In defense of Obama, Hillary HAMMERS McSame and Bush today

This is just great stuff.  This is a preview of the extraordinary leadership she will exhibit during the general election.  She not only strongly defended Barack Obama against George Bush's nonsense attack, but she's now working with him to just destroy John McSame.  In the last 48 hours I've become convinced that HRC might just end up to be Obama's strongest surrogate in the fall.  She has the ability, as we've seen time and time again, to deliver a devastating attack on her opponent:

FRANKFORT, KY - With the Democratic nomination all but wrapped up, Barack Obama has moved past his primary battle with Hillary Clinton, beginning to implement his general election strategy. But even as she slides towards irrelevance, the New York Senator has, in her own way, joined Obama in general election mode -- increasingly aiming her rhetorical cannons not at her primary opponent, but at John McCain.

Clinton delivered her sharpest attack yet on McCain's economic policies - saying the Arizona Senator is "laying out an agenda on the campaign trial that is nothing less than four more years of George Bush economics." And that, as all Democrats know, is pretty bad. "I don't know that we've had a worse president in American history," Clinton said of Bush.

She ripped McCain's Bush-like tax policies, saying "you really have to work hard to have a tax plan that is more tilted toward the wealthy than President Bush's tax plan. But somehow Senator McCain has figured out a way to do it."

She blasted his Bush-like plans to privatize Social Security - saying "that would be a disaster" - and his Bush-like disinterest in the housing crisis, saying "like President Bush, Senator McCain refused to acknowledge the home mortgage crisis until it spiraled out of control. He has spent his time blaming homeowners."

And she lit into his Bush-like corporate agenda, saying "Senator McCain decides Americas most pressing economic priority is tax cuts for our largest corporations. I don't know that you can be more out of touch than that."

"Senator McCain's economic policy boils down to this - don't just continue driving our nation in the wrong direction, put your foot on the accelerator and gun it," she told a cheering crowd.

"It's hard to imagine, but Senator McCain and President Bush are like two sides of the same coin, and it doesn't amount to a whole lot of change."

http://embeds.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/05/ 17/clinton-moving-to-general-election-st rategy/

Hillary has Barack's back, and she's made such a tough pivot over the last few days.  She's not only done it gracefully, she's done it in such a way that she will be a dominant surrogate for Barack Obama in helping destroy John McSame.

Thank you for this, Hillary.  Thank you.

McSame, you are done.  Done.



Display:


Re: In defense of Obama, Hillary HAMMERS McSame an (none / 0)

Way to go!  This is the Hillary I like to see!


by ArkansasLib on Sun May 18, 2008 at 12:41:17 AM EST

Is Obama mentioned? (2.00 / 2)

I'm just curious, maybe I missed it in your piece cause it's late...where did she explicitly defend Obama?  I mean, I see her taking on McCain, but was there something about Obama in her remarks?  I didn't see that.


TexasDarlin blog
by TexasDarlin on Sun May 18, 2008 at 01:02:38 AM EST

Re: Is Obama mentioned? (none / 0)

In the article that I've quoted she literally does not mention Obama by name, but her implication is obvious and us Democrats are thrilled that she hasn't said a word about Obama in a week and is purely focused on McSame and Bush.  This is from yesterday, and is more explicit:

RAPID CITY, South Dakota (CNN) - Hours after President Bush made an apparent swipe at Barack Obama's foreign policy in a speech to the Israeli Knesset, Hillary Clinton seemed to come to his defense.

"President Bush's comparison of any Democrat to Nazi appeasers is both offensive and outrageous on the face of it, especially in light of his failures in foreign policy," she told reporters in Rapid City, South Dakota Thursday. "This is the kind of statement that has no place in any presidential address and certainly to use an important moment like the 60th anniversary celebration of Israel to make a political point seems terribly misplaced; unfortunately, this is what we've come to expect from President Bush.

"There is a very clear difference between Democrats and Republicans on foreign policy and that difference will be evident once we take back the White House.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/200 8/05/16/clinton-defends-obama-after-appa rent-bush-swipe/

Hillary has been an extraordinary Democrat in defense of our nominee in the past 48 hours, and she deserves a ton of credit for that.  It's obviously not easy to switch gears like this given how hard she's fought for this.  It's the reality of any presidential primary, but she's handled this with grace, and she deserves a ton of credit.


by Pat Flatley on Sun May 18, 2008 at 01:11:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I like her points (2.00 / 1)

but I don't see this as any defense of Obama.  She did not mention the issue with the mideast comments of bush, obama and McCain. And she mentioned nothing about Obama and his economic message, which is actually weaker than hers.

While her comments are good, not everything she says is in relation to Obama. Of course democrats are different than republicans.  That doesn't mean she's plugging OBAMA as different from republicans.  You can chose Clinton or Obama--either one as democrats will be different than bush.

You may be happy she didn't mention him, but I don't think she cares about him right now, nor does she need to.  She is her own candidate in her own right.

She doesn't need to say anything about him---not because she's giving in--but because she doesn't have to.  


by 4justice on Sun May 18, 2008 at 01:20:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I like her points (none / 0)

You're absolutely entitled to take from this whatever you'd like.  


by Pat Flatley on Sun May 18, 2008 at 01:25:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

This is soo confusing (none / 0)

and probably not the type of idea you want to project if Obama is indeed the nominee, which is something you assume in your title.  



