The difference between legitimate criticism and smear

[Windy]

It is perfectly acceptable to make distinctions between the proposed policies, voting record and experience of the candidates. That is what the primary process and campaigns in general are for.
the electorate needs to make their decision on a candidate based upon who they feel best reflects their beliefs and their vision of the future of this country.

What is NOT legitimate in an election cycle, is to plant stories to get traction to try and destroy the other side by casting doubt through distortion. Obama's long ago admitted drug experimentation in HIGH SCHOOL is not relevant other than to establish that he, like a lot of us, have grown up. It is not a legitimate issue for debate, nor are his kindergarten essays. Edwards who recently made a statement regarding the differences as he sees them between he and Obama, and the other candidates who also draw distinctions on the issues between themselves and other are not engaging in dirty politics. Mrs. Clinton, her husband and her campaign are getting in the gutter however and its unfortunate! And make no mistake, Hillary and Bill have total control of their campaigns.
If Edwards was a serious challenge at this point in the race, these less than decent human beings would be going after Elizabeth. Don't even think for a moment that the Clinton campaign wasn't responsible for floating those affair rumors about Edwards in the media awhile back!

I hope that her supporters wake up and see through their blind loyalty.
My personal problems with Clinton at first, related directly to her failure to admit that voting for the Iraq war as a mistake and then, proceeding to vote for Kyl/lieberman and justifying it by saying that it was a "diplomatic move". That sealed it for me. Couple that with all the dirty politics she's involving herself with now and I have come to the sad conclusion that she has no place as president. I hoped for a lot more from a fellow woman who had a chance to be president!

Its a shame. I thought she was courageous as First Lady. She did more than bake cookies and decorate the whitehouse christmas tree. I wanted to support her, but I simply cannot. Every day I find more support for my decision. The last two weeks of her campaign and the methods used by Penn and the rest of her staff when she started to sink in the polls proves that she is an old school power hungry politician.

I hope that after Iowa, or New Hampshire at the latest, the adults will reemerge and we will have a debate on the issues. Like a lot of you, I have children and grandchildren to worry about and with the way things are going, my fear has not been lessened!

I don't see any difference between the republican "play book" and the campaign being waged by the alleged front runner of the democratic party. Unfortunately, she's using this "play book" against her own. Doesn't speak well for our party when we have been going after Bush at the grass roots level for so long and condemning the tactics of Rove and the politics of deception.

I hope for a change in the New Year so that my faith is restored.

[Windy]

1. Keeping kicked out of the need to voice my concerns! n/t

[Toots]

2. Why do you suppose Hillary fired her top Campaign manager that released that information

Your piece is nothing more than a smear in and of itself.. Hillary publicly rejected using this information and made an official apology to Obama for it even though it was 100% factual. She also immediately let her campaign manger go that released the information. You choose to smear the Clintons with this "hit piece".

[Windy]

4. He resigned on his own. He was not let go.

My piece is not a hit. Its merely an observation of what had been going on.

[Toots]

6. Ya Right!!!! I have an Aluminum mine for sale cheap if you are interested..

:shrug:

[Windy]

9. Do a little reading. He was not fired. .n/t

[cali]

3. I'd like to be able to agree with you

because I do think Clinton has stooped to some smearing, but then so have Obama, and to a lesser degree, Edwards. Obama sent out the email labeling Clinton as (D)Punjab, and Edwards has by veiled innuendo said there's no difference between Clinton and Obama and "corporate republicans". Clinton's sins in this dept have been greater than the others, but you have zip for your smear:

"If Edwards was a serious challenge at this point in the race, these less than decent human beings would be going after Elizabeth. Don't even think for a moment that the Clinton campaign wasn't responsible for floating those affair rumors about Edwards in the media awhile back."

Total smear. You have no evidence that Clinton was behind the rumors about Edwards affair, and suggesting that they'd attack Mrs Edwards is a serious accusation of something that hasn't happen. Not to mention that the above is completely lacking in logic a ten year old should be able to produce. If Edwards isn't a serious challenge, and that's why they're not going after Elizabeth, why did they attack him with a rumor about an affair?

Not only that, but you denigrate her supporters by accusing them of being blindly supportive. Clue: There are well informed liberals out there who support her. As for your problem with her not issuing an apology, apologies hardly make a difference to me. Her hands are bloody. Biden's hands are bloody. Dodd's hands are bloody. And Edwards hands are just as bloody. Apologies can't wash that away.

[Windy]

5. I believe that they were behind the edwards leak . No one else had a motive

She was the frontrunner. The behavior of the campaign over the last few weeks has certainly made it obvious that they are capable of anything.

I have my opinions, and you have yours. I will agree to disagree

[cali]

7. belief without any evidence in someone's culpability is simply

another way of saying you feel free to put out baseless accusations. And actually, the behavior of the campaign hasn't been half as horrible as you make out. It is not obvious that they "are capable of anything". That sounds exactly like what the Freepers say about the Clintons.

[Windy]

8. Her campaigns behavior is evidence. There is such a thing as circumstantial evidence under the law