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Clinton Dodges Questions About Rezko
March 15, 2008 1:09 PM
BC News' Eloise Harper reports: Sen. Hillary Clinton marched in the Pittsburgh St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday. She avoided a few beads that were thrown in her direction and sailed through few “O’bama” signs and chanters -– but despite that she waved to her supporters and members of the community dressed in green who welcomed the senator.
Clinton spoke to reporters on the campaign plane before departing to go to Scranton, Pa. Clinton was asked about the recent developments with Rezko and the relationship Obama has with Jeremiah Wright. Clinton said these questions should be directed to Sen. Obama –- and when asked if there were more questions to be asked about Rezko, Clinton said, “Well, I think that there are a lot of questions and those questions deserve answers. I know that those questions are beginning to be asked but they should be directed to Sen. Obama.”
Clinton reiterated her position on Florida and Michigan primaries, saying, “I have the same position I have always had. Either count the votes or revote. And it appears as though Michigan is considering re-voting. And we will see whether that comes to pass. And then I don’t know what Florida will decided to do. I feel really strongly about this because, you know, the 2.5 people who voted deserve to be counted. And if it would be my preference to count their votes. But if not, they should have the opportunity to have a full-fledged primary waged for them and re-vote.”
When informed that Obama staffers were meeting in Michigan to decide what to do with the votes, Clinton was asked what she thought the Obama campaign should do. Clinton laughed, saying, “I have no idea. I don’t know.” She continued, “I just want Michigan to make a decision. Michigan is trying very hard to make a decision. From what I understand, their legislature is actually going to consider this next week, and I think that they are moving in the appropriate direction to have a re-vote. Otherwise, they should just count the votes. And if they are not going to do that, then they should give people an opportunity to once again express their opinion about this race.”
Clinton was also asked about why she thought that by winning the big states she has an advantage over Obama for the general election.
“You have to look at what the electoral map is likely to be in the fall," she said, "and I don’t think anybody doubts that a Democrat has to have a number of the big states anchored in order to put together the electoral votes needed to win.”
Clinton continued, “I think it is significant that I have won Ohio and I won Florida and I have won the big states that would serve as those anchors for the electoral map. And I also think its significant because those states represent a much broader cross section of the voters that we are gong to need to win in the fall.”
Clinton was asked to define her role helping to bring peace to Northern Ireland. A reporter said, “obviously you are not George Mitchell,” to which Clinton said, “That’s true, I’m not.” Clinton defended her role and then offered a jab to her opponent saying, “I understand the desire of my opponent to try to nit pick and try to bring people out to say things, but I think the record is very clear and one can look at many different sources. I don’t know how many times Sen Obama has met with the secretary of state from Northern Ireland, and I really feel very privileged that I played a role.”
March 15, 2008 in Bush, George W. | Permalink | User Comments (95)
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Very Presidential response. Thank you Senator Clinton for being candid and above the fray with regards to the bad press and vetting that Senator Obama is receiving.
Posted by: DCVoter | Mar 15, 2008 1:22:12 PM
Such a strong woman she has been treated unfair since Iowa and yet she goes on she will make a wonderful president
Posted by: Bishop | Mar 15, 2008 1:42:21 PM
Why did Hillary's good friend Gov. Rendell take $15,000 from Rezko?
Why did the mayor of LA take $7,500
from Rezko?
Why is she in a picture with Rezko?
Posted by: Jan | Mar 15, 2008 1:43:33 PM
I can't believe the Obama camp has the gall to pull down Sen. Clinton's considerable experience given that he has none.
Since he has now even lost his "judgement" argument (which was lame to begin with) he does not have much scope to make a positive argument for himself.
Posted by: Joan | Mar 15, 2008 1:47:20 PM
Privileged to meet the secretary of state of N Ireland - because of being the wife of Bill Clinton and nothing else. Creepish really.
