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This is Why I Don't Like Hillary ClintonARCHIVE
Friday, February 22nd, 2008
This is Why I Don't Like Hillary Clinton
I’ve been meaning to write a detailed blog outlining each reason I think Hillary Clinton is a very bad choice as our next President. Today I saw something online that basically trumped all other points I wanted to make.
I’m sure you’ve heard that Clinton accused Obama of plagiarism regarding one of his speeches recently in which he borrowed some words from Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. If not, you can catch up with this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By2WxgeaTw4
The Clinton campaign has been adamant at using two lines of attack on Obama this week, which are:
1) Obama cannot be trusted because he ripped off part of his speech from someone else.
2) Obama is just words, no substance. He makes good speeches but doesn’t have any real answers.
The first thing that has struck me as odd was that Clinton seems to be putting such a huge emphasis on Omaba’s “ripped off” speech, all the while saying that words don’t matter. That’s not only contradictory, it ignores the fact that she has been countering his “words” with nothing but talking points of her own. If you listen to one of her speeches (basically any one will do, just pick one), they’re filled with rhetoric and cliches.
Deval Patrick has publicly stated this week that he has no problem with Obama using part of his speech. He also has said that Obama had permission to use it, although I think Obama should have at least credited Patrick somewhere during the speech.
Anyway, even as late as last night during their debate, Clinton was still ridiculing Obama for borrowing from Patrick’s speech. She said: “If your candidacy is going to be about words, then they should be your own words. And you know, lifting whole passages from someone else’s speeches is not change you can believe in, it’s change you can Xerox.”
Dang! She laid down the law.
Only one small problem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAYItnI-lPo
Oh, and there’s also this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ7Cs3QvT3U
Her part in both clips above are from last night’s debate. The same debate where she used the “Xerox” line against Obama.
I’m not saying it’s the end of the world. I really honestly don’t have a problem with either Clinton or Obama stealing parts of speeches as they have. During a campaign like this, they talk all day long about things that every other candidate talks about, and I’m sure that it wouldn’t take long to find more similarities.
My problem with Clinton is that she is using this to make personal attacks against Obama. He has responded to her attacks with a level of eloquence not seen in most political races, especially with so much on the line. He has avoided going on the offensive.
Politicians are politicians by choice, and by nature they tend to be manipulative, self-serving, pandering and generally untrustworthy. I’ve believed for a long time that if a candidate ran a respectable and clean campaign, they would be unstoppable. I’ve believed that the American people would be able to unite behind somebody who honestly put our country’s interests before their own personal political gain.
Call me young and naive, but I believe Obama is that person. Nothing he has done, and nothing that has been said about him to date has given me reason to think otherwise. That’s why I’ve plastered his ads on my site, and it’s why I’m so interested in this race. Politicians of his kind don’t come around often. Please, if you’re even remotely on board with any of what I’m talking about, take it upon yourself to do whatever you can to get him elected.
I hear that Richard Blamco will be doing his part soon. 
RELATED TOPICS: politics
I saw Hillary being interviewed on Good Morning America this morning and it bugged the hell out of me that she couldn’t give a direct answer to a simple question about whether or not she had talked to John Edwards since their meeting. She squirmed around so much it was painful. It wouldn’t have made any difference to just say, “No, I haven’t spoken to him since then.” She had to change the subject, answer a different question or just seem offended that the question was being asked. I fear what would have happened if a serious question with any real consequences had been asked.
I am definitely impressed with Obama’s “cool cander.” He will tell you the truth and tell you why it is that way and is perfectly content with keeping civil about it.
Joe
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND, 2008 2:57 PM1
Dave and friends, you are not young and naive--well, you are young--but you are all standing behind a Presidential candidate that as a 40-something woman, I will be proud to vote for in November, given the chance. If you’d like to see a short blurb written by another 30-something American, visit my website; just click on my name. By the way, I DID have permission to publish it there - I’m no XEROXer!
Angi FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND, 2008 3:08 PM2
Awesome article on your site Angi - that was much better written than anything I could come up with, but I agree with everything.
