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Hillary Denies Saying "Big Boys" Were Trying to Bully a Woman Out of the Race

March 31, 2008 10:06 AM

The New York Times' Patrick Healey, Jeff Zeleny and Adam Nagourney reported on Saturday that, in response to calls for Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, to drop out of the race (from the likes of Obama-backing Sen. Pat Leahy, D-Vermont), "In a conversation with two Democratic allies, she compared the situation to the 'big boys' trying to bully a woman, according to interviews with them."

In the Washington Post Sunday, Clinton denied the report to Perry Bacon, Jr.

Q. "There was a story today that said you felt the 'big boys' were trying to push you out, 'bullying' you. Did you use those phrases?"

Clinton: "No , I did not. ... I never said that. I'm always amazed when I read things I supposedly said that I never said. Look, I think that what is going on with people trying to shut this process down is very counterproductive. I think it is not in the best interests of the Democratic Party…

"It would be perilous for me to say, 'You know, Barack Obama won x,y and z. That's not enough electoral votes. He should drop out.' Why would anybody say that? We need to let this contest continue. I know there are some people who want to shut this process down, and I think they are wrong and I have no intention of stopping until we finish what we started, and until we see what happens in the next 10 contests, and until we resolve Florida and Michigan. And if we won't resolve it, we'll resolve it at the convention -- that's what credentials committees are for -- because I feel so strongly about this. For the life of me, what Barack was afraid of with Michigan I will never understand. There is no doubt in my mind he would have done just fine running a vigorous campaign."

UPDATE: Healey at the New York Times emailed me to say the newspaper stands by its story.

- jpt

March 31, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (290)

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the clintons are decent people-none are perfect. but hillary will make a better
president that mccain or obama
she is smarter than obama on the issues and mccain-scares me-with his talk of continued war.
none of the three are perfect. and neither are we.
good night.

Posted by: jgaw | Apr 2, 2008 1:25:43 AM

I believe nothing, absolutely nothing the Clinton's say, and it's unfortunate that Chelsea is being used by them to give them an appearance of decency, and legitimacy. If she continues to go along with her parent's lies....then she too will lose any future credibility.

Posted by: MyAudacity | Apr 1, 2008 11:22:21 PM

Why doesn't the media let people know about Michelle Robinson Obama's undergraduate thesis. It reads pretty much like the Reverend Wright's words. Must be because this was her family's church, and when Obama met her, he started going there. This is when, as he has referred to in speeches, he found religion 20 years ago! He has been an active participant in this church and listened to hundreds of sermons by Rev. Wright. This church is all connected to Michelle Obama. She is as angry toward white people as Rev. Wright. You Obama supporters should be more concerned about what this church has been teaching black people about white people than whether or not he ever went to a Muslim school as a kid. Michelle Obama, and now their children, had a different take on white people since she went to this church -- and she obviously converted Barack since he turned on his white Grandmother who raised him after his Mother died. I don't think anyone knows for sure what he really thinks or believes because he can come up with whatever words he needs to depending on who he is with. Anyway, what Michelle Obama wrote, and is teaching their children, and what the entire family has been listening to in this church is quite disturbing. This might explain her comment about never being proud of her country until now -- now that her husband is running for president. Why wasn't she proud when he ran for office in the state of Illinois twice?

Posted by: Reality | Apr 1, 2008 5:24:27 PM

They said that she said, but she said this is really what she said according to what he is saying. Blah, blah, blah. It gets awfully empty in ABC cyberspace.

Posted by: katrina | Apr 1, 2008 12:22:36 PM

Another lie by Hillary... She gets no benefit of the doubt with me after all those lies she's been telling are starting to come to the forefront. D.

Posted by: David G. | Apr 1, 2008 12:14:32 PM

Clinton has zero experience, she divides "whites" and "blacks", she, and her husband, are strictly pro-Clintons, not pro-America. How has this arrogant, megalomaniac Marxist gotten this far? This is scary for the Democrat party!

Posted by: Let's Be Real | Apr 1, 2008 11:56:01 AM

Anyone saying to vote McCain is an idiot. Who wants 8 more years of Bush policies? Are you joking? Has the DNC become so divided and so stupidly blind and cultish that if our first choice isn't nominated that we would vote for McCain: Bush's newest lapdog?

Honestly, that rationale shows why our country is so messed up. We live in a nation where the people are prejudiced idiots that can't see the bigger picture because they're too busy trying to push their own agenda at the cost of better policies and a better economy.

The single greatest threat in this country is a lack of healthcare and jobs that provide a means for the American way of life. A vote for McCain is a vote for more money and jobs going overseas and not to healthcare and our own economy. Maybe when you job gets outsourced you'll wish you voted for Obama or Clinton or even Nader if he could win.

People are stupid and should be ashamed of themselves. You obviously have enough free time to type responses here but won't take the time to look at the real issues. I was certain that the one thing that the American people, both republicans and democrats could agree upon was that we wanted no more parts of Bush!!!!

Even republicans have heavily criticized Bush over the last few years. So what the hell is this "if so and so doesn't win I will jump wagon and vote for more Bush" crap about?

