't hide anything from us, would they?

[KittyWampus]

29. Good point. You'd think it's augment her 'experience'.