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« Hillary Clinton Wins New Mexico Primary | Main | Clinton Keeps Swinging in Columbus »
Bill Plays Nice, Hillary Gets Tough
February 14, 2008 7:11 PM
ABC News' Sarah Amos Reports: While Hillary Clinton sharpened her barbs in Ohio Thursday, Bill Clinton played the good cop roll on the trail in Wisconsin. The former president began his third event in Madison, in front of a crowd of 2,000, by saying, "we ought to all be in good humor today, because today is Valentine's day."
Clinton spoke to an extremely small crowd in Waukesha, Wisconsin earlier in the day due to a local right-wing radio DJ who told his radio audience that the event was over before it even began. Clinton didn't seemed phased however, saying "I've never had such a large turnout for an event that has been canceled."
Perhaps most interesting is the new role Clinton is playing, that of grassroots organizer. Clinton appealed to the crowd, asking for campaign contributions.
“Let me say, we need your help. Hillary has been blessed since February, since the Super Tuesday elections, February fifth, when she won big in the big states and ran out of money. And we had to let these last states go, ‘cause – but in a week working people, all over America have sent her 13 million dollars over the internet," Clinton said. "If you are willing to help us between now and Tuesday, take out your phone and text 'join' to 4408, because we are electing the 44th President in 2008. Join to 4408. We need you, we need more volunteers, we need to make more calls in this state, we need to make the argument that people are for her because she is in the solutions business and so are you."
Clinton's speeches have all been heavy on policy, each lasting about an hour in length. His rhetoric has been tame as he tours the state, taking only one shot at Barack Obama, which he borrowed from his wife.
At the first event in Milwaukee he told voters, "this really is a choice between the inspiration of speeches and the profound inspiration of solutions. I believe solutions unlock the future. Hillary believes solutions unlock the future.”
Later he added, "if you think the test should be, will the American people be better off when she quits than when she starts, will the children and grandchildren have a better future, will the world be coming together, not be torn apart, then you should vote for her because she is the most likely candidate to be able to answer those questions, yes. She cannot offer as much excitement of something new, but she can offer a lot more rooted in solutions that will bring us together."
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton took her argument one step further today at a GM plant in Lordstown, Ohio.
"Speeches don't put food on the table. Speeches don't fill up your tank, or fill your prescription, or do anything about that stack of bills that keeps you up at night. That's the difference between me and my Democratic opponent. My opponent makes speeches, I offer solutions."
Bill Clinton will finish the evening in the town of La Crosse before hitting Southeast Texas on Friday.
February 14, 2008 in Clinton, Hillary | Permalink | User Comments (18)
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Hillary Clinton at the Yearly Kos Debate in August 2007:
"A lot of those lobbyists whether you like it not, represent real Americans," she said. "They represent nurses, social workers" -- here the audience began to boo -- "and yes, they represent corporations and they employ a lot of people." "I just... I just ask you to look at my record."
Hillary Clinton today:
“And I’ll go after drug companies and insurance companies that are overcharging consumers and the government — it’s time to end their profiteering at our expense."
Hillary Clinton voted for the bankruptcy bill in 2001. A bill that was widely criticized as catering to credit card companies and oppressive towards individual consumers.
Hillary Clinton today:
“We’ll take on the credit card companies so that you and your families aren’t drowning in debt. .”
In 1993, Hillary Clinton held closed door meetings with powerful insurance company lobbyists and executives during her failed attempt at health care reform. Many people believe the lack of transparency doomed health care reform.
Hillary Clinton today:
“We’ll take on the insurance companies and tell them they can no longer discriminate against the sickest people who need care the most. They spend more than $50 billion a year trying to figure out how not to cover people. Well, I’m going to save them a fortune and a whole lot of time, because here’s the new policy: No more discrimination period. So even if you have a pre-existing condition, you can get the health insurance you need — no questions asked.”
This list could be endless--two months ago Hillary was stating that it didn't matter that she wasn't taking her name off the ballot in Michigan; now, she's attempting to seat the Michigan delegation, etc..
This is a person that will do ANYTHING, say ANYTHING in order to be elected. Thank you Se. Clinton, but those are solutions that I can do without.
It's time to move on.