You need to grow up. People who would do that would be the loudest among the cry babies once their son or daughter gets killed in the pseudo-war. Or you are going to want to picket once your job has been outsourced to someone in Asia even though you voted for that kind of leadership.

Don't let the media Jedi-mind trick you into voting against your own interests otherwise you really are sheep being led to the slaughter.

Posted by: J Smith | Apr 1, 2008 8:50:02 AM

This "story" was clearly planted by the Clinton campaign to rile up women to vote for Huckab...I mean Clinton.

If Obama and Clinton switched positions, Clinton and her supporters would be calling for Obama's head -- there's NO WAY he would still be in the race.

I'm sick of everyone trying to make this a gender issue -- it's not. It's about doing what's best for the Democratic party and the American people. Obama has a 95% chance of winning the nomination and Clinton has a 95% chance of making the Democrats lose the general election if she continues her negative campaign. Simple math tells me that it's unreasonable for ANY Democrat to want to accept this risk.

Posted by: Jane | Apr 1, 2008 7:22:33 AM

Sure, she has a right to campaign as long as she wants. However, if the situation were reversed, the entire weight of the senate floor - would literally be brought down on Obama to get out of the race. Her supporters, surrogates, media, etc. would ALL be telling him to get out of the contest. Some of his own supporters would be encouraging him to get out. I imagine he, himself, would end his campaign if he examined all the evidence.

However, some how Hillary wants to keep going. She and her side feels and believes, she can somehow whether the storm and stage some COMEBACK NEVER before seen in American politics. If anyone suggest she gets out, they are branded as wanting to silence the voters, hey are branded as sexist, etc.

I, too, at first thought she should continue. But, given the circumstances, the implications, examining the evidence, etc. I now think she should get out. Simply stated, this is bull. She needs to get out. Period. She knows and her SUPPORTERS know it. If the situation were reversed, he'd be out, why in the hell can't she get out? She's not special and if she is not careful, she won't have a senate seat or a CAREER to return too!

Posted by: Maranda | Mar 31, 2008 9:20:42 PM

i can not believe you people that will still vote for obama .rev wright said god damn america and the libelal media said obama made a great speech. throwing grandma under the bus but the media said that alright shes white

Posted by: mik | Mar 31, 2008 8:08:57 PM

Some of the comments here shows the sorry state America is in and will always be in when people can't look beyond a person's color when they make their decision on who to vote for. And stop blaming Obama for Fl and MI woes. The way I read it (you should try it) is Hillary was supposed to take her name off the ballot too, but she "didn't meet the dealine in time". Smells like some of the same crap we got when Bush won Florida some years back. Not only was that disenfranchisement - they told the voters outright, in your face "go to hell - we're gonna win this no matter what the rules are!!!"

Posted by: caddycts | Mar 31, 2008 7:25:02 PM

Obama has zero experience, he divides "whites" and "blacks", he, his wife and spiritual leader are anti-american. How has this arrogant racist gotten this far. This is scary for the Democratic party!

Posted by: john | Mar 31, 2008 7:13:47 PM

no one is forcing her out and she only fights when she is winning! ask her a hard question and she hides behind obama, sucks her finger and asks why she has to be first!!

Posted by: melissa | Mar 31, 2008 6:58:46 PM

okay i did and i dont see the big deal! thats something that he could have been told or just got the dates wrong! thats not like gun fire!!! who the hell cares?

Posted by: melissa | Mar 31, 2008 6:56:50 PM

I wish they'd try to force her out, because that's when her base loves her the most. She is a fighter, and she should continue fighting. The polls are erratic, and can't serve to represent an honest opinion of how the general election will play out. Everyday something happens that changes the flow of the election, so that is my reason to continue the voting process, so we have a buffer incase damning evidence comes out about Obama - in which case the super delegates can rightfully give Hillary the nominee.

Posted by: Zee | Mar 31, 2008 6:46:49 PM

Google Obama Selma hot air

Posted by: John | Mar 31, 2008 6:44:03 PM

where can i read this about obama's parents? i havent seen it!

Posted by: melissa | Mar 31, 2008 6:22:52 PM

john your the one who brought it up! lol
"He cry babied !!"

Posted by: melissa | Mar 31, 2008 6:20:42 PM

Obama made up a story for his parents and Selma. :-D

That's the ticket. He lied about his parents. Now tell me again about Grandmother?

Posted by: John | Mar 31, 2008 6:20:29 PM

Michigan and Florida are two entirely different situations. It was the Florida Republican governor and Republican legislature that voted to hold their primary -- for both parties -- when they did. Why would they care what the DNC said? However, Michigan democrats did choose to go ahead. It was not Clinton's fault that Obama decided to remove his name from the ballot. He was probably glad they did this since he was not expected to win Michigan! Also, the votes are counted because OBAMA will not agree to count them. The DNC would count the votes only if BOTH campaigns agreed. So put the blame where is goes -- OBAMA is disenfranchising the voters in both Florida and Michigan! And he has campaigned making statements about every vote should count! Yeah, right! Only when he thinks he would be the winner!

Posted by: Reality | Mar 31, 2008 6:17:00 PM

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