Hillary’s Voice

Hillary Says: Show Us the End Game, George (by Campskunk at No Quarter)
As a follow-up to her questions to Crocker and Petraeus in the Senate Armed Services Committee meeting [Tuesday], Hillary’s campaign just released a statement in anticipation of Bush’s speech [Thursday], challenging the “stay the course” narrative so carefully crafted by the Administration. Her main points are that the Administration continues to refuse to define the conditions under which they would say that the US mission in Iraq had been either a success of a faliure, and that Bush is using security agreements with the Iraqi government to bypass the constitutional requirement that Congress ratify treaties. She also brings up her request — so far ignored by the Administration — that plans for disengagement of American forces be developed.

Obama’s illusions on foreign policy (by Ambassador Joseph Wilson, posted at No Quarter)
Sen. Barack Obama declared in Pennsylvania on March 27 that his foreign policy would “return” to that of George H.W. Bush and that Sens. John McCain and Hillary Rodham Clinton both had strayed from that model. Having served in the first Bush administration, as acting U.S. ambassador to Iraq in the run-up to the first Gulf War, and subsequently as ambassador to two African nations, I cannot fathom what Obama is asserting… As to Obama’s self-promoted “judgment,” which judgment would that be? Would it be to follow the path of Bush 41: tough diplomacy backed by the threat of military action, as in the first gulf war? Would it be to ignore the rationale put forward by Colin Powell in the debate on the second gulf war? Would it be to vote exactly the same way Sen. Clinton did on war-related issues since he became a U.S. senator, which he has? Or is it simply to criticize from the sidelines with the benefit of never having had to face tough decisions with real consequences?

McCain doesn’t rule out preemptive war
WESTPORT, Connecticut (Reuters) - Republican U.S. presidential candidate John McCain said on Wednesday he would not rule out launching preemptive wars against future enemies.

ABC Slants Soldiers’ Support for Presidential Candidates (by D. Cupples at No Quarter)
Some media outlets don’t even try to hide the fact that they’ve unofficially joined the Obama campaign. Some are more subtle: instead of worshiping Obama or trashing Hillary, they merely present or omit “facts” in a way that gives a vague impression. Case in point: On Monday night, a segment on ABC News discussed which presidential candidate some soldiers in Iraq are supporting.  The segment started with a soldier who supports Barack Obama then showed a few brief comments from other soldiers: as I recall, more than one support Obama, and more than one support Hillary. Tuesday morning, ABC’s Internet version of the story gives a different impression. On the first page of ABC’s two-page story, three Obama-supporting soldiers are mentioned.  Anyone who’s too busy (or bored) to click onto the second page might get the false impression that none of the soldiers support Hillary Clinton.

IA Poll: Clinton Stabilizes in Pennsylvania (Political Wire)
A new InsiderAdvantage poll in Pennsylvania shows Sen. Hillary Clinton leading Sen. Barack Obama, 48% to 38%. Said pollster Matt Towery: “Sen. Clinton has made progress among both men and among all white voters. Her support among women also appears to be consolidating. My guess is that whatever damage she might have sustained by recent gaffs and media missteps have been largely discounted by the public. The race in Pennsylvania is clearly still fluid. But, at least for now, it’s tending back towards the result that was originally anticipated by most - a Clinton lead.”

Olympic Torch Relay Through San Francisco Rocked by Protests (by SilentPatriot at Crooks and Liars)
As the Olympic torch made its way through San Francisco today — the only US city on the relay schedule — protests raged as anti- and pro-China demonstrators clashed over Beijing’s record on human rights. David Shuster reports for Hardball on all the turmoil, including what some believe to be a veiled threat from President Bush, urging China to start a dialogue with the Dalai Lama.
Click through to watch the video.

Obama Decides on Olympic Stance: Calls for Bush to Boycott Opening Ceremonies (by Jeralyn at TalkLeft)
Once again, Obama takes a cue from Hillary Clinton. Last Wednesday, April 2: Obama says he’s conflicted on Olympics… Monday, April 7, Hillary Clinton calls for Bush not to attend the opening ceremonies… This Wednesday, April 9: Obama says to put boycott of Olympic opening ceremonies on the table.

Clinton Campaign Press Call on Obama’s Oil Ad (by Jeralyn at TalkLeft)
I’m on the Hillary Clinton press call. It’s being led by Mark Nevins, communications director for Hillary’s PA campaign, Howard Wolfson and TJ Rooney of the PA House of Representatives. Theme: Obama’s words vs. actions, in context of his discredited oil ads in PA… Rooney: Obama says in his ad that he’s never taken any money from oil companies. No one does, because it’s illegal. Yet he has taken $213k from employees of oil companies. Two of his bundlers are top execs at oil companies… Obama sided with Dick Cheney in voting for Dick Cheney’s energy bill — the best bill that oil companies could buy. Hillary voted against the bill.

Howie Kurtz’s Unreliable Source (by SusanUnPC at No Quarter)
This is breaking news. Well, it may breaking news to Howie Kurtz that he has an “unreliable source” feeding him false information. And that his unreliable source on CNN’s Reliable Sources, his 10 a.m. ET weekly Sunday show, was … none other than Howie Kurtz himself. “KURTZ: Hillary Clinton has been telling a story on the trail about this sad story about a woman who lost her baby and died because, the former first lady said, she didn’t have $100 to pay the hospital. ‘The Washington Post’ repeated this … Well, it turns out it she is completely untrue.”
Actually, it turns out that it IS true, as the original reporter admitted.  Click through for contact information, to demand that Howard Kurtz correct his untrue reporting.

Any more questions about why our famously free press gets a tingle in their leg about Obama? (by lambert at Corrente)
Follow the money: “‘Barack Obama is three things you want in a brand,’ says Keith Reinhard, chairman emeritus of DDB Worldwide. ‘New, different, and attractive. That’s as good as it gets.’ Obama has his greatest strength among the young, roughly 18 to 29 years old, that advertisers covet, the cohort known as millennials — who will outnumber the baby boomers by 2010.” Buh-bye Universal Health Care! Hello privatized Social Security! Advertising dollars are at stake! What’s wrong with you?  Why do you hate to help corporations do their marketing?… Then of course there’s this. $60 million [spent on ads by the Obama campaign] isn’t chump change, especially in today’s media environment.

Obama Puts Democrats in Peril (by John Fout at The Street)
Sen. Barack Obama (D., Ill.) has asked voters — Democrats, independents and Republicans — to see him as a unifying force, a once-in-a-lifetime politician who can overcome the partisan divide and change politics in Washington. He presents a bold vision. Unfortunately, Obama has failed in his first test to unify his own party. His campaign has failed to recognize the results of the Florida primary — and Michigan — for political gain over his opponent, a decision that could disgruntle Democratic voters in Florida in November and years beyond… Obama already polls much worse than Clinton in Florida vs. McCain, and it will be difficult to win the general election without Florida… Florida Republicans have already used the DNC ruling as a campaign issue there in January and almost certainly plan to do so again.

Lots more really good stuff at MakeThemAccountable.com.

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com