Looks like CNN has picked up on the recycled Clinton quotes from last night:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RernchYH-Ec
daveheinzel FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND, 2008 3:29 PM3
Dave-
Good points all around. I couldn’t agree with you more. I like both of these candidates, I just like Obama more. And what’s more, I think this whole plagiarism thing is one of the weakest campaign attacks ever in presidential politics. Really? Using a line from someone else’s speech? That’s the best dirt the Clinton camp can come up with? Then, I think Obama must be a damn fine man!
Presidential politics is based on conjuring images and ideas to give people a groundswell of feeling about you and what you can do for them. Every politician, especially, at that level has lifted lines in some way or another from other politicians. There are only so many issues and so many ways to talk about each one of them. Should Obama have credited Deval Patrick? I don’t know, maybe. But, Deval Patrick is working on the campaign. Each campaign has speechwriters (one or more). I think it’s hard to take that one section of a speech and extrapolate that Barack Obama is some sort of horrible thief. It’s likely that Hillary has Bill pitching in talking points or lines on her side (as you showed). I would. He’s a savvy politician. He understands people.
John
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND, 2008 3:31 PM4
Has Ron Paul stopped flip-flopping on the issues yet?
JimtheEnglishman
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND, 2008 3:31 PM5
Here’s an excellent and detailed article that takes a look at the legislative records of Obama vs Clinton, with links to sources:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/2/20/201332/807/36/458633
daveheinzel FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND, 2008 3:56 PM7
Ron Paul was never flip-flopping on the issues, Jim. As this campaign continues I think more people are going to wish they learned more about Ron Paul sooner. There’s something to be said about someone who determines whats most important to them (the Constitution in Ron Paul’s case) and never once votes against in nearly thirty years of public service.
I’d be happy to see Obama take it all the way though. He’s much better for this country than a McCain or Clinton.
Joe
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND, 2008 5:02 PM8
My husband dislikes a woman that turns on the waterworks the night before there’s an election. I do, too. I mean, I’m somewhat emotional, as a woman, but come on!
Angi FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND, 2008 6:33 PM10
She scares me too.....she’s the last person I’d vote for.
George the Bloody Redcoat
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND, 2008 8:35 PM11
I had the misfortune of finding Hillary’s equivalent of a Yes We Can video. It is absolutely painful, and I sincerely hope you will not click this link. I am warning you that you cannot unsee what you are about to witness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FvyGydc8no
daveheinzel FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND, 2008 9:51 PM12
PS. I need to listen to a BUNCH of 80s retro to get that “ditty” out of my head now. Dang!!
Angi SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD, 2008 8:23 AM14
This is a great opinion piece about the collapse of the Clinton campaign. It’s a little long-winded, but really makes some great points: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/opinion/24rich.html?ex=1204...
Casey
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH, 2008 11:08 AM15
Awesome article Casey. I read the whole thing while basically ignoring my family, who is in the office playing various music instruments. I think more and more people are starting to realize that the Clinton campaign is running on fumes, and I am looking forward to the election results rolling in on March 4. I seriously think Obama will walk away with large victories in Texas and Ohio, and if that happens, Clinton will really have no choice left but to admit defeat.
I’m open to the possibility that she might have something up her sleeve though. The Clintons aren’t above trying to pull off anything that will advance them in any way, and if anyone can steal this election, it’s them. Should make for a good movie-of-the-week some day.
daveheinzel SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH, 2008 11:36 AM16
I hope you’re right and I kind of get the same inkling myself although I can’t help the pessimist inside of me thinking that the she-devil will prevail in some spooky evil way.
George the Bloody Redcoat
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH, 2008 5:26 PM17
Dave,
That Hilary diddy made me pee in my pants. Oh. My. God.
Carrie
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH, 2008 6:06 PM18
#1 reason i am not voting for Hilary - she cries on television. Nice blog Dave.
dennydeaton MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH, 2008 7:59 AM19
Joe:
you know im only kidding.... if i could vote, it would be for Mr. Paul... one more vote away from Hillary Clinton is one vote better placed.
JimtheEnglishman
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH, 2008 9:51 PM21
Comments have been turned off since I moved over to Humzoo.
