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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."
But Obama offered criticisms of the war in Iraq eight days before that, directly to Rice, in his very first meeting as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Jan. 18.
Obama pushed Rice on her answers to previous questioners regarding the effectiveness of Iraqi troops, and he criticized the administration for conveying a never-ending commitment to a US troop presence in Iraq.
"I am concerned about this notion that was pursued by Senator Biden and others that we've made significant progress in training troops," Obama told Rice "Because it seems to me that in your response to Senator Alexander that we will not be able to get our troops out absent the Iraqi forces being able to secure their own country, or at least this administration would not be willing to define success in the absence of such security. I never got quite a clear answer to Senator Biden's question as to how many troops -- Iraqi troops -- don't just have a uniform and aren't just drawing a paycheck, but are effective enough and committed enough that we would willingly have our own troops fighting side-by- side with them. The number of 120,000 you gave, I suspect, does not meet those fairly stringent criteria that Senator Biden was alluding to. I just want to make sure, on the record, that you give me some sense of where we're at now."
Obama concluded his brief q&a by saying "if our measure is bring our troops home and success is measured by whether Iraqis can secure their own circumstances, and if our best troops in the world are having trouble controlling the situation with 150,000 or so, it sounds like we've got a long way to go. And I think part of what the American people are going to need is some certainty, not an absolute timetable, but a little more certainty than is being provided, because right now, it appears to be an entirely open-ended commitment."
**
The misrepresentation of the record is symbolic of the re-writing of history Clinton has attempted on her record regarding the war in Iraq.
Because the larger context is more important. And Clinton's written criticism of the war in a press statement in January 2005 received little attention compared to the press surrounding her trip to Iraq the next month, in February 2005.
Upon returning she argued that setting a deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops would aid the enemy.
“I don’t think it’s useful to set a deadline because I think it sends a signal to the terrorists and the insurgents that they just have to wait us out,” she said.
Describing her trip to Iraq, she said, "It’s regrettable that the security needs have increased so much. On the other hand, I think you can look at the country as a whole and see that there are many parts of Iraq that are functioning quite well."
She also interpreted a series of suicide bomb attacks as an indication that the insurgency was failing.
“The concerted effort to disrupt the elections was an abject failure," she said. "Not one polling place was shut down or overrun. The fact that you have these suicide bombers now, wreaking such hatred and violence while people pray, is to me, an indication of their failure.”
In an interview with NBC's Meet the Press on Feb. 20, 2005, Clinton said that withdrawing some troops or setting a date for withdrawal would be a "mistake."
"I don't believe we should tie our hands or the hands of the new Iraqi government," Clinton said. "We don't want to send a signal to the insurgents, to the terrorists that we are going to be out of here at some, you know, date certain."
"We have just finished meeting with the current prime minister, the deputy prime minister and the finance minister, and in our meetings, we posed the question to each of them as to whether they believed that we should set a firm deadline for the withdrawal of American troops," Clinton said. "To a person, and they are of different political parties in this election, but each of them said that would be a big mistake, that we needed to make clear that there is a transition now going on to the Iraqi government. When it is formed, which we hope will be shortly, it will assume responsibility for much of the security, with the assistance and cooperation of the coalition forces, primarily U.S. forces."
Clinton said that "what the American people need to know is, number one, we are very proud of our young men and women who are here," and second, "there can be no doubt that it is not in America's interests for the Iraqi government, the experiment in freedom and democracy, to fail. So I hope that Americans understand that and that we will have as united a front as is possible in our country at this time to keep our troops safe, make sure they have everything they need and try to support this new Iraqi government."
She soon told New York Daily News editors and reporters that it was important for Democrats to combat the idea that they're soft on national security issues like Iraq.
"If you can't persuade a majority of people that you're going to be strong and tough where we need to protect America and our [national] interests, you can't cross the [electoral] threshold," she said.
**
That same month, while Clinton was talking up the need for Democrats to project strength, and claiming a withdrawal deadline would be sending a signal to the terrorists, Obama was meeting with his constituents, sounding quite skeptical about the war and reiterating his opposition to the decision to go to war to begin with.
The Bloomington, Ill., Pantagraph reported that during a town hall meeting, asked about the Iraq war, "Obama said poor planning by the Bush administration has left Iraq woefully incapable of handling its own security. He expressed hope that more intensive training will be provided for Iraqi forces, saying such measures could allow most American troops to return home next year. While Obama said the recent Iraqi election is an encouraging sign for democracy, he questioned Bush’s rationale for the Iraq invasion. ’I didn’t see the weapons of mass destruction at the time, I didn’t think there was an imminent threat from Saddam Hussein.'"
