Obama's foreign affairs claims leave Hillary Clinton 'speechless'

On a day when American foreign policy, primarily the Senate hearings on the Iraq war in which all three presidential candidates paraded their views for the cameras, is on the line, Sen. Hillary Clinton says she's "somewhat shocked'' and "speechless'' over Sen. Barack Obama's assertion that he has more expertise in the matter than she.

As reported here Monday, Obama met with supporters at a Sunday night fundraiser in San Francisco after his Saturday night appearance in Montana.

The freshman Illinois senator was asked about his thoughts on a potential running mate and provided a classically inarticulate quote that the Clinton camp and possibly John McCain's vice presidential pick will have some fun with later in the year.

Obama said: "I would like somebody who knows about a bunch of stuff that I'm not as expert on. I think a lot of people assume that might be some kind of military thing to make me look more commander in chief like. Ironically, this is an area -- foreign policy -- is the area where I am probably most confident that I know more and understand the world better than Sen. Clinton or Sen. McCain."

The account of his closed-door fundraising talk, first reported by Huffington Post, made for some spirited public talk Tuesday morning on "FOX and Friends," when Democrat Clinton, who ventured into the Republican-friendly TV camp, was asked about Obama's statement.

"Well I’m somewhat shocked by that since I don’t see any evidence of it,'' Clinton said.

"This is kind of hard to square with his failure to ever have a single policy hearing on the only responsibility he was given, chairing the European and NATO subcommittee (of) the foreign relations committee."

"I don’t know. I’m speechless,'' she added. "Making an assertion like that belies the facts and the record.''

--Mark Silva

Mark Silva writes for the Swamp of the Chicago Tribune Washington Bureau.

Comments

[N.E. BodybutHillary]

Speechless? Finally!!!!

[N.E. BodybutHillary]

That is not to say that Barack has more experience attending tea parties or watching children doing native dances than McCain or Clinton. Hillary is the front runner of attending hosted affairs. In fact her hubby is quite the poster child for having affairs, but that is an altogether different story.

[TR]

If Hillary had the same experience, she would trumpet it.

[julie stutznegger]

Hillary doesn't "see any evidence of it"???

How about the fact that Obama was RIGHT about Iraq, Iran and Pakistan, and you were WRONG, Hillary? Obama didn't say he had more experience, he said he understands the world better. Obviously Obama does! Obama was right, and McCain and Clinton were both wrong. It's not experience (aka years in Washington) that matters. It's judgement.

[Obama is the expert]

I hope she stays speechless for a while. But then it is more entertaining when she is spinning tales about sniper fire.

[Renaldo Phlegmn]

Speechless? Priceless...

[verycold]

If it wasn't so scary it would be funny. I use to think that Barack could pretty much talk a great story about the big issues, but without a script in front of him, he can say the most outlandish things. It will be better to just let him talk,talk,talk, because he will dig himself in very quickly. He has had two advisers that have told him that pulling the military out of Iraq will take years and still he pathetically sticks to his campaign rhetoric to begin bringing the boys homes immediately. Of course that could be true if he only brings him a few at a time. I mean technically he would not have lied, but in all good faith what he will be able to to do without creating chaos in the ME is very short of ending the war. Foreign experience....I don't think so.

[Cecilia]

this is tea party chat -- Obama 'funnin' his group - and data passed onto Billary for comment...what else is she going to say? She is sniffing all over the place for an opening....

give it a rest, enjoy the tea party

[Gaias Child]

Betcha she wishes she were speechless when she told us she was running from sniper fire on the tarmac.

I think Obama's understandings will become more clear as we go. Additionally, he will choose someone with more experience and expertise than he has.

But probably someone whose ethics he can trust.

[jim]

Gee, I dunno, maybe he fancies himself as knowing what he is talking about on FP because FP experts are backing him:

'In mainstream foreign-policy circles, Barack Obama is seen as the true bearer of this vision. “There are maybe 200 people on the Democratic side who think about foreign policy for a living,” as one such figure, himself unaffiliated with a campaign, estimates. “The vast majority have thrown in their lot with Obama.”'

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/magazine/04obama-t.html

[JD]

What a non-story. Hilary plays the 'shocked' candidate again? Obama's right, she asked for this when she kept counting her time as first lady as part of her foreign experience. Really? So she was there during the Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations? She was in the think of the decisions regarding the bombing of Sudan and Afghanistan? Hell, after her so-called 'misstatement' regarding flying into Bosnia under sniper fire. Ya know what, maybe she has experience, but clearly it's not enough if you have to embellish the truth a bit. And Obama's dead-on about her tour of 88 countries. Yeah, great job Hil, you've managed to conduct a lot of superficial trips to a lot of places. Let's get you that ph.d. in int'l affairs pronto! Just going over her views on foreign policy: will take a while to leave Iraq, won't talk to Iran even though talking worked to get Libya & N. Korea to give up their nukes, & is biased towards Israel with regards to the Israeli-Pal conflict. So in other words, she's McCain-lite (who happens to be Bush-lite). Yay, that's some great change she represents. Obama '08, the only real potential agent for change left.

[William]

Not that I'm surprised, but this appears to be a yet another deliberate misinterpretation of his remarks. He did not claim to have more experience, but rather that he better understands world affairs and what the role of foreign policy should be. (The quote speaks for itself! Read it!) If McCain and Clinton believe otherwise, perhaps they should do a better job explaining their vote for military force in Iraq.

[collary]

Besides sleeping with a president, what other experience Hillary got for her 8 years tenure at White House?