Posted by: Jeff C. | Feb 14, 2008 8:42:46 PM
I know that Bill Clinton lost the Grammy to Obama. Maybe someone should put him up for an Oscar for his performance since he got his hand slapped. You can always tell when a Clinton is lying, their lips are moving.
Posted by: Janet | Feb 14, 2008 8:52:28 PM
Solutions? The ONLY solutions the Clintons will be able to really deliver on is to united the GOP - far more than McCain ever could. They will all turn out in droves against her (and she has very limited appeal to indeis), and NO gop congressman who ever needs to be re-elected back home will want to go on record as having given a Clinton a win of ANY significance... Ready to lead from day one? I guess they had to drop that one, given the way the campaign was managed - the failed to take into consideration that this could be prolonged, that inspiration could matter, that some would not forgive her her war vote, that small states alos have delegates, that a lot of small donors can add up to a lot of $... What would she do if Iran and Korea do not act "as she expected"?! Cry? Talk of conspiracy? One solution she can provide, easily: she claims to be vetted, yet refuses to disclose financials BEFORE SHE'S nomintated?! DOn;t we have a right to an informed decisions and don;t we have a duty to vet a candidate, as that is what the GOP will be talking about?!
Posted by: Carthage | Feb 14, 2008 8:59:14 PM
I am glad to hear Bill is still out there making speeches for Hillary! You are both fantastic! Keep up the good work we are out here and we are rooting for you! THE PROUD WORKING CLASS DEMOCRATS!
Posted by: irma | Feb 14, 2008 9:06:53 PM
Hillary takes general people for idiots. That makes her look stupider than she is.
Obama's plan, like it or not, has been clearly detailed in his website in no less detail then hers. So are details about all the other policies.
Similar comment coming from someone illiterate would be acceptable, but coming from Hillary may make her look like a stupid, but she is too clever to be mistaken for that. A more likely description for someone like that is "Hypocritically Idiot".
I am sorry for anybody buying into this crap of her.
Posted by: moeen | Feb 14, 2008 9:12:01 PM
OBAMA AND OBAMA GIRL OFFER JUST PROMISES, PROMISES AND NO REAL SOLUTIONS. IF AMERICANS CHOOSE TO CONTINUE TO DRIFT AND DROWN IN THIS TIME OF TSUNAMI OF FORECLOSURES AND RECESSION THEN VOTE FOR OBAMA. THOSE WHO VOTED FOR HIM THINK THAT HE HAS THE SOLUTIONS BUT UNFORTUNATELY HE DOES NOT KNOW. HE VOTED PRESENT MORE THAN 100 TIMES INSTEAD OF TAKING A SIDE EITHER YES OR NO. DO WE REALLY WANT A PRESIDENT WHO CANNOT MAKE THAT DECISION? AT LEAST HILLARY KNOWS WHAT SHE VOTED FOR AND STOOD UP FOR AND DID NOT CHICKEN OUT!!
Posted by: SO Independent | Feb 14, 2008 9:15:14 PM
Bill says the campaign has brought in $13 million in a week. Yet Clinton campaign fundraisers say they are bringing in about half of Obama's $1 million per day.
I'm a liberal arts major, so math isn't my forte. But seems to me half of $1 million is a half million. And a half million for seven days is $3.5 million.
Bill says $13 million. Campaign fundraisers say $3.5 million. Hmmm. Sounds like somebody is mistaken.
Posted by: Paul | Feb 14, 2008 9:50:00 PM
I hope folks begin seeing through Obama's charade before it's too late and we wind up having Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton as V.P.
Posted by: BJ | Feb 14, 2008 10:57:42 PM
Senator Clinton is an extremely capable person who is more than qualified to be president. I hope she will be one day because she would make a good one. Her failure this time is rooted, ironically, in a lack of experience, i.e. the thing that she says she has a lot of. In this case, she lacks the experience of campaigning at a grassroots level. Apparently Senator Obama actually does have experience in that area. Obama is winning and will likely win because of his ability to manage a campaign better than Clinton. It's this reality that is , unfortunately for the Senator from New York, more persuasive than anything anyone can claim in a stump speech. When she says he's all talk, all he has to do is point at the score.
Posted by: Time after time | Feb 15, 2008 12:14:52 AM
Hillary accused Obama of giving speeches. I would like to ask what she was giving instead. Crap? Lies? Empty promises?