Clinton made this latest questionable claim the same day that she came under fire for repeatedly telling a story that turned out not to be true about a poor pregnant woman losing her baby and her own life after being denied hospital treatment because she couldn't afford a $100 fee. The New York Times discovered that the woman in question was never denied treatment, and that she did have insurance. “We implore the Clinton campaign to immediately desist from repeating this story,” said a representative of the hospital.
The Clinton campaign said that the senator had been told the story by a sheriff's deputy, and had not been able to fully check its accuracy. "We did try but were not able to fully vet it,” Clinton campaign spokesman Mo Elleithee said. “If the hospital claims it did not happen that way, we respect that."
This latest incident also comes less than two weeks after Clinton had to back off a description of a plane landing during a 1996 trip to Bosnia that she had claimed was under sniper fire. Video evidence surfaced proving that claim false and Clinton admitted that she "misspoke."
- jpt
April 6, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (676)
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In the Political Headlines of ABC. Clinton is named 5 times. Obama once. Fair ?
Posted by: Kurt | Apr 8, 2008 12:43:18 AM
The science department of a prestigious California university has devised a method to determine if Hillary is lying or not. It was field-tested and determined to be 100% accurate. Because of this accuracy, the inventors have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Mendacity Determination. The test works like this: If Hillary's lips are moving, she is lying.
Posted by: rhbate | Apr 8, 2008 12:43:04 AM
This so-called "lie" is going to be true too. After all, Hillary was in an official capacity. Her letter meant something. His was a campaign tactic.
Here's a song for BHO to sing in honor of Wright. Envision Obama, taking the advice of his mentor, his hand on his heart:
"God, d--mn America,
Land that I hate.
Undermine her
Condemn her
May the voters
All take the bait.
From the lefties
At the caucuses
To the college girls, white ones too!
God d--mn America,
And Grandma too!"
Posted by: james4Hill | Apr 8, 2008 12:31:22 AM
I wouldn't count her out yet. I'm just waiting for the video of the Obamas' dancing in the aisle while pastor Wright delivered one of his hate sermons. It's out there somewhere.
Posted by: Mack | Apr 7, 2008 11:12:41 PM
Clinton is entering the "dementia praecox" phase of her campaign, one during which the hopelessness is so extreme that they feel anything goes. What's the worse that can happen? That she will lose the nomination? Well, that'll probably happen anyway. So they're trying ANYTHING that they can think of. They'll worry about the consequences later. Of course, one of these consequences is the field day that the Republican attack hordes will have with all of Clinton's gyrations. For all the fear of what the opponents will do with the Wright material, I think Clinton has provided them with ten times as much material, even during this election alone, let alone the massive amounts of material she and BIll provided over the last 35 years of so-called "experience".
Posted by: kynn | Apr 7, 2008 8:31:20 PM
What is wrong with this Hillary? I was against NAFTA before I voted for it. I was against the War before I voted for it.
I actually started criticizing the War in Iraq before he did. Look would I lie? So there I rest my case. Naaa Naaa Naaa
This is written down in my college bookbag for posterity just for you doubting Thomas's - Yuck yuck yuck!
Gotta go time for my meds.
Posted by: paul pa | Apr 7, 2008 7:40:22 PM
To keepitreal-- Thank you for your post. Unfortunately, the political world and the dialogue that surrounds it is infused with attack. Witness the sarcasm, recriminations, diatribes, belittling, and general hostilities that dominate political blogging. It's the playground of the ego. The vast majority of people who contribute are not truly interested in an open-minded discourse. I truly believe that no votes are changed in the discourse here. Does an Obama or Clinton supporter really believe--in their heart of hearts--that by railing against the opposition candidate as "ignorant" or "un-American" or "deceptive" they will somehow lead the opposition's supporters to throw up their arms and say, "Oh yeah, you're right, I don't know what came over me. I will change my vote because you have now enlightened me"? Doubtful. Your point, however, directs us to a deeper level of understanding that many will likely deride as "psycho-spiritual babble" or "nonsense," but one which rings true to me. My favorite articulation comes out of A Course in Miracles: "Projection makes perception. The world you see is what you gave it, nothing more than that. But though it is no more than that, it is not less. Therefore, to you it is important. It is the witness to your state of mind, the outside picture of an inward condition. As a man thinketh, so does he perceive. Therefore, seek not to change the world, but choose to change your mind about the world." Essentially, this teaches that attack on another is an outward projection of an inner self-hatred.