Ironically, she even failed on that measure!

[fjfjdvdv]

So Hillary Clinton is speechless. Big deal. This is the candidate who couldn't name the president-elect of the Russian Federation. Remember that golden moment during a debate? She said: "Med...Mevde...Mvdevdev...Oh, whatever!"

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but Russia's still a pretty important country. Lots of oil. Lots of nukes. And just what did she hope to accomplish when she commented a few months ago that "Vladimir Putin has no soul." I really don't think that insulting the head of a foreign government is very professional... or very presidential.

As for Senator Obama, I actually agree with his comment. He has actually lived abroad, instead of just made diplomatic visits. And he actually believes that we should TALK to our enemies before going to war. Clinton has called that stance "naive," and says that meetings with foreign heads of state are rewards to be handed out when other countries submit to our will. Well here's what I say: with Obama, we can be sure that he won't send a SINGLE AMERICAN SOLDIER TO DIE before other options have been exhausted. Talk is cheap, and I respect someone who is not too proud to talk to their enemies.

[arthurchal]

YOU PEOPLE ARE RETARDED.

BARACK OBAMA HAS NO EXPERIENCE IN FOREIGN POLICY.

BARACK IS ABOUT AS FRAUDULENT AS THE WAR IN IRAQ ITSELF.

YOU ARE ALL WEAK ASS LIBERALS WITH NO STANDARDS FOR THE OFFICE OF COMMANDER IN CHIEF.

IT IS SO STUPID IT IS FUNNY!!!

[terry]

sinbad went to Bosnia? Sinbad '08
He has as much foreign experience as Hillary. I know he can be trusted.

[Paul F. Villarreal AKA]

This is one of the most absurd primary seasons, I can remember, and it's only getting more embarrassing as time continues.

The media fawning which has gone over Obama, and which has only increased both on networks like CNN and MSNBC and on blogs like MyDD and Daily Kos is beyond belief. For those of us who support Hillary Clinton -- that is, the majority of the Democratic Party, of whom Ms. Clinton has more votes than Obama -- it's almost like we woke up in some Bizarro universe where the wisest sage of them all is Shelby Steele. He has been most correct in all this, and that so many could fall for Axelrod's base ploys is staggering.

Please see my attached URL (click on my name below) for a video I made which goes over 3 very simple and easy to understand reasons why Clinton is by far a superior candidate than Obama, who will be crushed if he faces McCain.

I'm embarrassed for my party and their falling all over themselves for Obama. It is ridiculous.

Paul F. Villarreal AKA "Universal" from MyDD (banned because I was not in the tank enough for Obama) AKA "RokSki"

[GS]

RIGHT! And Obama follows this comment by grandstanding and posturing at the Senate Hearing on Iran!

Trying hard to look "presidential" aren't we? Yeah, right!!! Let's just hop on the next plane and "talk" to Iran... duh, what do you think has been going on? What do you think the UN sanctions are about? Because Iran is not listening OhBama!

[RicRoe]

How can voters believe anything Clinton says any more?

Do we trust Clinton when she says she is against NAFTA or do we believe video tape that shows her active role during its inception?

Do we trust Clinton when she says she she was under sniper fire during her trip to Bosnia or do we believe the video tape that proves she was not?

Do we trust Clinton when she says she supports equal rights for all Americans or do we believe she supports remarks made by attack dogs like the former President or Geraldine Ferraro?

Do we trust Clinton who agreed with the Democratic party's decision regarding Minnesota and Florida's consequences for moving their primary dates or do we believe she has now flip flopped because she needs the votes?

Clinton, in her desperate attempts to be the consumate candidate has mis spoken and outright lied many times during this campaign run and no longer has any credibility when she speaks.

It is time for Clinton to end her seriously flawed campaign based on her failure to be honest with America on so many issues.

Voters and super delegates must realize that Clinton has lost all credibility, and the latest Colombia gate fiasco illustrates her lack of honesty and integrity as much as any we have sen thus far.

One would think that after being caught in so many inconsistencies she would simply withdraw, but her arrogance keeps her in the race.

Clinton with all her deceitful statements seems to have become what she is running against...George Bush in a pants suit.

[Joe]

i can't believe i wasted 4 minutes of my life reading this crap - esp. the thoughtful entry above IN ALL CAPS...

[confitesprit]

Thanks, Arthur. Spoken like a true fallen angel. Please, by all means, go back to your marbles and pretty pictures and leave the workings of the world to the adults. 'Kay?

[observer]

Go Hillary!

Everyone's speechless on how this empty suit Obama got so far in bamboozling voters to vote for him!

[CC]

I know it's unfair, but Obama isn't traumatized by imaginary snipers...

[George]

So, is this where Clinton has her slow and steady realization that exposure does not equal expertise? I know, it's confusing, they both start with "exp". The first, however, only gives you credit for being around. The second, gives you credit for having a history of making sound judgments. Hillary has had exposure, but Obama has genuine expertise. It's really that simple.

[annoyance]

Arthurchal, your retarded.

Billary wanted the war, she is as bad of a warmonger as McCain or Bush, she distances herself from Penn who she knows was pushing for free trade to Colombia while attacking it (double standard anyone?) and can't even bring herself to deal with her cheating husband let alone a country. If she cannot deal with him, how the hell she gonna protect the country? Cry? I doubt it. Go have a tea party with her, its all she is used to, maybe you will get lucky and get the flowers on the tarmac, then again theoretically maybe a sniper will get lucky...