Why is what Obama said was speech, and hers was solution? Why don't we call hers speech and his solution? What exactly can she qualify there with hers and Obama's differently?
Posted by: Jen | Feb 15, 2008 12:22:58 AM
HILLARY will work for every single one of us, she always has. Her positions have always been ones that unify and unite all of us. She has fought for the rights of all whites, blacks, latinos, all races, religions, genders, etc.
A white man, a black woman, a latino child, everyone is included in Hillary's record.
WHO WOULD OBAMA FAVOR? WHAT ARE HIS TRUE INTENTIONS? How do we know what laws he will want to pass? Who he will put in his Cabinet? Does he have a secret agenda? He is all words now, I worry what his focus will be if he is the President. His Church hates White People and Jews. What other hatred does he have? Will he use his Presidency to continue his Church teachings about hating White people?
Our Country is too fragile now to take any of these chances. What if our Country gets worse and worse? Four years is a long time, enough time to ruin a great Country. Look how Bush has destroyed us. We REALLY don't know anything about what Obama wants to do, or would do if he were really in charge of our Country. Four years on an untested, uncharted person is too many to risk! VOTE HILLARY or McCAIN!!
Posted by: Rob | Feb 15, 2008 1:15:02 AM
Agreed: How are you going to say in a speech "It's past the time for speeches"!? Oh Hillary...you so funny."
Posted by: hoo-yah | Feb 15, 2008 1:20:34 AM
Vote Hillary or McCain. You must be smoking something. She is a liar, and cry baby. She will say anything to get into office. McCain is too old. Has flashbacks of Vietnam. Can't control his anger. Both candidates would not be any different than George Bush. I am tired of this dicatorship. Obama is going to win rather you like it or not.
It is his time.
Posted by: Obamanite | Feb 15, 2008 1:29:19 AM
No more republicans, please! I think that either of the democrat candidates would be an excellent choice for America, which has so many, many problems brought on by bumbling Bush.
At this point it looks like Obama will be the Dem's nominee. The problem I see with that is that while he might be a true visionary--my definition of a leader-- he simply does not have enough political capital to purchase his promises to the people. He will be stymied, stonewalled, roadblocked, and all but run out of DC on a rail. Hillary, however, already has the politcal power to actually get something done. The REAL issue facing America is not who has the better ideas but who actually has the clout to make them materialize. Clinton can do it because as the Beatles said,"we all get by with a littlle help from our frends" --in this case,those in high places!!! Think about this America; do you really want a president who just can't get anything done no matter how much he wants to bring about change? We need Hillary.
Posted by: Bill Maxey | Feb 15, 2008 10:16:10 AM
It is NOT Obama's time; that's the problem. He's inexperienced and not ready. Yes, he a captivating speaker, but he can't answer with real, detailed solutions and that's why he wouldn't debate Hillary these past couple of weeks in the states where he was ahead...he knew it would hurt him. She is 100% right to question what his solutions are, and if he can answer, then he may win...but I don't think he can. I will vote Hillary if she's nominated and McCain if she's not, and I'm not smoking anything.
Posted by: lisa | Feb 15, 2008 10:20:04 AM
Lisa - if the execution of campaigns are any indication of how each would run the executive branch, then I'd have to say Obama is more prepared to be president.
Posted by: Paul | Feb 15, 2008 11:26:30 AM
Hillary is in trouble.
Going to Texas instead of Wisconsin was a big error she will regret.
Wisconsin was Hillary's chance to regain momentum.
Instead, she's channeling Rudy, a primary loser.
Obama has been visiting in Wisconsin bigtime, earning Democratic votes all over the state.
Wisconsin Democrats weren't born yesterday. They're offended that Hillary couldn't show up till this weekend.
The vote in Wisconsin on Tuesday won't help Hillary.
Obama will keep momentum.
The superdelegates are beginning to defect.
Who looks better all the time?
John Edwards - and he's no longer in the race.
Too bad.
Posted by: agentofchange | Feb 16, 2008 10:45:51 PM
Obama is dangerous because people are voting for him not because they have researched the facts, but because they have a "feeling" about him. You wouldn't even trust your children with a stranger based on a "feeling." Do your homework, look at the red flags. He now is completely surrounded by corporate lawyers who are backing his campaign and who he will soon owe.
Posted by: trustmiracles | Feb 17, 2008 4:35:27 AM
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