Again, I appreciate your post. The buddhism quotes are real treasures. Thanks for sharing them.
Posted by: Realitis | Apr 7, 2008 7:40:21 PM
Wars are not fought on speculation. What we do know and what we knew then is this: There were no real WMD in Iraq, and that Iraq/Saddam had nothing to do with 911. Nuclear is included in WMD.
Posted by: jason | Apr 7, 2008 6:46:33 PM
JASON: Do you really think that if we had not gone into Iraq, that Saddam would not be "really" trying to get a nuclear weapon to counter the Iranians.
Also, if our Army was here at home, would there be an Al Queda in the USA? Probably not...
Posted by: zootsuithapp | Apr 7, 2008 6:33:53 PM
How did we go to war with the wrong country? Hillary said this:
"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members ... It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons."
-- Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002
Posted by: zootsuithapp | Apr 7, 2008 6:28:48 PM
Becky, you are correct on all but the most important point. To say the environment needs to change first before we see real change in our circumstances is to say in effect that we are controlled by our environment and that our true happiness is some how dependent on that environmental change. We must change our mentalities to the thinking and belief that we are ultimately responsible for everything that happens to us (whether we think so or not, WE ARE!), and that we are the ultimate deciders in whether we do create a positive environment or a negative one. To be controlled by our envirnment is to continue on the same path we are on now. One perfect example is how these political ads cause soooo many people to frame their own judgement based on its' message - whether the information happens to be right or wrong. We don't take enough control over making sure we know the truth, before we decide. That's a major flaw of our character that has got to change before any environmental circumstance will begin to truly work in our favor. Right now we don't respect our environment so how does it come first in the solution of how we become Truly Happy People. If you know anything about truly happy people, they don't wait for their environment to change - They change their thinking and belief system about life which gives rise for them to develop the courage and wisdom to know how to draw out, from with-in, the life-condition to handle whatever the environment has to throw at them. And as their stregnth, resolve and persistance remains constant, it pulsates outwardly to the minds of others. The positive environmental change is based on all of our collective positive efforts to see the world in its truest form and with one mind to create value in everything, even when we don't think we see any value there. Once that occurs we naturally will see that our environment will begin to follow suit. The environment is: nature, us and our universe. Nichiren Buddhism has a very profound passage that states: 'If the people's minds are pure so is their land. But if the people's minds are impure so is their land. There is neither a pure or impure land apart from the inner workings of our minds.' That there is no such thing as a pure land or impure land outside of us suggest a much deeper level of responsibility and understanding about the True Entity of Life than our current civilization is used to hearing. It all oringinates in the mind and the effects are by no means some accident or strange occurance. People have undergone a tremendously long period of time creating and trying to hide and disguise the effects of their actions. Buddhism says these effects will manifest themselves when the time and conditions are right just as flowers already embody the inherent cause for blooming in the spring, when the time and conditions are right! And this is a natural law just as gravity is. This law I speak of is and has been for centuries, proven to be the most fundamental law of any other. The most direct path to enlightenment or abosolute happiness that is not guided by our environments changing circumstances. The problem is, Americans like others around the world are so skeptical about learning other philosophies that we miss all of the true wonders to be experienced in our beautiful world.
Posted by: keepitreal50 | Apr 7, 2008 6:10:19 PM
Read the article by Peter Wehner in the February Issue of Commentary Magazine if you want a comprehensive outline of Obama's various positions on the War in Iraq. My favorite is:
Almost as soon as the war began in March 2003, Obama had second thoughts about his opposition to it. Watching the dramatic footage of the toppling of Saddam’s statue in Baghdad, and then the President’s speech aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, “I began to suspect,” he would write later in his autobiographical The Audacity of Hope (2006), “that I might have been wrong.” And these second thoughts seem to have stayed with him throughout the entire first phase of the occupation following our initial combat victory. As he told the Chicago Tribune in July 2004, “There’s not that much difference between my position and George Bush’s position at this stage.”
Posted by: Kathy Corey | Apr 7, 2008 6:03:12 PM
You know when you've hit saturation point on a politician? When the fact that she lied or misspoke or errored or whatever they are calling it this week isn't even shocking. No wonder the Republicans want to run against her so badly. She has impeached her character on her own. They don't have to dig up any dirt since she's bringing wheelbarrows full of it to them.