Posted by: Winchesterlad | Mar 15, 2008 1:50:03 PM
How many people have met the Secretary of N. Ireland? She is exaggreting in order to look as if she was involved in peace making in N.Ireland.
Cheat those who are less educated and voting for you Hillary. The rest are so clever and can not be twisted around as you want them to be!
Posted by: Peace | Mar 15, 2008 2:01:31 PM
Joan
She doesn't have considerable foreign policy experience ...I think that is what they are saying...and that has been abcked up by many (the people who have backed her up seem to all be from her husbands team) ...not a lot outside of that...and the reporters who consistently flew with her to these places on several occasions have said that to paraphrase "it really was tea and cookies" 99% of the time she went to these countries. and so these other times she is taking credit for... there is no official record of what happened and the ones she has mentioned have been shot down.
and DCVoter... I hope you are right but several reporters have stated that she really can't go there with this stuff whenever Rezko and Wright are mentioned in the same sentence... because Rezko was a campaign finance guy gone wrong for whatever it was 250k compared to Hsu her scandal which was millions...and her other multi-million dollar campaign scandal lawsuit Peter Paul that she was already fined for)
and it has to do with a land scandal... hello Whitewater...
and this just will open up the flood gates and she and her campaign advisors know that Obama has pledged not to go there to get a higher dialog.
Posted by: dl | Mar 15, 2008 2:04:13 PM
Give the press credit. Their job is to try to build a news story from whatever angle of manipulation works the best. However, the questions to Senator Hillary Clinton did not quite produce the results the press had hoped for.
Senator Clinton showed correct restraint, posture, and experience when she refused to bite at questions that would have been skewed by the pro-Obama press and the Axelrod spin machine.
And, once again, Senator Clinton reminded voters of how November's election will be won; not with caucus delegates, not with the popular vote, not with the most red state "wins," but with a majority of the electoral votes.
Posted by: Ken | Mar 15, 2008 2:04:48 PM
Well, this is one Irish-American who doesn't fall for Clinton's blarney!
Clinton is playing smart politics by staying quiet on the dust-ups of late. She has little room to comment, since the press has been treating her with kid gloves by keeping silent about whitewater and Bill Clinton's financial dealings, etc.... Lots of questions there that she hasn't answered.
We can only hope that her day will come.
Posted by: Jackt51 | Mar 15, 2008 2:06:31 PM
Eric
Obamas chickens are nothing compared to the field of Clinton "cattle" that will come home to "roost" if she gets the nomination.
He has a few small chicken issues... she has massive ...amounts of giant chickens.
...but oh yes we are supposed not mention that.
Posted by: dl | Mar 15, 2008 2:07:59 PM
Instead of explaining Rezko they should be asking her about her dealings with Norman Hsu.
Disgraced fund-raiser Norman Hsu did a lot more than just pump $850,000 into Hillary Clinton's campaign bank account: He also raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local, state, and federal candidates who have endorsed Clinton or whose support she courted.
Posted by: Karen | Mar 15, 2008 2:15:11 PM
The Reverend Wright has no bearing on the continually changing figures of the Rezko campaign contribution figures.
The amount Barak Obama actually received has risen from insignificant to about a quarter of a million dollars. Who knows how much higher that figure will be by August.
However, voters should continue to be reminded of the words of Barak Obama's "old uncle" and spiritual advisor, former pastor of the church Barak Obama attended and was a member of for over 20 years, the Reverend Wright:
"The government gives them (blacks) the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people. God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme.
Barack knows what it means to be a black man to be living in a country and a culture that is controlled by rich white people. Hillary can never know that. Hillary ain't never been called a n----r."
Barak Obama stated he will continue his membership in the Church of Christ where Reverend Wright pastored and was the inspiration for an Obama book.
Posted by: Ken | Mar 15, 2008 2:16:21 PM
JJ:Who are you calling a creep. YOU JERK. Go crawl up under a rock. Do you know every sermon your Pastor has preached over 20 years? Do you even go to church? Judge your own household before you come out and judge someone elses. You guys are trying to tell us about Muslims in this country what about you FAKE Christians.
