Past as prologue

Roger Simon, the veteran political writer now slinging words for Politico, raises an interesting point today. Hillary Clinton has argued for months that she would be a stronger candidate in the fall because she has already withstood several sieges' worth of Republican attacks. In fact, some of the more notable set-tos have become searchable keywords. Whitewater. Vincent Foster. Rose Law Firm.

But skepticism abounds, especially since Clinton has declined to make her income tax returns public, while Barack Obama released his last year for 2006. And records from her eight years gaining all that White House experience remain closed, at least to the prying eyes of people like us, in Bill Clinton's presidential library in Little Rock.

Obama, he of the self-confessed drug past, argues that he too has been vetted, and there's nothing left for the Republicans to ferret out and use.

Pah, says Simon. Just because something is known doesn't mean the candidate has been inoculated.

"If Obama wins the nomination, we are going to hear a lot more about Tony Rezko and the Exelon Corp. And if Clinton is the nominee, get ready for a reprise of Whitewater and her cattle future trading, to name just two. In presidential politics, the past is not just prologue. It’s ammunition."

As Simon points out, Michael Dukakis thought he'd put Willie Horton behind him too.

-- Scott Martelle

Comments

[Marks]

Rezco is nothing to Obama, except a mistake helping the guy in the past. Rezco gave money to a variety of political candidates, he has a picture of himself with Hillary. Gave to the DNC. Did things with the Governor of Illinois.

Rezco gave money to Republicans in Illinois.

Excelon Corp is a "scary" nuclear power company. Obama reworked a bill in Illinois, but nothing environmentally horrible occurred.

It's not like Enron that benefited Bush. Bush campaign operatives used Enron jets flying to Florida to recount votes in 2000. Bush rode on Enron jets while Governor of Texas often.

It's not Haliburton, that Cheney used to run and they got no bid contracts for the Iraq war. Overcharged the Pentagon as the way they do business.

Those companies supported the RNC. Republicans in Congress received their attention.

Can those companies be tied to McCain, probably. Energy and defense contractors is McCain's interests.

McCain has had a long career in politics, he's been influenced by a large variety of companies looking to gain favor in Congress.

The RNC is full of hot air, from having former Senator Tom Delay (R), Jack Abramoff lobbyist and Ralph Reed corruption scandals. Money laundering to benefit expansion of the Republican party.

Those guys were longtime superstars in the RNC so they sanctioned it!

Obama doesn't have to fear the RNC at all. Long as he doesn't say " I love you" too much to adoring women who scream that at him.

Some RNC plant, she could scream love to Obama, then try to hug and kiss him. She shows up at different Arena's and gets in the front row.

Manufactured pictures can happen to embarrass Obama, he's a womanizer, cheating on Michelle.

Like Bill did finding Monica!

Michael Dukakis ruined himself wearing that oversized helmet riding in a tank!

[Tom J]

And the donor list for the Clinton Library - that's also been mentioned.

If I were a superdelegate, I'd refuse to vote until ALL those records were open to the public. And I'd recomment that course to all the other superdelegates as well.

How can anyone claim to be vetted when the records aren't available? This is nonsense!

[David Martin]

For all her pleading of "I've been vetted," little can be vetted in the alleged experience of Hiillary Clinton. Locked in libraries, removed from staffer offices. We can only look at her public record... And of course there's TAX RETURNS. We can all look at Senator Obama's taxes and make up our own minds. Where's Hillary?

Her years sitting quietly on the union-busting Wal-Mart board.

More than anything we can now look at her leadership and management (or lack thereof) of a multi-million-dollar campaign which has sunk from a commanding lead to nothing.

So she brings on new staffers to "define her message?" NOW??? What happened to day-one?