Posted by: Russ G | Apr 7, 2008 5:36:58 PM
I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I am committed to the idea that WE have the ability to demand the type of insightful, truthful, contextually accurate, in depth factual and non corporate sponsored information that we have never had before. Each other. Now I say we have the right to speak openly about the core causes of the lies, smoke, mirrors, sexual deviance, and corporate take over of our country. If we do not demand that our candidates speak to these issues nothing they have or haven't said in this race will matter. Our government is putting on a show and these candidates are a part of it. I cannot stress enough, if we do not remove the false pretense and power that our two factions of government, our electoral collage and our courts are abusing, none of this will matter. Write to your news stations about your concern of legitimacy,write each candidate and tell them you wont vote unless they acknowlege these issues fully, make them talk about it.They are applying for a job with you. Make them earn it. write to your reps. write to the white house. Just write letters.Even to your family. If we are truly Americans we must show the factions we will work together to preserve this or they will take it away.Take away the extremists in our government and we are just people that want the same thing. Just like Mom and Dad. If you can't show reason and the ability to see the world for what it is and take care of or show real interest in what you have they take it away. You are considered a danger to yourself and others and now Mom and Dad sell off your favorite stuff to pay for the damages you did. We are spoiled and ignorant and Mom and Dad have become Conglom USA. They have to pay the bills somehow right.Just take a moment and ask yourself, should my candidate have the courage to look within the division of America and take a gash out of it by proving our votes count, and ONLY our votes. They have not answered my inquiries yet.
Posted by: Bre | Apr 7, 2008 5:05:48 PM
I agree with lyne-
Absolutes and extreme vilification of Democrats @the war now is unfair. Can anyone deny that we have not removed the core of the threat that attacked us in the first place. Short Attention Span Theater in this country is epidemic. Why only remember one side of an issue, how does that make you valuable to anyone in any situation. It just makes you shall we say a tool of the trade.
Posted by: Bre | Apr 7, 2008 4:37:44 PM
Hey, let's not forget a couple of things.
1. Obama in hateful Church for 20 years (anti-white church)
2. Obama's wife is anti-American, pro black liberation
3. Obama reveres Rev. Wright and "Minister Farrakhan"
4. obama tied to Syrain gangster Rezko, who helped him buy his home.
5. Obama slammed his white Grandma, you never see any of his white family.
Now, what is wrong with any white middle-class person who would vote for him? I ask you? The wealthy liberal whites can afford to put an anti-white in, because they have the $$$, it will not affect their jobs and their money.
Posted by: MsUSA2 | Apr 7, 2008 4:37:22 PM
WoaH, Bobo
Hold your horses! Democrats never said that we should not go to war at all. The issue at the time was is still is that we were going to war with the WRONG COUNTRY.
Congress approved for Bush to go to war against Bin Laden (who was is Afghanistan, not Iraq). Everyone agreed that he should go after the guilty, but not Iraq which it turns out never had the Weapons and was not supporting the terrorists who actually attacked US!
No American (Democrat, Republican, or Other) would deny the president the right to go to war with someone who just bombed the country.
But the issue being discussed here is Iraq, not Afghanistan. "Staying the course" to me means dont stop until you catch and punish Bin Laden. Dont stop and start a different war before you have done that!
Posted by: lyne | Apr 7, 2008 4:28:26 PM
To Kayla-
Your statement is false. The hospital in my hometown has a sign in their waiting room that reads: If you are not insured, you do not have money to pay your bill and you are not in immediate danger, Seek treatment elsewhere, you will not be admitted. So you are incorrect.
Posted by: Bre | Apr 7, 2008 4:28:10 PM
To the new yorker, thank you for acknowledging my sentiments, I just have no faith that my vote even counts, and I think in a way if no one voted on election day, but sent thier vote and reason to their representitive in writing. That would make faking anything hard and make quite a statement.
Posted by: Bre | Apr 7, 2008 4:20:47 PM
HRC is at it again. when will this woman stop? if hillary knew so much about our healthcare system she would know that NO ONE can be turned away due to lack of insurance. she doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt here. hillary knew it was false and she didnt care. a serious commander in chief would've made sure to have the story checked out and she DIDN'T DO THAT!
why she didn't make sure the story was checked out? hillary lacks the ability to make serious judgement. this has been shown time and time again with this woman. NO WAY should hillary be president of the U.S.
Posted by: kayla | Apr 7, 2008 4:18:08 PM
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