Hillary flip-flop on torture inspired after meeting generals
September 28, 2007
Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign yesterday belatedly explained that her flip-flop to oppose torture was an evolution inspired by talks with retired generals.
"Upon reflection and after meeting with former generals and others, Sen. Clinton does not believe that we should be making narrow exceptions to this policy based on hypothetical scenarios," said campaign spokesman Phil Singer.
Clinton (D-N.Y.) came out against all torture - "period" - in Wednesday's Democratic debate after previously telling the Daily News last October it would be okay to torture a terrorist to foil "something imminent."
Clinton's transformation on torture now aligns her perfectly with the voters she's trying to woo. A Zogby International poll this month found 64% of Americans oppose the interrogation tactic - and an earlier ABC poll showed more than 70% of Democrats are against it.
Clinton aides said she changed her mind after meeting in April with a group of retired three- and four-star generals.
But her epiphany appears to be incomplete. Clinton still hasn't signed a pledge with a group called the American Freedom Campaign that requested presidential candidates oppose all torture.
It’s Rudy Vs. Hillary, But Clinton is Sitting Prettier
September 28, 2007
Wednesday brought two key developments in the 2008 race for the White House. Together, they make it increasingly likely we're finally going to see that Hillary-vs.-Rudy match-up we were denied in New York's 2000 Senate race.
First, Democratic candidates for president appeared in a debate in New Hampshire - and Sen. Hillary Clinton's rivals failed to act in any way to slow or derail the bullet train that is her bid for the party's nomination next year.
Yes, it's possible that Hillary won't be the Democratic nominee. It's also possible that "Good Luck Chuck" will win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
No one's cast a ballot yet in either contest. But it's extremely unlikely, to put it mildly, that "Good Luck Chuck" will be the "Crash" of 2007. And it's extremely unlikely that Hillary will be denied her party's nomination.
At this point, a little more than three months before voters show up in Iowa and New Hampshire, it's clear that none of Hillary's foes has the stomach to fight with her. Any that did would have been making a major issue on Wednesday out of her campaign's relationship with indicted mystery multimillionaire donor Norman Hsu.
Clinton’s ‘Considered’ Reply on Donors: Not Yet
September 28, 2007
President Clinton's answer to Senator Clinton's suggestion during a televised debate Wednesday that he might "consider" voluntarily making public a full list of donors to his presidential library and foundation was a simple one: No.
"She couldn't answer that question last night because we don't believe in one set of rules for us and another set for everybody else," Mr. Clinton said yesterday, according to the Web site of NBC News. He said that if Congress passes a law that Mrs. Clinton is co-sponsoring to require disclosures from sitting presidents, he would release the names of future donors.
"If she becomes president, I will treat it as if we are covered by that and I will disclose all the donors to our library and activities," he said, according to NBC.
However, the former president indicated he would resist naming all past donors.
Hillary Rodham Clinton Doesn’t Represent Change or Experience
September 27, 2007
There's currently only one candidate capable of mobilizing the Republican base for a widespread "get-out-the-vote" drive in the upcoming presidential election. It's not Mitt Romney or newcomer Fred Thompson. One potential candidate could mobilize the Republican base beyond anything that Karl Rove ever dreamed of, and that's Hillary Rodham Clinton.
It's only fair. George W. Bush certainly contributed to the Democratic victory in the 2006 midterm elections. If Hillary receives the nomination, we may discover who hates whom more - the Democrats vs. George W. Bush, or the Republicans vs. Rodham Clinton?
I don't make this point to be sensational, nor do I care to stir the debate of whether or not Hillary is "electable." I have a more substantive argument. I'd rather question her experience.
Debate Dodges Undercut Hillary Clinton’s Image
September 27, 2007
Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign slogan is "Ready for Change, Ready to Lead" yet she has adopted the time-honored, front-runner strategy of dodging tough questions, contradicting the image of a strong leader.
The former first lady and New York senator refused to take a position on a range of substantive issues during Wednesday night's debate, from Social Security reform to U.S. troop deployments in Iraq to whether Israel, if threatened, has the right to attack Iran.
She even ducked the question of which team she'd root for if her hometown Chicago Cubs met the New York Yankees in next month's World Series. "Well, I would probably have to alternate sides," she said.
Clinton's substantive knowledge of issues and strong debate performances throughout the primary campaign are among the reasons she's leading her rivals in national and most state polls. But last night's outing found her refusing to answer questions she deems "hypothetical," or saying she'll wait until she's president to outline specific policy proposals.
