New Clinton fib over Iraq War Record

[Windy]

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/in-oregon-clint.html

In Oregon, Clinton Makes False Claim About Her Iraq Record Vs. Obama's
April 06, 2008 9:49 AM

In Eugene, Ore., Saturday. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., attempted to change the measure by which anyone might assess who criticized the Iraq war first, her or Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., by saying those keeping records should start in January 2005, when Obama joined the Senate. (A measure that conveniently avoids her October 2002 vote to authorize use of force against Iraq at a time that Obama was speaking out against the war.) She claimed that using that measure, she criticized the war in Iraq before Obama did.

But Clinton's claim was false.

Clinton on Saturday told Oregonians, "when Sen. Obama came to the Senate he and I have voted exactly the same except for one vote. And that happens to be the facts. We both voted against early deadlines. I actually starting criticizing the war in Iraq before he did."

It's an odd way to measure opposition to the war -- comparing who gave the first criticism of the war in Iraq starting in January 2005, ignoring Obama's opposition to the war throughout 2003 and 2004. (And Clinton's vote for it.)

But even if one were to employ this "Start Counting in January 2005" measurement, Clinton did not criticize the war in Iraq first.

Scrambling to support their boss's claim, Clinton campaign officials pointed to a paper statement Clinton issued on Jan. 26, 2005, explaining her vote to confirm Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of State.

"The Administration and Defense Department's Iraq policy has been, by any reasonable measure, riddled with errors, misstatements and misjudgments," the January 2005 Clinton statement said. "From the beginning of the Iraqi war, we were inadequately prepared for the aftermath of the invasion with too few troops and an inadequate plan to stabilize Iraq."

<More at link including hyperlinks to candidates statments>

[MessiahRp]

1. Hell according to the Clinton Caucuses shouldn't count and they happened just months ago

It's all about changing reality to fit your narrative for the Clintons and Bushes.

Rp

[OzarkDem]

2. Is this the Clinton faux scandal of the day?

These are so boring and predictable. Can't Rove come up with something more imaginative?

Why is your profile disabled? Just wonderin' :shrug:

[Windy]

3. Faux? The only thing "faux" is practically every word that comes out of HRC's mouth!

Wake up!

[flor de jasmim]

4. You don't see this as part of a pattern?

This is not a simple misstatement. This is a question of figuring out how important it is to be against the war and trying to find a way that she can claim that she was first. This rewriting of history that she loves to engage in is serious. People love to ask whether anyone died because of her misstatements. Perhaps not YET, but if she lies on the small things that don't matter, how can we believe her on the things that do??

After Bush, how can you accept this?

[Windy]

6. Precisely! After 8 years of Bush and a mountain of lies, why more of the same?

I really don't understand Hillary supporters!

[Ian_rd]

13. Dispute it on factual grounds if you can

Just wondering' :shrug:

[JohnnyLib2]

5. Has anyone wondered just what she might be up to with this?

:shrug:

[maximusveritas]

11. I think she just assumed no one in the media would question her

and they probably wouldn't have if not for the other recent stories of her lying.
Before these recent stories, the media let her get away with all kinds of lies, but now they've got a story.

[Life Long Dem]

7. No, there is no starting the opposition count in Jan 05. when the war started years before that.

[snooper2]

8. Damn, now whole years don't count...

2002, 2003, 2004...

Should I destroy all pictures and give any income I made back...

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Ian_rd]

16. Whole states too (those that favored Obama that is)

Maybe 2002-2004 were "boutique" years :rofl:

[Mass]

9. Start the clock at this speech on Jan 26, 2005, at the precise moment she said these words.

This way she will be sure that she was the first. Not that it is meaningful, but clearly we are passed anything meaningful at this point. We do not even check stories before we use them in campaign speeches, we change what is meaningful each time we want. So, make that clear.

The time to start comparing the Iraq War issue between Obama and Clinton is a moment when Hillary criticized the War. This way, she will be first to have criticized the war starting at this date.

[JayFredMuggs]

10. Hillaryspeak: ..

The 2008 version of "newspeak"

[niceypoo]

12. The Obamite smear campaign rolls on

This is exactly what Bush supporters did to Gore in 2000

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/10/gore200710

"A smear campaign is an intentional, premeditated effort to undermine an individual's or group's reputation, credibility, and character. "Mud slinging", like negative campaigning, most often targets government officials, politicians, political candidates, and other public figures. However, private persons or groups may also become targets of smear campaigns perpetrated in schools, companies, institutions, families, and other social groups."

"Smear tactics differ from normal discourse or debate in that they do not bear upon the issues or arguments in question. A smear is a simple attempt to malign a group or an individual and to attempt to undermine their credibility."

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

[Ian_rd]

14. The smears against Gore were of statements that he never made

Like the internet and Love Canal fictitious accounts. If you're going to describe the original post as a Bush-2000-style smear against Hillary, then you need to show how it's inaccurate.

Your links point to the Gore smears and a definition and history of smear campaigning. We all know this stuff. If you want to debunk the OP, you need to do it with relevant substance.

[maximusveritas]

15. What are you talking about? The direct quote is right there.

"I started criticizing the war in Iraq before he did"

And then her staff actually tried to back up her claim.

Gore never said he invented the internet and never tried to back up that claim.

So there's no comparison

[quantass]

17. oh no