Obama, if he does become our nominee, does not need to be seen as being 'defended' by anyone.

by linc on Sun May 18, 2008 at 01:32:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This is soo confusing (none / 0)

Of course he does.  Every nominee does.  That's the point.

If you don't think that nominees require strong, vocal advocates, then you haven't experienced an election before.  Every candidate from city council to President needs a strong cadre of defenders.


by Pat Flatley on Sun May 18, 2008 at 01:34:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Uh, no (none / 0)

That's not the case.  The nominee, if that is what he becomes, will need to defend their self- not rely on the defense of others- its called leadership.  



There is NO defense of anyone in the article you cite- its all Hillary ATTACKING the GOP.  



I get what you are trying to do though.  It won't work- you are not a narrative changer or a spin master.  Also, it would have helped if you could have found an article that could actually be spun to show that HRC was defending Obama... just saying.
by linc on Sun May 18, 2008 at 01:40:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Uh, no (none / 0)

I think you're reading way too much into this.  I'm a Democrat, and I'm proud of Hillary for proving to be a good Democrat.  I don't know how this statement has possibly become remotely debatable on MyDD.  This was MyDD.  


by Pat Flatley on Sun May 18, 2008 at 01:46:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I am sure you are a democrat (none / 0)

So why the misleading title then if you are not trying to ... mislead?


by linc on Sun May 18, 2008 at 01:58:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]

She must learn to crawl before she can walk. (none / 0)

"where did she explicitly defend Obama?  I mean, I see her taking on McCain..."


by Nomo Clintons on Sun May 18, 2008 at 03:01:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: In defense of Obama, Hillary HAMMERS McSame an (none / 0)

Awesome!


Government derives its power from those that it governs.
by lockewasright on Sun May 18, 2008 at 01:17:51 AM EST

Re: In defense of Obama, Hillary HAMMERS McSame an (none / 0)

No matter her intentions, I am very glad to see Hillary turning her guns on the real enemy.  Let's hope this trend continues.


by brathor on Sun May 18, 2008 at 01:33:26 AM EST

Stay Tuned on Tuesday evening (2.00 / 1)

I think we have to be realistic about this divide in the party. It didn't happen overnignt, and it's not going to end overnight. The building of unity will be a process done in steps. What we are seeing now is the first steps. Sure, she didn't mention Obama by name, but, come on, the implication is clear. I think the diarist has it right.

I'm going to take a wild guess, and say that she concedes the overall race Tuesday night, while accepting victory in Kentucky. Later that evening, Obama graciously accepts victory in Oregon, and begins the process of reaching out to Hillary and her supporters. It could be a very interesting and historic evening. Stay tuned


The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers. -- Thomas Jefferson
by pollbuster on Sun May 18, 2008 at 01:47:21 AM EST

Re: Stay Tuned on Tuesday evening (2.00 / 1)

I don't think this ends on Tuesday.  Hillary wants to compete in the final three contests.  She isn't going anywhere before June 4.


Linfar's co-blogger opposing John McCain
by psychodrew on Sun May 18, 2008 at 02:35:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Stay Tuned on Tuesday evening (none / 0)

You're probably correct.


The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers. -- Thomas Jefferson
by pollbuster on Sun May 18, 2008 at 10:36:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]

re (none / 0)

Hillary is taking on the traditional role of VP. Let her rip into McCain and Bush. She was BORN for this, Obama is a fool if he doesn't pick her


by rossinatl on Sun May 18, 2008 at 03:32:43 AM EST

Nice delusion (none / 0)

You just can't see it any other way?


by pan230oh on Sun May 18, 2008 at 10:07:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

So.. (none / 0)

Why all this discussion over wether she's actually defending Obama or not?

Would it be bad if she was? Aren't democrats supposed to defend other democrats?


Users who are excessively bashing the Democratic Party, or being Republican trolls, will be banned.
by Massadonious on Sun May 18, 2008 at 03:53:57 AM EST

Re: In defense of Obama, Hillary HAMMERS McSame an (2.00 / 1)

She kicked their asses.

Nice job.


by AlexScott on Sun May 18, 2008 at 06:01:55 AM EST

Re: In defense of Obama, Hillary HAMMERS McSame an (2.00 / 1)

This is what both Clintons' will do in the GE. They will have our nominee Obama's back. I hope her supporters will follow her lead.


"harlequin speech of suicide, demanding instantaneous lobotomy"
by nogo postal on Sun May 18, 2008 at 06:44:14 AM EST

Re: Hillary HAMMERS McSame (none / 0)

As pointed out above, a careful reading of Clinton's words shows no comment or implication of comment about Barack Obama. Senator Clinton is speaking as Presidential nominee and head of the Democratic Party, a position she will soon be elected to by a majority of the delegates to the Democratic National Convention.


by pan230oh on Sun May 18, 2008 at 10:11:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Bravo, Hillary. (none / 0)

Well played.


Even John McCain lusts after teh engels.
by sricki on Sun May 18, 2008 at 03:03:50 PM EST


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