Posted by: karen | Mar 15, 2008 2:21:22 PM
To the Obama supporters,
Clinton has been vetted - remember the $40 million spent and no evidence of wrongdoing? Remember: it's easier for Axelrod/Obama to create a persona than to have to defend a substantive record. That was his strategy; however, as his friend and mentor likes to say "the chickens have come home to roost".
Posted by: twinmom48 | Mar 15, 2008 2:21:26 PM
It is interesting that Obama has a twenty year relationship with a racist and credits him for many things. That is incredible for me to think that he has never heard him say something negative..PLEASE we arent that taken by him for us not to think about it rationally..Also, another thing about the slumlord Rezco, which he stated in the debate that he only billed 5 hours of work for him..THink there alot more to it than 5 hours..I can see why he wants to stay above the fray...He doesnt want to have people question his character..
With Hillary I know what i get..she is still standing and still fighting for the right things..Not Obama, I dont know what kind of change he wants..
Posted by: linchristi | Mar 15, 2008 2:24:55 PM
Ken
Hillary has a contributor of the name Hsu have you heard of him...was just rearrested...who contibuted millions... and you should look it up. Isn't it funny how the press asks this and you all bring up rezko's 250k and this guy hasn't been asked about once...not to mention how much he gave to Bill Clintons Initiative
Hillary was fined 35k and has been on charges for a crook named Paul who is never spoken of...and her fine is never mentioned. Paulk is suing her after raising tons of money for her and paying millions for a democratic fundraiser for her.
Stop ...your candidate has a very dirty glass house. Leave this argument at the door.
I think the pastor is a horribly troubled guy...he looks like afriggin whack job on those videos...but there are a lot of well know Chicagoans that went to that church that are now saying the same thing as Barack ... they were disgusted by the words and actions.
Posted by: dl | Mar 15, 2008 2:28:29 PM
It all come down to the question "who is dirtier". The bag of hot air or the empty suit.
Posted by: Surelock Homes | Mar 15, 2008 2:30:09 PM
So Hillary is quoted as saying, "I think it is significant that I have won Ohio and I won Florida...." Madam, you did NOT win Florida. A legitimate campaign was not conducted in Florida, so no way was there a winner. If HRC continues to try and usurp the Florida delegates she should be left in the dust.
Posted by: jll | Mar 15, 2008 3:26:45 PM
FUN FUN FUN to watch the dems go at each other's throats!!! The Democrats are imploding ... yayyyyy !!!
Posted by: elsies | Mar 15, 2008 3:28:26 PM
...and as far as the Clintons not having details released to the press... I bet they are going to start coming as soon as they think that obama isn't the nominee ... marc my words...
what's his name Fleisher said it last night on Fox...they are just starting to see how they can run against Obama... ...they haven't wanted to knock Hillary out...
but the surge of all this stuff that will pass mostly will keep them in limbo until we stupidly pick sen Clinton.
I get it dogsoldier... I said a few times here on these blogs...he needed to give me an explanation and I need more details... but I have met the guy and her... I really don't think he is that good of an actor. He I am sure was there...
but I have to say I do have a bunch of crazy almost evil relatives...that I have to spend Christmas with ... I also know that I go to church but I have no idea what my pastor says when I am not there... I have a general sense that he is a republican... I mean don't you have someone in your life that is close to you or a family member that says some things or worse does something that could reflect on you but you can't disavow them.
Trust me I wrote a really strong letter to Michelle Obama (via) the internet (not that I know her) when i saw it.
I still remember the two candidates I met and ... well, I was a supporter of hers until then because I like everybody else had gotten caught up in the thought and the arguments until...well I woke up and saw...this guy who I generally trust...and who doesn't seem like he is spouting things that were churned out in a political poll watching machine.
That's all.
Posted by: dl | Mar 15, 2008 3:31:46 PM
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